Topic: A test of strength. Revolution 1905‑1907 in Russia and the Polish lands

Target group

7th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

XXIV. Polish lands under the partitions in the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Pupil:

5. explains the social and national aspects of the revolution in 1905‑1907.

General aim of education

Students will learn about the social and national aspects of the revolution in 1905–1907

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• the reasons for the revolution;

• the social and national aspects of the revolution of 1905‑1907;

• differences between the strike actions in the Kingdom of Poland and the Russian Empire.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

1. The teacher asks the students to execute Task 2. from the e‑textbook. Students listen to two mini‑lectures. They write down the answers to the questions.

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher proposes to studentes to work in pairs and carry out a correspondence debate. The students' task will be to assess Nicholas II as a politician, ruler, person etc. The teacher indicates how to prepare for the task. Students will get acquainted with the interactive illustration in ** Task 1 ** and use it to prepare the arguments. Then they debate in writing. Volunteers present the results of their debates.

Realization

1. The teacher refers to the information prepared by the students at home. Then, he asks students to carry out **Task 2**. The student reads a proclamation from the high school students of the Kingdom of Poland regarding the school strike of February 1905. Then he summarizes their postulates in writing.

2. The teacher goes from the situation and attitudes of students to exposing the general political situation in the Kingdom of Poland. He talks about the differences between the main political camps. The lecture is illustratet with the graphic materials from the e‑textbook.

3. Students learn the details of the strike activity of the Russian population and the Polish territories within it. They perform **Exercise 1** (based on data from the table, they evaluate if the sentences given are true) and **Task 3**. They discuss their conclusions. The teacher complements the students' knowledge by providing interesting details.

4. While working on the exercises, students use a set of cards in three colors: green, yellow and red. Using to the cards, they signal to the teacher if they have difficulties in carrying out the orders (green color – I'm doing great, yellow - I have doubts, red - I'm asking for help).

Summary

1. The teacher discusses the outcomes of the 1905--1906 revolution. He asks students for knowledge‑based comments. Students perform ** Task 4 **, which allows them to organize the acquired knowledge.

2. The teacher assesses the students' work during the lesson, taking into account their input and commitment. For this purpose, he may prepare a self‑assessment questionnaire.

Homework

1. The teacher tasks willing students with homework: Students should write an essay on the revolutionary experiences of the students during the 1905–1906 revolution, using resources from the e‑textbook and knowledge acquired during the lesson.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

A test of strength. Revolution 1905‑1907 in Russia and the Polish lands

In Tsarist Russia, the attitude of society toward the already anachronistic system of absolute rule by the Tsar was changing. The crisis in 1900‑1903 additionally deepened the social disparities and worsened the situation of workers. In 1903, the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Russia (SDPRR) emerged. It's most important activist was Vladimir Lenin. The direct impulse that led to the outbreak of revolution was „Bloody Sunday”, which took place on 22nd January, 1905. On this day, participants in a peaceful workers' demonstration, inspired by the Social Democrats, went to the Winter Palace to present the Tsar with a petition. It called for the establishment of a parliament, political freedom and the end to the war with Japan. The army opened fire on the demonstrators, killing nearly a thousand people and injuring many others. Following the events of „Bloody Sunday”, there followed a huge wave of strikes and demonstrations in the cities of Russia on a daily basis. The Tsar initially agreed to reforms, permitted political parties and organised elections for the Duma. In time, however, he reneged on many of the concessions. Influenced by the revolution in Russia, workers' events also began to occur in the Kingdom of Poland. These were brutally suppressed, but as a result, conditions for workers were improved and political parties legalised.