Topic: A new power - Prussia

Target group

6th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

6th‑grade students of elementary school.

XII. Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Pupil:

4) characterizes the Enlightenment reforms introduced in Prussia, Russia and Austria.

General aim of education

Students learn about the reforms introduced in Prussia and the reasons for the promotion of this state to the group of European powers

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• to characterise the reforms introduced in Prussia in the 18th century;

• to differentiate between the internal and external effects of Prussian policy;

• to describe how Prussia developed its territories in the 18th century.

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 students to read in the e‑textbook the section: Od „piaskownicy” Europy do ważnego elementu europejskiej dyplomacji. Rozwój terytorialny Brandenburgii – Prus do pocz. XVIII w.

Introduction

1. The teacher gives the students the subject, the purpose of the lesson and the criteria for success.

2. Students carry out the Task 1. Based on the map, they mention the stages of territorial development in Brandenburg first and then in Prussia in 1600‑1795.

Realization

1. The teacher asks students to do Task 2. Students listen to the broadcast about the generation conflict at the Prussian court. Talking with the teacher, they try to assess the consequences of this conflict. The teacher makes sure that the tasks have been correctly completed and gives feedback.

2. The teacher completes the information gathered by the students about the politics of the rulers of Prussia (mentioned earlier in the broadcast of Fryderyk Wilhelm I and Fryderyk II the Great), who led to the formation of the local power. He explains the significance of the fact that as a result of the Northern War the role of local powers lost Sweden and the Commonwealth. Students write down, trying to pick out from the teacher's story the special features of each of the rulers' policies (military, fiscal, cultural, etc.).

Summary

1. Students do Exercise 1, assigning the achievements of individual Prussian rulers in the table.

2. The teacher gives students evaluation surveys in which they evaluate their own work during the lesson, the work of the teacher and colleagues.

Homework

1. The teacher sets homework (it is not an obligatory part of the script): he asks to write an essay. Its theme is a comparison of the Enlightenment reforms introduced in Prussia with the Enlightenment reforms in Russia and Austria. Students are to create a ranking of the five best and the five worst political rulers' decisions. They prepare a presentation made of memes on this subject. For this purpose, they search for information in textbooks and online materials.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

A new power - Prussia

In 1640, Frederick Wilhelm, known to posterity as the „Great Elector” took power in Brandenburg, Prussia. He not only managed to enlarge his kingdom, which included Pomerania, Magdeburg, or Halberstadt, but above all, he freed the Principality of Prussia from dependence on Polish fiefdom. He also began the process of Absolutism. The culmination of the advancement of Prussia in the international arena came with the crowning of the Prince Elector as King of Prussia in 1701. The true owner of this power in Prussia turned out the be Frederick II, who in German historiography was called the Great. Almost immediately after his accession to the throne, he began fighting wars that would continue for much of his reign. Teritorial gains and, above all, an improved machine of state meant that Prussia was elevated to the group of five European powers.