Topic: Renaissance and humanism

Target group

6th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

IX. „Golden Age” in Poland on the European background. Student:

1. recognizes the characteristic features of the European Renaissance; characterizes the greatest achievements of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rafael Santi, Erasmus from Rotterdam, Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo and Johannes Gutenberg;

General aim of education

The student will learn about the development of the Renaissance culture.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• to define what we owe to the Renaissance;

• to explain where the Renaissance was born and what age it was related to;

• to define the concept of humanism;

• to mention the most important representatives of the Renaissance.

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. Students, using the resources of the Internet and other source materials, gather general information and curiosities regarding the thematic scope of the planned lesson.

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. Lesson is conducted using the Oxford debate method on the Humanism is the most important heritage of the Renaissance.. At one of the previous meetings, the teacher should introduce the students to the topic, assign them appropriate roles and, if necessary, explain the method. During the preparation for the debate, students should use the information contained in the abstract and other sources, as well as collaborate in the preparation of arguments.

Realization

1. Reading the content of the abstract. The teacher uses the text for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

2. Students perform Task 1 and Task 2. They prepare their answer in writing. The teacher controls the correctness of their statements, supplementing it with additional information if necessary.

3. Analysis of the interactive illustration. Participants familiarize themselves with the content presented in the interactive illustration. Then the teacher discusses the issues with the students.

4. Students analyze the illustration and execute Exercise 1. To answer the question, they can use Internet sources or other publications. The teacher checks the correctness of the answer and provides feedback to the students.

5. Students in pairs solve the Exercise 2.

Summary

1. The teacher briefly presents the most important issues discussed in class. He answers the additional questions of the proteges and explains all their doubts. Students complete notes.

2. The teacher asks the students questions:

   • What did you find important and interesting in class?

   • What was easy and what was difficult?

   • How can you use the knowledge and skills you have gained today?

   Willing/selected students summarize the lesson

Homework

1. Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

2. Students solve exercises that were not completed during the lesson.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Renaissance and humanism

The Renaissance, otherwise known as the Rebirth, is an era that began at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries in Italy and lasted until the 16th century. It had a great impact on almost all areas of contemporary life – culture, science and art. The medieval ideals were thrown aside and the focus was put on the man and his life. It was man, not God, who was at the center of attention. Thus, the concept inseparably connected with the Renaissance is humanism.

The leading concept of the Renaissance era was “carpe diem” – seize the day, live in the moment. In the Renaissance, there was a return to ancient thought. It was based on the authority of ancient philosophers. The intellectuals of the Renaissance era focused on Roman ideals, civic virtues, and secular, not religious, education models. The ideal of the era was a comprehensively educated man.

Rich Italian families erected palaces showing their wealth, and decorated them with paintings and sculptures commissioned from artists. This how the patronage was born, which is the care of wealthy connoisseurs of art over its creators.

As a result of the development of crafts and trade, but also thanks to the political break‑up of Italy, wealthy centers were established, where the Renaissance culture began to flourish. These centers include mainly Milan, Rome, Genoa, Venice as well as Florence.

In the Renaissance period, many famous artists created their works, including Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo. All pieces of art created during this period were created in a realistic manner.

The cult of antiquity found its fullest expression in Italian literature. Italian artists imitated the ancient ones, Latin was the dominant language. This does not mean, however, that native languages were not used.

Poets and other writers of the Renaissance era addressed various issues, but the topic that interested them the most was the man.

The greatest writer of the Renaissance was William Shakespeare, the author of such works as “Hamlet”, “Romeo and Juliet” or “Macbeth”.

Although the Renaissance era did not last long, it had a huge impact on the future: it initiated another era, the early modern period.