Topic: Great Poles

Author: Anna Rabiega

Addressee:

8th grade primary school student.

Core curriculum:

IX. Participation of citizens in public life – civil society.

The student:

1) names the civic virtues (responsibility, concern for the common good, activeness, entrepreneurship, solidarity, prudence, tolerance, civil courage); demonstrates, referring to the actions of great Poles, the importance of the implementation of these virtues for public benefit.

The general aim of education:

The student uses information to create his own statement.

Learning outcomes:

The student:

• analyzes what it means to be a good citizen.

• presents a couple of great Polish citizens and justifies his choice.

Key competences:

• communicating in a foreign language,

• digital competence,

• learning to learn,

• social and civic competences,

• sense of initiative and entrepreneurship,

• cultural awareness and expression.

Teaching methods:

• pyramid of priorities,

• discussion,

• teaching conversation using scheme, movies,

• group project.

Forms of work:

• self‑learning,

• group work,

• whole‑class activity.

Material & equipment needed:

• computers with loudspeakers/headphones and internet access,

• multimedia resources from the e‑textbook,

• interactive whiteboard/blackboard, felt‑tip pen/a piece of chalk.

Lesson plan overview (Process):

Introduction:

1. The teacher presents the goal of the lesson: You will determine the characteristics of a good citizen and a Great Pole, and learn about people who fulfil these requirements.

2. The teacher asks the students to solve the crossword, of which the main password is the subject of the lesson (exercise 1 from the abstract “Great Poles”). After completing the task the teacher asks if the students know the people, whose names are mentioned in the crossword, and if they find these people worthy of the name of a great Pole. He asks the students to briefly justify their opinions.

Implementation:

1. The teacher divides the class into small groups. He asks the students a question on what they think an expression “to be a good citizen” means. He informs the students, that their task will be to build a pyramid of priorities consisting of the characteristics of a good citizen. If necessary, the teacher explains the method. The students will build the pyramid using the interactive board “Good citizen - what does it mean?” from the abstract. They are allowed to choose from the suggestions already provided, but also come up with their own ideas. The teacher makes sure the teams provide justification for their choices.

2. After the time dedicated to the assignment is up, each of the teams presents their own pyramid and its justification. During each presentation the teacher asks the other teams to pay attention to the most often repeated characteristics, as well as the brand new suggestions. These observations will prove useful when building a joint whole‑class pyramid.

3. After the presentations are finished the teacher appoints a facilitator to establish the common pyramid of priorities or, if the students work with the method for the first time, moderates the process himself. In the discussion the students indicate the characteristics which were present in all the pyramids or seemed the most suitable to them, and decide which level of the pyramid they should be placed at. This way a joint whole‑class pyramid of the characteristics of a good citizen is created.

4. The teacher asks the students to look at the photo gallery of some great Poles. He may also invite the students to watch a couple of short movies presenting famous Polish people (Gallery of Great Poles, screen 7). He asks the students the following questions:

• Do you agree with the choice?

• Who in your opinion is missing in the Gallery of Great Poles?

• Do you think these people fulfil the criteria of your pyramid of the characteristics of a great Pole?

5. The teacher introduces a project assignment to the students - preparing the profiles of great Poles, which they think should be in their own gallery. He divides the class into groups of three. The students together choose a couple of characters, whom they want to present. The teacher informs the students that they will present the results of their work in a week (vide: Homework proposal).

Summary:

1. At the end of the class, 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.

2. Homework proposal:

a. In your team of three you will prepare a profile of a chosen famous Pole, who in your opinion deserves to be called “great”. Make sure to include the following elements in your presentation:

• a short biography of the person, interesting facts from his/her private life, which caught your attention,

• the achievements of this person, which convinced you to choose his/her,

• justification of your choice.

You can prepare the presentation in the cloud, using Google drive or with the Microsoft Office tools (PowerPoint) or similar others.

b. Listen to the abstract recording to review the material and new vocabulary. Then do the vocabulary exercise at the end of the chapter.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Great Poles

What does it mean to be a good citizen? Is it enough to study or work hard, pay taxes and not break the law? Or should we go an extra mile? Can somebody who is under age be a good citizen and act towards the common good?

Once you decide on the qualities that should characterize a good citizen, try to think about outstanding historical and contemporary (XX and XXI century) figures that deserve the title of a Great Pole. Look at the gallery of the great Poles. These are just a few of many, who deserve the name. They are authority figures, leaders, scientists, poets, social activists, sportsmen and sportswomen. Do you know them? Do you know what their achievements are?

Some other prominent Poles of the twentieth and twenty‑first century are: Józef Piłsudski, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, Lech Wałęsa, priest Jerzy Popiełuszko, Zbigniew Religa, Jerzy Owsiak, Danuta Siedzikówna “Inka”, Kazimierz Kamieński “Gryf” and “Huzar”, Władysław Grabski, Władysław Sikorski, Irena Sendlerowa, Zbigniew Herbert, Czesław Miłosz, Franciszek Kornicki, and many others. Look them up, for example on the Internet, and create your own gallery of great Poles. Compare your choices with the rest of your class.

You can also watch a couple of short movies about some of these people.