Topic: The society of the First Polish Republic

Target group

6th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

X. Beginnings of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth. Student:

1. characterizes religious and national relations in the Commonwealth; explains the main assumptions of the Warsaw Confederation;

General aim of education

The student acquires knowledge and skills about the topics discussed in the classes

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• about the structure of the Polish society in the 17th century;

• what rights and duties representatives of specific classes had.

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

Introduction

1. The teacher plays the recording of the abstract. Every now and then he stops it, asking the students to tell in their own words what they have just heard. This way, students practice listening comprehension.

2. Lesson is conducted using the Oxford debate method on the The peasants were the largest social class of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 17th century, but at the same time the least significant.. 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 in pairs solve the Exercise 1. The teacher checks if the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback to students.

3. Students analyze the illustration and execute Task 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.

4. Students in pairs solve the Exercise 2. The teacher makes sure that the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback.

5. Students analyze the gallery of illustrations and execute Task 2. 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.

6. Students in pairs solve the Exercise 3. The teacher makes sure that the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback.

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.

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

The society of the First Polish Republic

The nobility originally came from the class of knights. They had the right to own land, and to benefit from it. A nobleman’s duty was, first and foremost, to defend the country, help in case of disasters, build roads and bridges. The nobility was also supposed to ensure that the secular law and church law are obeyed. It was the most important class in 17th‑century Poland.

Catholicism was the dominant religion in the Republic. The importance of the Catholic clergy was enormous. It was a separate class that enjoyed special considerations. It had its own judiciary, and tax privileges. Bishops held high state offices and were members of the Senate. Usually, clergymen originally came from the noble class.

The burgesses were a separate class, which was governed by its own laws too. It had its own courts and separate taxes.

The most numerous social class were the peasants. The most important and the largest group of peasants were the landed commoners – users of royal, church, or nobility‑owned land. It was a poor class burdened with serfdom – performance of labor for a master.

As a result of warfare, a new social class was formed in Poland – the Cossacks. They turned out to be a great problem for the Kingdom of Poland. Their lofty aspirations and aggressive attitude to the Polish nobility caused serious conflicts.

In Poland, apart from Catholics, there also lived followers of other religions such as the Orthodox faith, and Judaism.

Jews were not only a religious minority, but also a national minority. It was a relatively small social group that dealt in trade and small‑scale farming.

A separate group in Poland was the army, whose ranks were joined by the nobility, thus creating a formation called Pospolite ruszenie (literally meaning ‘mass mobilization’). The nobility were rather opposed to the creation of the so‑called professional army.