Lesson plan (English)
Topic: The Kościuszko Uprising
Target group
7th‑grade students of elementary school
Core curriculum
XVII. The struggle to maintain independence in the last years of the 18th century. Pupil:
presents the causes and effects of the Kościuszko Uprising;
distinguishes the internal and external causes of the fall of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth.
General aim of education
The students will find out who Tadeusz Kosciuszko was and what the fate of the uprising was at the head of which he stood.
Key competences
communication in foreign languages;
digital competence;
learning to learn.
Criteria for success
The student will learn:
who deems Tadeusz Kościuszko a national hero and why;
who were the kosynierzy;
why did Tadeusz Kościuszko make the Proclamation of Połaniec;
how did the Poles defend the principles of the Constitution of 3 May 1791 and what was left of their independence.
Methods/techniques
activating
discussion.
expository
talk.
programmed
with computer;
with e‑textbook.
practical
exercices concerned.
Forms of work
individual activity;
collective activity.
Teaching aids
e‑textbook;
notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;
interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.
Lesson plan overview
Before classes
Students should know the situation of Polish peasants in the 18th century and the consequences of the announcement of the Constitution of 3 May.
Introduction
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.
Volunteers describe the content they read at home. The other students complement their statements.
The teacher asks what influence the peasants had on the fate of the state. Did anything depend on them? Students should know that the development of serfdom and privileges of nobles led to the fall of the position of towns and peasants.
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.
Realization
Brainstorm. The teacher asks students what they know about Tadeusz Kościuszko and what nations consider him to be their hero. Then he talks about Kosciuszko's youth and his versatile education as well as great engineering knowledge and his trip to America. He mentions his merits in the war for independence of the United States.
The teacher asks students what breakthrough event took place in 1791 and what were its consequences. Students should know that it's the Great Sejm and adopting the Constitution of 3 May. The teacher mentions the Targowica Confederation and the outbreak of war with Russia. He talks about Kosciuszko's participation in the battle of Zieleńce and explains to the students the decision of King Stanisław August Poniatowski to join the confederation..
The teacher explains to the students why there was an outbreak of the Kosciuszko Insurrection, which was the last attempt to regain independence and defeat the enemy.
Students perform exercises and commands. The teacher complements them with a historical context, providing students with the necessary information. Checks if the tasks have been correctly completed and gives feedback to students.
The teacher plays the voice‑over recording. 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. Next the students answer the questions posed in the task.
Summary
The teacher asks students about the most important events of the last years of the Commonwealth. He asks questions - why did the subsequent annexations occur? Why did the Polish‑Russian war and then the Kościuszko Insurrection end in a disaster?.
The teacher asks: If there was going to be a test on the material we have covered today, what questions do you think would you have to answer?
If the students do not manage to name all the most important questions, the teacher may complement their suggestions.
Homework
Students solve exercises that were not completed during the lesson.
The Kosciuszko Uprising, despite the fact that Poland still existed, can be called the first national uprising. Could it have worked? Did it make sense at all? Think about what possible help from abroad could have been provided for the fighting Poles.
The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson
Terms
Kosynierzy – oddziały piechoty wywodzące się z chłopstwa, których bronią były postawione na sztorc kosy. Najbardziej znane oddziały kosynierów walczyły w powstaniu kościuszkowskim. Ich dewizą było hasło “żywią i bronią”.
Muszkiet – długolufowa broń palna, ładowana od przodu. Pojawił się w Europie w XVI wieku, wyparty przez karabiny w połowie XIX wieku.
Bateria – w artylerii oddział złożony z kilku armat.
Konfederacja – zawiązywany przez szlachtę, duchowieństwo lub miasta czasowy związek zbrojny (do osiągnięcia swoich celów), którego celem była realizacja własnych postulatów.
Kolonia – najczęściej zamorska, zagraniczna posiadłość państwa nazywanego metropolią podlegająca jego władzy gospodarczej i politycznej. Jest mu podporządkowana, a władzę w niej sprawują wyznaczeni i podporządkowani metropolii urzędnicy.
Naczelnik – Najwyższy Naczelnik Siły Zbrojnej Narodowej – tytuł nadany Tadeuszowi Kościuszce w 1794 roku jako dyktatorowi powstania, na czele którego stanął. Sprawował on najwyższą władzę wojskową.
Uniwersał połaniecki – akt prawny wydany przez Tadeusz Kościuszkę przyznający ograniczoną wolność osobistą chłopom. Nie przetrwał upadku powstania i nie miał żadnej mocy i wpływu na ich sytuację.
Insurekcja – dawniej powstanie zbrojne, np. insurekcja kościuszkowska.
Texts and recordings
The Kościuszko Uprising
In the wake of the Second Partition of Poland in 1794, an uprising insurrection began. The leader of the Polish military, joined by scythe‑wielding peasants (kosynierzy), was Tadeusz Kościuszko, a hero of the American War of Independence. At first, the insurgents achieved a degree of success – for example in the Battle of Racławice, where they defeated the Russian army while suffering relatively small losses. Soon after those victories, though, defeats followed. On 10 October 1794, in the Battle of Maciejowice, the Polish army lost, and Kościuszko, wounded, was taken prisoner. Soon after, the Russians captured Warsaw. The uprising collapsed.