Topic: Poland is us. Democracy.

Author: Anna Rabiega

Addressee:

8th‑grade primary school student.

Core curriculum:

XI. Democracy in the Republic of Poland.

The student:

3) explains the principles of representative democracy (indirect democracy); presents the roles of elections to the Sejm and Sente of the Republic of Poland and the principles of functioning, as well as the most important competences of the chambers of the parliament;

4) explains the principle of political pluralism; (...)

5) explains the principle of republican form of government; (...).

The general aim of education:

The student justifies the importance of democratic procedures.

Learning outcomes:

The student:

• presents what the origins of democracy were.

• explains the underlying principles of democratic rule.

• knows who Cleisthenes was, and is able to explain what ostracism was in ancient Greece, as well as what it is today.

• explains the difference between direct and indirect democracy, and give examples of the forms they take.

Key competences:

• communicating in a foreign language,

• digital competence,

• learning to learn,

• social and civic competences.

Teaching methods:

• mind map,

• discussion,

• Phillips 66,

• teaching conversation using interactive board and exercises.

Forms of work:

• self‑learning,

• 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 understand the origins of democracy and the essence of the political system in various forms it takes nowadays.

2. The teacher explains the etymology of the word “democracy”. He asks the the students to recollect the information they might have from history classes on where and when this political system emerged for the first time, and what principles was it based on. He asks the students to write down their observations on the board in a form of a mind map.

Implementation:

1. The teacher asks the students, if they can recollect from history classes who Cleisthenes was. If the students cannot remember this, they may look the information up online. Willing students talk about the Greek politician. The teacher asks a question about ostracism - its meaning in the ancient times and nowadays. Willing students explain the term to the rest of the class.

2. The teacher displays the infographics “Basis for democratic rule” from the abstract “Poland is us. Democracy”, which illustrates the fundamentals of democracy, on the interactive board. He asks the students to provide the definition of the term “democracy”. Then he initiates a discussion on why these specific values make democracy real. The students provide their arguments and explanations. At the end of the activity, the teacher asks a willing/selected student to sum it up.

3. The teacher presents the students with the infographics “Principles of a modern democratic state”, illustrating the rules all democratic states should follow. He asks the class to split into groups of six. He informs the students that they will be working using the Phillips 66 method, and explains it if necessary:

a. The task of each team will be to explain how they understand each of the fundamental principles of modern democracies. They have six minutes to do so.

b. Then the teams confront their solutions with the rest of the class and resume their work for another six minutes to perfect their answers.

c. Another confrontation of ideas takes place - a comparison of the maturity of the solutions and possibilities to improve them.

d. The students write down the final conclusions or introduce the suggested changes for the nex six minutes.

If necessary, the teacher corrects and supplements the students statements.

4. The teacher reminds the student, that the Athenian democracy was a direct one. He asks the students what they think this expression means. Then he asks them, what advantages and disadvantages of this solution they see if it was used nowadays. The teacher introduces the term of representative democracy (unless the students find out on their own, that it is a solution to the disadvantages of the direct democracy).

5. To revise the information the teacher suggests the students do exercise 1 and 2 and present the advantages and disadvantages of a direct (referendum) and indirect democracy on a specific example presented in the interactive board. The teacher asks the students to justify their answers.

Summary:

1. At the end of the lesson 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?

Probably the students will name: definitions of democracy, ostracism, the basis for democratic rule, the principles of a modern democratic state, the differences between direct and representative democracy, examples of direct democracy.

If the students do not manage to name all the most important questions, the teacher may complement their suggestions.

2. Homework proposal:

a. Direct and indirect democracy - what makes states decide on one of the forms of democracy? What are the consequences of such a choice?

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

Poland is us. Democracy

The word democracy comes from ancient Greece. It originates from two words: demos – the people and cratos – power, the authorities or government. The meaning of the word was “the power of the people”. The most important values to the Greek democracy were the freedom and equality of the citizens.

Take a look at the infographics presenting the basis for democratic rule, as well as its ultimate goals.

You have already studied the meaning of most of these words, so let us just remind you that:

• pluralism is means “multiplicity/diversity”, e.g. many political parties with different programmes operating in the political system;

• the rule of law means “compliance with applicable law” by all citizens, but also, even more importantly, by all institutions, organizations and state authorities.

A political system, a state, political parties, all social organizations and institutions deserve to be called democratic if they include and implement these values in their programmes and actions.

Cleisthenes lived at the turn of the 6th and 5th centuries BC. He carried out reforms that became the foundation of Athenian democracy. One of the most interesting ideas of Cleisthenes was ostracism. Citizens of Athens, by voting, could remove from their country a person whose views they found threatening to democracy. Their votes were cast on pottery shards (broken pottery), hence the name (potsherd - ostracon).

Today, ostracism means:

• exclusion from a social group

• hostility/dislike towards the person rejected by a group

You will find out the meaning of these terms in the next few lessons.

Two forms of democracy have evolved in the historical development of societies: direct and indirect (representative) one.

Direct democracy

The origins of direct democracy are connected with the political system of ancient Athens. Every Athenian citizen personally took part in governing of the state, participating in the deliberations of the popular assembly (Ecclesia). Direct democracy, as a way of exercising political power, was possible under conditions of a small area of the city‑state (polis) of Athens and a small number of citizens. In modern democratic states elements of direct forms of government have been preserved. One of them is a referendum.

Representative democracy

Representative democracy is a system in which decisions on behalf of citizens are made by representatives chosen by the citizens through free elections (e.g. deputies, councilors). Indirect democracy is typical of most modern democratic states, including Poland. As the number of inhabitants of modern countries exceeds the number of citizens of ancient Athens many times, direct democracy could not function effectively.

Democracy is not only a political system, but most importantly - active, responsible citizens. You learn the principles and mechanisms of democracy at school already. Through participation in activities undertaken by the school community, you learn independence, decision making, responsibility for yourself and others. The student government is, by legal definition, the whole school community, it is YOU. The fate of the school and the future of the state also depends on you. Remember that the stability and quality of democracy depend on us.