Topic: On the way to democracy

Author: Anna Rabiega

Addressee:

8th‑grade primary school student.

Core curriculum:

XI. Democracy in the Republic of Poland.

The student:

7) explains the principle of constitutionalism; names the characteristics of a constitution; (...).

The general aim of education:

The student explains the meaning of democratic procedures.

Learning outcomes:

The student:

• explains how various constitutions regulated the democratic systems in different places and times.

• presents various methods of applying the democratic principles in practice.

• presents the Polish contribution into the history of democratic system creation.

• explains the role of the constitution in a political system.

Key competences:

• communicating in a foreign language,

• digital competence,

• learning to learn,

• social and civic competences.

Teaching methods:

• discussion,

• source material analysis,

• brainstorming,

• teaching conversation using recording, interactive exercises.

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,

• printouts of the source materials for each of the groups (see: Notes for the teacher)

• 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 meaning of the Constitution for guaranteeing the fundamental principles of democracy in a political system of a state.

2. The teacher asks the students to use the brainstorming method in order to write down on the board all of the independence or constitutional acts they know from history, that became the foundations of democracy in various states around the world. After the task is completed the teacher asks the students to verify their suggestions with the information contained on the timeline “Independence and constitutional acts” from the abstract „On the way to democracy”. He explains that the goal of the lesson will be to track the various ways of regulating the fundamental principles of democracy.

Implementation:

1. The teacher asks the students to familiarize themselves with the fragment of Pericles’ praise of Athenian democracy contained in the abstract, and then, cooperating in pairs, note down the principles of the Athenian democracy described in the speech. Willing students present the results of their work. If necessary the teacher asks the rest of the students to supplement the answers of their colleagues or correct them. The teacher monitors the correctness of the presented information, pointing out to the parts of the text, that describe the principles that the students didn’t spot.

2. The teacher makes the students realize that although the idea of democracy has not changed since the ancient times, modern democratic states have to be ruled by a slightly changed method because they are different from a small Greek polis of Athens. In the following documents the students will be able to track the modern regulations on the issue.

3. The teacher divides the class into four groups and hands out the printouts of the source materials. The task of each group is to analyze and present the conclusions about the ways democratic principles are regulated in the source materials to the class (similarly to the way the Pericles’ speech was analyzed before in regard to the principles of Athenian democracy). The students study the source materials, discuss the list of democratic principles regulated in them in groups and present their conclusions to the rest of the class.

4. The teacher displays the infographics “The Constitution…” on the interactive board. He informs the students that they will be working using the brainstorming method, and explains it if necessary. The task of the students will be to find expressions that help understand the role of the Constitution in a democratic state. The teacher sets up the time to complete the task and appoints a facilitator, who writes down the students’ suggestions on the board.

5. After the creative phase is over, the students verify and discuss their suggestions with the teacher.

Summary:

1. The teacher informs the students that in order to summarize the knowledge and practice the skills gained in the class today, they will solve exercise 2. The students listen to the recordings of various fragments of legal documents and match them to appropriate titles.

2. 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.

3. Homework proposal:

a. In today’s class we have learned about the fundamental principles of democracy: the sovereignty of the nation, equality before the law, free elections, rule of law, human rights, constitutionalism, separation of power. We have read about them in various source materials. Using internet resources, an encyclopedia or a dictionary, present concise definitions of the terms.

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

Notes for the teacher:

Depending on the level of language of the students, the teacher may present the source materials in Polish or English.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

On the way to democracy

Democratic principles of governing the state were born in antiquity, but only in modern times they took forms that contemporary societies refer to. The First Republic of Poland (the so‑called Nobles’ Democracy), the parliamentary monarchy in England, the socio‑political thought of the Enlightenment are important stages in the shaping of democratic ideas as we know them today.

Follow the history of creation of the most important documents that became the foundations for modern democracy on the timeline.

The Declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson, in cooperation with, among others, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Referring to the principle of equality and freedom, the authors of the document justified the right to independence from the United Kingdom of thirteen colonies in North America.

The Declaration of Independence is for the Americans a symbol of freedom. Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration on July 4, 1776.

The adoption of the Constitution was the culmination of the process of creating a new state – the United States of America. The Constitution is valid until today. It was supplemented with 27 amendments.

The Great French Revolution changed the face of France and Europe. It initiated the creation of a new model of the state and nation. The events that took place on July 14, 1789 are considered to be the symbolic beginning of the revolution. The people of Paris conquered Bastille, a symbol of absolutism. One of the most important documents that emerged during the revolution was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which is a collection of basic principles regarding the organization of the state and society.

The adoption of the Government Act (Constitution) was a great achievement of the Four‑Year Sejm (held from October 1788 to May 1792) and an attempt to build a modern state. Later, when Poland was no longer on the political map of Europe, the Constitution of 3 May became a symbol of the independence tradition of the Polish state. Read the preamble to the first Polish Constitution in your e‑textbook.

Some of the effects of overthrowing the communist regime were the ongoing legal changes in Poland. Finally, after years of deliberation, on April 2, 1997, the National Assembly passed a new constitution. Then, in the constitutional referendum, the citizens of Poland voted for the adoption of the Constitution. After the recognition of the validity of the referendum by the Supreme Court, the Constitution of the Republic of Poland was officially signed by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski.

Democracy is currently the most widespread form of the political system in Europe. From 1989, Poland also joined the family of democratic states. The foundation of democracy in our country is the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. The Constitution is a superior law that protects the community of free and equal citizens.