Topic: Development of Gdynia, and other economic achievements of the Second Polish Republic

Target group

7th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

7th‑grade students of elementary school

XXX. Society and economy of the Second Polish Republic. Pupil:

1. characterizes the social, national and religious structure of the Polish state;

2. discusses the effects of the global economic crisis in the Polish lands;

3. assesses the economic achievements of the Second Polish Republic, especially the Gdynia, coal and Central Industrial District;

4. gives the most important cultural and scientific achievements of Poland in the interwar period.

General aim of education

Students learn about the history behind the construction and development of the city of Gdynia.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• the reborn Poland was struggling with;

• what were the most important economic successes of the Second Polish Republic;

• what were the reasons for the creation and significance of the port in Gdynia;

• who were Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski and Władysław Grabski;

• what the terms mean: hyperinflation, Central Industrial District;

• what was the location of industrial centers in interwar Poland on the map.

Methods/techniques

• activating

  • discussion.

• expository

  • talk.

• exposing

  • film.

• 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

Before classes

1. The teacher the students to read the article by Agnieszka Kazimierczuk -- „90 lat temu uroczyście otwarto port w Gdyni” ..

Introduction

1. 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.

2. The teacher explains to the students the difficult situation of Poland at the moment of regaining independence. He reminds them that we regained independence after 123 years of partitions, and the newly built country was created from the lands of three invaders (three different states), which differed significantly from each other in economic development and policy towards Poles. Students perform ** Exercise 1 ** and discuss it with the teacher..

Realization

1. Students answer the question about the reasons for the creation of the port in Gdynia. The teacher begins the discussion: Why was the access to the sea and its own seaport so important for the reborn Poland? Students should mention the export of goods abroad, development of trade, window to the world, etc. Then they execute ** Task 1 ** – they watch a movie and answer a few questions. The teacher discusses their answers with the students and provides them with verbal feedback.

2. The teacher continues the teaching conversation. He says that during the interwar period Poland did not only succeed, but also struggled with economic difficulties. One of them was hyperinflation and an attempt to eradicate it through the currency reform of Władysław Grabski. Students carry ** Task 2 **.

3. However, the greatest threat came to Poland from the United States of America in 1929. The crash on the New York Stock Exchange led to the collapse of the American economy, the decline of the value of money and led to bankruptcy of many companies, which resulted in huge unemployment. Students perform ** Exercise 2 ** and ** Task 3 **. The teacher discusses the tasks performed with the students..

4. The economic crisis in Poland continued in the second half of the 1930s. Although not as significant as it was a few years earlier, its effects were still felt. The teacher talks about the policy of fighting the crisis carried out by the state authorities, focusing on public works and creation of the Central Industrial District. Students carry out ** Exercise 3 ** and discuss it with the teacher..

5. The teacher, finishing the lesson, says that after regaining the independence, the economy was the only thing that didn't rapidly develop. He talks about culture, art and sport in the Second Polish Republic. He points out that for the first time in decades artists could work without the partitioning powers' interference. Sports, literature and cinema were thriving. The teacher mentions Władysław Reymont's Nobel Prize for Literature for in 1924, the achievements of Polish cinema: films „Pan Tadeusz”, „Wierna rzeka”, or medals at the Olympic Games, for example, Janusz Kusociński's golden medal. Students carry out ** Exercise 4 ** (or do it as homework).

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.

2. The teacher assesses the students' work during the lesson, taking into account their input and commitment. For this purpose, he may prepare a self‑assessment questionnaire.

Homework

1. The teacher tasks students with homework: Find out more about the construction of the city of Gdynia and prepare a presentation or a poster on this topic.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Development of Gdynia, and other economic achievements of the Second Polish Republic

Reborn after 123 years, Poland was a country made up of lands from three partitions, which differed significantly from each other. The Polish authorities were faced with the task of their rapid integration and unification.

One of the biggest problems shortly after regaining independence was hyperinflation. Thanks to the actions of the government of experts led by Prime Minister Władysław Grabski, the crisis was defused and the financial system was reformed. In 1924, the new Polish currency became the Polish złoty. Also, construction of the port in Gdynia was commenced (after the war, Poland gained access to the sea), which developed from a small fishing village into a modern city. This had been due to the unstable situation in the Free City of Danzig (Gdańsk), whose authorities had not been favorably disposed towards Poland. In just a few years, Gdynia became the largest and the most modern port on the Baltic Sea (1934) with over 83 thousand inhabitants. The initiator and creator of this undertaking was Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski.

In the 1930s, the Great Depression left its mark on Poland (it had begun in the United States in 1929). Industrial production fell sharply and unemployment increased. The authorities made an attempt to combat the crisis. The economy was entrusted to Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski, who became Vice Prime Minister and Minister of the Treasury. He began implementing a great plan supposed to develop the economy and modernize the Polish armed forces. In 1937, construction of the Central Industrial District in southern Poland began. Numerous factories and industrial plants were opened. These were undertakings on an unprecedented scale. The strong revival of the economy that they brought was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II in September 1939.