Lesson plan (English)
Topic: The Targowica Confederation
Target group
6th‑grade students of elementary school
Core curriculum
6th‑grade students of elementary school
XVI. Rzeczpospolita in the Stanisławów era. Pupil:
4) explains the circumstances of establishing the Targowica Confederation and presents it consequences.
General aim of education
Students will acquainted with the circumstances of establishing the Targowica Confederation and its consequences
Key competences
communication in foreign languages;
digital competence;
learning to learn.
Criteria for success
The student will learn:
to explain the circumstances of establishing the Targowica Confederation;
to characterize the most important figures among the so‑called malcontents;
to describe the consequences of the Targowica Confederation and the decisions made by King Stanisław August Poniatowski.
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
Before classes
The teacher asks to read the history of „Kosciuszko Polonez”.
Introduction
The teacher gives the students the subject, the purpose of the lesson and the criteria for success.
The teacher introduces students to the history of the last year of the Sejm Wielki. The students analyze the Statute of the Friends of the Constitutions. They do Exercise 1 (supplement the table with excerpts from the Statute), view the photo gallery in the Task 1 and indicate the co‑authors of the Constitution of May 3 (Exercise 2). The teacher provides feedback and checks the correctness of completed tasks..
Realization
The teacher describes students the circumstances of establishing the Targowica Confederation. What was the international situation of Russia, when opponents of the constitution turned to Katarzyna II for help?.
Students search the Internet for information on the circumstances in which the war broke out in defense of the Constitution in 1792. Then they do Task 2. Its aim is to answer the question of how Tadeusz Kosciuszko saved the Polish army and obtained the highest Polish military decoration: the order „Virtuti Militari”, established in 1792. They listen to the broadcasts, observing the map of the „Polish‑Russian war in 1792” displayed on the board, they try to find places mentioned in the broadcast..
The students do Task 3. Then, after gathering the necessary information, they use the decision tree template and write (in groups set by themselves or by the teacher) arguments answering the question: What position towards Targowica could Stanisław August Poniatowski have? The results of the work are presented in the class. The teacher makes sure that the task has been correctly completed and gives feedback.
Summary
As part of the work on the art of argumentation, students perform Exercise 3.
The teacher assesses the students' work during the lesson, taking into account their input and commitment. Tells students feedback on their work.
Homework
The teacher sets homework (it is not an obligatory part of the scenario): Students do Task 1. They analyze a fragment of the Kościuszko Polonaise. They answer the question by seeking parental / guardian feedback if in doubt.
The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson
Terms
„Fiat Lux” – łacińska sentencja „niech się stanie światłość”
aukcja – w Rzeczypospolitej szlacheckiej podniesienie liczebności wojsk.
gildia – zgromadzenia kupców, którzy razem organizowali i zbierali się na przewozy swoich towarów przez miasta
Malkontenci – negatywne, potoczne określenie środowisk opozycyjnych w stosunku do dworu królewskiego, używane w XVII–XVIII w.; dosłownie: niezadowoleni
order „Virtuti Militari” – najwyższe i jedyne polskie odznaczenie militarne, przyznawane od początku jego ustanowienia do dzisiaj.
Targowica – potoczne określenie konfederacji zawiązanej w Petersburgu, a ogłoszonej oficjalnie w Targowicy w 1792; w polskim słowniku politycznym synonim zdrady.
Texts and recordings
The Targowica Confederation
Opponents of the reforms and the Constitution of the 3rd of May: Szczęsny Potocki, Ksawery Branicki and Seweryn Rzewuski decided to turn to Catherine II with a proposal to set up a confederation which would oppose the reforms. The Confederation set up in St. Petersburg and officially proclaimed in 1792 in Targowica led to a war between the proponents and opponents of the constitution. The imbalance in strength was evident, as Russian troops arrived to assist the supporters of Targowica. The King, aiming to preserve any small elements of reform, decided to seek an agreement with Catherine. She immediately demanded to be admitted to the Targowica Confederation, which Poniatowski consented to on July 23rd, 1792. The monarch's hopes of saving the last remnants of progress proved to be an illusion and Catherine, together with King Frederick II of Prussia, carried out the Second Partition of Poland.