Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Absolutism: Review

Objectives

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

This stage of the lesson plan aims to guide the teacher in introducing the topic of 'Absolutism' and establishing learning goals for the students. By clearly defining the main objectives, the teacher can effectively direct activities, ensuring that students acquire the necessary skills to understand the formation and organization of European politics that culminated in absolute monarchies.

Main Objectives

1. Understand the main factors that led to the formation of absolute monarchies in Europe.

2. Analyze the political and social organization of absolute monarchies.

3. Identify the main monarchs and their governance methods during the absolutist period.

Side Objectives

1. Develop students' critical ability when analyzing historical documents.
2. Encourage discussions that relate historical context to the current political scenario.

Introduction

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to engage students from the beginning of the lesson, connecting historical content with their everyday realities through the use of technologies they are familiar with. This will help spark interest and facilitate understanding of absolutism from an integrated and participatory approach.

Warming Up

Introduce the topic of 'Absolutism' by briefly explaining that this form of government was characterized by power centralized in the hands of a single monarch, with total control over the state and society. Ask students to use their cell phones to find an interesting and relevant fact about European absolutism. Instruct them to share their findings with the class, encouraging a diversity of information and perspectives.

Initial Reflections

1. What is absolutism and how does it manifest in practice?

2. What were the main reasons for the rise of absolute monarchies in Europe?

3. How did absolute monarchs justify their power?

4. What were the political and social consequences of absolutism in Europe?

5. Can we observe characteristics of absolute governments in current political regimes? Explain.

6. How could today's social networks influence governance during the times of absolutism?

Development

Duration: 75 to 85 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to allow students to apply their knowledge of absolutism creatively and interactively using digital technologies. This not only reinforces learning but also develops important skills such as research, collaboration, and use of digital tools.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - Absolute Influencer 📱👑

> Duration: 65 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Understand the historical context and justification of the actions of absolute monarchs in an interactive and modern way, while developing digital communication skills.

- Description: Students must create social media profiles for absolute monarchs. Each group will choose a monarch and build a profile on Instagram or Twitter, including posts, stories, and interactions as if they were the monarch themselves. They should imagine what life would be like for an absolute king on social media and how he would justify his actions and decisions.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group will choose an absolute monarch (such as Louis XIV, Henry VIII, etc.).

• Students must research the life and actions of the chosen monarch.

• Create a social media profile for the monarch using a platform of choice (Instagram, Twitter, etc.).

• Draft posts that could have been made by the monarch, including photos, text, and hashtags.

• Develop a series of stories that address important moments in the monarch's reign.

• Engage with other 'monarchs' (groups) by commenting and liking their posts.

Activity 2 - Absolutism Game Show 🎮🎤

> Duration: 60 to 65 minutes

- Objective: Review content in a playful and interactive manner, promoting collaboration and critical thinking among students.

- Description: Students will create an interactive quiz about absolutism using an online quiz creation platform (like Kahoot or Quizizz). The quiz should include questions about the formation, characteristics, and main figures of the absolutist period. Afterwards, students will play the quiz in class and discuss the answers.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group will research and prepare a series of questions about absolutism.

• Use an online platform (Kahoot, Quizizz) to create the quiz.

• Ask questions that cover the formation of absolute monarchies, the governance methods of monarchs, and the social and political impacts of absolutism.

• Each group must include at least 10 questions with alternative answers.

• In the end, students will compete against each other by answering the quizzes created by other groups.

• Discuss the correct answers and clarify any doubts that arise during the game.

Activity 3 - Absolutist Storytelling 🎭📖

> Duration: 65 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Explore history creatively and multimodally, providing a deeper understanding of the life and context of absolute monarchs.

- Description: Students must create a dramatized narrative in video form telling the story of an absolute monarch. Each group will be responsible for a specific aspect of the monarch's life (politics, wars, personal life) and will use audiovisual resources to tell the story engagingly.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group will choose a specific aspect of an absolute monarch's life: politics, wars, personal life, etc.

• Students should conduct detailed research on the chosen aspect.

• Use video tools (like smartphones, editing apps) to create a dramatized narrative.

• Include audiovisual elements: images, sounds, background music, and narration.

• Present the finished video to the class, followed by a discussion about the content presented.

Feedback

Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

This stage aims to consolidate the knowledge acquired by students and promote critical reflection on the learning process. Group discussion and 360° feedback not only reinforce the content learned but also develop essential communication, collaboration, and self-assessment skills to help nurture critical and participatory citizens.

Group Discussion

Promote a collective discussion where each group shares their discoveries, challenges, and learnings during the activities. Use the following script to introduce the discussion:

1. Start of Discussion: Ask students how the experience was of assuming the role of an absolute monarch on social media or in videos.
2. Experience Exchange: Invite each group to present, in up to 5 minutes, the most interesting and challenging points of their project.
3. Open Debate: After each presentation, open the floor for comments and questions from other students, encouraging an exchange of ideas about the strategies and approaches used.
4. Conclusion: Conclude by asking students to reflect briefly on how the activity helped contextualize and better understand the absolutist period.

Reflections

1. What surprised you most about the lifestyle and governance of absolute monarchs? 2. How could social media have influenced absolutist governance if it had existed at that time? 3. What parallels can we draw between absolutist communication and control methods and the strategies used by modern political leaders?

360° Feedback

Instruct the teacher to conduct a 360° feedback session after the discussion. Each student should receive feedback from all members of the group they worked with. Suggest that feedback cover three aspects:

1. Strengths: Highlight one or more valuable contributions that the colleague made to the activity.
2. Areas for Improvement: Gently indicate one or two areas where the colleague can develop further.
3. Overall Appreciation: Express gratitude and recognition for the effort and collaboration of the colleague. Guide students to be respectful, constructive, and specific in their comments.

Conclusion

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

This final stage aims to consolidate the lessons learned in a light-hearted and fun manner, reinforcing the connection between historical past and the modern world. Through a creative summary and current contextualization, students can reflect on the relevance of the topic and its practical applications in daily life.

Summary

Summary: To conclude our journey through Absolutism, imagine a medieval Instagram feed: we saw kings posting selfies on luxurious thrones, #AllPowerful! We also saw stories of epic battles and Twitter threads explaining how to centralize power. Each monarch with their style: Louis XIV reigning with glamour, Henry VIII causing controversy. This was Absolutism, an era of absolute power and total control!

World Connection

In the World: In the age of social media, leaders and influencers impact millions with just one post. Just as absolute monarchs centralized power and influenced their nations, today politicians and public figures shape opinions and global movements through their digital platforms. Governance, control, and information manipulation are still present and relevant in the current scenario.

Practical Application

Applications: Understanding Absolutism helps us recognize the dangers of concentrating too much power in a single figure and the importance of a balanced and representative political system. This knowledge is essential for us as citizens to appreciate and protect democracy and human rights in our societies.