Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Absolute Monarchies

Objectives

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide a clear and focused overview of the main objectives of the lesson, allowing students to understand what is expected of them to learn and achieve during the session. This establishes a structured path for teaching and preparation of the activities to be developed, ensuring that all essential content is addressed in a contextualized and relevant manner.

Main Objectives

1. Understand the concept of absolutist monarchies and their main characteristics.

2. Analyze the historical and social factors that contributed to the formation of absolutist monarchies in Europe between the Middle Ages and Modernity.

Side Objectives

1. Relate the historical context of absolutist monarchies to contemporary events and their political and social implications.

Introduction

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to create a practical and immediately relevant context for students, awakening their interest and curiosity about the topic. By using their phones to search for information and participating in an initial debate, students begin to actively engage with the content and their peers, which facilitates deeper and collaborative learning.

Warming Up

Absolutist monarchies were a predominant form of government in Europe between the Middle Ages and Modernity. In this model, the power of the king was practically unlimited, and he ruled without the need to consult nobles or other bodies. Ask students to use their phones to look up an interesting fact about absolutist monarchies and share it with the class. This will provide an immediate connection to the topic and bring different perspectives to the beginning of the lesson.

Initial Reflections

1. What were the main characteristics of absolutist monarchies?

2. Why did absolutist monarchies consolidate in Europe between the Middle Ages and Modernity?

3. Are there modern examples of governments with characteristics similar to absolutist monarchies?

4. What was the role of the king in an absolutist monarchy?

5. How was society structured under the rule of an absolutist monarchy?

Development

Duration: 70 to 80 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide students with a practical and interactive opportunity to deepen their knowledge about absolutist monarchies. The activities are designed to promote collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, using modern technologies and dynamics that engage students in a meaningful and fun way.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 - ️‍♂️ Historical Detectives ️‍♀️

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Analyze and understand the characteristics of absolutist monarchies through detailed and collaborative investigation.

- Description: Students will be divided into groups and assigned to investigate different European absolutist monarchies. Using phones and computers, they must collect information about the specific monarchy, creating an interactive presentation with videos, images, and texts. At the end, each group will present their findings to the class.

- Instructions:

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

• Each group will receive a specific absolutist monarchy to investigate (for example, France of Louis XIV, Russia of Peter the Great, Spain of Philip II).

• Students will use phones and computers to research detailed information about the designated monarchy.

• Encourage students to use multiple sources, including YouTube videos, articles, and images.

• Groups should organize their findings in an interactive presentation using digital tools like Google Slides or Prezi.

• Each group will have 5 minutes to present their findings to the class, highlighting aspects such as power structure, policies implemented by the monarch, and social and economic impact.

• After each presentation, open the floor for questions and discussions among students.

Activity 2 -  Absolutist Influencers 

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Contextualize the role and decisions of absolutist monarchs in a playful and modern way, connecting them to current social media dynamics.

- Description: In this activity, students will create fictional social media profiles for absolutist monarchs, as if they were digital influencers. They must post 'contents' that represent the policies, events, and important decisions of their reigns.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Each group will choose or be assigned an absolutist monarch (for example, Louis XIV, Henry VIII, Catherine de' Medici).

• Using a social media simulation platform (like a Google Slides presentation simulating a social media interface), each group will create a social media profile for the monarch.

• Students must create posts reflecting significant events, policies, and decisions from the assigned monarch's reign. These posts can include texts, images, and short videos.

• Groups should interact with each other, commenting and reacting to the posts of other monarchs, bringing a critical and comparative perspective.

• At the end, each group will present their profile and the interactions they made, explaining the choices made and the historical information represented.

Activity 3 -  Gamification: The Absolutist Kingdom 

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Simulate the experience of ruling under an absolutist monarchy, encouraging students to understand the complexities and challenges faced by monarchs.

- Description: Students will participate in an educational digital game where they will make decisions as absolutist monarchs. The game simulates different historical scenarios and challenges, and students' decisions will affect the game's progression and outcomes.

- Instructions:

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

• Use a gamification platform (like Kahoot or a historical simulation tool developed for high school).

• Explain the game rules and objectives: students must make decisions on policies, wars, economy, and society as if they were absolutist monarchs.

• Each group will access the game on their phones or computers, interacting with the different scenarios and challenges presented.

• Encourage students to discuss and make group decisions, analyzing the possible historical consequences of their choices.

• After the game ends, each group should reflect on their decisions and the outcomes achieved, presenting a brief report to the class on what they learned and how their choices impacted the game.

Feedback

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning through the exchange of perceptions and reflections. Group discussions allow students to share and confront different viewpoints, enriching their understanding of the topic. The 360° feedback promotes an environment of continuous development, where students learn to give and receive constructive criticism, improving collaboration and communication.

Group Discussion

Conduct a group discussion with all students to share learnings and conclusions. Use the following outline:

1. Introduction: 'Let's now discuss what we learned by engaging in today's activities. Each group will have the opportunity to share their findings and reflections.'
2. Sharing Discoveries: Invite each group to briefly present the most important points of their activities, highlighting the main learnings.
3. Collective Discussion: After each group presentation, encourage the class to comment, ask questions, and bring their own reflections. Guide the discussion towards themes such as similarities and differences in various absolutist monarchies and the historical implications of these characteristics.
4. Conclusion: Conclude the discussion by summarizing the main points addressed and connecting them to the broader historical context of absolutist monarchies.

Reflections

1. What were the biggest challenges you faced in trying to understand absolutist monarchies? 2. What surprised you the most while studying the different absolutist monarchs? 3. How do you think the decisions made by absolutist monarchs would impact today's society if applied?

360° Feedback

Conduct a 360° feedback session, where each student receives feedback from their group peers. Instruct students to be constructive and respectful, following these guidelines:

1. Prepare the Environment: Explain the importance of constructive feedback and how it can help in personal and academic growth.
2. Feedback Example: 'Pedro, I really liked your contribution about Louis XIV's policies. Perhaps you could delve deeper into the economic consequences of that.'
3. Feedback Round: Organize students into small groups and ask each student to receive feedback from at least two peers.
4. Final Reflection: After the feedback round, ask students to reflect on the critiques and praises received and think of ways to improve their future contributions.

Conclusion

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

Purpose:  The purpose of this stage is to reinforce learning in a dynamic and fun way, connecting historical content with the present and encouraging critical reflection. Summarizing the main points addressed helps solidify the knowledge acquired and highlight the relevance of the topic in the current context, providing students with a clear and applicable view of what was studied. 

Summary

Fun Summary: ✨ Imagine living in a world where the king is the supreme chief, without answering to anyone! Welcome to the Absolutist Monarchies, where figures like Louis XIV, known as the 'Sun King', controlled everything from the economy to the minutiae of social life. During our journey, we investigated different monarchs, created social media profiles for them as if they were digital influencers, and even simulated being the kings and queens themselves in a gamification! 

World Connection

In Today's World:  Absolutist monarchies may seem like a thing of the past, but their characteristics still influence many aspects of politics and society today. One can see remnants of this centralized power in various parts of the world, whether in authoritarian governments or in power dynamics within corporations. By understanding the dynamics of these monarchies, we can gain a better understanding of modern governance challenges and the implications of absolute power. ️

Practical Application

Applications in Daily Life: 易 Understanding absolutist monarchies allows us to reflect on the dangers of concentrated power and the importance of resistance and social participation in building a more just and democratic world. These lessons are fundamental for our citizenship and for critically interpreting contemporary events. ️