Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Democracy and Citizenship

Objectives

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

This stage aims to provide a clear overview of the objectives that should be achieved during the lesson, guiding both the teacher and the students on the central focus of learning. By establishing these objectives, the goal is to ensure that students know what is expected of them and can effectively direct their efforts towards a deeper understanding of the topic at hand.

Main Objectives

1. Understand the historical evolution of democracy from Ancient Greece to the present day.

2. Identify and analyze the main concepts related to democracy and citizenship.

Side Objectives

1. Develop critical and analytical skills when discussing the changes in the concept of democracy over time.
2. Promote reflection on the importance of citizen participation in the current democratic context.

Introduction

Duration: 15 - 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to engage students right at the beginning of the lesson, encouraging them to connect their prior knowledge with new facts and questions. By using their cell phones to explore topics related to democracy, students take an active role in building learning, while the key questions help stimulate an initial discussion rich in reflection and critical analysis about the topic.

Warming Up

To start the class, explain to the students that democracy and citizenship are fundamental concepts that have shaped society over the centuries. Invite the students to use their cell phones to search for an interesting fact about the topic 'democracy'. They should share their findings with the class, highlighting something they find surprising or relevant.

Initial Reflections

1. How did democracy in Ancient Greece differ from today's democracy?

2. What are the main benefits and challenges of democracy in your opinion?

3. How have the concepts of citizenship evolved over time?

4. What is the importance of citizen participation in a democracy?

5. Can you identify any current country that is not democratic? How does this impact the citizens of that country?

Development

Duration: 70 - 80 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide a practical and engaging experience for students to deepen their understanding of democracy and citizenship. Through activities that utilize technologies and active methodologies, students not only consolidate their knowledge but also develop collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills.

Activity Suggestions

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

Activity 1 -  Democracy: An Interactive Adventure ️

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Encourage collaborative and active learning through gamification, promoting a deeper understanding of the historical evolution of democracy and the role of citizenship.

- Description: Students will create a digital game using a platform like Kahoot or Quizizz. The game should explore the evolution of democracy from Ancient Greece to the present day, with questions and challenges that address key historical concepts and the importance of citizenship.

- Instructions:

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

• Ask each group to research and select key events in the history of democracy.

• Using a game creation platform like Kahoot or Quizizz, each group must create a game with at least 15 questions. The questions can be multiple choice, true or false, and challenges.

• The groups must ensure that the questions cover different historical periods and focus on the role of citizenship.

• After creation, each group must play the game created by another group and provide feedback on the clarity of the questions and the learning gained.

Activity 2 - ️ Digital Influencers of Democracy 

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Utilize digital marketing techniques to promote historical learning and the importance of citizenship, developing communication and engagement skills.

- Description: In this activity, students will take on the role of digital influencers. They will create a series of social media posts (Instagram, TikTok, Twitter) to educate their followers about the history of democracy and the importance of citizenship.

- Instructions:

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

• Each group should choose a fictitious social media platform to guide their posts (Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter).

• The groups must create a script or storyboard covering at least 5 posts that contain information about the evolution of democracy and the role of citizenship.

• The posts should be creative and engaging, using short videos, images, memes, and impactful texts.

• After creation, the groups should present their posts to the class, explaining their choices and the expected impact.

Activity 3 -  Virtual Democracy Forum ️

> Duration: 60 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Promote critical thinking and empathy by exploring different democratic perspectives around the world, as well as developing research and debate skills.

- Description: Students will participate in a simulated virtual forum, where they will discuss current issues related to democracy and citizenship, representing different countries and perspectives.

- Instructions:

• Divide the students into groups of up to 5 people, assigning each group a different country.

• Each group must research the democratic system and citizenship challenges of the assigned country.

• The groups must create a fictitious profile to represent their country in a virtual forum.

• Organize the class in an online forum (it can be a group on Teams, Google Classroom, or any other collaborative platform).

• Encourage students to post their opinions and debates, responding to each other, accurately representing the perspective of the assigned country.

• At the end, each group should present a summary of the discussions and conclusions they reached.

Feedback

Duration: 20 - 25 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning and promote reflection on the activities performed. By sharing their experiences and receiving constructive feedback, students will have the opportunity to evaluate their own performance, identify areas for improvement, and strengthen communication and teamwork skills, essential for exercising citizenship.

Group Discussion

Promote a group discussion with all students, encouraging each group to share what they learned during the activities and their conclusions. Use the following script to introduce the discussion:

Start of Discussion: 'Now that we have all deeply engaged with the theme of democracy and citizenship through the activities, let's share our experiences and learnings.' Opening Question: 'What surprised you the most about the evolution of democracy from Ancient Greece to the present day?' Development: 'What challenges and benefits of democracy did you identify in different historical and contemporary contexts?' Conclusion: 'How can we apply this knowledge in our daily lives to be more active and aware citizens?'

Reflections

1. What was the greatest discovery or insight of your group while researching the history of democracy? 2. How has the role of citizenship changed over the centuries, and how does this affect our lives today? 3. What is the importance of understanding democracy for exercising citizenship in today's world?

360° Feedback

Instruct students to conduct a 360° feedback stage where each student must receive feedback from the other members of the group they worked with. To guide this stage, ask students to focus on the following aspects:

Positive Aspects: 'What were the strengths of your colleague's contributions during the activities?' Areas for Improvement: 'Is there any constructive suggestion that could help your colleague improve in future collaborative activities?' Personal Reflection: 'How do you evaluate your own participation and what can you improve for future activities?'

Conclusion

Duration: 15 - 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning in a creative and fun way, allowing students to share their perspectives and reinforce the knowledge acquired. By connecting historical content with current reality, the conclusion stimulates reflection on citizenship in the digital age, preparing students to be more engaged and informed citizens.

Summary

To conclude the class in a fun way, let's do a Flash Mob of Democracy!  Imagine that all of you are historical reporters. Each one will have 1 minute to create a creative summary of the evolution of democracy, using memes, animated GIFs, or even a small dramatization. In the end, each group will share their summary with the class, ensuring lots of laughs and learning at the same time. This reinforces the main concepts and historical events in a light and engaging manner.

World Connection

Today's class showed that democracy is not just an ancient concept; it is alive and constantly evolving. In the modern world, we see how technology and social media influence democracy, from electoral campaigns to social movements that go viral online. We discussed current issues, such as government transparency facilitated by the internet and citizen participation through digital platforms. This directly connects our theoretical discussions to the dynamic and digital reality we live in.

Practical Application

Understanding the evolution of democracy is fundamental for the conscious exercise of citizenship. It enables us to recognize our rights and duties, actively participate in the decisions that affect our lives, and contribute to the construction of a fairer and more democratic society. Knowing how democracy worked in the past and how it manifests today helps us face contemporary challenges with greater knowledge and responsibility.