Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Politics and Power

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The objectives stage is crucial for directing students' focus on the practical application of the concepts studied at home. By establishing clear and specific objectives, students can better understand the relevance of the topic under study and how it manifests in the real world. This clarity helps maximize the effectiveness of classroom time, allowing students to apply, discuss, and deepen their knowledge in a more targeted manner.

Main Objectives:

1. Analyze the construction of the concept of power and its interaction with politics, highlighting how this context influences the dynamics of political power.

2. Develop the ability to discern between different forms of power and their practical application in the political sphere.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage critical thinking about the power relationships observed in contemporary society.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction aims to engage students with the content they previously studied by using problem situations that encourage practical application of theoretical knowledge about politics and power. Furthermore, the contextualization seeks to show the relevance of the theme in real situations, sparking students' interest and curiosity to explore how these concepts manifest in the contemporary world.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine a small group of students from your school decides to organize a protest against the lack of investments in education. What strategies could they use to influence local authorities to change their policies?

2. Consider a scenario where a famous actor decides to run for a political office. How might their status and influence in the entertainment world affect their campaign and eventual performance in office, using the concept of 'power'?

Contextualization

Politics and power are not just abstract concepts discussed in classrooms; they shape and are shaped by our daily lives. For example, how government policies affect the economy or how social media transforms public opinion are clear examples of how political and social power are in constant interaction. Additionally, historical events such as the French Revolution or the Cold War dramatically demonstrate how changes in political power can alter the course of world history.

Development

Duration: (75 - 80 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to allow students to practically and interactively apply the concepts of politics and power they studied previously. Through playful activities such as classifying types of power, simulating elections, and dramatizing conflicts, students can explore and better understand the dynamics of power and its influence on politics, developing critical and analytical skills. This approach not only solidifies theoretical learning but also promotes teamwork and argumentative capacity.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Wheel of Political Power

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Understand and classify different types of political power and their relationships of influence.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups of up to 5 people. Each group will receive a set of cards, each representing a different type of political power (e.g., economic, military, media, moral). The challenge will be to classify these powers into a 'wheel of power', where the most central power is the most influential in contemporary politics and the more peripheral ones are less influential.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of no more than 5 students.

• Distribute the power cards to each group.

• Explain that each card represents a specific type of political power.

• Guide students to discuss in their groups the hierarchy of power, using the provided wheel of power.

• Each group must justify the position of each type of power on the wheel, based on real or hypothetical examples.

• At the end, each group will present their wheel of power and justify the choices made to the class.

Activity 2 - Election Simulation in Class

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Explore how different types of power can influence the electoral process.

- Description: Students will simulate an election for a school position, such as class representative. Each group will represent a different candidate and will have to create their political platform based on different types of power (e.g., economic, media, social influence). After the campaign, the class will vote and discuss the results.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students, each representing a candidate.

• Each group must choose a type of power to base their campaign on (economic, media, etc.).

• The groups will have time to prepare their campaign, including creating slogans, posters, and speeches.

• Conduct the campaign in the classroom, allowing each group to present their platform and answer questions from the 'voters'.

• Conduct an anonymous vote and announce the winner.

• Discuss with the class how different types of power influenced the campaign and the outcome.

Activity 3 - Dramatization of Political Conflicts

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Analyze how different types of power are used in conflicts and the impact of their negotiations.

- Description: Students, organized into groups, will choose a real or hypothetical political conflict to dramatize. Each group will represent different actors in the conflict and will have to use the concepts of power studied to negotiate and resolve the conflict peacefully or not.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students and assign each group a political conflict.

• The groups should research and prepare their roles, including the motivations and types of power they represent.

• Conduct the dramatization in class, allowing each group to present their positions and negotiate with the other groups.

• Lead a discussion after the dramatizations, reflecting on the use of power in the conflict and possible resolutions.

• Ask each group to write a short report on what they learned from the activity.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

This feedback stage is crucial for consolidating students' learning and allowing for a collective reflection on the activities carried out. By discussing in groups, students have the opportunity to verbalize and share their perspectives, which helps clarify any doubts and deepen understanding. Furthermore, this discussion promotes communication and argumentative skills, essential for the critical understanding of concepts of politics and power.

Group Discussion

At the end of the activities, gather all students for a large group discussion. Start the session with a brief introduction: 'Now that everyone has had the opportunity to explore different facets of political power, let's share our findings and reflections. Each group will have the chance to present a summary of what they discussed and what they learned during the activities.' Encourage students to be critical and explore how the concepts applied in the activities relate to real situations of power and politics.

Key Questions

1. What types of power were most influential in the activities and why?

2. How can understanding different types of power assist in analyzing real political events?

3. In what ways did the activities change or reinforce your perception of political power?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Conclusion stage serves to solidify learning by connecting practical activities with the theory studied and emphasizing the importance of the topic. This final reflection helps students integrate the knowledge acquired and perceive its applicability in daily life, preparing them for a more critical and engaged understanding of power dynamics in society.

Summary

In this final stage, the teacher should summarize the main points addressed regarding the construction of the concept of power and its interaction with politics, highlighting the types of power discussed and how they manifest in real situations and practice activities. It is important to recap the definitions and hierarchies established, ensuring that students have a clear and consolidated understanding of the content.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was structured to connect the theory studied at home with practice in the classroom. Through activities such as the 'Wheel of Political Power', 'Election Simulation in Class', and 'Dramatization of Political Conflicts', students directly applied theoretical concepts to concrete scenarios, allowing for a deeper and more contextualized understanding of political power.

Closing

Finally, it is crucial to emphasize the relevance of studying politics and power for students' lives. Understanding these concepts not only enriches academic knowledge but also empowers individuals to be more informed and active citizens, capable of critically analyzing the world around them and participating consciously in society.