Goals and Objectives
Students will consider and analyze the philosophical works of the great Enlightenment thinkers. Students will then support their understanding of these notions and their correlation to present day democratic societies.
California State Content Standards
7.11 Students analyze political and economic change in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries (the Age of Exploration, the Enlightenment, and the Age of Reason).
7.11.4. Explain how the main ideas of the Enlightenment can be traced back to such movements as the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution and to the Greeks, Romans, and Christianity.
7.11.5. Describe how democratic thought and institutions were influenced by Enlightenment thinkers (e.g., John Locke, Charles-Louis Montesquieu, American founders).
7.11.4. Explain how the main ideas of the Enlightenment can be traced back to such movements as the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution and to the Greeks, Romans, and Christianity.
7.11.5. Describe how democratic thought and institutions were influenced by Enlightenment thinkers (e.g., John Locke, Charles-Louis Montesquieu, American founders).
Lesson Introduction
The Teacher will ask students to write down their response to this question, "In your opinion, consider the absolute rights, we as individuals should have." Once students are finished writing their responses, the teacher will use name cards to randomly pick the first student to share their thoughts with the class. When the student is finished, they will then get to pick the next student who will share their thoughts.
Vocabulary
The Key Terms and their definitions will be read out loud to the class by the teacher. Students will be required to write the Key Terms and their definitions in their notes for later reference.
-Capital
-Natural Laws
-Philosophes
-Social Sciences
-Subordination
-Subjection
-Universal
-Capital
-Natural Laws
-Philosophes
-Social Sciences
-Subordination
-Subjection
-Universal
Content Delivery (Inquiry)
The teacher will begin by going over the Key Terms with the class. Here, the teacher will ask the students to write down the Key Terms and their definitions, as the teacher reads them out loud to the class. The teacher will also provide background information and scaffolding for the Key Terms so that the students retain a knowledgeable grasp for the content. The teacher will also make it clear to the students that they will be using their Key Term notes as they analyze the documents. The teacher will then provide the students with a brief description and background of the three Enlightenment thinkers in focus. Lastly, the teacher will break the students up into groups of three. This will be done so each Enlightenment Thinker will be represented in the group.
Student Engagement
Once the brief lesson is over, students will be randomly assigned, one of three documents. Individually, each student will read their assigned primary document. As the students are silently reading, they will be following along with and completing, the Document Analysis Questions Worksheet. Once they are finished, the students will be broken up into threes. This will be done so that each Enlightenment thinker is represented within each group. The students will then take turns reading their answers from the Document Analysis Questions Worksheet, as well as, elaborating on their opinions and thoughts concerning their document.
Lesson Closure
The teacher will lead the class in discussion on the similarities and differences between the ideological beliefs of the Enlightenment Thinkers and our present day democratic society. The teacher will use name cards to randomly pick students to share with the class their understanding of our modern day Natural Laws and Universal Rights.
Assessment
Entry Level
Questions, monitoring group discussion and class discussion will allow the teacher to assess the students' retention in the material.
Formative
The teacher will collect and critique the students' Document Analysis Questions Worksheet.
Questions, monitoring group discussion and class discussion will allow the teacher to assess the students' retention in the material.
Formative
The teacher will collect and critique the students' Document Analysis Questions Worksheet.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and students with Special Needs
-The teacher will ask and answer questions. The teacher will also monitor group
activity and provide scaffolding and background information when necessary.
-The students will be provided with a concise list of the Key Terms and their definitions, as well as, other words which may hinder their ability to analyze the documents.
-The students will be provided with paraphrased sections and important highlighted areas of the text, along with the original document.
activity and provide scaffolding and background information when necessary.
-The students will be provided with a concise list of the Key Terms and their definitions, as well as, other words which may hinder their ability to analyze the documents.
-The students will be provided with paraphrased sections and important highlighted areas of the text, along with the original document.
Lesson Resources
The DBQ Project
The Enlightenment Philosophers: What Was Their Main Idea?
http://www.constitution.org/primarysources/primarysources.html#17
John Locke, Second Treatise on Civil Government, 1690
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook10.asp#The Enlightenment
Voltaire, Letters Concerning the English Nations, 1726
http://www.adamsmith.org/wealth-of-nations
Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, 1776
The Enlightenment Philosophers: What Was Their Main Idea?
http://www.constitution.org/primarysources/primarysources.html#17
John Locke, Second Treatise on Civil Government, 1690
http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook10.asp#The Enlightenment
Voltaire, Letters Concerning the English Nations, 1726
http://www.adamsmith.org/wealth-of-nations
Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, 1776