Daniel Parton

Lesson Plan: England 11-29-17

Learning target: Students will be able to state the importance of concepts such as the
rule of law and limited monarchy

Content Standard(s): 5.3.5 Europe through the 18th Century – Analyze the major political,
religious, cultural and economic
transformations in Europe by
• explaining the origins, growth, and consequences of European overseas expansion, including the
development and impact of maritime power in Asia and land control in the Americas (See 5.2.1)
(National Geography Standard 13, p. 210)
• analyzing transformations in Europe’s state structure, including the rising military, bureaucratic,
and nationalist power of European states including absolutism
• analyzing how the Renaissance, Reformation, Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment
contributed to transformations in European society
• analyzing the transformation of the European economies including mercantilism, capitalism,
and wage labor (See 5.2.2)
Instructional Sequence
 Begin with the journal question “Can a king really do anything he wants? How
might even an absolute monarch’s power be limited? Be sure to explain your
answer.” (7 min)
o Discuss answers as a class. Be sure to ask students to elaborate and even
respond to their classmate’s answers. End the discussion by stating that
Monarchs are limited in what they can do if they want to keep their
subjects’ loyalty and support. In the case of England they were unique in
the fact that they had expressly limited the powers of the king long before
any other European country. (7 min)
 Start Magna Carta activity. Either project the worksheet on the board or hand it
out to the class. Read the passage at the top as a class, explain the passage as you
go along.
o Afterwards have the students answer the 4 follow up questions in small
groups or pairs (probably with their neighbors).
o After about 5 min ask the class what kind of issues the Magna Carta dealt
with. What did the writers of it seem to be concerned about? (15 min)
 Start Ch. 16-3 discussion. Begin by asking how the Magna Carta related to the
reading. You can also repeat any of the 4 questions from the homework to keep
the conversation going. Some other points that could be brought up are:
o The role of religion in England
o How did Cromwell compare to Charles I
o Why was the glorious revolution named that way
o How would other European monarchs view the English Civil war and its
outcome
o What role did the commoners play in these events according to the
textbook
(20 min)
 As an exit slip have the students write an answer to the question “What was/were
the most important idea(s) discussed during this class period and why?”
 additionally, if they think there was something important that we didn’t discuss
they should also mention this and why.
o Students are not allowed to use their books or notes to answer this
questions. Collect it on their way out. (10 min)
 Collect the homework before students leave class.