Title of Unit

Curriculum Area
Developed By

French Revolution
World History
Joseph Luebbe

Grade Level
Time Frame

High School
3 week unit

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Content Standards
CO History (World): Evaluate the historical development and impact of political thought, theory and actions.
Literacy: Write clearly and coherently for a variety of purposes and audiences.
21st Century Skills: Develop new connections where none previously existed.

Understandings

Essential Questions

Overarching Understanding

The French Revolution was influenced by the ideas of the

Enlightenment.
Up to this point in history, absolute monarchies dominated
Europe.
Revolutions are typically caused by social, political and
economic inequalities.

Revolutions change over time.

Revolutions have outcomes that affect both the local and

Overarching

global communities.

Is the use of terror

tactics ever justified?
What are some factors
that must exist for a
Revolution?
How can the change in
political philosophy
change the landscape
of a country or
countries?
What are some issues
we face today that you
would revolt for?

Topical

Related Misconceptions

The Revolution did little to affect the rest of Europe.

This was the first Revolution of its kind.
Napoleon was shorter than the average Frenchmen.
Surging bread prices alone caused the Revolution.

Knowledge

Skills

Students will know

Students will be able to

How the principles of the Philosophes influenced the F.R.

The causes of the F.R.
The results of the F.R.
The major events and people of the F.R.
The general order of events that took place in the F.R.

What were the most

important causes & effects
of each phase of the French
Revolution?
To what extent was the
French Revolution a
product of the
Enlightenment?
In what ways was Napoleon
both a child of the
revolution and the last of
the enlightened despots?
How did the government
change over the course of
the Revolution?
What was life like during
the French Revolution?

Analyze text and vocabulary using context clues, prefixes, and suffixes.
Conduct research using acceptable research methods.
Manage time effectively.
Demonstrate intellectual curiosity.
1

How Napoleon expanded Frances sphere of influence.

The role of the sans culottes during the F.R.
What kind of government was formed to replace the
Absolute Monarchy.

Take responsibility for completion of work.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Performance Task Description
Students will be able to analyze the key characteristics of the F.R. to determine the influence of Enlightenment
ideals.
Goal

Role
Audience
Situation

Students will recite the key events and people of the F.R.
Historian
Students
Students must answer questions on a traditional summative assessment, create a travel brochure for
Revolutionary France to authentically check for understanding, and create a timeline of events to understand
cause and effect of the F.R.
A written exam to match key people and vocab, a short answer portion to check for understanding of deeper
level understanding, and an essay portion to ask higher-order questions, assess the literacy objective, and the
21st century objective.

Product/Performan
ce

A group project where students will create a travel brochure to authentically assess students understanding of
the F.R., as well as the 21st century objective and literacy objective.
Individually create and maintain a timeline on significant F.R. events. to provide a formative assessment of the
students knowledge of the F.R.
CO History (World): Evaluate the historical development and impact of political thought, theory and actions.

Standards

Literacy: Write clearly and coherently for a variety of purposes and audiences.
21st Century Skills: Develop new connections where none previously existed.

Other Evidence
See individual lesson plans.

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Where are your students headed? Where

Students are going to be able to evaluate the historical development and impact of
2

have they been? How will you make sure

the students know where they are going?

political thought, theory and actions of the French Revolution. Students will also
know how the Philosophes inspired various aspects of the French Revolution
Students have already learned about the five major Philosophes and their
Enlightenment ideals.
Students will know where they are going by engaging in a conversation about what
a Revolution is and what they think they would revolt for, as well as provide the
content, literacy, and 21st century skills objectives.

How will you hook students at the

beginning of the unit?

We will engage in a discussion titled What would you Revolt for?

What events will help students experience

and explore the big idea and questions in
the unit? How will you equip them with
needed skills and knowledge?

Students will experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit through
direct teaching methods and by creating a timeline of events that requires them to
use both notes and research to complete. Students will also be able to explore the
big ideas through the Time Machine Brochure project. In this project, students will
explore a few new content related terms, but the majority are terms and events we
have covered in class. They will also be able to show creatively that they understand
the material.

How will you cause students to reflect and

rethink? How will you guide them in
rehearsing, revising, and refining their
work?

Students will reflect daily in closing activities. Students will reflect on their timelines
and those of their peers and then rethink where necessary. I will help the students to
look at their thinking by discussing the timelines and concepts as a class, and in
small groups, and pushing questions back to them so that they have the ability to
rethink their concepts.

How will you help students to exhibit and

self-evaluate their growing skills,
knowledge, and understanding throughout
the unit?
How will you tailor and otherwise
personalize the learning plan to optimize
the engagement and effectiveness of ALL
students, without compromising the goals
of the unit?

Formative assessments include class and small group discussions, fist to five, and
ticket out the door. In class practice creating their timeline of the French Revolution.

The purpose of this discussion is to introduce students to what a revolution is, and
to get them to apply the idea to their own life by asking higher-order questions like,
What would you revolt for or How do you see the Enlightenment ideals in todays
society? How would you feel if your Natural Rights were stripped away from you?

While much of the instruction will be given through traditional lecture and notes,
students will have opportunities to discuss with partners, with tabletop groups, and
as a class, what was learned from the last lecture and to ask higher order questions
that require them to apply it to the overarching ideas of the unit and to their life,
when applicable. Students will also have the opportunity to express their creativity
by creating the brochure.

How will you organize and sequence the

learning activities to optimize the
engagement and achievement of ALL
students?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

The idea of a Revolution pre-test

What does the textbook have to say? exercise
French Revolution The Beginning w/ timeline
French Revolution Blood and Terror w/ timeline
Time Machine Brochure project
Review of French Revolution
Summative Assessment
Introduce Industrialization

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development