Enlightenment Ideas Unveiled

Overview

This 90-minute session introduces 10th-grade students to the Enlightenment period, focusing on key philosophers, their ideas, and how these ideas influenced revolutionary movements globally. The lesson develops critical reading, discussion, analysis, and writing skills, fully aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Social Studies and Literacy.

Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – Literacy in History/Social Studies

RH.9-10.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
RH.9-10.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary.
RH.9-10.3: Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation.
RH.9-10.6: Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics.
WHST.9-10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly.
SL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on grade 9-10 topics.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Identify and summarize key Enlightenment thinkers and their philosophies (RH.9-10.2).
Analyze how Enlightenment ideas challenged existing political and social systems (RH.9-10.3).
Evaluate connections between Enlightenment ideas and revolutionary movements (RH.9-10.6).
Cite textual evidence from primary sources to support analysis (RH.9-10.1).
Communicate ideas clearly in written and spoken form using discipline-specific vocabulary (WHST.9-10.2, SL.9-10.1).

Materials Needed

Handouts with excerpts from primary texts: Locke’s Two Treatises of Government, Rousseau’s The Social Contract, Voltaire’s letters, and Montesquieu’s Spirit of Laws
Chart paper and markers
Student notebooks/journals
Digital projector (for multimedia presentation)
Index cards with philosopher names and key concepts

Detailed Lesson Schedule

Time	Activity	Description	Standards Addressed
0-10 min	Engage: “What is Enlightenment?” Quick Write & Think-Pair-Share	Students respond briefly to prompt: "What do you think Enlightenment means? How can ideas change society?" Then share in pairs, followed by a few whole-class shares.	RH.9-10.2, SL.9-10.1
10-20 min	Mini-Lecture: Context & Key Thinkers	Teacher-led overview using multimedia slides: Enlightenment context, key figures (Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire, Montesquieu) and their main ideas.	RH.9-10.2, RH.9-10.3
20-40 min	Jigsaw Primary Source Analysis	Split class into 12 groups (approx. 10 students each). Each group receives a primary source excerpt related to one Enlightenment thinker. They identify key ideas and prepare a 3-minute summary for peers.	RH.9-10.1, RH.9-10.2, SL.9-10.1
40-55 min	Group Presentations & Gallery Walk	Groups present summaries. Other students rotate around the room to read summaries on chart paper, ask questions, and add one discussion question per poster.	RH.9-10.6, SL.9-10.1
55-70 min	Class Discussion: Enlightenment and Revolution	Using questions collected during gallery walk, discuss how these Enlightenment ideas challenged monarchies and influenced revolutions like the American and French Revolutions.	RH.9-10.6, SL.9-10.1
70-85 min	Written Response: Analytical Paragraph	Individually, students write a paragraph answering: “Choose one Enlightenment thinker. How did their ideas inspire revolutionary change?” Prompt includes citing evidence from the day’s texts.	WHST.9-10.2, RH.9-10.1
85-90 min	Exit Ticket: Reflection & Preview	On index cards, students write one new idea they learned and one question about the upcoming lessons on revolutions and industrialization. Collect for formative assessment.	SL.9-10.1, RH.9-10.2

Instructional Strategies and Differentiation

Think-Pair-Share scaffolds student verbal expression and peer-to-peer learning, appropriate for mixed skill levels.
Jigsaw Activity fosters cooperative learning and ensures all students grapple with primary text analysis, dividing workload and promoting ownership.
Gallery Walk combines kinesthetic movement with written and oral communication, increasing engagement.
Writing Component offers students opportunity to synthesize knowledge and practice academic writing, aligning with CCSS demands.
Support struggling readers by providing background vocabulary support sheets and using mixed-ability grouping.
Challenge advanced learners by encouraging their deeper analysis comparing differing philosophies or drafting open-ended questions for peers.

Assessment

Formative: Observation during group work, quality of group summaries, participation in discussion.
Summative: Analytical paragraph assessed with rubric focused on clarity, use of textual evidence, and conceptual understanding aligned to WHST.9-10.2 and RH.9-10.1.
Exit Tickets provide insight into student learning and questions guiding next lessons.

Extension/Homework (Optional)

Students choose an Enlightenment thinker to research further and prepare a creative presentation (e.g., letter from the thinker’s perspective or a short modern-day interview) for upcoming lessons.
Begin reading excerpts from revolutionary documents influenced by Enlightenment ideas to prepare for Lesson 2.

This dynamic, interactive, and evidence-based lesson plan invites students to actively explore pivotal concepts of the Enlightenment, sharpening their critical thinking, textual analysis, and communication skills while directly addressing the Common Core State Standards for 10th grade Social Studies.

Teaching Instructions