Exploring the Renaissance

Grade Level

5th Grade
Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 25 students

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Standards Alignment

English Language Arts - Common Core State Standards (CCSS):

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2
  Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3
  Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in historical text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7
  Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1
  Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• I can explain what the Renaissance was and why it was important.
• I can identify key figures from the Renaissance and describe their contributions.
• I can describe Renaissance art and explain how it changed from previous styles.
• I can discuss how the Renaissance impacted society.

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Success Criteria

Students will:

• Accurately summarize main ideas about the Renaissance from provided texts or multimedia.
• Name at least three major Renaissance figures and explain one contribution per figure.
• Identify characteristics of Renaissance art through pictures or videos.
• Participate in a group discussion by sharing their ideas clearly and respectfully.

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Materials Needed

• Dyslexia-friendly Renaissance informational text (large font, colored background, simplified vocabulary)
• Image prints or digital slides of Renaissance art and portraits of key figures (Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, etc.)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Chart paper and markers for student groups
• Sticky notes
• Video clip (~5 minutes) introducing the Renaissance with captions
• Graphic organizer handout (Timeline and Key Figures)
• Sentence starters for discussions (to support ELL and struggling speakers)

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Lesson Procedure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Begin with a quick "Think-Pair-Share" question: What do you already know about the time long ago called the Renaissance?
• Watch a short, captioned video introducing the Renaissance to build background knowledge and engage multiple senses.
• Use a simple definition on the board: The Renaissance was a time of new ideas in art, science, and learning that started about 600 years ago in Europe.

2. Mini-Reading & Discussion (15 minutes)

• Distribute dyslexia-friendly text on the Renaissance covering:
  • When and where it began
  • Major figures (Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, etc.)
  • Changes in art
  • Impact on society
• Students read individually or in pairs (peer reading).
• Provide graphic organizers to record main ideas and key details.
• Model how to find main ideas and summarise one paragraph aloud to the class.
• Pause frequently to discuss, using sentence starters to encourage students to share (e.g., "I think...", "The text says...").

3. Art Exploration & Group Activity (15 minutes)

• Introduce Renaissance art through images/slides (Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, David sculpture).
• Ask questions: What do you notice? How is this different from older art?
• Group students into small teams (4-5 per group). Provide them with a chart paper and colored markers.
• Each group picks one artwork or figure to discuss and lists what they find interesting or different using their graphic organizer and sticky notes.

4. Group Presentations & Whole Class Discussion (10 minutes)

• Each group shares their findings in 2 minutes.
• Teacher highlights vocabulary like "perspective," "realism," and "invention," linking back to reading and images.
• Engage students to connect the Renaissance to today: How do you think these ideas changed the world?

5. Assessment and Reflection (10 minutes)

• Distribute an exit ticket with 3 short questions:
  1. What is the Renaissance? (1-2 sentences)
  2. Name one Renaissance figure and describe their contribution.
  3. Explain one way Renaissance art is different from older art.
• Collect exit tickets to gauge comprehension.
• For students who need extra support, the teacher or aide can read questions aloud or provide sentence starters.

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Profile	Strategies
Struggling readers	Use dyslexia-friendly texts and pre-teach key vocabulary; pair reading; provide printed and audio materials.
English Language Learners (ELL)	Provide sentence starters; pair native and ELL students for peer assistance; use visuals and gestures extensively.
Advanced learners	Encourage them to research and share an additional Renaissance figure or invention. Provide extension questions.
Students with ADHD	Incorporate movement breaks during activities; allow standing desks or fidget tools; clear, chunked instructions.

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Reflection for Teacher

• Did students actively participate in reading and discussion?
• Were key vocabulary and concepts well understood?
• How did the students engage with art and group work?
• Use exit ticket results to inform follow-up lessons or reteaching needs.

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Extensions (Optional)

• Set up a creative art project inspired by Renaissance techniques.
• Create a classroom timeline of Renaissance events and discoveries.
• Introduce a writing prompt: Imagine you lived during the Renaissance. Write a letter describing what is exciting about this time.

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This lesson plan blends reading, multimedia, art analysis, and collaborative learning designed to ignite curiosity and build foundational knowledge about the Renaissance in alignment with Common Core standards.