Lesson Two - Voicing Your Opinion

Suitable for: High School

Objective: Students will be able to communicate their opinions on social issues.

Standards:

• I - Culture: Explain why individuals and groups respond differently to changes in their environment based on assumptions, shared beliefs and values.
  
• II - Time, Continuity and Change: identify key concepts like causality, change and conflict to explain, analyze and show connections among the patterns of historical change.
  
• IV - Individual Development and Identity: work independently and cooperatively to accomplish goals.
  
• VI - Power, Authority and Governance: explain and apply concepts such as power, justice and influence to examine persistent issues and social problems.

Time frame: 3-4 class periods

Procedure:

1. Discuss with students the time and place* in which Martin Luther lived.
   *The dominance of the Roman Catholic Church religiously and politically.
   
   
2. View "Martin Luther: Driven to Defiance" (47:04-53 mins.). As students view the film ask them to pay close attention to the following:
   
   
   • The grievances Luther had with the Roman Catholic Church.
   • What method did Luther use to voice his opinions? Was this a traditional means to communicate with the Catholic Church?
   
   
   • How did his actions change the world? ("Martin Luther: Reluctant Revolutionary")
   
   
3. Divide class into groups of three or four students.
   
   
4. Ask them to brainstorm organizations (in the same way that Luther had grievances with the Roman Catholic Church) with which they have grievances and what they are.
   Examples: School administration or community government.
   
   
5. As a group, students will create their own "95 Theses" (teachers should choose their own number based on student ability and time).
   
   Use an existing organization's document that requires evidence that an offense has occurred.
   Examples: A group could use a school handbook to discuss grievances they have with school administration. Or they could discuss grievances against the federal government in relation to the Constitution
   
   
6. Students will share their "Theses" with their classmates.
   
   
7. Review with students that Martin Luther nailed his "95 Theses" to the door of the Wittenberg Church that was customary for the day.
   
   
8. As a class, brainstorm ways in which each group "Theses" could most appropriately be heard.
   Examples: Sending a letter, printing on the Internet or announcements at a town meeting
   
   
9. Each group will present their "Theses" to the organization through a suggested and appropriate method.

Assessment:

• Students will participate in small group and class discussions.
• Completion and presentation of group "Theses."

Extension:

Research other examples of how one person can change the world. Who were they? Through what methods did this person change the world?
Possible choices: Gandhi, Einstein, Guttenberg, Columbus, and Muhammad



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