DISCUSSION PROMPTS: RENAISSANCE, ITALY, RE-BIRTH, MEDICI, DOCUMENTARY, OUR PLACE IN HISTORY
UP NEXT: the Italian Renaissance moves into Europe
This week, we really got into the thick of things with regards to our inquiry into what a Renaissance is in order to determine if we are in one, or not.
We continued to explore the European Renaissance by focusing in on the Italian Renaissance. We have accessed a documentary, engaged in class discussions, completed some specific textbook readings, reflected individually, and determined criteria collectively. We also managed to fit in an informal debate!
Our inquiry turned toward art on Monday to help us understand some of the societal aspects of the Renaissance, and the time before the Renaissance. Looking closely at the similarities and differences between these two paintings allowed us to start thinking about the changes that were taking place in Italy around the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Students' observations of these two paintings led us to discuss big ideas such as humanism, linear perspective, and feudalism. We also talked about the rise of the merchant class, trade routes such as the Silk Road, and the Black Death as conditions for the start of the Renaissance.
We had two checkpoints this week regarding our big guiding question. Checkpoint 1, before the debate and individual reflection, but after a week of exploration, saw quite the exodus of students moving from one side the other. At checkpoint 2, after the debate, there was very little movement!
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