Students are introduced to the context for the Protestant Reformation. They learn about the corruption within the Catholic Church and the complaints of Martin Luther. Then they explore what Martin Luther and others did to address their complaints. Next, they examine several of the key reformed beliefs upon which Protestantism is based. Finally, they write an article that explains how the Protestant Reformation was both a protest and a reform.
Students are introduced to the historical context of differences between Roman Catholic and Lutheran beliefs and review the lesson objectives. They consider the verb “form” and then respond in a table by writing a brief definition of “reform.” Next, they post to a discussion wall explaining why someone might want to reform a club or organization. Finally, they read that they will explore a period when some Christians sought to reform the Church.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, highlighting that students will examine causes, key figures, and beliefs of the Protestant Reformation. Discuss student definitions of “reform,” sharing dictionary meanings such as improving or correcting something to end disorder or immoral ways. Guide students to understand that reform means adapting or changing something to make it better, not discarding it entirely, and connect this idea to the upcoming study of Church reform.
Students learn that the Protestant Reformation followed the Renaissance and focused on reforming aspects of the Catholic Church. They watch Protestant Reformation (to the 1:19 mark) to gain an overview of the period, then answer two multiple-choice questions about the dominant force in Europe in the 14th–15th centuries and the role of the printing press in spreading new ideas. Next, they read selected sections of An Introduction to the Protestant Reformation to investigate the nature of the Reformation, Church–state relations, Martin Luther, indulgences, and the ideas of “faith alone” and “scripture alone.” As they read, they complete a graphic organizer by taking notes for each specified section.
Teacher MovesSupport students in accessing the article by reading paragraphs aloud as needed, defining key vocabulary, summarizing content, and answering questions during reading. After students complete the graphic organizer, invite volunteers to summarize each section, using their notes to review main ideas and clarify misunderstandings. Before moving on, organize students into small groups for the next scene, assign each group one reformer (John Wycliffe, Desiderius Erasmus, John Calvin, or Ulrich Zwingli), and ensure each group designates a reporter to share its work.
Working in small groups, students research one assigned Reformation figure—John Wycliffe, Desiderius Erasmus, John Calvin, or Ulrich Zwingli—using the Internet and may use People of the Protestant Reformation as a starting resource. Each group creates a report that includes background facts about the individual, the person’s role in the Reformation, an explanation of how the individual contributed to “re-forming” the Church and society, and an image of the individual. Groups post their reports to a discussion wall or share links to products created with digital tools such as Prezi, Tiki-Toki, online presentation software, or Glogster. Afterward, students review the reports on the reformers their own group did not research and discuss these figures within their small groups.
Teacher MovesMonitor group research and product creation, ensuring that each report addresses background, role in the Reformation, and how the figure contributed to reform. If time allows, have each group present its reformer to the class and facilitate a brief question-and-answer period to deepen understanding of the different individuals and their contributions.
Students recall that the new form of Christianity that emerged from the Reformation was called Protestantism and reflect on the root word “protest” as they consider how Protestantism represented both protest and reform. They then write a newspaper-style article explaining why the Protestant Reformation was both a “protest” and a “re-forming” of the Church, using evidence from their learning throughout the experience to support their explanation, and submit it to a class wall.
Teacher MovesInvite students to share interesting or exemplary articles with the class and use them to prompt discussion. Emphasize in feedback that Protestants were protesting corruption and departures from biblical teachings in the Catholic Church and that they sought to re-form the Church by returning to what they saw as its original teachings.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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