Students learn about the development of the printing press in the 15th century and compare life before and after its invention. Then they explore the role of the printing press in advancing the ideas of humanism that flourished during the Renaissance and explain some of humanism’s main ideas. Finally, students consider a modern technology that has influenced life in a similar way to the printing press.
Students are introduced to the lesson focus on the Renaissance, the printing press, and humanism. They examine an image of an early printing press and record observations in a shared table about what they see and what the men in the image are doing. Then they imagine life without printed materials such as books, magazines, or menus and post a sentence to a class wall explaining why printed materials are important.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives. Guide students in closely observing the image and explain that it shows one of the earliest types of printing press. Facilitate a brief discussion of students’ ideas about the importance of printed materials, drawing out connections to how information is shared in their own lives.
Students view an image of Johannes Gutenberg and watch the video The Invention that Changed the World to learn how the printing press developed and how it changed life in Europe. As they watch, they complete a two-part graphic organizer comparing life before and after the printing press. They then post to a class wall explaining what they see as the important effects of the printing press on society.
Teacher MovesDiscuss student notes from the graphic organizer to highlight key contrasts between the pre- and post-printing press eras. After students share on the wall, emphasize that the new printing technology allowed ideas to reach common people more quickly and helped more people learn to read and write.
Students read the sections Printing and Thinking and The Humanist Philosophy to explore how the printing press helped spread Renaissance humanism and what humanist thinkers believed. After reading, they complete a graphic organizer by answering questions about how printing contributed to the spread of humanism, what kinds of books and scholarship humanism was based on, and some key ideas of the humanist philosophy.
Teacher MovesLead a discussion of student responses, prompting them to cite specific evidence from the readings to support their answers. If time allows, work with the class to develop agreed-upon responses for each question and record these as reference points for the main ideas of humanism and the role of the printing press.
Students reflect on the major changes the printing press brought to Europe and apply this thinking to the present. They write a paragraph on a class wall identifying a significant technology from the last 20 years, explaining how it has changed society, and considering whether all of those changes are positive. They then review classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher MovesIf time allows, facilitate a whole-class discussion comparing the modern technologies students identified and considering which has had the greatest impact. Encourage students to predict how these or other technologies might shape society over the next 20 years.
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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