In World History we cover a unit called Enlightenment and Revolution. The Age of Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th century called into question a range of areas from scientific knowledge to natural laws and governmental structures. This era led into the Age of Revolution in Europe and the Americas as nation after nation led independence and revolution movements. Many of the ideas gained during the Age of Enlightenment were put into constitutions during this time period and are still relevant throughout the world today.
As we cover the Age of Enlightenment, I ask students to form groups and plan dinner parties, which are then performed for their classmates. In these dinner parties, students represent individuals from the Age of Enlightenment and are asked to discuss the topics of the era in a way those individuals would do so. This activity leads to a variety of unique conversations, about the future of scientific discovery to the logic of separation of powers in modern government.