History
If museum artifacts could talk
Author: Brygida Šaranda
School: Kalesninkai L. Narbutas gymnasium in Šalčininkai district

Intended for grade: 8

Lesson idea: Create a story with a museum exhibit as the main character

Course of the lesson:

  • Students are introduced to the fundamental elements of any narrative: exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution. They are divided into groups and assigned the task of creating a story where the protagonist is a museum exhibit.

  • Each group selects an exhibit they like – this will become the main character of their story. Students are familiarized with other elements of story creation (task sheets are distributed).

History

  • Task execution in groups: each student's suggestions are discussed within the group and integrated into a coherent text. While creating the story, the group may use additional materials.

  • The completed story is presented in class, justifying why this exhibit was chosen, what aspects of it captured the group members' attention, and why it deserved its own personal story.

  • Time is allocated for questions and answers, discussion, and reflection.

History, biology, English Language, home economics, chemistry
Scientists' pizza
Author: Audronė Petrauskienė
School: Vilnius Emilija Pliaterytė progymnasium

Intended for grade: 6–8

Lesson idea: Exploring the production of yeast dough through the lens of a scientist. Baking pizza as a scientific experiment aimed at determining the influence of leavening agents and dairy products on the flavor of the pizza.

Lesson Progression:

  • By the end of this lesson, students should be practically acquainted with a simple crepe batter (thin crepes), with baking powder (thick pancakes or curd fritters), and with yeast dough (pizza, small Christmas Eve cakes or rolls).

  • Questions aimed at clarifying students' knowledge: which leavening/fermentation agent for dough is historically the oldest? Why was there a need to improve it? Why is the oldest dough leavening/fermentation agent still used in our times? Viewing a video is intended to supplement existing knowledge. It is advisable to turn on subtitles and comment on key points while watching; to ask students questions that allow for discussion and to ensure they have understood everything, and to write chemical reaction formulas on the board.

  • Problem posed: what would happen if we improved pizza dough (speeding up the production process and changing some ingredients)? Could we discover a more advanced method of baking pizza?

  • Students are divided into 4 groups and assigned a task – to conduct a scientific experiment. Each group must bake a pizza, using a different combination of ingredients for the dough:

    Group 1: yeast, milk and butter, wheat flour, salt;
    Group 2: yeast, water and oil, wheat flour, salt;
    Group 3: baking powder, milk and butter, wheat flour, salt;
    Group 4: baking powder, water and oil, wheat flour, salt;

For pizza toppings, all 4 groups must use the same ingredients: tomato sauce and cheese.

  • The baked pizzas are divided into four parts and a "blind tasting" is conducted: groups receive plates marked with numbers containing pizza quarters and evaluate the aroma, taste, texture. After choosing the most appealing option, they try to guess which combination of products was used. The group that guesses correctly can be rewarded: they get to choose the theme for the next cooking practice sessions.

    Homework: Students are introduced to the history of the "Margarita" pizza by watching a short video. Task: to create their own dream country's pizza using their favorite dough recipe: toppings on the pizza can reflect the colors and heraldry of that country's flag, nature, or architecture. The culinary masterpiece is then to be photographed.

History, biology, Lithuanian language
Theory of evolution. The structure and meaning of words
Author: Gintarė Motiekaitienė
School: Vilnius Pavilnio progymnasium

Intended for grade: 5

Lesson idea: While introducing students to the formation, change, and structure of Lithuanian language words, analyze the meanings and ambiguity of words. The lesson employs the technique of role reversal – how a lesson on Lithuanian grammar would be conducted by Darwin.

Course of the lesson:

  • A sentence from a Lithuanian language textbook intended to discuss the topic of word structure is written on the board: "Until now, we have broken down the word into separate pieces, but it also has its own kind of spine."

  • Task assignment: to determine the meaning of the word "spine". When answering the questions: what constitutes a spine? How to explain the phrase "spineless person", "he lacks a spine", "he is of strong spine", etc. Provide examples of historical figures who exemplify these idioms. What is characteristic of invertebrates? How have life forms changed over the course of evolution? Why was a spine necessary? What words can describe the human spine (strong, flexible, bent, stooped, misaligned...)? What does the term "trunk" mean? What is a plant's trunk? Why is the word "trunk" equated to the spine and can a plant's trunk be equated to a spine?

Homework:

  • Consider and write a short text in which the student explains the meaning of the roots of their first and last name by answering the questions: what do family roots mean? What are the roots of a plant? Why are roots necessary for a plant? How does knowledge about plant roots expand my understanding of myself, my name, surname, and family? Why is the root considered the most important semantic part of a word?

History, English Language
The history of fashion and technology
Author: Gabrielė Dudzinskaitė
School: VGTU engineering lyceum
Intended for grade: 9

2 lessons. Lesson idea: By analyzing different historical eras and comparing fashion styles and technologies, recognize and use the correct grammar of "used to" and "would," and expand the specific English vocabulary that reveals the theme. The technique of constraints was used in preparing the lesson tasks.

The course of the first lesson:

  • While reading a selected text, identify new nouns and verbs related to the theme and their associated prepositions.

  • Analyzing the same text and working in pairs, find 3-5 differences in how people used to dress in the past compared to now, discuss the differences found, and in a discussion with another pair, compare the fashion trends of the epochs. Students must formulate sentences and questions using new words and forms based on several provided examples, using the new grammar in questions.

  • Working in small groups, students are asked to tell each other what they have learned about their topic, as well as write down some positive/negative sentences and questions.

  • In the second half of the lesson, visual material designed to introduce the topic of fashion is reviewed. Working in pairs, students have to compare the information they have found with that of a friend. Time is allocated for discussion.

  • When viewing the visual material again, students must write the missing words in the text.

During the second half of the lesson, a review of visual materials designed to introduce the topic of fashion takes place. Working in pairs, students are required to compare the information they and their partner have found. Time is allocated for discussion.

Homework:

  1. Write a short essay on childhood, incorporating new vocabulary and grammar.

  2. Upon selecting a preferred fashion trend or period, prepare to present it.

  • Imagine that you are a representative of a certain fashion era who meets with a contemporary teenager. Together, you want to create a new fashion brand and introduce a collection. What would it be like? Create a name for your fashion brand and describe the types of clothing and accents you would like to use in your collection. What elements from your represented fashion period would you retain? What would you discard? What elements from today's fashion would you incorporate? You may also create sketches for your designed collection.

  • Imagine creating a new technology, a technological tool, that will be featured in a journal article. What kind of technology/tool will it be? What are the three main features it will possess? How will it be superior to the existing technologies available now? Will this technology have any drawbacks? Write the title of this article and the first paragraph.

    The course of the second lesson:

  • Students in groups must present a project on their chosen era, focusing on aspects of fashion or technology.

  • Discussion of the homework assignment – an essay.

History, arts
Today's Emilija Pliaterytė and her image
Author: Karolina Norkienė
School: Emilija Pliaterytė progymnasium

Lesson idea: after getting acquainted with the personality of Emilija Pliaterytė and the historical period in which she lived, create an image of a 21st-century national heroine using colored pencils and markers.

Course of the lesson:

  • Students are introduced to the personality of Emilija Pliaterytė, historical and biographical facts. The fashion style of her era, characteristic style details.

  • Task assignment – to draw and create a new contemporary image and style for Emilija Pliaterytė.

  • For their art project presentation, students must write a brief biography of the contemporary E. Pliaterytė, interpreting her nickname, age, profession, place of residence, and hobbies.

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