Gutenbergs Printing Press

Intelligence and Creativity Lesson Plan

Central Question:

What impact did the invention of the Printing Press and movable type have on the spread of ideas and information during the Renaissance?

In the mid-15th century, Johannes Gutenberg of Germany introduced a new concept that would revolutionize the process of printing books. Prior to the year 1450, making a book was painstaking, resulting in only 40-50 pages being printed per day. With his invention of the printing press, which utilized movable text, thousands of pages per day could be printed.

Moreover, his invention allowed mass production of books. This exponentially increased the rate at which knowledge spread throughout Europe.

The earliest form of printing in Europe was by a process called Xylography. This method used wooden blocks to press ink into paper. During this time, some written works were still being reproduced at an alarming slow rate. They were more often only owned by the wealthiest of society.

Click in image for video

How did it function?

Used a mixture of lead, tin and antimony.
Melted it at a low temperature
Created the lower and upper-case letters, punctuation marks etc.
Mechanized the transfer of ink from moveable type to paper.
Characters were rearranged and reused during printing
Accommodated 42-lines per page

What's the Gutenberg Bible?

After the invention of the printing press, the first document to be mass published in the west was the Gutenberg Bible. Gutenberg had begun partnerships that supported his printing experiments by providing the funds needed to create a large press. In the mid-15th century there was thought to only be around 30,000 books in Europe, with 180 Gutenberg Bible’s circulating. Today 49 copies still exist in libraries, universities and museums and a complete copy is estimated to be worth around $35 million.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to describe the growth and effects of new ways of disseminating information (e.g., the ability to manufacture paper, translation of the Bible into the vernacular, printing).
The students will be able to understand the importance of Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press in spreading ideas.
The students will know how the printing press facilitated the spread of the Bible in the vernacular to England, France, and Germany.
The students will be able to discuss the major lasting impacts of the printing press and movable type.

Standards

History-Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve

Describe the way in which the revival of classical learning and the arts fostered a new interest in humanism (i.e., a balance between intellect and religious faith).
Explain the importance of Florence in the early stages of the Renaissance and the growth of independent trading cities (e.g., Venice), with emphasis on the cities' importance in the spread of Renaissance ideas.
Describe the growth and effects of new ways of disseminating information (e.g., the ability to manufacture paper, translation of the Bible into the vernacular, printing).
Detail advances made in literature, the arts, science, mathematics, cartography, engineering, and the understanding of human anatomy and astronomy (e.g., by Dante Alighieri, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo di Buonarroti Simoni, Johann Gutenberg, William Shakespeare).

Grade: 7 Discipline: World History Pacing: 60 minutes

Classroom setup:

Chromebook cart plugged in and ready to use.
Projector and interactive whiteboard set up and ready. All Chromebooks have iTunes, Real Player, Media Player, and a web browser and Flash media player installed.
Tables arranged for group activity.

Background for students:

Have this video playing on low volume as students walk in. Discuss its contents after it finishes.

Hook Question: How would you go about printing up some Fortnite T-shirts? Would u draw each one or print them out using some sort of device?

Humorous print application

Teaching/Instructions process

Complete watching videos. Have students break up three groups.
Each group will represent three different populations present during the renaissance.

Group 1: This group will play the role of Priest, Clerics, Scribes, Astrologers/Astronomers and military generals. This demographic needed the technology for more practical and analytical reasons like copying text, writing laws, capture and proliferate church doctrine and document astrological events.

Question: What other uses would this group need a printing press for? As a group, discuss how else you would have exploited the use of the printing press. 1-2 students to present findings.

Group 2: This group will play the role blacksmiths, carpenters, inventors and engineers. This group invented, developed and created a catalyst for reformation during this period in history as the videos indicate. They needed raw material, mechanical expertise, ingenuity and perseverance.

Question: How would you have improved the manufacturability of the printing press? How would you have refined its design to improve its manufacturability?

Group 3: This group will situate themselves as bankers, messengers, authors, critics and poets. This group used the technology mainly for commerce.

Question: What type of publications would have been fun to print during the renaissance?

As a group, make up some cool titles for a "Renaissance Weekly" pamphlet or magazine that would capture the essence of the period. Instruct them to draw rough drafts of what the cover would look like. All group members will present their pictures to the rest of the class.

Guided Practice

Teacher to leads by example and generates talking points on the whiteboard.
Generates discussion among groups regarding their roles. Teacher role plays all three and demonstrates the process of brainstorming. Indicates to students that there are no right, wrong of bad ideas while brainstorming takes place. Emphasize that effort, deep thought and risks are rewarded.
Students will be assigned one representative to discuss finding with rest of the class.

Monitoring

Formative Assessments: Teacher will circle around and monitor students progress. Teacher to aid students on transporting themselves back to the renaissance to get into character.
Summative Assessments: 9 question quiz

Closure

Have students imagine a world without any sort of print. Have them jot down several scenarios of what the would would be like had it not been for Johannes Gutenberg inventiveness.

Independent Practice

Students will write for 3-5 minutes describing how a more recent advancement of technology has had a similar impact as the Print Press was during Gutenberg’s time.

Teacher Notes

Inform students this lesson is part of a greater unit covering several aspects of renaissance life, culture and historical implications.

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