Post-Show Classroom Activity

Invite students to reflect on the tactics of fascism as they are reflected in Berlin. 

As always, please note that some steps of the activity may be condensed, eliminated, or extended based on the needs of your classroom. Although this activity is written for use in a classroom setting, learners of any age and background are invited to participate.

Tactics of Fascism

Activity Preparation

• Supplies:
  • Video: The 10 tactics of fascism | Jason Stanley | Big Think (9:50) 
  • Tactics of Fascism Handout (one per student)
• Set-Up:
  • As desired, preview the video before showing it to students.

This activity will take approximately 40 minutes.

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Learning Sequence

1. Prompt students to turn and talk: What is fascism? Invite a few students to share. Clarify that they will be learning about the key strategies of fascism in a video. Guide students to examine the Tactics of Fascism Handout. Have a student read the instructions aloud. (~5 minutes)
2. Show students the video “The 10 tactics of fascism | Jason Stanley | Big Think” (9:50). Remind them to take notes on each tactic in the column marked “Notes.” As needed, adjust the playback speed of the video, pause after each checklist item so students can write, or play the video a second time. (~10 minutes)
3. Have students work with a partner to add examples of any checklist items that they noticed in Berlin. Remind them that they may not have an example from the play for every single item, and that is okay! (~10 minutes)
4. Then, have pairs add other examples (from history or politics) to the final column. Circulate and monitor student progress, offering support for struggling students. (~10 minutes)
5. Have pairs reflect on the question at the bottom of the handout, either verbally or in writing. (~5 minutes)
   • Pick one tactic and reflect or discuss: How can people effectively fight back against that aspect of fascism? 
6. As time allows, invite students to consider the metaphor of a frog in boiling water. A frog suddenly put into a pot of boiling water will jump out to save itself. But if the frog is put in lukewarm water with the temperature slowly rising over time, it will be cooked to death. Ask: At what point in fascism is the water boiling? How can citizens realize the stakes and circumstances before they are “boiled to death”? 

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• This activity aligns with the following standards:
  • Illinois Arts Learning Standards 
    • Anchor Standard 8: Construct meaningful interpretations of artistic work.
    • Anchor Standard 9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
    • Anchor Standard 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
  • Common Core State Standards 
    • CCSS.ELA.RI7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
    • CCSS.ELA.RI1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text

Posted on April 19, 2025 in Learning Guides, Productions