Napoleon: Learning through Music and Task-based approach (The French Revolution onwards)

Napoleon was also known as: Le Corse, Le Petit Caporal, Napoléon Bonaparte, Napoleone Buonaparte, the Corsican, the Little Corporal. 

 Napoleon: These Napoleon lyrics are shorter and simpler, which makes them perfect for focused, accessible activities.

NOTE-TAKING SKILLS

Student's sample

Follow the lesson in the provided worksheet

KEY WORDS FOR THIS LESSON: Emperor, Josephine, heir, Rosetta Stone, Napoleonic Code, National Bank, Russian Retreat, abdicate, 100 Days, defeated.

1. Activity: Fill the blanks. Listen/read and fill in. TAKE A LOOK AT THE KEY Vocabulary AND COMPLETE THE missing WORDS IN THIS PART OF THE LYRICS.

1. Five years later, May, the _______ crowned his wife.
2. In Egypt, he found the ________ Stone.

After LISTENING TO THE SONG AND COMPLETING THE TWO RAMDOM PIECES, IN YOUR NOTEBOOK, write one FACTUAL sentence using EACH ONE OF THE KEY WORDS words in the past tense, USING YOUR TEXTBOOK AS A SECONDARY SOURCE.

2. Timeline Sort Activity: HERE IS A list OF THE MAIN EVENTS (scrambled) 

• Became First Consul
• Crowned Josephine
• Rosetta Stone discovered
• Napoleonic Code created
• Russian Retreat
• Abdicated throne
• Returned for 100 Days
• Defeated at Waterloo

ARRANGE in the correct chronological order while listening to the song.

THEN, Write 3 sentences in the past tense connecting events. Here is an EXAMPLE FOR YOU:  “He became Emperor in 1804. Later, he created the Napoleonic Code.”

3. Cause & Effect Match Activity: HERE YOU HAVE two sets: ONE WITH Causes ↔ ANOTHER WITH Effects. Connect them.

Cause: 

• Josephine could not have an heir.
• Napoleon invaded Russia.

Effect: 

• He was forced to retreat.
• Napoleon remarried.

Then, IN YOUR NOTEBOOK, write one full sentence per pair using the connectors because / so / therefore.

Example: “Napoleon abdicated because he was defeated in Russia.”

4. Creative Writing: Napoleon’s Diary Activity:

1. Imagine you are Napoleon writing in his diary on one important day.
2. Choose: his coronation, the Russian retreat, or Waterloo.
3. Write a short diary entry (80–100 words) using past tense verbs.

Here you have an example starter: “Today, I was crowned Emperor. The Pope was there, but I placed the crown on my own head…”

5. Discussion (Quick Speaking in pairs)

1. Why do you think Napoleon wanted to crown himself instead of letting the Pope do it?
2. Was Napoleon more of a hero or a tyrant? Why?
3. What modern leader could be compared to Napoleon?

WRITE THE ANSWERS IN YOUR NOTEBOOK.

6. Exit Ticket: Quick Written Check

At the end of class, write in a sticky note:

1. One new historical fact you have learnt from the song.
2. One sentence in the past tense using a key word (for example, abdicate, defeat, heir).