George Orwell 1984 Lesson Plan

George Orwell's 1984 Lesson Plan

Objectives: Students will understand the following: 1. The historical context of 1984 is based on the mood and political climate of 1949 Europe. 2. The societ !rwell created in 1984 and modern societ in the "nited States ha#e similarities and differences. $. %odern pri#ac issues and the &ustifications behind pri#ac #iolations are sub&ect to debate. 4. 'hat is (ustice) Duration: *our to fi#e class periods. Materials: + ,omputers with -nternet access + .ens and paper 1984 mo#ie and pro&ector .rocedures: /ote to teachers: %an of the issues raised in this lesson are li0el to be of great interest to high school students and ma spar0 interesting and potentiall rambling discussions. ,onsider placing time limits on students1 comments or on the class discussions as a whole. 1. 2fter students ha#e finished reading 1984 and ha#e discussed their initial reactions to the no#el3 as0 them wh the thin0 !rwell wrote this boo0. 'hat world e#ents were occurring around the time !rwell was writing 1984) 45et students 0now that 1984 was published in 1949.6 'hat e#ents had occurred since !rwell1s birth in 197$) 8elp students understand the no#el1s historical connections. The should be made aware that se#eral e#ents of the earl 27th centur 3 including 'orld 'ar -3 the 9reat :epression3 (oseph Stalin1s rise to power in

George Orwell 1984 Lesson Plan the So#iet "nion3 and 'orld 'ar --3 contributed to !rwell1s mood in writing 1984. *orexample3 in 19493 Stalin was the dictator of the So#iet "nion. 8e ruled b terror and executed millions of people3 including people who had helped him rise to power and peasants who opposed his collecti#e agriculture program. !rwell also reacted to the dawn of the nuclear era3 beginning with the 194; bombings of 8iroshima and /agasa0i. The bomb changed people1s perceptions of the potential outcomes of warfare and made people contemplate the future of the human race. 2. 2lso ma0e sure students understand that !rwell was displeased not onl with Stalinism and the situation in the So#iet "nion but also with e#ents and trends in 'estern Europe and the "nited States3 such as increased technological warfare and the support of noncommunist dictatorships. 1984 was not onl an attac0 against Stalinism but also a statement of dissatisfaction with political trends in the <democratic= world of 'estern Europe and the "nited States. 'hat is Stalinism3 is Stalinism a good word3 tr other explainations. $. 2s0 students to describe some of the wa s in which the world has changed since 1949. 'hat has happened to the distribution of power in Europe) 'hat are some of concerns common in 'estern Europe toda and 1949) 8a#e students ta0e notes during this discussion. 4. /ow that students ha#e considered the historical context for !rwell1s writing of 1984 and ha#e discussed some of the differences between 1949 and the present3 ha#e the class list the no#el1s primar themes. Students might contribute such words as <freedom3= <pri#ac 3= <indi#idualism #ersus the state3= or <big go#ernment.= 'rite their ideas on the board and ha#e them record the list on their own papers. ;. 2s0 students whether the e#er feel that their pri#ac is threatened b the go#ernment3

George Orwell 1984 Lesson Plan corporations3 the media3 or other entities. 8a#e the e#er had an experiences in which the felt that their rights to pri#ac were #iolated) 8as an one e#er been in a situation that is reminiscent of a situation that occurs in 1984) >. 'rite the word <pri#ac = at the top of the board and then draw a two?column chart with the headings <1984= and <Toda .= 8a#e students cop the chart onto their own papers. 2s0 students to contribute examples of pri#ac restrictions in the no#el and in modern societ and write their ideas in the appropriate columns. 2n example chart is illustrated below. Tr to fill in some of the blan0s3 perhaps print this chart as a handout. 1984 Telescreens are e#er where 4except for where the .roles li#e and wor06. 'or0place monitoringA'inston can1t loo0 at a note on his des0 or dwell too long on a single document. Thought .olice interpret people1s facial expressions and #oice intonations. SpiesAone ne#er 0nows whom to trust :rug testing at the wor0place or school Emplo ers monitoring emplo ees1 e?mails3 phone calls3 or bathroom usage -nternet pri#ac issues ,orporations collecting data on consumers Toda *@- sur#eillance

George Orwell 1984 Lesson Plan

B. 'atch film and relate it to the class discussions.

RESEARCH PRO EC! 8. ,onduct a research pro&ect using current e#ents3 students should write up a short paper3 findings will be discussed in class.

Suggeste" Rea"ings: *ree Speech: *rom /ewspapers to %usic 5 rics Caren Deinert.3 Enslow3 199;. *reedom of Speech is guaranteed b the ,onstitution3 et there are trends in our societ that bring to mind !rwellEs Thought .olice. %o#ie and music censors3 Fpolitical correctness3F monolithic ownership of news outlets3 and other attempts to control what we spea0 and what we hear are co#ered b the author of this timel boo0. 9eorge !rwellEs /ineteen Eight ?*our This entr in the @loomEs /otes series includes a brief biograph of 9eorge !rwell3 an examination of the themes and structure of the no#el3 and excerpts of anal tical essa s b other writers.

George Orwell 1984 Lesson Plan

George Orwell 1984 Lesson Plan

George Orwell 1984 Lesson Plan sources: 5esson: http:GGschool.disco#er education.comGlessonplansGpdfG1984G1984.pdf *eb. 123 2714 -mage: http:GG$.bp.blogspot.comG?Hc'h? i-B >cG"5I>x8wH%0-G222222222J2G9544#@ pJ28Gs1>77G1984.&pg *eb. 123 2714