Curriculum / ELA / 8th Grade / Unit 3: Abusing Power: Animal Farm and Wicked History / Lesson 15
ELA
Unit 3
8th Grade
Lesson 15 of 32
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Explain how George Orwell interpreted the events of the Russian Revolution and Stalin's regime and portrayed them in the allegorical text, Animal Farm.
Book: Animal Farm by George Orwell pp. 73 – 89 — Chapter 7
Book: Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History) by Sean McCollum pp. 52 – 82 — Chapters 7–12
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Prior to the start of class, print out the quotes in the Hamlet Quote Card resource and glue/tape them to a notecard in order to be prepared for the opening activity. If possible, move the student desks/tables to the side of the room so that there is room for students to walk around. Alternatively, take students to a space outside the classroom where they will have more room to engage in the activity.
Today's lesson contains sensitive content that may be upsetting or triggering for students. Emphasize respectful communication, critical thinking, and context understanding prior to engaging in today's reading. Name for students resources they can leverage within the classroom or school day to process their emotions. In particular, Chapter 7 of Animal Farm contains depictions of animals being slaughtered, and Chapters 7–12 of Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History) contain descriptions and pictures of famine and starvation.
Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved.
On page 82 of Animal Farm, Squealer declares, "I want every animal on this farm to keep his eyes very wide open. We have reason to think that some of Snowball's secret agents are lurking among us at this moment." What connections can you make to real-life events from the Great Terror?
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Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding
On page 67 of Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History), McCollum writes, "In Stalin's time, few people understood the extent of the disaster. Stalin banned journalists and other writers from publishing accounts of the famine." What parallels can you draw between Animal Farm and this quote? Cite evidence from Animal Farm to support your thinking. (Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History) & Animal Farm)
Reread the hens' uprising on pages 76–77 of Animal Farm. What connection can be drawn between this scene and the real-life events discussed in Chapter 7 of Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History)? Cite evidence from both texts to support your thinking. (Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History) & Animal Farm)
What connections can be drawn between the events of pages 83 and 84 in Animal Farm and real-life events as discussed in Chapter 13 of Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History)? Cite evidence from both texts to support your thinking. (Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History) & Animal Farm)
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
treacherous
adj.
(p. 96)
guilty of betraying or deceiving; disloyal
Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.
To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.
Book: Animal Farm by George Orwell pp. 91 – 109 — Chapter 8
While reading, answer the following questions.
What are conditions like on Animal Farm at this point in the text?
What does Squealer tell the animals about how the farm is doing?
How does Napoleon initially feel about Frederick?
Who does Napoleon decide to sell the timber to?
What happens during the sale of the timber?
What happens to the windmill?
Why is Napoleon sick?
Tonight's reading contains references to animal cruelty, suicide, and excessive alcohol consumption.
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RI.8.1 — Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.8.1 — Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.8.3 — Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.8.6 — Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
RL.7.9 — Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.
RL.8.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.8.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6—8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
SL.8.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.8.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
W.8.1 — Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.8.1.a — Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
W.8.1.b — Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
W.8.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.8.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
W.8.9.a — Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new").
W.8.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Next
Explain how the relationship between the pigs and the principles of Animal Farm has changed, and how Orwell uses dramatic irony to convey this change.
Define and articulate the differences between capitalism and communism, including how they influence human behavior in society.
Standards
RI.8.1RI.8.3
Explain the events, ideas, and social conditions that began to shape Stalin's behavior and beliefs about the world.
RI.8.2RI.8.3
Identify the people, events, ideas, and social conditions that led to the Russian Revolution, and explain Stalin's role in the establishment of a new communist society and government.
Identify an author's perspective in a nonfiction text and explain the various techniques authors use to establish their perspectives.
RI.8.1RI.8.6
Explain the purpose of Stalin's Five-Year Plan, its impact on the people of the Soviet Union, and how author McCollum uses specific text features to develop key ideas about this time period.
RI.8.2RI.8.5
Define propaganda and gather evidence about a specific propaganda technique in preparation for creating an informational poster.
RI.8.2W.8.2W.8.9
Draft a paragraph and create a poster that informs classmates about a propaganda technique.
W.8.2W.8.2.aW.8.2.bW.8.5
Identify examples of propaganda and explain how Stalin used them to control the people of the Soviet Union.
Determine the central idea of individual chapters of Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History) and the text overall, and explain how the author’s purpose for writing contributes to how he develops and supports these ideas.
RI.8.2RI.8.6
Explain how Orwell uses descriptive language to develop Old Major's perspective and make connections between Old Major's speech and real-world economic systems.
RL.8.2RL.8.4
Identify specific events and lines of dialogue that reveal character traits, and explain the impact of events on the plot of Animal Farm.
RL.8.3
Identify the actions that various animals take to develop, support, and defend Animal Farm, and explain what these actions reveal about their characters.
RL.8.3RL.8.6
Explain how George Orwell has interpreted individuals and events from the Russian Revolution and portrayed them in his allegorical text, Animal Farm.
RI.8.1RL.8.1RL.8.3
Explain how the pigs use propaganda techniques to manipulate the other animals and how Orwell reveals this to the reader.
RL.8.4RL.8.6
Explain how the pigs use language and propaganda to continue manipulating the other animals, and analyze the effect of this manipulation on both the characters and the reader.
RL.8.3RL.8.4RL.8.6
Explain the significance of specific lines and events in Animal Farm and what they reveal about characters and the plot.
RL.8.3RL.8.4
Utilize historical context and analysis of propaganda to draw conclusions about Orwell's purpose for writing Animal Farm.
RI.8.6RL.8.2RL.8.6
Identify places where the film version of Animal Farm differs from the original text and evaluate the choices made by the filmmakers.
RL.8.7
Unpack a narrative writing prompt, study a Mentor Text, and begin to outline their "rewrites."
RL.8.2W.8.3W.8.5
Complete a full draft of narrative "rewrites."
W.8.3W.8.3.aW.8.3.dW.8.3.e
Engage in peer feedback with a partner and present narratives to the class.
SL.8.4W.8.3W.8.5
Demonstrate a deep understanding of the texts and topics in a Socratic Seminar by posing and responding to questions and providing evidence to support ideas.
SL.8.1SL.8.1.aSL.8.1.cSL.8.4
Unpack a Writing Prompt and begin to gather evidence for a literary analysis essay.
W.8.1W.8.9
Draft a claim statement and create an outline for a four-paragraph literary analysis essay.
W.8.1W.8.1.aW.8.1.b
Draft two strong body paragraphs and revise them to contextualize and introduce evidence.
W.8.1W.8.1.cW.8.1.d
Outline and draft introduction and conclusion paragraphs.
W.8.1W.8.1.aW.8.1.e
Revise essay for linking words and tone, and experiment with verb moods.
L.8.1L.8.1.cW.8.1W.8.1.cW.8.1.d
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