Analyzing Animal Farm
Analyzing Animal Farm
In this unit students will become more knowledgeable about historical events as well as infer/identify elements of a fable narration. Within the text, they will take three reading check quizzes via Google Forms. Students will partake in an Escape Room for a final assessment of the book. At the end of this unit, after reading the book, students will create their own ideal society.
This unit was created by Emily Iverson in the ESUCC Nebraska BlendEd Learning Group.
Content Area Skill:
Infer and identify a clear purpose of more challenging passages and how that purpose shapes content and style, analyze the overall structure of more challenging passages, provide ample development in support of ideas; substantiate ideas with precise use of specific, logical reasons and illustrative examples, understand implied or subtly stated comparative relationships in somewhat challenging passages, and identify clear central ideas or themes in more challenging passages or paragraphs
Digital Age Skill(s):
Communicating complex ideas clearly and effectively, and Creative Communicator
Duration of Unit:
8 weeks
Empower Learners:
Content Area Skills: | Student Friendly Learning Objectives: |
LA 12.1.6.l Build background knowledge and activate prior knowledge to clarify text, deepen understanding, and make connections while reading complex text. | I can activate my prior knowledge by completing an anticipation guide and discussing belief statements with others. |
LA 12.4.1.a Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information from print and digital resources to create new understandings and defend conclusions. | I can locate and use information found online to create writing that integrates text from the book and non-fiction online research. |
LA 12.1.6.i Construct and/or answer literal, inferential, critical, and interpretive questions, analyzing and synthesizing evidence from the text and additional sources to support answers. | I can answer comprehensive questions within a journal as well as in quizzes. |
LA 12.1.6.d Summarize, analyze, and synthesize the themes and main ideas between multiple literary and informational works (print, digital, and/or other media). | I can create satirical or fable-like memes using themes from the novel. |
LA 12.1.6.o Demonstrate an understanding of complex text by using textual evidence to support analysis, reflection, and research via multiple mediums (e.g., writing, artistic representation, video, other media). | I can show my understanding of the novel’s themes by creating my own Ideal Society |
Empower Learner Activity:
Students will begin the unit with an anticipation guide over debating live before the reading of Animal Farm. This will be a live debate where students can take a stand about whether they agree or disagree to the following questions. The students will stand on either the ‘agree’ side or the ‘disagree’ side of the room, then rationalize their choice one at a time.
Students will deepen their prior knowledge of characters in the text by reviewing the Animal Farm PDF This looks at fable characters from the book as well as historical figures that fable characters are based on. Students will find three facts about the historical figures assigned.When both tasks are completed the students state their historical figure, plus facts on Padlet.
Knowledge Application Artifact:
Title of the Artifact:
Animal Farm Ideal Society
Detailed Description:
Student will create their own Ideal Society just as Animal Farm had done. They will create their own map of their society, propaganda pieces, constitution, set of laws. See full directions in the PDF below.
Content Area Skills Addressed:
LA 12.1.6.o Demonstrate an understanding of complex text by using textual evidence to support analysis, reflection, and research via multiple mediums (e.g., writing, artistic representation, video, other media). |
Digital Age Skills
Creative Communicator
Link to Rubric
Provide either a link or the rubric
Knowledge Deepening Tasks:
Title of the Artifact: Animal Farm Fable Memes | ||
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Content Area Skills Addressed: LA 12.1.6.d | Digital Age Skills Addressed: Creative Communicator | |
Title of the Artifact: Animal Farm Seven Commandments | ||
Detailed Description: Students will create the Seven Commandments/Rules of Animal Farm on Canva. They will then use this as a reference as we read to see the progression of the plot elements.
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Content Area Skills Addressed: LA 12.1.6.l | Digital Age Skills Addressed: Creative Communicator | |
Title of the Artifact: Animal Farm Final Test/Escape Room | ||
Detailed Description: Students will take their final assessment for the book by participating in an Escape Room. Each student will have to have knowledge of the book as well as inference the locations in the high school to go to. | ||
Content Area Skills Addressed: 12.1.6.i | Digital Age Skills Addressed: Communicating complex ideas clearly and effectively | Link to Rubric: Escape Room (PDF found below) |
Direct Instruction Learning Path:
Day # | Description | Blended Model | Resources |
1 | Debate-Introducing Animal Farm | Whole Class | Google doc |
2-6 | Animal Farm Characters Day 2: Background on George Orwell Day 3: Character Maps to Historical Figures Day 4-6: Themes in text -Manipulation -Power -Pride -Corruption -Religion | Flex Learning | Character Information and Padlet |
7 | Animal Farm Memes: Incorporate one theme seen in text thus far | Flex Learning | |
8-11 | Animal Farm, Chapters 1-4. Read aloud | Whole Class |
12 | Animal Farm Reading Quiz, Chapters 1-4 | Flex Learning | |
13 | Animal Farm Commandments | Flex Learning | |
14-18 | Animal Farm Read Aloud Chapters 5-8 Day 14: Squealer portrayed as propaganda Day 15: Examine propaganda in society today Day 16: Connect propaganda in society to that in the book and identify types of bias and manipulation Day 17:Meme Project (create your own in small groups) Day 18: Present Memes | Whole Class/Small Group | Litcharts |
19 | Animal Farm Reading Check Quiz Chapters 5-8 | Flex Learning | |
20-22 | Animal Farm Read Aloud Chapters 9-10 | Whole Class | Litcharts |
23 | Animal Farm Reading Check Quiz Chapters 9-10 | Flex Learning | |
24 | Animal Farm Escape Room/Final Assessment | Whole Class | Escape Room Essentials |
25-40 | Ideal Society Project -Create your own rules, government, constitution, education plan, societal hierarchy, maps | Flex Learning | Resources may vary. Possibilities include: Canva, Google Docs, iPad-iMovie, Google drawings, and EBSCO |
41 | Ideal Society Presentation | Whole Class |