Lesson Plan

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Unit Plan:
Utopia/Dystopia: Creating a “Perfect” World?

Rationale:
Through a brief overview of Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, exploring the definitions and roots of utopian ideals, as well as through a study of two dystopian novels, The Giver and 1984, this unit helps students to increase their level of reading comprehension and improve their writing skills, allows students to begin to make thematic connections between contemporary novels and classic literature, and enables students to apply knowledge gained from literature to understanding the world in which they live, to apply knowledge gained from literature to their own lives, to think critically and independently.

Instructional Objectives:
The general goal of this unit is to promote reading and increase comprehension among high school students, specifically ninth or tenth-graders, by linking an adolescent novel, Lois Lowry’s The Giver, to a more complex novel with a similar theme, George Orwell’s 1984. Incorporating an excerpt from Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, this unit will also define the concepts of utopia and dystopia as they apply to literature, and apply these concepts to The Giver and 1984. This unit also seeks to encourage students to examine their worlds, and to explore and imagine ways in which our world might be made better or worse, through writing in journals, free-writes, and brief essays.

Content:
This unit seeks to:

Define the term utopia and subsequently dystopia as they apply to literature in a manner comprehensible to students.
Examine the origins of utopias and dystopias in literature, including a brief study of Sir Thomas More’s Utopia and lecture on other examples
Enable students to develop their own ideas of utopian society.
Guide students through Lois Lowry’s The Giver and George Orwell’s 1984 through in- and out-of-class reading, class discussion, comprehension quizzes, writing exercises, and supplemental activities.
Encourage students to think critically and for themselves through class discussion and written activities.
Teach the importance of memory and history to individuals and to society, especially as relates to The Giver, through discussion and free-write exploring memory.
Explore the importance of vocation as it relates to the discussion of The Giver and 1984.
Employ critical thinking skills to enable students to analyze and compare the two texts, The Giver and 1984, and explore in a formal essay the similarities and differences between the two.

Activities:

· View clips of commercials (Walgreen’s “Perfect” ads) as an introduction to the unit and the concept of utopia.

· Brief lecture and discussion of literal and literary definition of utopia and dystopia including some background on major works in this genre.

· Students write their own definition of utopia and spend some class time writing about their own ideas of a “perfect” world.

· Brief lecture on Sir Thomas More, including some relevant biographical information and contextual background for Utopia.

· Read excerpt from Utopia (this will take at least 2 class periods, approximately 10 pages per day).

· Comprehension quiz – Sir Thomas More and Utopia.

· View clip from Pleasantville to transition and introduce The Giver.

· Read The Giver in and out of class (this will take at least 7 classes, approximately 25 pages per day).

· Journal daily: journals will be based on a question, quotation, or idea from the previous night’s reading.

· Comprehension quizzes – The Giver (3 total).

· Students will free-write in class about their earliest, scariest, fondest, etc. memory and some will share with the class.

· Class discussion on the use, power, and importance of memory in The Giver, making connections to the importance of memory and history to society.

· Students will define the term vocation, then research vocations on the Internet, choosing two careers that interest them.

· Class discussion on the use, power, and importance of vocation and freedom of choice in The Giver.

· Class discussion: Is the society in The Giver utopian or dystopian?

· Students write alternative endings to The Giver and some share with the class.

· Videotape the class for a moment while they are unaware, then view and discuss the video clip. Discuss the phrase: “Big Brother is watching.”

· Introduce 1984; study “Appendix” and discuss Newspeak.

· Discussion of potentially objectionable portions of 1984 (particularly sex scenes); have students write a letter to be signed by their parents, explaining the rationale for studying 1984 in spite of some of its mature content.

· Brief lecture on George Orwell, including relevant biographical information and contextual background for 1984.

· Group work: students will research and define for the class the concepts of communism, socialism, and capitalism.

· Read 1984 (this will take at least 12 days, approximately 25 pages per day).

· Discuss memory, history, vocation, and freedom of choice as they are used in 1984. Compare and contrast with The Giver.

· Revisit students’ comments on utopia from the beginning of the unit; evaluate the plausibility and potential outcomes of these ideas, in light of dystopias like 1984 and The Giver.

· Comprehension quizzes – 1984 (3 total).

· Students will complete a formal essay comparing and contrasting The Giver with 1984.

· Students will work in groups to create their own versions of utopia and present them to the class at the end of the unit.

Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated for this unit based on:

Completion of a daily journal.
Completion of memory and vocation activities.
Completion of all freewrites and miscellaneous assignments.
Participation in class activities and discussion.
Comprehension quizzes.
Formal essay.
Utopia projects.

Materials:
    Clips from commercials (Walgreen’s “Perfect” ads)
    Excerpt from Sir Thomas More’s Utopia
   Clip from Pleasantville
   Lois Lowry’s The Giver
   George Orwell’s 1984
   Dictionary
    Internet
    Library Research Materials
    Visual Aids (artistic representation of Utopia, overheads, video camera)
    TV/VCR

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Lesson Plan: Day 1
Utopia/Dystopia: Creating a “Perfect” World?

Introduction to Utopia

General Instructional Objectives:
This lesson will promote reading and comprehension, as well as encourage students to express ideas through writing and discussion. The lesson will introduce students to the concept of utopia and dystopia in literature, then to Sir Thomas More’s Utopia as a bridge to other works with similar themes.

Specific Learning Outcomes:
As a result of today’s lesson, each student should comprehend the literal and literary meanings of utopia, as well as recognize major authors and works of literature that belong in this genre, specifically Sir Thomas More and his Utopia. Students will begin to think and write about their own ideas and definitions of utopias, and to discuss their own ideas of “perfect” society with the class. Lastly, students will be prepared to construct a definition of dystopia based on what they understand of utopia.

Rationale:
Introducing students to the concepts of utopia and dystopia will increase their comprehension of More’s Utopia, and will encourage students to think critically about the world in which they live. Requiring students to write their own definitions of utopia will increase understanding of the concept, and requiring students to develop their own ideas of a “perfect” society, to write their thoughts in a journal, and to discuss their thoughts as a class will further reinforce understanding of the concept of utopia, encourage and develop writing and critical thinking skills, and develop verbal communication skills. This lesson will serve as an introduction to the entire unit on utopia/dystopia and will pique students’ interest in the topic as well as give them a firm foundation for the concepts that will be studied in the unit.

Content and Skills/Processes:
The content and skills that will be covered in this lesson include the following:

Definition of utopia
Sir Thomas More
Utopia
Journal writing
Inference – developing a definition of dystopia based on what students understand about utopia

Instructional Procedures:

· Show clips from commercials (Walgreen’s “Perfect” ads)

· Have students write in journals for ten minutes: “What is your idea of a ‘Perfect’ world?”

· Have students share some of their ideas with the class

· Introduce and define the term utopia

o Can be traced to Sir Thomas More’s work, Utopia, and literally translated, it means “no place” (Greek: u – not; topos – place). “No Place,” Utopia, may be a place that does not yet exist, or that can never exist because humankind is unable to reach perfection.

o Utopia can also be traced to the Greek eutopia, meaning “the good place”

· Introduce Sir Thomas More, including brief biographical information and contextual history

o Beheaded because he refused to accept the King (rather than the Pope) as head of the English Church in 1535

o More’s Utopia written in 1516 (in Latin) reflects his philosophy: a vision of an ideal society, with justice and equality for all persons – the root of the term utopia – although not the first work of its kind

· Begin reading excerpt from More’s Utopia (silently, in class) for about 15 minutes

· Discuss with students their initial impressions of this “perfect” society

· Introduce the term dystopia and give students a few moments to write down a tentative definition – discuss student definitions and provide students with complete definition

· Assign students to complete reading excerpt from Utopia and be prepared for a brief comprehension quiz – Sir Thomas More (bio.) and Utopia

Assessment:
Students will be assessed for this lesson based on completion of journal entires, reading assignment, and class participation.

Materials:
    TV/VCR
    Video clips
    Handouts – copied excerpts of Utopia

Potential Problems:
As an introduction, this lesson is meant to spark students’ interest in the topic, but also to lay a foundation for the unit. As a result, there is a fair amount of lecture that is necessary, which may fail to hold students’ interest. However, I have tried to pare down the lecture information to the bare minimum and to allow the primary source to speak for itself. I have also tried to vary instructional procedures (video, journaling, discussion, lecture) to hold students’ attention. Another potential problem is that More’s Utopia can be a difficult read, and some students may have difficulty with comprehension or may lose interest; however, I have kept the selection as brief as possible, and I will be responsive in class to student progress and attention. If the class is intent on the reading or students generally seem to need a few more minutes, the plan is flexible. If they finish early, seem to get restless, or have trouble understanding, I can move on, have them read aloud, or move around the room and give one-on-one attention where necessary.

Students with Special Needs:
Along the same lines, this lesson is heavy in lecture, reading, writing, and discussion. It is a good lesson and a good opportunity for students to improve their verbal and written communications skills, and reading comprehension, but it might present a problem for those students who have difficulty in this area. The benefit of this lesson is that it is low-pressure. Students today are not assessed on performance but on completion and an attempt at participation. An outline of the notes may be given to students who need them, peers may read aloud to one another in an isolated part of the room if necessary, and journaling may be done and completed at the student’s own pace. And again, silent reading time is an excellent opportunity for me to lend one-on-one assistance to those who need it.

General Instructional Objectives:
This lesson builds on the previous lesson, continuing to promote discussion, writing, reading comprehension, and critical thinking skills. This lesson will evaluate the previous lesson with a quiz and discussion, complete the study of More’s Utopia, and transition into a study of dystopian novels, beginning with an introduction to Lois Lowry’s The Giver.

Specific Learning Outcomes:
As a result of this lesson, students will be able to reiterate the meanings of utopia and dystopia, recognize examples of dystopian novels and their authors, begin to assess and form opinions about dystopian societies, to discuss and write about their opinions, and begin to read and discuss Lois Lowry’s The Giver.

Rationale:
Linking the previous lesson on Sir Thomas More’s Utopia to the adolescent novel The Giver helps students learn to make connections between classic literature and contemporary novels. Understanding the concept of a utopia first is essential to the concept of dystopia, and understanding the history of the genre increases appreciation for and understanding of The Giver, and studying an adolescent novel as a bridge to a more complex novel, 1984, will offer students a framework for understanding. Continuing to journal and discuss enables students to express themselves and continue to improve writing, communication, and critical thinking skills.

Content and Skills/Processes:
The content and skills that will be covered in this lesson include the following:

· Give students quick reading check and simple comprehension quiz – Sir Thomas More and Utopia

1. Give the literal definition of utopia and then define it in your own terms. (HINT: What does it mean in Greek? There are 2 possible answers.)

3. Are Utopians allowed to divorce? Under what conditions may they divorce, and what are the consequences?

4. Describe the Utopian view of religion. Is there one god or many? What is the name of the supreme being?

· Go over answers out loud and have students again discuss their impressions of More’s Utopia: how does his “perfect” society differ from your idea of perfection? How is it the same?

· Discussion Activity: The Giver (see handout) – have students fill out handout and then discuss their answers

· Show clips from Pleasantville (scene from ice-cream parlor – filling in the books, scene from lover’s lane)

· Journal activity: Imagine a world in black and white. How would society be different if there were no color? How would your life be different? Better? Worse?

· Assign reading – through Chapter 4 and answer these discussion questions for tomorrow;

1. Note two things about life in the society described in The Giver that are similar to your life.

2. Note two things about life in the society that are very different from your life.

Assessment:
Students will be assessed for this lesson based on performance on comprehension quiz, completion of journal entry, participation in activity and class discussion, and completion of reading assignment.

Materials:
    TV/VCR
    Clips from Pleasantville
    Handout – discussion activity
    Lois Lowry’s The Giver

Potential Problems:
The reading check is pretty basic, and may not accurately reflect what students know from the previous lesson and the reading. It is designed to ensure that students have read but isn’t an extensive comprehension checks. However, in this unit there are several checks like these, to ensure that students are keeping up with their work and are understanding the material. With quizzes, journals, discussion, free-writes, and the project and essay that will be assigned later, I think it will be possible to keep tabs on student progress. This lesson, like the previous, and like many in this unit, is heavy in writing and discussion. If students are reluctant to respond to discussion prompts, that throws a wrench in my lesson, but writing or small group discussion can be substituted in the even that students refuse to talk.

Students with Special Needs:
Students with Special Needs face much the same challenges in this lesson as in the previous. Once again, however, students are evaluated primarily on completion and participation, and this lesson is still flexible enough to give students time with each activity. Peer tutoring is always an option; whenever necessary (and whenever possible), students should help one another, and discuss with one another, and share resources (although not on quizzes or tests) with one another. Again, an outline of class notes may be provided if needed, and the reading aloud segment should be accessible even for those who have difficulty reading.