Abusing Power: Animal Farm and Wicked History

Lesson 11
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ELA

Unit 3

8th Grade

Lesson 11 of 32

Objective


Identify specific events and lines of dialogue that reveal character traits, and explain the impact of events on the plot of Animal Farm.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Animal Farm by George Orwell  — Chapter 2

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

What specific events or lines of dialogue in this chapter reveal Snowball and Napoleon as the emerging leaders of Animal Farm? Select at least three details and provide textual evidence to support your answer. Be sure to explain how each example demonstrates their leadership. 

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • How do the animals initially respond to the idea of a rebellion, and how do they ultimately feel when the rebellion occurs? Provide specific evidence from the chapter to support your answer and explain how they demonstrate this change in perspective.

  • What incidents/lines of dialogue in the text reveal the differences between Mollie’s perspective of the revolution and Boxer’s? Select at least two pieces of evidence from this chapter and explain how they demonstrate this difference.

  • What is significant about the final line of the chapter, "when they came back in the evening it was noticed that the milk had disappeared" (p. 26)? What can be inferred from this line? Carefully explain your thinking.

Discussion Questions

  • What connections can you make between today’s reading and the Russian Revolution?

Exit Ticket

Assess student understanding and monitor progress toward this lesson's objective with an Exit Ticket.

Vocabulary


Root/Affix

mal-

prefix

bad or evil

Homework


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  — Chapters 3-4

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • What challenges do the animals face during their first harvest?

  • What successes do they have during their first harvest?

  • What are Boxer's primary character traits? Provide examples from this chapter.

  • What happens when the pigs try to teach the other animals to read?

  • What do the animals learn about the "missing" milk? How do they respond?

  • How do human beings pretend to feel about Animal Farm? How do they really feel?

  • What happens when the humans try to take back the farm?

  • Why are Snowball and Boxer given awards after the battle?

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Common Core Standards


  • 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.

Supporting Standards

L.8.4
L.8.4.b
L.8.6
RL.8.1
RL.8.2
RL.8.10
SL.8.1
SL.8.6
W.8.1
W.8.1.a
W.8.1.b
W.8.4
W.8.9
W.8.9.a
W.8.10
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Lesson 10

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Lesson 12

Lesson Map

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