Abusing Power: Animal Farm and Wicked History

Lesson 15
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ELA

Unit 3

8th Grade

Lesson 15 of 32

Objective


Explain how George Orwell has interpreted events of the Russian Revolution and portrayed them in his allegorical text Animal Farm.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Animal Farm by George Orwell  — Chapter 7

  • Book: Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History) by Sean McCollum 

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

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)? Provide evidence from both texts to support your ideas.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • On page 67 of Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History), author 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? Support your answer with specific evidence from pages 74-75.

  • Reread the hens’ uprising on pages 76–77 of Animal Farm. What connection can be drawn between real-life events discussed in Chapter 9 of Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History)? Provide evidence from both texts to support your ideas.

  • Where in this chapter does Squealer gaslight the other animals? Why does he do this? Provide specific evidence to support your answer, and carefully explain your thinking.

Discussion Questions

  • What is important about pages 86-87 of the text? What are your reactions to this passage?

Exit Ticket

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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  — 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 them about how the farm is doing?

  • Who are Pilkington and Frederick?

  • How does Napoleon initially feel about Frederick?

  • Who does Napoleon decide to sell the timber to?

  • What happens during the sale?

  • What happens to the windmill?

  • Why is Napoleon "sick"?

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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.8.6
RL.7.9
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 Map

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