The following sample lesson plans are provided for key moments in this unit. I have tried to include a sample from what I envision as the beginning, middle and end of the unit. The lessons are based on fifty minute class periods.
Sample Lesson Plan One-Dystopian vs. Utopian/Where is the love?
Objectives
- Students will be able to identify and understand the terms dystopian and utopian societies
- Students will be able to compare the concepts of dystopian and utopian
- Students will be able to make a judgement about the various representations of the state of our own society
Materials
- Journals (for Venn Diagram)
- Music videos, clips (including but not limited to Black Eyed Peas official music video, Where is the love?/, Gene Wilder in Charley and the Chocolate Factory clip singing Pure Imagination, What a wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, Imagine by John Lennon, We Didn’t start the fire by Billy Joel, remake by Fall Out Boy (lyric video)
Initiation
Write the words, dystopia and utopia on the board, ask students to define them. Lead students in a discussion of the words and the differences between them pointing out that what is intended to be a utopian society can quickly digress into a dystopian one.
Procedure
After the initial discussion of the vocabulary, share some of the videos or lyrics from songs listed above and ask students to identify which types of societies are being depicted in the videos or songs. Alternate the presentations, for example, play the Gene Wilder scene in Charlie and the Chocolate factory and ask students why they think this is a portrayal of a utopian society. Next put play both versions of the Billy Joel song, We Didn’t Start the Fire, and ask what type of society is being portrayed in those videos.
Closure
After students have had ample time to practice identifying the differences between the presentations, pass out the Venn Diagrams and allow students to work in pairs on the graphic organizer comparing the terms utopian and dystopian. End the class by calling on students and creating a class Venn diagram together. Review findings.
Sample Lesson Plan Two-To Go Along or Not; Re-enacting Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery
And Hans Christian Anderson’s The Emperor’s New Clothes
Objectives
- Students will be able to write a journal entry about a time when they or someone they know went along with the crowd.
- Students will review reading by re-enacting the short story in a short skit
- Students will develop a deeper understanding of the stories The Lottery and The Emperor’s New Clothes.
- Students will be able to empathize with the characters.
Initiation
Students will respond to one of the following writing prompts in their journals; Write about a time that you went along with a group even though you knew it wasn’t the right thing to do or the correct way to act OR What makes people do things that are not right just to go along with the crowd? When writing journal entries it is always good to give some choice to students if possible. Ask students to share what they have written.
Procedure
Explain to students that today they will be putting on a one act play depicting either The Emperor’s New Cl others or The Lottery. Divide the class in half, one group for the Lottery, the other for the Emperor’s new clothes. Have students meet in groups to discuss the plans for their depictions of the stories. Provide students with some guidelines; who will be the director; what props will be needed? Give students some space (a hallway, an empty classroom) where they can practice for their presentation. In a fifty minute class, students will have to present on the second day.
On the day of presentations, I will remind students of a feedback technique we often use. It is called TAG. After viewing a presentation I will ask students to T-Tell something they liked; A-Ask a question about the presentation; and G-Give a suggestion for the next presentation. This helps keep the audience focused and allows all students to participate in giving and reviewing positive feedback.
Closure
After the presentations and the TAG session, have a group conversation about the two stories. What made the stories different? Why does one seem almost comical and the other tragic? What would have changed in the stories if the endings were reversed? What do the stories say about human nature?
Sample Lesson Plan Three- Finding the thread; starting the final project
Initiation
Class discussion-What were some of the common threads Asimov used in connecting his stories in I Robot. Possible answers may be the different robots, the chronological order, the robo scientist being interviewed, the journalist, setting, others.
Procedure
After the class has discussed the threads that ran through Asimov’s stories, it is time for them to determine what threads each group can agree on that will link their stories. As a class brainstorm some of the categories that could be threads and write them down on the board. For example settings could be a thread, characters, AI, robots, conflicts and others. After brainstorming with the whole class, have small groups determine what their common thread will be. Each group should choose one or two to work on. For example group one might choose settings and conflict. Another group might choose characters and robots
The teacher should make sure every group has chosen at least one thread before continuing. Once the groups have chosen, they must work together to devise a more specific element or thread that they will use in each of their stories. For example for the group who chose settings as their thread, they might choose Mars in 3025 or New York City in 2050, whatever setting they agree on should be included in their individual story which they will create.
Closure
Have each group share out the specific thread that they have determined will link all of their stories. Students should next proceed to actually drafting their stories.
