George Orwell’s Animal Farm remains one of the most frequently taught novels in American secondary schools. And with good reason.
Orwell’s lampooning of the Russian Revolution shows students the power of satire and fable. It teaches them about he pitfalls of autocratic states and dictatorships, and it demonstrates the validity of the old adage, “power corrupts.” In just 100 pages, students can get lost in the fable of Animal Farm, and can also learn a tremendous amount about history and ideology.
When planning a unit on Animal Farm, teachers should begin with clear objectives. Beginning with clear objectives helps ensure your curriculum is goal-oriented, structured, and effective. First, ask yourself what you want your students to get out of the unit you planning. Then you can shape your major and minor assignments and activites to reach those goals.
With Animal Farm, there are some obvious objectives and there some less obvious ones.
Below is a list of possible objectives or teaching outcomes for Animal Farm.
While studying Animal Farm, students will…
- Learn about fables
- Learn how to use satire
- Learn about the Russian Revolution
- Study other revolutions
- Engage with the text on a personal level
- Practice writing
- Develop their reading comprehension
- etc.
The objectives you identify and select should guide you through the planning process.
