Day Eight

Theme:

Government Intrusion Through Technology

Objectives:

Our objective for the day is to have students work in assigned literature circle groups with an oppositional text based on the intrusion by the government into the lives and minds of individuals through technological advances. In addition, we will monitor the assigned groups with the hope that they will incorporate the material independently. Class time will also be devoted to working on the web pages.

Rationale:

We believe that it is important to allow for students to create their own interpretations of the material in 1984 and in a non-traditional view of technology. It is also important to give the students time on the computers to produce and publish their individual texts in relation to the material. This allows for a sense of control and production as students conduct their own discussions and develop their own technology based product.

Materials:

1984 pages 186-215
Literature circles sheets in the student packet
Excerpt from Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Computer Access

Lesson:

Class will begin with a brief summary of the excerpt from Haruki Murakami's book. Students will then move into the assigned literature circles group in which they will share the information that they have discovered in the oppositional text which is another view of the impact of technology on individuals through the intervention of the government. After the group discussion seems to be concluding, students will be permitted to work on their web pages. We will assist them whenever possible, and we will also provide advice on the material that they have been placing on the web pages.

Assessment:

We will walk throughout the classroom during literature circles to determine if everyone is participating. The completed literature circle information sheet will be collected at the conclusion of class. We will also observe student progress on their web pages.

Assignment:

Read pages 215-245 and complete any unfinished readings from the past week. These will assist students in the formation of arguments for the final debate.

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