Day One

Theme:

Introduction to Two Week Unit

Objectives:

Our objectives for the day are to revisit themes in Fahrenheit 451 to answer any questions students may possess. We plan to introduce George Orwell and 1984 in conjunction with topics that students need to be familiar with before beginning the first assigned reading. A brief overview of totalitarianism, utopian/dystopian societies, class structure, uses/misuses of technology, and individualism/collectivism will be highlighted in the introductory discussion. Students will develop a brief understanding pertaining to the readings and activities throughout the unit, and they will discover what will be expected of them over the following two weeks.

Rationale:

The rationale behind revisiting Fahrenheit 451 is to continue to create connections between the previous readings; students will need to incorporate the texts over the nine week period in order to form a comprehensive web page. Students must have a fundamental understanding of Orwell's 1984 and related topics because it is possibly the most challenging text for that grading period. In addition, students will need to have the appropriate readings and assignments prior to beginning the unit to enable students to feel secure and confident about their responsibilities. Distribution of the readings in advance provides an opportunity for students to read ahead if they so desire.

Materials:

Fahrenheit 451
1984
Double Entry Literary Response Journal (DELRJ)
Web site in student packet

Lesson:

We will begin the day by revisiting the text of Fahrenheit 451, answering any questions from the previous week and placing emphasis on topics that will be reiterated in Orwell's 1984. The recapping of the text will provide a smooth transition into the complex subject matter of 1984. We will introduce the themes previously mentioned in a lecture for the majority of the class. In addition, students will be encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the material that may be unclear. During the introduction of Orwell, 1984, and related topics, we will distribute the technology packets that students will use for the duration of the 2 week unit. Part of the technology packet for the unit will include a 10 page web site pertaining to 1984 by George Orwell. Click here to link to the page. The packet information will be previewed by the class to establish a precedent of what students will be expected to complete within the next two weeks.

Assessment:

Students have a journal entry due from the previous week. The entry should be located in a DELRJ which is being used throughout the year. Click here to see an explanation of the artifact. In addition, we will assess students based on participation in discussion and on questions posed during the lecture.

Assignment:

Begin reading 1984, pages 5-27. Scan the excerpt in the packet of Postman's Technopoly.

Click here to return to introduction page.