Day Three: Fully Developed Lesson

Theme:

The Altering of History Through Technology

Objectives:

Our main objective is for our students to connect the text with the film presented in class. We will utilize excerpts of The Net (a film) in conjunction with excerpts from the assigned reading for the day. Through critical analysis and discussion of the film and text, students will develop a basic understanding of the potential to alter history through the manipulation of technology. Our minor objective for the day is to have the students write their thoughts and ideas in a spontaneous essay. Therefore, students' present conceptions of technology will become organized through an in-class writing assignment.

Rationale:

As technology increasingly infiltrates every aspect of our lives, we feel that it is necessary for students to develop the ability to critically analyze texts. In our present culture, we have become acclimated to the benefits of this new and exciting technology. However, there are inherent dangers involved in the blind acceptance of changes in our lives. Left uncontrolled and unguarded or even misused by those in power, technology has the potential to alter history, determine reality, and possibly even destroy one's identity. It is imperative to expose technology as not only a source of entertainment and convenience but also as a potentially destructive force.

Materials:

1984 pages 27-60
The Net (movie)
A watch
Paper and writing utensils

Lesson:

Activity 1 (approx. 25 minutes)

Students will be involved in the reading of excerpts of 1984 and in the viewing of clips from The Net. A student will begin by reading the excerpt on page 35. We will then lead a discussion based upon reactions to the text. After the brief discussion, volunteers will read several quotes from pages 32, 33, and 52. Following this students will be asked to respond to the text.

The first clip from the movie will then be shown. It is about 5 minutes in duration. Immediately afterwards we will ask students to make connections between the action in the film and the content of the book. Questions will be based upon personal experiences with technology. The following are sample questions:

Can you relate any other part of the text to the film?

Are there other examples that you can recall that connect to what has occurred in the film and in the text pertaining to the altering of history?

How would you feel if someone would change, perhaps even eliminate, your identity?

Is there any method that we can apply to protect ourselves from experiencing anything similar?

The discussion will be moved further by introducing new segments of text. Pages 33, 41-42, and 43 will be read aloud by students. Corresponding discussion will ensue in order to solidify the concept of creating a new identity through the use of technology.

We will then show the second film clip, which is about 3 minutes in length. Discussion will follow to connect the text to the students' lives. Questions relating to this segment will include:

What similarities and/or differences do you notice within George Orwell's vision of technology, Hollywood's representation of technology, and your own experiences with technology?

Do you fell that one is more valid or realistic that the other? Why?

Do you believe that the altering of identity and history through government intervention with technology is possible or even happening at present?

These questions and discussion conclude the first activity of class.

Activity 2 (approx. 15 minutes)

At the conclusion of class discussion, we will transition into an in-class writing exercise. The Spontaneous essay will begin with students participating in a freewrite based on their impressions from the day. Every 30 seconds we will introduce a new word that should be incorporated into what students are writing at that time. Words we will include are: technology, strange, vaporized, future, party, nothing, identity, past, and Thought Police. At the conclusion of five minutes of writing, volunteers will be asked to read their product for the class. If there are no volunteers, we will select a student based upon lack of participation in class discussion.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed strictly based upon participation in class discussion and completion of the spontaneous essay. There will be no letter grade given for the day's activities. It is our hope that students will incorporate what they have gained from class discussion and the spontaneous essay into their comprehensive essay and final project (web page). Students' assessment will also be based upon applied knowledge during literature circles and debate.

Assignment:

Read pages 60-87 and prepare the designated literature circle sheet for class tomorrow. Also bring in anything that you would like to place on the web page.

Self-Assessment:

We hope to achieve certain objectives during the lesson. This will be evaluated based upon whether we reach the goals stated previously. We will gauge our teaching based upon students' reactions to what we have chosen to introduce as discussion topics and in relation to their interest in the composition of the spontaneous essay.

Click here to return to introduction page.