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Pre-Instructional Phase

I. UNIT OBJECTIVE AND SUB-OBJECTIVES

Given the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell and other examples of modern allegory, upon the completion of a two week unit, 9th grade English students will evaluate allegories created by students as well as construct allegories of their own representing a modern event.

1. Identify the main events and people of the Bolshevik Revolution. (knowledge level)

2. Summarize the main events and characters of the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell. (comprehension level)

3. Demonstrate knowledge of the characters of Animal Farm and their counterparts in the Bolshevik Revolution. (application level)

4. Investigate other allegories and the relationships between the characters in these works and who or what they represent. (analysis level)

5. Create an original allegory representing an event in American history such as WWII, 9/11, Pearl Harbor, or Watergate. (synthesis level)

6. Debate what event your peer’s work represents without being told before hand. (evaluation level)

Aligning National& State Standards

Standards for the English Language Arts, National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association, 1996:

2. Read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

3. Apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features. (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics)

5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation, media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

8. Students use a variety of technological and informational resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language, use patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethic groups, geographic regions and social roles.

11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

English Language Arts, Alabama Course of Study, Grade 9, Alabama State Department of Education, 1999:

1. Apply strategies to interpret textual, functional, and recreational written materials.

2. Exhibit the habit of reading for a substantial amount of time daily, including assigned and self selected materials at their independent and instructional levels.

3. Recognize cultures and genres represented in selections from world literature.

6. Determine the literary elements in specific works.

7. Critique literature, student writing, and various presentations.

12. Practice listening and viewing skills in a variety of situations

16. Synthesize information from a variety of sources.

22. Demonstrate personal style and voice through writing poetry and prose.

23. Write in a variety of modes for different purposes and audiences.

24. Use a variety of sentence structures in writing.

27. Respond to argument.

31. Vary the formality and precision of spoken language to suit different situations.

33. Display self-confidence in speaking.

34. Display an extended vocabulary in writing, speaking, and presenting.

Arranging Sub-Objectives in Mini-Units

Mini-unit #1: The Red Farm1. Identify the main events and people of the Bolshevik Revolution.

Mini-unit #2: Who’s Who? 2. Summarize the main events and characters of the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell. 3. Demonstrate knowledge of the characters of Animal Farm and their counterparts in the Bolshevik Revolution. 4. Investigate other allegories and the relationships between the characters in these works and who or what they represent.

Mini-unit #3: Choose Your Own Adventure5. Create an original allegory representing an event in American history such as WWII, 9/11, Pearl Harbor, or Watergate.6. Debate what event your peer’s work represents without being told before hand.

These three mini-units will each take many days to complete, both in and out of class. This unit plan does not plan for specific days. The purpose of the unit plan is to give a general look at the unit as a whole. Daily lesson plans will be constructed upon the use of this unit.

The first mini-unit introduces the Bolshevik Revolution and all of the main players and ideas that go along with it. During this mini-unit, the students will be reading Animal Farm by George Orwell. Learning and discussion of the Revolution will provide a basic understanding of the people and happenings during that time.

The second mini-unit will mesh what students have learned in Mini-Unit #1 with what they have read in Animal Farm. Students will begin to compare the characters of Animal Farm with the main players of the Bolshevik Revolution. The students will also learn how the actions of the main characters of the novella correspond with the actions of the Russian leaders during this time. In this mini-unit, the students will be presented with other examples of allegory including John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, or the film The Matrix. Examples of allegory will only be covered in brief.

The third mini-unit will test the student’s knowledge gained in the previous two mini-units. The students will choose an event in American history and write a short allegory about it. It does not have to use animals. Upon completion of these stories, the

teacher will anonymously present selected stories to the class. The students will discuss in a large group which event in history they think it is. Prior to this, the students will compete a written test on what they have learned in the unit.

The arrangement of the mini-units in this way leads the student up the ladder of Bloom’s taxonomy. The students will begin to understand Animal Farm on the surface in the first mini-unit. The 12th graders will have completed the reading of Animal Farm by the time it is discussed in the second mini-unit. In the second mini-unit, the students will make connections between the characters of the novella and the people involved in the Bolshevik Revolution. In the third mini-unit the students can show what they have learned in the previous two.

The design of the units builds upon the previous one. The teacher’s role changes throughout as well. In mini-unit #1, the teacher is a lecturer. In mini-unit #2, the teacher is a guide for discovery. In mini-unit #3, the teacher is a facilitator.

Structured Overview of the Unit

Table of Content Specifications

Information/facts:

Animal Farm was written by George Orwell. The novella was published in 1945.

The story centers on pigs at a farm who take over similar to the Bolshevik Revolution.

Animal Farm and Allegories

The Red Farm Who’s Who? Choose Your Own Adventure

What is the Bolshevik Revolution?, Animal

Farm

How does Animal Farm compare with the Bolshevik Revolution? What are other

examples of Allegory?

How do I create my own allegory? How can I

identify one?

The main characters are Napoleon and Snowball, who represent Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky, respectively.

The setting is at a farm in England.

When the pigs take over, they promise equal treatment for all animals. Later on in the story, they begin behaving like the humans once did.

Animal Farm is both a satire and allegory.

The themes of the novella are the corruption that power brings and how horrible the Russian rule was.

Concepts:

Satire Allegory symbolism SocialismSongs abuse power working classIrony classes propaganda foreshadowing

Relationships/generalizations:

Ultimate power will corrupt anyone.

Allegories can be powerful tools for social reform.

Processes/procedures

Reading a novel independentlyMaking comparisons between Animal Farm and the Bolshevik RevolutionCreating an allegory independently

II. DETERMINING ENTRY SKILLS

Cognitive:1. Has read a novella before, and is familiar with the conventions of a story, such as plot, setting, and characters.2. Able to make connections between symbols and what they represent.3. Able to compare similar works in the same genre of literature to each other

Affective:1. Is able to appreciate unfamiliar literature2. Accepts responsibility for reading the novella in a timely fashion.

Social:1. Respects opinions of others.2. Able to work it groups effectively. 3. Willing to provide constructive criticism to peers.

III. PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITES

Telling Students What They Will Be Learning

The teacher will dress up like a Russian soldier and present each student with the assignment. The assignment contains what chapters of the book need to be read and what time they need to be read by. The assignment also contains the unit objectives and schedule for entire unit. (See Appendix A) Students will also have a listing of what will be learned on what day of class with regards to the Bolshevik Revolution. The students will then begin to read Animal Farm.

Giving Students a Rationale for the Unit

Once Appendix A is given to the students, the teacher will review with the students the unit objectives. The teacher will make clear why each and every objective is important and how it coincides with the state and national standards. Also, the teacher will give the students a brief talk about the importance of allegory and how it can possibly serve as a vehicle for change. The teacher will also briefly discuss the reception the public gave Animal Farm. The teacher will mention the censorship of this novel the difficulties Orwell encountered while trying to publish it.

Reviewing Entry Behaviors

The students will be organized into groups of 4-5. Each group member will have a specific job (Leader, recorder, materials person, time keeper). The students will then be presented with a job assignment detailing their specific responsibility within the group (See Appendix A). Each of these groups will have a discussion within the group. Several questions will be asked by the teacher in order to help foster constructive dialogue between group members. Questions include:

1. What is an allegory?2. What is an example of allegory?3. What makes this example an allegory?

Providing a Structured Overview of the Unit

The students will be provided with a calendar of the next two weeks outlining what will be due when and what will be learned on each day (See Appendix A). Upon receiving this, the teacher will discuss due dates and what will be covered when.

Building in Experiential Background

Provide students with a visual reference for farms in England. Have students sing song “Beast of England”.

Beasts of England, Beasts of Ireland,Beasts of every land and clime,Hearken to my joyful tidingsOf the Golden future time.

Soon of late the day is coming,Tyrant Man shall be o'er thrown,And the fruitful fields of EnglandShall be trod by beasts alone.

Rings shall vanish from our noses,And the harness from our back,Bit and spur shall rust forever,Cruel whips no more shall crack.

Riches more than mind can picture,Wheat and barley, oats and hay,Clover, beans and mangel-wurzelsShall be ours upon that day.

Bright will shine the fields of England,Purer shall its waters be,Sweeter yet shall blow its breezesOn the day that sets us free.

For that day we all must labor,Though we die before it break;Cows and horses, geese and turkeys,All must toil for freedom's sake.

Beasts of England, Beasts of Ireland,Beasts of every land and clime,Hearken well, and spread my tidingsOf the Golden future time.

Reassuring Students

The teacher will tell the students that what they have received from the teacher will help them conceptualize the relationship between the characters in the novella and

the people represented. Tell the students the importance of what they are learning to the governments of the world.

Instructional Phase

Mini-Unit #1: 1. Identify the main events and people of the Bolshevik Revolution.

IV. Directed Teaching

1. Upon completion of the pre-instructional activities, the teacher will refer backto the structured overview (Appendix A). The teacher will introduce the Mini-Unit by going over with the students what will take place when and what is expected.

Students will take place in a lecture on the major players and events of theBolshevik Revolution. The teacher will present the students with a graphic organizer that details the events and people in a visual form (See Appendix B). The organizer will be blank and must be filled in by the lecture given by the teacher in class. The teacher will give a brief overview of major players and events of the Bolshevik Revolution.

Examples of what will be covered:1. What does Bolshevik mean?2. Who are Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky?3. What influence did Karl Marx have on this revolution?4. What are the events that lead up to this revolution?

2. The students will view a very short film about the Bolshevik Revolution.(http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?bcpid=1184539009&bclid=1221908710&bctid=1201080178)Students will then discuss the events with in the groups created in the Pre-Instructional Activities.

Examples of questions:1. Why were the working class people so infuriated?2. Why did they think communism was the answer?3. Did they benefit from communism?4. What could be changed so that it would have worked better?

V. Guided Practice

1. After the graphic organizer is presented to the students, the teacher will instruct the students to complete a timeline for the Bolshevik Revolution. The students can use the graphic organizers they were just presented with. This will help the conceptualization of the whole time period.

2. After the film is viewed about the Bolshevik Revolution and the lecture is given, the students will participate in a discussion over the events of the Revolution. The teacher will prompt the students with questions:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?bcpid=1184539009&bclid=1221908710&bctid=1201080178


1. Why did this happen?2. What could have prevented it?3. Are there any similarities to governments today?4. Could this ever happen in America?

VI. Independent Practice

1. Students work on timelines in small groups and complete them, then share work with classmates in whole group follow up. Each group will be called upon to report certain dates and events. The small groups will be the same ones used in the Pre-Instructional activities. The job descriptions are the same as well. (See Appendix A).

2. Students are asked to write a summary paragraph about how the Bolshevik Revolution might have influenced George Orwell. This will be turned in on the same day it is assigned.

The students will read Animal Farm outside of class. The students will follow the schedule of due dates. The students will have particular sections finished at scheduled times (See Appendix A).

VII. Formative Evaluation

1. The teacher will grade the timelines completed by the student groups as a quiz grade. Grading will be determined by a rubric (See Appendix B).

2. Quizzes will be used to formally evaluate each student’s level of understanding. First, the students will complete a quiz about what has been learned about the Bolshevik Revolution (See Appendix B).

On the scheduled days (See Appendix A), the students will have quizzes on the reading of Animal Farm (See Appendix B).

VIII. Differentiating Instruction

Re-Teaching Activities

1. The students will create a timeline of their own using the timeline and graphic organizer they have completed earlier. In this instance, the students will include in their graphic organizer motivations for each person and action in the timeline. For example, why did Russia feel the need to begin a communist style of government? This will help the students conceptualize further the events and people in the Bolshevik Revolution, and also their motivations for doing what they did.

Extension Activities:

1. Vertical extension intended to raise the level of cognitive development to a higher level on Bloom’s taxonomy from that of the mini-unit sub-objectives:

Each student will complete a short “What have I learned?” type paper (<1 page) summarizing what they have learned in the unit. Things that need to be included are people, places, and events. General time that actions were completed need to be included as well. A rubric will be given to the students, detailing exactly what is expected (See Appendix B).

2. Horizontal extension intended to develop learner skills in the social or affective domains and provide a different expressive mode:

After the students have a good grasp of the people, places and events of the Bolshevik Revolution, the students will use the groups they were assigned in the Pre-Instructional activities. The students will compose a short script as if the Bolshevik Revolution was a play, complete with characters and plot. Each of these groups will present the short play to the class. A rubric will be given to the students, detailing exactly what is expected (See Appendix B).

Accommodations and Modifications

Students whose individualized education plans (IEPs) require accommodations will be different for every classroom. These are a few ways in which the activities of this mini-unit can be changed or altered in order for these students to better succeed in the classroom.

1. The teacher will give a hearing impaired student the questions presented to the class during the lectures. The student will then write the answers down rather than speaking them so they can participate in class discussions as well.

2. When the timeline is distributed in order to be filled in during the lecture, the hearing impaired student will be given a timeline that is already completed, so that they can use it for future use.

Instructional Phase

Mini-Unit #2: 2. Summarize the main events and characters of the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell.

3. Demonstrate knowledge of the characters of Animal Farm and their counterparts in the Bolshevik Revolution.

4. Investigate other allegories and the relationships between the characters in these works and who or what they represent. .


1. Teacher will use the structured overview (See Appendix A) to introduce Mini-Unit #2 to the students. The teacher will make apparent that Animal Farm should be finished at this point, and if not, make-up reading is needed.

Students will be presented with Animal Farm information in the form of lecture. As the lecture is being presented, the students will take notes for use later on in the unit. .Teacher will introduce students to Animal Farm. Major characters will be covered in-depth; including Old Major, Napoleon, Snowball, Boxer, and Benjamin. Who these characters are, their actions throughout the novel, and their motivations for doing so will be covered as well. Minor characters will be covered as well, including Squealer, Mr. Jones, Mr. Fredrick, Clover, Mollie, Muriel, Moses, and the sheep. Who these characters are will be covered in brief, and their significance will be presented as well. After the characters are introduced, a timeline of events of the novel will be given (See Appendix C). Major events that will be discussed include the death of Old Major, creation of Animal Farm, creation of the 7 commandments, the Battle of Cowshed, running off of Snowball, building of the windmill, destruction of the windmill, death of Boxer, and the card game at the end.

2. The teacher will mention for the first time the relationship between theBolshevik Revolution and Animal Farm. A lecture will follow. The students will take notes on what the teacher is saying. First, the teacher will cover what characters can be compared to people in the Bolshevik Revolution. Characters that will be covered include: Old Major, Napoleon, Snowball, Boxer, Benjamin, Squealer, Mr. Jones, Mr. Fredrick, Clover, Mollie, Muriel, Moses, and the sheep. Also, the events that parallel events in the revolution will be presented as well. These events include the creation of Animal Farm, the Battle of Cowshed, Snowball’s exit of Animal Farm, building and destruction of the windmill, and the card game that takes place at the end.

3. The teacher will present the students a lecture on allegory. The students will take notes as the teacher gives the lecture. The teacher will begin the lecture with asking the students “What is an allegory?” After collecting responses from the students, the teacher will give the students this definition of an allegory according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary: “1: the expression by

means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence; also : an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression 2: a symbolic representation”. The teacher will then give students various parts of an allegory, including characters, plot, events, and symbols for each.

V. Guided Practice

1. Upon completion of the lecture, the students will be asked to use the notes and timeline given to fill out a graphic organizer (See Appendix B). The graphic organizer will have all the major events of the story, as well as the major characters. If any difficulty is encountered, the students can ask the teacher for help or other students.

2. Upon completion of the lecture, the students will break up into the groups used for Pre-Instructional activities. Each group will take an element of the story (ex. characters, events, places, themes) and list all of the possible connections between their assigned element and the Bolshevik Revolution. For example, the character group would first list all the characters in the novel and beside each of them, write what person or group of people in the revolution this character is supposed to represent. Groups will retain these lists for use in Independent Practice.

3. Upon completion of the lecture, the students will view selected portions of the film The Matrix and selected sections of the novel Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. Upon completion of this, the teacher will facilitate a discussion among the whole group. Questions the teacher will use to prompt student responses:

1. What makes this an allegory?2. What parts of this work symbolize something? What do they symbolize?3. What is the author/ writer trying to say by creating this allegory?


1. Upon completion of the graphic organizer, the students will use the materials they have received and the materials they have completed. The students will receive a rubric detailing the assignment for independent practice (See Appendix C). The students will use the prompt: “You have the opportunity to complete one more chapter of Animal Farm. Some things to think about as you are writing: how would the pigs treat the animals after the final game of cards? How would the relationship between the pigs and humans grow?” The students will write two or more pages and explore these questions and more (See Appendix C). They will be graded by the rubric (See Appendix C).

2. Upon completion of the lists in Guided Practice, the groups will take the lists and compose a short, five question quiz. Class time will be taken for these quizzes to be completed. Once they are finished, the teacher will collect them and make sure they are appropriate for use in the classroom. If the quizzes are satisfactory, the teacher will retain them for use in Formative Evaluation.

3. In the groups used for Pre-Instructional activities, the students will compose a short group paper (less than 2 pages) detailing why allegories are important. The students will cover such things as what effect allegories have had or could possibly have on a society and why an allegory is so effective for social change. Also, the students will give examples from the allegories they have been previously introduced to. The students’ grades will be determined by a rubric that will be handed out at the introduction of this assignment (See Appendix C).


1. The student’s created chapters will be graded according to the rubric (See Appendix C). Each paper should display the student’s understanding of the plot, the characters, and their motivation for doing what they do. Also, the plot needs to be logical and could possibly happen, not just something they made up for fun.

. 2. If the quizzes submitted by students are satisfactory, the teacher will compile each five question quiz into one large quiz. Each student should be familiar with their own submitted content so at least five questions will be easy for them. This way, the teacher will have an opportunity to use the student’s work to quiz the other students, making sure that all have an equal (or equal as possible) chance to understand and learn the content.

3. Each group’s paper will be graded according to the rubric given with the prompt of the assignment (See Appendix C). The teacher will check for things such as understanding of what an allegory is, logical examples of allegory, what effect allegories have had or could possibly have on a society, and why an allegory is so effective for social change.



1. After the students complete the extra chapters, the students will break up into their groups. After this, the students will read each other’s chapters. They will decide as a group (by voting) which person’s work they will use. Upon selecting the chapter they wish to use, they will convert the chapter into a short play. Each group member will be a character, with the characters having the least amount of lines playing extra characters, if needed.

2. The students will create a matching game of their own design. The students will use characters, places, events, or any combination of the three. The matching game can be bingo like, connect the similar things, flip open the flap and try to get two similar things, or anything that they can create. The students will be graded by a rubric that will be given to the students upon introduction of the assignment (See Appendix C).

3. The students will take a famous tune, put words to it, and present it to the class. The teacher will give the students a rubric for the song (See Appendix C). The song will need to include a short story to be told. This story should be allegorical in nature and could represent

anything from 9/11 to something that happened in school yesterday. The words should rhyme and make sense. All of these criteria are in the rubric.


1. Vertical extension intended to raise the level of cognitive development to a higher level on Bloom’s taxonomy from that of the mini-unit sub-objectives:

Each student will begin to conceptualize their own allegory for use in Mini-Unit #3. The students will brainstorm several different famous events in history they could possibly write an allegory about. After this, for each event written, the students will brainstorm several different themes or ways to allegorize the event. Students will retain this information for use in Mini-Unit #3.


After completion of the song, the students will create a short music video to better show the meanings of their songs. The students will videotape themselves doing actions related to the songs. The music would be playing in the background of the film. If the students are more technologically savvy, they can mix and match video clips from the internet or create their own. They can record the song onto the computer and put it with the video clips they have collected or created.



1. For students that have trouble with writing or using a computer, the students could write the chapter out as a comic strip. The student could plan out the chapter, and convert it a frame by frame recap. The students would have to make the comic strip attractive and colorful.

2. For students who are visually impaired, the master quiz could be given orally so that the student could fully express each answer from their own mouth, and not have to struggle to write.

3. For students who are visually impaired, the paper could be replaced with a short oral quiz. Questions could include:

1. What is the definition of an allegory?2. What makes The Matrix and Pilgrim’s Progress an allegory?3. Why are allegories effective for social change and awareness?4. What effect have allegories had on history?

Instructional Phase

Mini-Unit #3: 5. Create an original allegory representing an event in American history such as WWII, 9/11, Pearl Harbor, or Watergate.

6. Debate what event your peer’s work represents without being told before hand. .


1. Teacher will use the structured overview (See Appendix A) to introduce Mini-Unit #3 to the students. The teacher will introduce what is expected in this unit (own allegory, debate). The teacher will also present the students will a rubric for both the allegory and the debate (See Appendix D).

The teacher will begin with a lecture reviewing what was learned in the previousmini-units about allegories. The teacher will review the definition of an allegory and will also review reasons why Animal Farm, The Matrix, and Pilgrim’s Progress are considered allegories (all have strong symbols, relate back to events in history).At this point, the teacher will review the rubric the students have received about writing an allegory (See Appendix D). The teacher will review what is expected and required, which will be written on the rubric. If the unit has been taught before, the teacher will show students examples from previous years. If not, the teacher will go over a short example. An example of the example could be Pearl Harbor, allegorized as two opposing football teams.

2. The teacher will begin by breaking the students up into groups. It is important that these groups are different from the groups that were assembled in Independent Practice #1. After this, the teacher will review the rubric for the debate (See Appendix D). The teacher will review what is appropriate for debate and what is not. Things that will be covered in the lecture are politeness, recognizing other’s opinions, waiting to speak or making sure the person is finished before you retort, and the teacher will also discuss things such as showing the person your are paying attention by your body language. This will ensure that the debate goes smoothly and will minimize difficulties that could possibly be encountered.

V. Guided Practice

1. The teacher will present the class with a overhead that gives an example of how to outline the allegory (See Appendix D). The teacher will go over organizational elements such as: how to align characters with what they represent, making sure that all events coincide with their real-life counterparts, and making similarities between the places in the allegory and what they are supposed to represent. The students will then begin their outlines for their allegories in class. Upon completion of the outlines, the students will submit them to the teacher for revision. The

teacher will revise them and give them back to the student in a timely fashion so that the student can use them to improve their drafts.

2. After the lecture has been given, the groups will read each other’s papers. The students will practice their debate skills within their groups. The students will take turns with every student in the group’s paper. With each allegory, the group will debate (minus the author of the allegory). The students in the groups will practice their skills in debate that were learned in Directed Teaching. Questions to use for the debate include:

1. What historical event does this story symbolize?2. For each of the characters, which real life person or group of people does it symbolize?3. How to the events story relate to the events of the historical occurrence?


1. The students will take the outline they have completed, turned in, and received feedback on from the teacher and develop it into a full allegory. Each allegory should be from 2-3 pages long as stated in the rubric. Once the first draft has been completed, the students will rejoin their groups and receive feedback from their peers on their work. Upon receiving this feedback, the students will incorporate it into their final draft.

2. After the groups have completed their practice of the debate, the student will prepare a defense of their allegory. The defense should be bullet points in nature and should fully delve into why the story the student has created represents what it is supposed to symbolize well. The preparation should include:

1. What elements of each major character make them a good symbol for what they are representing?2. What elements of each event make it a good symbol for what it is are representing?3. What elements of the setting make the story congruent to the counterpart it is representing?


1. The papers received from the students will be graded according to the rubric. The papers should include a proper plot, characters, setting, and themes. The plot elements, characters, and setting should be somewhat easily recognizable as a symbol for an important historical event.

. 2. The evaluation of this will be how the student performs in the debate. The rubric presented to the students at the beginning of the mini-unit will show how they will be graded. Things the students will be graded on include politeness, meaningful participation, logical arguments, and valuing others opinions. The debate will be structured so that the teacher copies a student example on the overhead or uses the Elmo. The teacher will allow the students to read

the example. The teacher will then facilitate a discussion as to what this allegory represents. Questions the teacher will ask will include:

1. What historical event does this represent?2. Who or what do each of the characters represent?3. Is the setting a logical symbol for what the story is representing?4. Are the events logical symbols for what they are representing?

When the discussion is completed, if the students are not clear on what the allegory is represented, the teacher will reveal the author. Once the author is revealed, the author will present their defense of why their allegory represents well. If the students do understand the allegory, then the author’s defense will not be needed.



1. The students will review the elements of an allegory. The students will then use the questions that are used for defense of their allegory

1. What elements of each major character make them a good symbol for what they are representing?2. What elements of each event make it a good symbol for what it is are representing?3. What elements of the setting make the story congruent to the counterpart it is representing?

These will be applied to the allegorical examples presented in class (The Matrix, Pilgrim’s Progress). This will help students better conceptualize what makes an allegory and what an allegory consists of.


1. Vertical extension intended to raise the level of cognitive developmentto a higher level on Bloom’s taxonomy from that of the mini-unit sub-objectives:

Each student will assess their own allegory. The students will write a short paragraph. The students will cover things such as: what could have been a better choice to symbolize your topic more clearly? Does everything make sense with as far as symbolism goes?


Once the students complete the debate, the students will vote among the class to see which allegory did the best job of symbolizing their respective event. Once a winner has been reached, that student will present their respective defense for their allegory. This will help all students see what it takes to have a successful allegory. It will also encourage students because they will see that a peer of theirs can be successful.



1. For a visually impaired student, the teacher would allow the student to orally communicate their allegory to the class.

2. A hearing impaired student would participate in the lecture by reading the presented allegory and writing down what he/she thinks the allegory represents.

POST-INSTRUCTIONAL PHASE

IX. SUMMATIVE EVALUATION

Written Test:The Animal Farm unit will be assessed with a traditional teacher developed test. This test will be compreninsive, but the vast majority of the content will be from Mini-unit #1: The Red Farm. Every unit objective will be covered, and the test format will be varied. (See Appendix E)

Alternative Assessment:

This unit is designed for an alternative assessment in addition to the traditional test. Mini-Unit #3 Choose Your Own Adventure calls for students to create an original allegory representing an event in American history. Upon completion of this, students will then (without being told beforehand) debate in class which historical event selected stories from the class are about. During Mini-Unit #3 students will be given a rubric with which their allegory and debate will be graded. (See Appendix D)

X.REFLECTIONS UPON UNIT DESIGN, INSTRUCTION, AND STUDENT OUTCOMES

1. Reflections Upon Student PerformanceUpon completion of the Animal Farm unit, the students for whom the unit is designed will be able to demonstrate mastery of the unit objectives by creating an allegory of their own. After that, students will debate which allegory represents what. Students will also be able to defend their own allegories. This will be insured by the creation of defenses, weather they are used or not in the debate. Creation of the allegory reaches synthesis level in Bloom’s Taxonomy. The debate in class will reach evaluation level. Students will need to gain competency in the material to successfully display proficiency in each of these activities.

2. Reflections Upon Instructional ActivitiesIn each mini-unit, the students will be presented with material and information required to complete Mini-Unit #3. The work builds upon itself. The students will need to complete Mini-Unit #1 in order to move on to #2 and certainly to complete #3. Students will need to pay attention and exert themselves the entire time. Although there is no major assessment until Mini-Unit #3, the assessment at that time will cover the entire unit.

3. Reflections Upon Formative and Summative AssessmentThe major assessment for the unit comes at the end in the form of a 100 point grade. The students will be given a rubric at the beginning of Mini-Unit #3 so that they can be sure what is expected of them. As stated above, although there is no assessment for Mini-

Units #1 and #2 until the final test, the material learned from these units will be essential to the completion of Mini-Unit #3. For example, students must learn what an allegory is and an example of one (Animal Farm) in order to complete on themselves. Students must also learn what is and is not an allegory in order to successfully debate their peers on matters of each other’s stories.

XI. COMPELTION OF THE UNIT PLAN

Bibliography

Textbooks:

Elements of literature, grade 9 (2005). New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston

Supplementary texts & trade books:

Orwell, George. Animal Farm. Plume, 2003.

Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim's Progress. Dover Publications, 2003.

Multi-media:

The Matrix. Dir. The Wachowski Brothers. Perf. Keanu Reaves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss. DVD. Warner Bros., 1999

Websites:

http://literapedia.wikispaces.com/Animal+Farm

http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/index.htm


http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/animalfarm/

http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/events/revolution/index.htm

http://www.yamaguchy.netfirms.com/7897401/tyrkova/tyrkova_index.html

http://www.yamaguchy.netfirms.com/7897401/tyrkova/tyrkova_index.html

http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/events/revolution/index.htm

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/animalfarm/



http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/index.htm

http://literapedia.wikispaces.com/Animal+Farm

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