1
Name:
C.P. Eng. II (Murphy/Pavlisin)
1984 Unit Plan
2/7/12
Goals--students will:
-Learn about social and historical context and importance of the novel
-Read 1984 actively
-Work with vocabulary words from and related to the text of 1984
-Identify literary techniques in the novel and recognize how they serve Orwell’s purposes
-Analyze the continuing relevance of 1984
-Identify and explain the types and goals of propaganda in 1984
-Participate in discussions of 1984
Thematic Essential Questions:
-What obligations do people have to one another in a society?
-What should a government do for its people?
-What is good government? Bad government?
-What defines freedom?
-What constitutes absolute power?
-What means do people use to persuade one another?
-Do we have a right to privacy? To what ends?
-What would an ideal society look like?
-What is propaganda?
-Is propaganda bad?
-What are the techniques of propaganda?
-How should we respond to propaganda?
Comp. 8: (see unit schedule on next page for due dates):
Write a definition essay of at least two and one-half pages that defines one of the following
rhetorical devices by illustrating its various manifestations in 1984.
-propaganda
-dystopia
-ethos
-logos
-pathos
Comp. 9: for comp. 9, students will have the choice of writing a literary analysis of 1984
that responds to one of the following prompts or a response to Persepolis, which we will be
reading after Spring Break.
1. What does George Orwell ultimately suggest about the nature of language?
2. Compare and contrast Winston’s methods of rebellion with Julia’s.
3. 1984 presents a nightmare vision of a surveillance culture, yet we live in a culture in which
people are increasingly choosing to make their personal information public on the internet. Does
1984 represent a valid warning against such behaviors? Why or why not?
4. Analyze George Orwell’s development of one prominent theme in 1984.
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Unit Calendar
Day/Date
Tues., 2/7
Reading
Wed., 2/8
Thurs., 2/9
Fri., 2/10
Mon., 2/13
Begin reading 1984
Continue reading 1.I
Due: Finish reading 1.I (to
page 20)
Due: Read 1.II (20-29)
Tues., 2/14
Due: Read 1.III-IV (29-48)
Wed., 2/15
Thurs., 2/16
Due: Read 1.V (48-63)
Due: 1.VI-VII (63-81)
Fri., 2/17
NO SCHOOL
Mon., 2/20
NO SCHOOL
Tues., 2/21
Wed., 2/22
Due: 1.VIII (81-104)
Read 2.I (105-117)
Thurs., 2/23
Due: Read 2.II-III (117-127)
Fri., 2/24
Mon., 2/27
Tues., 2/28
Wed., 2/29
Due: 2.IV (127-147)
Read 2.V (147-156)
Due: 2.VI-VIII (157-179)
Due: Read 2.IX-X (179-224)
(Read summary handout
instead of 185-216 if you
prefer)
Due: 3.I (224-239)
Thurs., 3/1
Fri., 3/2
Mon., 3/5
Tues., 3/6
Wed., 3/7
Thurs., 3/8
Fri., 3/9
Mon., 3/12
Independent reading day
Due: Visual depiction of something in 1.I or 1.II
Quiz on 1.I and 1.II
Final draft of Comp. 7 due for students who conferenced
last week
-Schoology theme activity
1984 vocab. quiz 1
Independent reading day (1984 or IRA book)
-Intro. to 1984 vocab. list 2
-Rough draft of Comp. 8 due for students who are writing
jjhhh essay about dystopia or propaganda
-Begin conference 8
Independent reading day
1984 vocab. quiz 2
Independent reading day
Rough draft of Comp. 8 due for students who are writing
definition essay about ethos, logos, or pathos
Due: 3.II (239-260)
3.III (260-274)
3.IV (274-282)
Due: 3.V-VI (282-297)
Tues., 3/13
Wed., 3/14
Thurs., 3/15
Fri., 3/16
Mon., 3/26
Tues., 3/27
Major Items
Distribute unit plan, intro to Orwell and dystopian fiction,
activity regarding prior knowledge related to 1984
Intro. to 1984 vocab. list 1
NO CLASSES
NO SCHOOL
Graded discussion of 1984
Independent reading/work day
Comp. 9 prewriting check
Test on 1984
Comp. 8 final draft due for students who conferenced last
week
Comp. 9 rough draft due for students who did not have a
final draft of comp. 8 due yesterday
Vietnam Day
First day of Spring Break
Begin Satire Unit
Comp. 9 rough draft due for students who students who did
not have it due before Spring Break