Section 1: Overview

Introduction to Dystopian Literature

We will be introduced to the dystopian literature genre, and we will read Chapters 1–5 of Part 1 of the novel 1984, analyzing the author’s craft and emerging central ideas. We will also read a selection of informational texts to explore ideas about privacy and surveillance, propaganda and fabricated news, and language and critical thinking. We will build our understanding of the techniques governments use to maintain authority and control.

• Lesson 1:

  We will preview the Culminating Task before we begin reading the novel 1984. We will also begin to examine differing perspectives on an individual’s rights to privacy.

• Lesson 2:

  We will examine key words and text features in the informational text “Privacy and Information Sharing.” We will determine the central ideas of the text and summarize the report.

• Lesson 3:

  We will closely read and analyze the first six paragraphs from Chapter 1 of 1984. Our focus in this lesson is to develop our understanding of the novel and its thematic ideas by closely attending to details in key words, phrases, and sentences.

• Lesson 4:

  We will continue reading Chapter 1 of 1984. We will further examine the influence of government on the individuals and general society in the novel.

• Lesson 5:

  We will continue to examine the information revealed in Chapter 1 of 1984. We will use textual details to conduct a character analysis of the protagonist, Winston Smith.

• Lesson 6:

  We will analyze the author’s use of flashbacks in Chapter 2. We will continue to examine the government of Oceania’s use of propaganda and Orwell’s development of Winston’s character.

• Lesson 7:

  We will analyze Chapter 3 of 1984 and determine the meaning of the term doublethink.

• Lesson 8:

  We will discuss Chapter 4 and Winston’s role in the government of Oceania’s propaganda efforts. We will identify and explore multiple thematic ideas of the novel.

• Lesson 9:

  We will determine the meaning of unknown words in the informational text “Many Americans Say Made-Up News Is a Critical Problem That Needs to Be Fixed.” We will trace the text’s main ideas and examine how they interact with and build on one another.

• Lesson 10:

  We will examine the effectiveness of the integration of written and visual information in “Many Americans Say Made-Up News Is a Critical Problem That Needs to Be Fixed.” We will engage in a class discussion to explore our own perspectives about fabricated information in today’s society.

• Lesson 11:

  We will discuss Chapter 5 and examine the purpose of Newspeak. We will also explore the relationship between language and thinking.

• Lesson 12:

  We will examine the effectiveness of the author’s organization for the informational text “Critical Thinking for College, Career, and Citizenship.” We will also expand the emerging thematic ideas we previously identified into key central ideas of the novel.

• Lesson 13:

  We will examine a model response to the Section 1 Diagnostic, and we will draft our own responses.

• Lesson 14:

  We have read multiple texts that explore ideas about government power and individual rights, privacy and surveillance, propaganda and fabricated news, and language and critical thinking. To demonstrate our understanding of the novel, we will write responses that identify two central ideas in 1984 and explain how they are developed, using specific details from the text and how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex narrative.

• Lesson 15:

  We will review feedback on the Section Diagnostic. We will use the feedback to make revisions to our work.

• Lesson 16:

  We will commence an Independent Reading Program in which we choose texts to read independently as we progress through the unit. We will learn how to choose texts, what activities we may complete, about the final task, and about any materials we will use as we read our independent reading texts. We will begin by reading our texts, using tools to help us take notes and analyze important textual elements.