In this activity, students are introduced to the concept of allegory by using George Orwell’s widely read the novella, Animal Farm. This lesson consists of the following four activities: Animal Farm and Allegory, The Collective Farm and the Communist State, What’s in a Name, and Tyranny by any other Name…
Preparation
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Review the detailed online lesson plans
Choose which of the activities you want to use in class and how you want to present them.
Teacher Tips
Assessment: Ask students to gather together their answers to the questions posed throughout this lesson, which they should then use as the basis for writing a short essay.
Differentiation: • Provide visual aids and graphic organizers for students who need additional support. • Offer options for digital or physical project creation. • Allow students to choose between written or oral presentations.
More Ways
This lesson plan can be adapted to expand on history and social studies lessons which focus on this time period.
Program Areas
ASE: High School Diploma
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Warm-up
Engagement
• Interactive Poll (Mentimeter or Poll Everywhere): Ask students: "What do you think makes a story powerful?" and "Can stories teach lessons beyond their plots?" • Pair-Share: Have students turn to a partner and brainstorm stories or movies they've seen that have deeper meanings (e.g., The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a religious allegory).
Introduction
Enhancement
Briefly define "allegory" and "rhetoric."
Show a short 2-minute video explaining the allegory
Possible YouTube videos on allegory in literature:
• Discuss how stories can reflect historical events and societal issues.
Presentation
• Provide background on the Russian Revolution and Stalin's rise to power (brief slide presentation or short documentary clip). • Read a selected passage from Animal Farm aloud as a class that clearly illustrates allegory (e.g., the animals overthrowing Mr. Jones). • Discuss the literal and symbolic meanings of the passage.
Practice
Engagement
Interactive Group Activity: Divide students into small groups. Assign each group a character or event from Animal Farm and provide them with a chart to fill out:
Character/Event
Literal Role in Story
Historical Parallel
Symbolic Meaning
Groups create a quick visual representation (poster or digital slide) connecting their character/event to historical figures/events.
Evaluation
Each group presents their findings to the class.
Conduct a whole-class discussion with guiding questions:
How does Orwell use allegory to critique political systems?
What rhetorical techniques make his message effective?
Quick Write (Exit Ticket): In 5-7 sentences, explain how Orwell's use of allegory serves as a warning against tyranny.
Application
Creative Project: Students choose a modern issue (e.g., environmental concerns, social justice) and outline their own allegorical story addressing that issue.
Comparative Analysis: Read and analyze Martin Niemöller’s poem "First They Came..." Compare its cautionary message to Orwell's Animal Farm in a one-page reflection. Materials & Media:
CCR Anchor 1 - Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCR Anchor 8 - Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
CCR Anchor 10 - Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Speaking and Listening
CCR Anchor 1 - Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCR Anchor 2 - Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
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