Reading the opening of Orwell's '1984'
I can read and analyse the opening of Orwell's '1984'.
Reading the opening of Orwell's '1984'
I can read and analyse the opening of Orwell's '1984'.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Orwell's '1984' is a dystopian novel with a vision of an authoritarian future.
- Orwell creates an effective opening by beginning with unsettling details to show the reader something is wrong.
- By feeding the information to the reader slowly, Orwell builds up the feelings of discomfort in the reading.
Keywords
Dystopian - relating to or denoting an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice
Scrutinised - to examine something very carefully in order to discover information
Authoritarian - favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom
Ominous - portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening
Propaganda - information, especially of a biased or misleading nature
Common misconception
It's best to give the reader all of the backstory at the start of a novel so that they understand the context of the events.
By feeding information to the audience slowly, it arguably builds discomfort in the reader and creates an unsettling environment.
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: Reading the opening of Orwell's '1984', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: Reading the opening of Orwell's '1984', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the Fiction: books that changed my world unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
The opening to George Orwell's '1984' can be found in the additional materials.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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