New
New
Year 11
AQA

'Animal Farm': writing with clarity in essays

I can use a range of sentence structures to express my ideas with clarity.

New
New
Year 11
AQA

'Animal Farm': writing with clarity in essays

I can use a range of sentence structures to express my ideas with clarity.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. It is important to write with clarity in order to articulate your ideas.
  2. Using subordinating conjunctions is a good way to explore nuance and complexity.
  3. Using correlative and comparative conjunctions is a good way to explore nuanced similarities and differences.
  4. The phrase 'more precisely’ allows you to add further detail in a concise manner.

Keywords

  • Critical - To be able to evaluate and think carefully about things.

  • Egalitarian - Believing that all people are equally important and deserve the same opportunities.

  • Optimistic - Always believing or hoping that something good will happen.

  • Subordinating conjunction - Connects an independent clause to a subordinate clause.

  • Correlative conjunctions - Pairs of words used to show how two ideas relate to each other in a sentence.

Common misconception

Writing essays is not like creative writing, it doesn't matter how you write things so much.

Not writing clearly and accurately can mean excellent ideas can be lost once written down.

This lesson is a good opportunity to get students to apply sentence structures to their own work and rewrite to make them even better.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
George Orwell's use of animals as main characters in 'Animal Farm' draws on the tradition of ...
Correct answer: a fable
an allegory
a politcal satire
a fairy story
a novel
Q2.
Initially, in 'Animal Farm' some of the animals can't understand or remember the commandments so they are reduced to which one essential phrase?
'Animal Farm' forever
I must work harder
Long live Napoleon
Correct answer: Four legs good, two legs bad
Napoleon is always right
Q3.
In 'Animal Farm' which character could be described as narcissistic, lazy and reliant on the humans for 'luxuries'?
Clover
Moses
Correct answer: Mollie
Muriel
Snowball
Q4.
In 'Animal Farm' which character mirrors the acts of Joseph Stalin?
Correct answer: Napoleon
Pinchfield
Snowball
Squealer
Mr. Jones
Q5.
Which sentence use the words ‘corrupt’ correctly?
Corruption is when people fight against authority.
There was a corruption against the tyrannical leader.
Boxer is corrupt because he always works hard.
Correct answer: The pigs are corrupt because they keep the milk and apples for themselves.
Q6.
In 'Animal Farm', what role does the character Moses play for the animals on Animal Farm?
He is a loyal supporter of the rebellion.
He spreads dissent and rebellion among the animals.
Correct answer: He serves as a religious figure and validates the animals' suffering.
He is a skilled tactician in battles against the humans.

6 Questions

Q1.
With reference to 'Animal Farm', which word beginning with 'E' would describe Old Major's view that all should be equal and have opportunities?
Correct Answer: egalitarian , Egalitarian
Q2.
Which of the following sentences does not use a subordinating conjunction?
Despite rejecting Mr. Jones’ leadership, his presence is still felt on the farm
Whereas Snowball advocates for the education of all the animals, the pigs don't.
Correct answer: Boxer is uneducated and struggles to articulate his thoughts.
Although Boxer is the least educated, he still has many leadership qualities.
Q3.
What word beginning with 'O' describes the continued belief or hope that good things will happen?
Correct Answer: Optimism, optimistic, optimist , optimism
Q4.
Which of the following is not a subordinating conjunction?
Although
Whilst
Correct answer: Nuanced
Despite
Whereas
Q5.
Which of these are not a pair of correlative conjunctions.
Correct answer: Initially/consequently
Both/and
Whether/or
Neither/nor
Not only/but also
Q6.
What advice would you give to improve this sentence: "Orwell uses the pigs, Squealer in particular, to express his disgust at how political leaders manipulate language to exploit the working class."?
Use a correlative conjunction.
Introduce a subordinating conjunction.
Add a comparative conjunction.
Correct answer: Incorporate the phrase "more precisely".