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Year 10
AQA

'Animal Farm': exploring Orwell's influences and purpose

I can explain why Orwell wrote 'Animal Farm'.

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New
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Year 10
AQA

'Animal Farm': exploring Orwell's influences and purpose

I can explain why Orwell wrote 'Animal Farm'.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Orwell was influenced by his varied life experiences
  2. Orwell was against authoritarian regimes and viewed his writing as a way to criticise the abuse of power
  3. 'Animal Farm' is an allegory for the Russian Revolution
  4. Orwell was a democratic socialist and against the ideals of communism which he saw as easily corruptible and flawed
  5. 'Animal Farm' explores themes of power and hierarchy

Keywords

  • Authoritarian - An authoritarian regime enforces strict obedience and the expense of personal freedoms.

  • Allegory - An allegory is a story, poem or image that has a hidden message, typically a moral or political one.

  • Socialism - Socialism is a political ideology that believes in equality and shared ownership of resources and production.

  • Capitalism - Capitalism is an economic system that encourages profit making and private ownership of business and resources.

  • Marxism - Marxism is a political theory based on the work of Karl Marx. It believes in collective ownership and the eradication of social classes.

Common misconception

George Orwell was a communist.

Although Orwell wanted an equal society, he viewed communism as corruptible and idealistic.


To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: 'Animal Farm': exploring Orwell's influences and purpose, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Task B can be printed as a completed task which students can cut out and rearrange. Asking students to offer justifications of their choices in Task B can develop understanding and critical thinking further.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

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

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Complete this sentence. Social and historical __________ can help us have a better understanding of the texts we are reading.
Correct Answer: context, contextual information , facts, information
Q2.
In what year did WWII end?
Correct Answer: 1945
Q3.
Equality is...
the idea that some people should have more than others.
Correct answer: a concept that encourages fairness and treating everyone the same.
the belief that only a few should have all the power.
a type of government ruled by a single person.
Q4.
What is the definition of a dictator?
A leader elected by the people.
A system of government with multiple rulers.
Correct answer: A ruler with absolute and unchecked power.
A government that practices democracy.
Q5.
When considering a writer's purpose, we want to try and understand why they were compelled to write. What does the verb compel mean?
to write for fun and leisure
Correct answer: to feel driven by a strong motivation
to write without any goal in mind
to write with hesitation and doubt
Q6.
Social class refers to....
a gathering of friends and family.
Correct answer: a group of individuals with similar economic and social positions.
a community of people sharing common interests.
a hierarchy of people based on physical appearance.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
'Animal Farm' was published in what year?
Correct Answer: 1945
Q2.
George Orwell was against totalitarianism. These are governmental systems defined by which three things?
Correct answer: centralised power
Correct answer: dictatorships
democracy
Correct answer: loss of personal freedoms
Q3.
What word beginning with 'A', describes a story, poem or image that has a hidden message, typically a moral or political one.
Correct Answer: allegory
Q4.
Which two political systems are considered left wing?
Correct answer: communism
fascism
conservatism
Correct answer: socialism
Q5.
Marxism is the belief that...
business owners should own most of the wealth in society.
Correct answer: wealth should be shared equally amongst all in society.
class systems are a positive way to group people.
Q6.
What is the main goal of capitalism?
wealth distribution
equality
Correct answer: profit
management of resource