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Year 10
Edexcel

Planning and writing an 'Animal Farm' essay

I can plan and write an extended and developed response to 'Animal Farm'.

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Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Planning and writing an 'Animal Farm' essay

I can plan and write an extended and developed response to 'Animal Farm'.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Reading the question and picking out key words is useful in order to understand its expectations.
  2. Planning key points helps to create an overarching argument.
  3. Single paragraph outlines are useful in creating a detailed plan for the main body of an essay.
  4. Using success criteria is an effective way to help write an essay.

Common misconception

That quotes in essays need to be long and are difficult to remember.

Can you remember anything Boxer says? How about words used to describe characters? Any of the commandments? These are all key quotes.

Keywords

  • Hypocritical - To behave in a way that contradicts supposed beliefs or feelings.

  • Manipulative - To use controlling behaviours to gain power over another or get them to behave in a certain way.

  • Hierarchy - A system which positions people in relation to status or power.

  • Dependent - To need the support of someone or something in order to exist.

Give students time to share planning and ideas before writing the essay. It's a good way to consolidate ideas and begin to embed the process of essay writing and construction.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In 'Animal Farm' which pig says, "Surely, comrades, you do not want Jones back?"
Correct answer: Squealer
Napoleon
Snowball
Old Major
Minimus
Q2.
In 'Animal Farm' which pig is described as having "a reputation for getting his own way"?
Correct Answer: Napoleon
Q3.
In 'Animal Farm' which pig teaches the animals to bleat: "four legs good, two legs better"?
Correct Answer: Squealer
Q4.
Which sentence best describes Snowball from 'Animal Farm'?
Treacherous, violent and destructive
Manipulative, charismatic and good at lying
Pompous, fierce and hypocritical
Correct answer: Idealistic, impassioned, intelligent and a gifted speech giver
Q5.
What reason does Squealer give for the pigs taking all the apples and milk in 'Animal Farm'?
They will die without it.
Correct answer: They need it for their brain work.
It will make the other animals sick.
To teach the animals about sacrifice.
Q6.
In 'Animal Farm', how does Napoleon get the hens to lay eggs for him to sell?
Correct answer: He gives them no food until nine die and the others agree.
He uses violence and sets the dogs on them.
He offers them whisky and sugar.
He gets Squealer to convince them.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the primary purpose of creating single paragraph outlines in the essay writing process?
To analyse the writer's methods
Correct answer: To organise thoughts into a logical argument
To revise grammar and spelling errors
To write an introduction and conclusion
Q2.
What does the word 'hypocritical' mean?
Correct answer: Behaving in a way that contradicts supposed beliefs
Gaining power through manipulation
A system of status or power
Needing the support of someone or something to exist
Q3.
Which word beginning with 'D', describes a need for the support of someone or something in order to exist?
Correct Answer: Dependent , dependency , dependent
Q4.
What are the key words in this essay question: In 'Animal Farm' how does Orwell explore the theme of corruption through the pigs?
Correct answer: how
theme
Correct answer: corruption
Correct answer: pigs
does
Q5.
Which of these topic sentences does not use a discourse marker?
Whereas Boxer can't read, Benjamin refuses to.
Initially, Snowball is presented as the most intelligent.
Furthermore, Old Major's speech aims to galvanise the animals.
Correct answer: Orwell describes Mr Jones as "too drunk to remember".
Q6.
Which of these sentences does not belong in a conclusion?
Ultimately, Squealer serves as a representation of how powerful propaganda is.
Correct answer: Initially, Orwell presents an idealistic view of equality.
Orwell effectively employs Squealer to reveal the methods of control.
Therefore Orwell offers a timeless message about power.
Consequently, equality is eradicated from the farm.