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1984

Teaching 1984 by George Orwell — Lessons, Activities, Materials, and Assessments (High School ELA)

1984 by George Orwell is one of the most widely taught novels in the high school canon — and one of the most demanding. Orwell’s dystopian vision of surveillance, totalitarianism, and the destruction of truth raises questions that students are still wrestling with today. The posts below cover every stage of a 1984 unit, from pre-reading activities through the final assessment. Free samples and cut-and-paste content are included throughout.

Teaching 1984 by George Orwell — Lessons, Activities, Materials, and Assessments (High School ELA)

1984 by George Orwell is one of the most widely taught novels in the high school canon — and one of the most demanding. Orwell's dystopian vision of surveillance, totalitarianism, and the destruction of truth raises questions that students are still wrestling with today. The posts below cover every stage of a 1984 unit, from pre-reading activities through the final assessment. Free samples and cut-and-paste content are included throughout.
Man working on typewriter in dystopian office with propaganda posters.

Teaching the Themes of 1984 by George Orwell — Discussion Ideas and Classroom Approaches

    Teaching 1984 means teaching its complex and often upsetting themes. In this respect, Orwell gives you more to work with than almost any other novel in the high school canon. Despite being published in 1949, the novel’s concerns feel urgently contemporary. Students who engage seriously with 1984 rarely walk away… Read More »Teaching the Themes of 1984 by George Orwell — Discussion Ideas and Classroom Approaches

    1984 Unit Plan FEATURED

    1984 Unit Plan — Lesson Plans and Teaching Materials (George Orwell, High School ELA)

      This 1984 unit plan (high school ELA) takes students from pre-reading through the final project with 26 lesson plans addressing point of view, historical context, speculative fiction / dystopia, symbolism, theme development, propaganda, structural devices, and more. Even if you omit lessons, the plan below provides a helpful structure for… Read More »1984 Unit Plan — Lesson Plans and Teaching Materials (George Orwell, High School ELA)

      1984 Pre Reading Activities FEATURED

      1984 Pre-Reading Activities and Lessons (George Orwell, High School ELA)

        Twelve 1984 pre-reading activities for high school ELA designed to build background knowledge, spark discussion, and prime students for Orwell’s themes before they start reading. Activities cover speculative fiction, historical context, propaganda, surveillance, and social hierarchy. 1984 Pre-Reading Activities (overview) 1. Anticipation Guide FREE PDF: 1984 Anticipation Guide Anticipation guides… Read More »1984 Pre-Reading Activities and Lessons (George Orwell, High School ELA)

        1984 Essay Prompts FEATURED

        1984 Essay Prompts for High School ELA — George Orwell (PDF)

          Over 30 1984 essay prompts for high school ELA — analytical, personal, and research-based topics covering themes, characterization, symbolism, language style, and structural devices in George Orwell’s novel. Download the complete 1984 Projects and Assignments for formatted handouts and editable DOCX files. Some of Orwell’s predictions have aged well and… Read More »1984 Essay Prompts for High School ELA — George Orwell (PDF)

          1984 Project Ideas Featured

          1984 Project Ideas — Final Assignments for George Orwell’s Novel (High School ELA)

            Fourteen 1984 project ideas and final assignments for high school ELA — creative, analytical, and research-based options covering George Orwell’s novel from multiple angles. Free sample handouts included. Download the complete 1984 Projects and Assignments for all 14 project handouts and editable DOCX files. 1984 Project Ideas overview  1984 Projects… Read More »1984 Project Ideas — Final Assignments for George Orwell’s Novel (High School ELA)

            1984 Introduction Lesson PowerPoint FEATURED

            1984 Introduction Lesson and PowerPoint (PDF or PPT) — George Orwell, High School ELA

              1984 introduction slideshow for high school ELA — available as a PDF or PowerPoint (30 slides). Covers speculative fiction, George Orwell’s biography, historical context, totalitarianism, and the key literary elements of the novel. Download the free PDF slideshow below or get the editable PPT with the lesson plans. 1984 Introduction… Read More »1984 Introduction Lesson and PowerPoint (PDF or PPT) — George Orwell, High School ELA

              1984 Unit Test FEATURED

              1984 Unit Test: Multiple Choice and Short Answer PDF (George Orwell, High School ELA)

                Free 1984 unit test for high school ELA. Questions cover all three parts of George Orwell’s novel. Includes 48 multiple choice questions and 6 short response sections. Addresses comprehension and literary knowledge/analysis. Print the sample test as shown, cut and paste questions from the list, or download the complete test… Read More »1984 Unit Test: Multiple Choice and Short Answer PDF (George Orwell, High School ELA)