'Animal Farm': writing with clarity in essays
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use a range of sentence structures to express my ideas with clarity.
Key learning points
- It is important to write with clarity in order to articulate your ideas.
- Using subordinating conjunctions is a good way to explore nuance and complexity.
- Using correlative and comparative conjunctions is a good way to explore nuanced similarities and differences.
- 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.
Teacher tip
This lesson is a good opportunity to get students to apply sentence structures to their own work and rewrite to make them even better.
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
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.George Orwell's use of animals as main characters in 'Animal Farm' draws on the tradition of ...
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?
Q3.In 'Animal Farm' which character could be described as narcissistic, lazy and reliant on the humans for 'luxuries'?
Q4.In 'Animal Farm' which character mirrors the acts of Joseph Stalin?
Q5.Which sentence use the words ‘corrupt’ correctly?
Q6.In 'Animal Farm', what role does the character Moses play for the animals on Animal Farm?
Assessment exit quiz
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?
Q2.Which of the following sentences does not use a subordinating conjunction?
Q3.What word beginning with 'O' describes the continued belief or hope that good things will happen?
Q4.Which of the following is not a subordinating conjunction?
Q5.Which of these are not a pair of correlative conjunctions.
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."?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: 'Animal Farm': writing with clarity in essays, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: 'Animal Farm': writing with clarity in essays, 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 Animal Farm: barriers to leadership unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.