Animal Farm Background: The Russian Revolution

Introduction

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution. This Webquest will help you understand satire, allegory, and the Russian Revolution in order to fully appreciate the novel.

Task

In a group of 4-5 students, you will create a PowerPoint of 2 slides detailing information on satire, allegory, and key players and events of the Russian Revolution.

Process

1- Determine what topics your group is responsible for. Use the questions assigned to you as a starting point for your research.

2- As a group, research your topics using websites you deem credible. Visit the following webpage for informaiton on identifying credible sources: https://uknowit.uwgb.edu/page.php?id=30276

3- Gather useful information. Make sure to paraphrase/quote and cite so as not to plagiarize. Use http://www.citationmachine.net/mla/cite-a-website to cite your sources at the bottom of every slide. 

4- Create 2 PowerPoint slides presenting your research to your class. Use the Google Doc below. DO NOT ACCESS ANOTHER CLASSES' PPT.

    1st PD: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yodboVnjQdS8Qg82kjCXmeyPZsBlZZwg7u5OZnTEws0/edit?usp=sharing

    3rd PD: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_n0zuY1MyEWWuCsqvSveVB5s4x1uyZACL1vrifdH_P0/edit?usp=sharing 

    4th PD: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15VRqPD0a61EsRTmk-W8-Lzel_vY7R20Jdxi2ol5W3wY/edit?usp=sharing

    6th PD: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ke8rcriIH18laXPU4B356kq-cxxXD3qvP_LDVAtv_Co/edit?usp=sharing

    7th PD: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YH7qcpSzcAG2PwBlbLWGeJ7q9gwYdAQr-JDEEtLiYHs/edit?usp=sharing

    8th PD: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WNFP4qBYybgGvlnydaVVz2fxpzAd-53ZfzLZY5Z9AIQ/edit?usp=sharing

5- Make sure each slide is colorful, creative, and includes bulleted information, visuals, and citations (at the bottom of each slide AND in the Works Cited page).

6- I will randomly select presenters from every group, so make sure every member of your group has a thorough understanding of the information. Your presentation will be worth 10 points, so be sure to be prepared.

Evaluation

Animal Farm Background PowerPoint Presentations

Criteria

10

20

30

TOTAL

Information

 

Incomplete or incorrect

Mostly complete/ correct

Complete, correct, and   thorough

 

Creativity/Visuals/

Formatting

No visuals or creativity

Satisfactory visuals and creativity

Excellent visuals and   creativity

 

Citations

No citations

 

Included citations and   attempted to format

Included citations and   formatted correctly

 

Content Comments  

 

 

 

TOTAL SCORE

 

PRESENTATION                                

3            5          7          10

            COMMENTS

________/10

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

Name: ____________________________________Period: ____ Date: _______________________

 

Animal Farm Background Notes

https://www.createwebquest.com/webquest/animal-farm-background-russian-revolution

  1. Define satire.

Example:

  1. What is the purpose of satire?
  1. Define allegory.

Example:

  1. What is the purpose of allegory?
  1. a. Define totalitarianism.

b. socialism

c. communism

d. Marxism

  1. Who was George Orwell, and what is George Orwell’s      real name?

 

  1. What is the name of the first book he published?

 

  1. Why did Orwell write Animal Farm?

 

  1. In what year was Animal      Farm published?

 

  1. Why wasn’t Animal      Farm published when it was first written? Be specific.

 

  1. Who was Winston Churchill? What was his position on      Stalin?

 

  1. Who was Nicholas II, and how did he feel about      democracy?

 

  1. What were working conditions in Russia like with      Nicholas II as a leader? list 3

-

-

-

  1. Was Nicholas II an effective or poor leader? Why?

 

  1. What was Bloody Sunday?

 

  1. Who was Joseph Stalin?
  2. What title was Stalin given in 1922?
  3. Who was Karl Marx?

 

  1. Karl Marx said what of religion?

 

  1. Marx helped to write The Communist Manifesto, which stated that all men were born      free but that society had got to such a state that the majority were ______________________.

 

  1. Name two things about Karl Marx that you find      interesting and indicate why:

1-

 

2-

  1. Write out the most famous quote about workers from      Marx:

 

  1. Who is Vladimir Lenin overall? Who is he in relation      to Stalin?

 

  1. What is the phrase that explains Communism in a      “nutshell”?

 

  1. According to the site (and common sense), Communism      would probably function well if humans did not have the unfortunate      tendency toward ___________________________.

 

  1.  Leon Trotsky wanted to improve life      in Russia. He worked closely with the leader who took control after the      Revolution. His name was...

 

  1. Who ordered Trotsky’s assassination?

 

  1. By the late 1920’s, what was his role?

 

  1. What happened in the 1930’s during the Great Terror      or Great Purge?

 

  1. Stalin used a secret police force to force support of      him and to kill the disobedient. We, in recent years, think of the KGB,      but what four letter acronym were they called in his time?

 

  1. Define Imperial Russia.

 

  1. Define the U.S.S.R.
Teacher Page

The Animal Farm Background handout can be found at www.schoolrack.com/mrs_ada under "files".