Lesson Plan Template WCSD Writing Program

Teacher’s name: Matthew D. Ochs Teacher’s school: Reno High School

Writing Type/Genre: Explanatory Lesson Title: “Create Your Own Regime!” Standards-based Outcomes: Integrated Language Arts W.9-10

Introduce a topic with a preview of what is to follow

Convey complex ideas

Use facts, definitions, concrete details, and other examples with relevance and appropriateness for an audience.

Understand the formal style used in a speech.

Write an informative conclusion. Student Outcomes: Student Will Be Able To:

Explain components of Totalitarianism

Extrapolate and apply elements of totalitarianism to a fictional setting

Compare and Contrast Totalitarian countries with free societies both real and imagined.

Write a speech to convey these ideas to a real or imagined audience. Audience and Purpose for Lesson: In the first half of the 20th century, a number of totalitarian regimes were created from former monarchies and free countries across Europe and Asia. The creation of theses regimes, including Nazi Germany, communist China, and Russian Revolution, eventually led to major world events such as World War II and the origins of the Cold War. The purpose of the lesson is to give students the skill necessary to identify and analyze totalitarian regimes. This will then allow the students to draw contrasts between free societies and closed or restricted societies in the modern world such as Iran or North Korea. The audience of the lesson would be high school sophomores in the 10th grade. Pre-requisite Skills/Background Knowledge: Students would have already been exposed to the three main regimes in the first half of the 20th century: The scope and sequence of the Russian Revolution; a brief history of Czarist Russia under Nicholas II and previous Czars; the ideas of Karl Marx would also be pre-requisite knowledge (COVERED IN Ch. 25 of the World History text).

Resources/Supplies Needed: Seven Traits Note-Taker Create Your Own Regime handout “The Need for Progress” by Joseph Stalin Inspire the Masses handout. Mentor Text(s): “The Need for Progress” by Joseph Stalin.

Brief Overview of Lesson: Students will create their own fictitious totalitarian regimes based on their interests and passions. In doing so, students will analyze seven traits of totalitarian regimes and apply these traits to their own regime. Finally, the students will be tasked with writing a propaganda speech describing their regime while at the same time trying to inspire potential followers. Each “Lesson” within this lesson can take 30-60 minutes; preview each and plan accordingly, depending on your time allotment and length of time needed for each lesson.

Steps in Implementation: Lesson 1: Ingredients to a Speech

1. Ask students to take out a piece of paper. Have them write down three main ingredients for a speech. Call on every student to add one ingredient. Keep a list of these ingredients on the board, perhaps a student writes them all down while you monitor the sharing.

2. Watch clips of several speeches on YouTube: Martin Luther King, Obama, Clinton, Hitler, etc. These should be very short, like one or two minutes a piece. There should be a range of speeches and topics covered.

3. Ask students to add to their paper: Ask them to describe the most inspirational speech they have heard, seen, read, etc. Ask them to identify the elements that made it inspirational. Of course, they may use the clips from YouTube. Ask for volunteers to share their responses. Lead the class in a discussion about the difference between the spoken and written word and their relative effectiveness at inspiring people to act or change. Why/when can the spoken word be more effective? Why/when can the spoken word be more effective?

4. Ticket out: Students write one ½ page explaining which is more powerful, speaking or writing. They must have evidence to back up their argument.

Lesson 2: “The Need for Progress”

1. Provide copies of the speech “The Need for Progress” by Joseph Stalin (see PDF). Pair up students. Ask students to remind their partner who Stalin is. Students review the differences between communism and capitalism and the ideas of Karl Marx.

2. Students read the speech to each other in pairs.

3. Ask the students to identify who they think the audience of this speech would be. What evidence in the text shows suggests who the audience is? Ask students to identify the types of messages that Stalin would want to deliver to his audience. What in the text shows his main messages?

4. Next, provide the students a dramatic reading of the speech as they follow along. As

they read and listen, ask the students to underline 5 phrases or sentences that the audience might have responded most favorably to. After the reading is over, ask the students to Think-Pair-Share the 5 phrases they underlined. Instruct the student to provide an explanation for their choices to their partners.

5. Ask students to circle the introduction and the conclusion. Students read the introduction and conclusion to Stalin’s speech aloud. Ask students what makes this introduction strong? What makes the conclusion resonate, why will we remember this speech and this speaker?

6. Ticket Out: Before they leave, students must write down two quiz questions about today’s lesson with their partner. One T/F or multiple choice, and one short answer. Students must provide the answers to the questions.

7. Teacher selects several strong questions for the next day’s lesson.

Lesson 3: Seven Traits of Totalitarianism

1. Begin class with a short quiz using 4-5 questions that get to the heart of yesterday’s lesson. Use the questions from the previous ticket out.

2. Pass out the Seven Traits of Totalitarianism Note Taker. With their same partners, have the students read pp. 874-876 in their text. For each of the seven traits described on pg. 875, ask the pairs to come up with examples of the seven traits that could or have been seen in the real world. After the pairs finish, ask the whole class for examples as formative assessment. Ensure that the students understand the various traits and how they could be used.

3. Extension Idea: Show parts of the film V for Vendetta and have the students use this note taker to write descriptions of scenes from the film that illustrate each trait.

Lesson 4: Create Your Own Regime

1. As a warm-up, students list as many of the seven traits of a regime as they can from memory in one minute. At the end of one minute, students may take out their Seven Traits Note-Taker and fill in any learning gaps.

2. Ask the students to turn to the back of their Seven Traits Note Taker. On the back give the students 3 minutes to make a list of things and/or ideas they are passionate about. Give them several examples from your own life to help them (Animal welfare, education, reading to young children, safe driving, etc). At the end of three minutes ask each student to share one idea of his or her list with the class.

3. Next, have the students look at their list again. Have them select one item from their list that they are the most passionate about. Tell them that their selection will be the catalyst for their own totalitarian regime…

4. Now inspire the students to create a totalitarian state that includes the following information. Ne sure to show a model of one of your own ideas, and talk students through your own thought process as you created your regime:

a. What are the ideological foundations of your state (have them refer to the item selected from their list)?

b. What is your state’s name? c. What does its flag look like? d. What is the name of the dictator or regime that runs your state? e. Use the Regime Planning Page and about 10-15 minutes.

Lesson 5: Inspire the Masses

5. Show the classes some finished models of the Regime Planning Page to inspire students who have not yet completed their own.

6. Once completed, remind the students that once a revolution has been planned and started, it is necessary to convince people to follow and join the revolution. As a pre-writing activity for their speech, ask the students to complete the “Inspire the Masses!” handout.

7. Ask students to share one thing they remember from Stalin’s speech and the YouTube speeches.

8. Show students the model of your own Regime Planning Page and how you translated that page into an explanatory speech. How did you explain the complexities of your vision in a single speech? How did you get your audience ready to listen to you in an effective introduction? How did you conclude your speech?

9. Students begin drafting their speech. Remind them of the Stalin speech that was read and the key elements covered in the lesson. The room must be quiet so students can get ideas down. This is not the time for working in pairs. As the students write, circulate around the room to check for understanding and progress. Read the students’ papers as they write, offer help, suggestions, and praise the entire time students are writing. The class must know that the teacher knows what they are writing, can offer assistance, and wants to help.

10. Tell the students that in order to be excused, each student must have a draft completed. Speeches will suddenly get written.

11. During the next class period, revision will take place. Follow plan below.

Revision Strategy:

1. Have students exchange drafts with another classmate. Read quietly.

2. Put a student sample on the board. Go through the rubric and explain the ways in which the speech meets the expectations of explanatory writing, and the ways in which it does not. Make suggestions for revision, and write those suggestions down on the rubric as you grade. Pay special attention to the introduction, conclusion, the ways facts/evidence are used, and the tone of the speech.

3. Next, give time for the class to read their peers’ speeches. Hand out rubrics to each

student. The pairs will do the following:

Much like the first day, have them underline 5 phrases/sentences that were particularly inspiring based on the intended audience.

Put a star next to all facts the writer included in his speech to help the audience understand the regime.

Grade the speech with a rubric. Readers get to make a suggestion for any part of the rubric that is not a “10.”

Also, ask the peer reviewers to look for spelling, punctuation, grammar mistakes.

4. As you circulate, look for areas the students are struggling with. Perhaps they are

having trouble using specific facts to inform the audience, or perhaps the introductions do not give a preview of the regime. Find the area(s) of weakness your class is having

as a whole, grab a students’ speech that is effective, and repeat step 2 with the entire class, paying special attention to the area of weakness. As you do this, frame the re-teach as your way of making sure the speeches show the students’ ideas effectively, not as the class can’t grasp this area of writing.

5. After the re-teach, allow students to continue peer review.

6. Toward the end of the reading period, ask the reviewers to provide one final constructive-critique area for expansion/improvement and one positive comment. Take time for each student to share with the class what the writer did well. It is important for the class to know their strengths before going home to revise. For writers, hearing/seeing good models is just as important for revision as knowing areas of weakness.

7. At the end of the review period, instruct the students to bring final drafts next class

period.

8. All students will be prepared to give a convincing dramatic reading of their speech.

Rubric: See below. Student Samples: Lesson has not been taught. Student Samples will be collected in the fall.

Universal Access: The graphic organizers presented here could be modified and/or shortened. Grading of the final speech could also be adapted.

Connections/Extensions:

Show the students samples of Soviet propaganda films such as October and Battleship Potemkin. Next, have students create their own propaganda films using their speech and these films as inspiration.

A lesson from the New York Times on contemporary totalitarianism using the novel 1984: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/totalitarianism/

Credit: Adapted from ideas present in the World History text on pg. 876 in the teacher’s edition.

RUBRIC CATEGORY 10 7 4 1 Score

Attention Grabber and Conclusion

The introductory paragraph has a strong hook or attention grabber that is appropriate for the audience. This could be a strong statement, a relevant quotation, statistic, or question addressed to the reader. The residual message is addressed in the conclusion as well, to inspire audiences to remember the speaker and his/her message.

The introductory paragraph has a hook or attention grabber, but it is weak, rambling or inappropriate for the audience. The conclusion does not effectively leave the audience inspired or informed of the most important points of the speech.

The author has an interesting introductory paragraph but the connection to the topic is not clear. The conclusion is not present or is repetitive.

The introductory paragraph is not interesting AND is not relevant to the topic. The conclusion is not present.

Audience Demonstrates a clear understanding of the potential reader and uses appropriate vocabulary and arguments. Anticipates reader\'s questions and provides thorough answers appropriate for that audience.

Demonstrates a general understanding of the potential reader and uses vocabulary and arguments appropriate for that audience.

Demonstrates some understanding of the potential reader and uses arguments appropriate for that audience.

It is not clear who the author is writing for.

Position Statement

The position statement provides a clear, strong statement of the author's ideological stance. There are several facts, evidence, examples, within the body of the speech. These facts are used with style and effectiveness. They make the audience want to hear more.

The position statement provides a clear statement of the author\'s ideological stance. There are several facts, evidence and examples within the body of the speech.

A position statement is present, but does not make the author\'s ideological stance clear. There are some facts, evidence and examples within the body of the speech, but some are not relevant or effective.

There is no position statement or ideological stance. There is no evidence or facts to help the reader understand.

Create your own Regime!

Planning Page

Answer the following questions to help you plan your revolution! Use the item selected from your

list as your inspiration.

What are the ideological foundations of your state (refer to the item selected from your list)?

What is your state’s name?

What does its flag look like? (Sketch it below.)

What is the name of the dictator or regime that runs your state?

INSPIRE THE MASSES! START YOUR REVOLUTION!

Now that the Revolution has been planned you have to convince the masses to follow you. You will need to write a speech to convince people that they

should join your regime. Using the seven key traits of totalitarianism (see pg. 875 in your text along with your notes), outline your ideas in these areas. In

other words, as the great leader, how will you address these areas in your new totalitarian state. This will be the basis for your speech… Don’t forget the

inspiration for your regime!

Ideology

Control:

People

Enforcement

Technology

Control:

State

Dictatorship

Dynamic Leader

Seven Traits of a Totalitarian Regime Note-Taker

Ideology

Control: People

Enforcement

Technology

Control: State

Dictatorship

Dynamic Leader