George Orwell's 1984: Recommended Reading for Seniors
1984 is recommended reading in 12th grade Political Studies according the the CA Content Standards, and we use PBL to make it more engaging. In fact, the book became a school-wide phenomenon - "Big Brother is Watching!" was everywhere, on walls, doors, even on the internet: a student created a blog had anti-propaganda postings and secret codes in an effort to subvert Big Brother. It really captured the imagination and got the attention of the students.
Even after the project was over it was never clear who the "mole" was that ultimately betrayed the resistance movement. Everyone was asking, "Who was Big Brother?" and the escapades of the seniors brought the realities of the book's message into stark relief for the entire campus.
The Goal: PBL in Action
Lest we forget - the obvious goal of this endeavor is for kids to question authority and test the ultimate control, and of course, read the book - George Orwell's 1984.
But demonstrating understanding of the content is where PBL really shines. Students work collaboratively in groups to deepen their experience. Students working together are able to demonstrate mastery of the subject matter using 21st century skills - Critical Thinking skills for instance: analyzing information from outside sources.
The final product becomes more than any one student could produce individually.
That's the challenge, using real-world applications to show the relevance of an old book in modern ways. Orwell's 1984 may seem like ancient history to some high school kids, but the idea of manipulating the media for political purposes is very real and applicable to all contemporary readers.
PBL: Real-World Problem Solving Skills
The protagonist's job in the book 1984 is to manipulate the news to promote the party's interests. His name is "Winston" and he often uses the "hero concept" as his main propaganda technique, promoting the exploits of people whom the party approves and "disappearing" those who don't.
That's where PBL comes in: Students mimic Winston's job by submitting their own articles to be published by the school using manipulated stories and cartoons referring to modern day news events like the Patriot act, etc. Students demonstrate understanding of the material in this unique way.
Here's Another Project We Use: Aesop's Fables ~
... is perfect for Digital Illustration: Visually rich & stimulating but not too long.
You can do it all on the computer in Flash and Illustrator.
The great thing about Flash is students can make it as complicated or simple as they want. Flash is a good introduction to "vector" graphics because it's a "cartoon" version of the more advanced Illustrator program. Ambitious users can use the powerful animation features, but it's not required.
Click Here to see this project...
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