Animal Farm: Dictatorship

These resources enable students to understand and analyse the characteristics of Napoleon’s dictatorship in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. In addition, students learn to make clear and accurate interpretations regarding the events of the chapters 5 and 6, (as Napoleon’s dictatorship begins to emerge) and make appropriate links to individual characters and their allegorical relationship to context. As these chapters signal the end of the animal democracy on the farm, and the start of Napoleon’s totalitarian dictatorship, a heavy emphasis throughout these resources is placed upon the character of Napoleon - particularly with regards to his similarities with Joseph Stalin.

There are easily enough resources for two lessons within this pack. Students learn through the following tasks:
- Gauging and collaborating prior knowledge through a discussion-based starter task;
- Gauging their knowledge of key terms such as ‘totalitarian’ and ‘oppression’ through a collaborative card-sorting activity;
- Reading chapters 5 and 6 and demonstrating their understanding through an apt and informative worksheet;
- Developing their understanding of the main character of Snowball, and his allegorical equivalent, Joseph Stalin, through a comparison task;
- Analysing the links between Napoleon and Stalin in chapters 5 and 6, using a templated writing frame;
- Peer assessing their partners’ learning attempts.

The following resources are provided:
- Engaging and colourful step-by-step PowerPoint;
- Cards for card-sorting activity;
- Teacher lesson guidance/plan;
- Analytical paragraphs worksheet;
- Pictures for comparison task;
- Copies of Chapters 5 and 6.

All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the PowerPoint.