In June 2015, Americans were rocked by the disclosure of the National Security Agency’s (NSA) unabashed data mining of phone records from ordinary American citizens. A former government contractor named Edward Snowden, who worked for the NSA and stole classified documents, and disclosed the revelation to journalists who work for The Guardian and The Washington Post. Americans who were already leery of their government’s growing reach were instantly reminded of the Orwellian dystopia pictured in 1984, and the novel saw a resurgence in retail sales and classroom applications.
Have students research some government or political scandals like the 2013 NSA scandal example, and document how the government or leaders overstepped their bounds. Have them document the scandal in a Storyboard using historical photos from our Photos For Class search engine, or using characters.
After reading 1984, have students read the “Lesson of the Ants” Arthur experiences in Book I of The Once and Future King. Have students create a storyboard that compares and contrasts the language of Newspeak with the language of the ants. Ask students to analyze the impact that the restriction of language has on both societies, and on the citizens’/ants’ thought processes.
Have your students analyze how much information they put online via social media sites and services. Never before in history have we provided so much private, personal information about ourselves to be viewed publicly! Ask them a popular question that many have asked in the wake of services such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram:
Have we become Big Brother?
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a timeline of a political or government scandal and document how the government or leaders overstepped their bounds.
Encourage students to explore multiple perspectives by assigning them different roles (e.g., government official, privacy advocate, journalist). Structured debates help students critically examine issues and practice respectful discussion.
Show students how to identify trustworthy articles, websites, and documentaries. Teach them to check author credentials, publication dates, and biased language to ensure accurate understanding.
Demonstrate how to sequence events clearly, using images and brief descriptions. Visual timelines help students see cause and effect in historical government actions.
Ask students to journal or discuss how modern technology affects their privacy. Connecting lessons to personal experience deepens understanding and engagement.
Lead the class in creating a shared summary or poster of major takeaways about government overreach. Collaborative reflection reinforces learning and builds community.
Government overreach refers to situations where authorities exceed their legal power, impacting citizen rights. Students can research real-world examples by investigating political scandals like the 2013 NSA phone records case, using credible news sources and creating timelines or storyboards to document findings.
Start by introducing a recent example, such as the NSA scandal or Edward Snowden's disclosures. Guide students to research similar events, document steps in a timeline, and illustrate with images. Encourage discussion on the impact of government actions on privacy and rights.
Have students compare the language control in 1984 to modern media, analyze recent government surveillance cases, or create storyboards that contrast Newspeak with real-world examples. Exploring current events makes Orwell’s themes relevant and memorable.
Ask students to read passages on Newspeak in 1984, then analyze their own social media posts for simplified or restricted language. They can create a storyboard or chart to illustrate similarities and discuss how language shapes thought in both contexts.
Encouraging students to reflect on the amount of personal information they share helps them understand privacy risks and the potential for surveillance. This awareness fosters responsible digital citizenship and connects literature themes like Big Brother to real life.