Utopia/Dystopia Presentations

Period 1: Classroom

EQ: What would a Utopia look like? How might we solve some of our society's deepest problems? How might I, as a writer, use these Utopian ideas as a background/setting for my own dystopian story draft?

Our next creative writing task will be to create and write a dystopian story draft. Use the ideas presented today as fodder or inspiration for your own fictional setting.

Directions: As we listen to or view our peer's ideas for a perfect society (Utopia), take note of ideas that might help you create a setting in which to challenge your fictional characters. How might you use these ideas in creating your own story/setting? After each presentation, please take 2-3 minutes to capture ideas in your notes/writing journal about what elements might you borrow or use for your own ideas. Consider characters in this society: who might they be? How might they adapt to this kind of society? What might they think of this perfect society? What might be some loopholes or problems with the kind of society presented by your peers? Sketch out ideas in your notes. These will be used to help create your own original draft of a dystopian story.

When presentations have been delivered today, we will provide verbal feedback to the presenters.

• What seems to be a good idea from the presentation(s) you saw today?
• What might be a problem or conflict that arises from the presentation(s) you saw today if these were enacted in our own culture/society?
• How might some of these ideas be enacted in our society? Predict what might be the result if such an idea was enacted. Evaluate the idea. Still a good idea? If not, why not?
• Further comments/criticism/praises about your peers presentations?

Use the rubric to evaluate your peers:

Presentation Rubric:

A: Student or group presented a creative and thoughtful, insightful vision of their designed utopia to the class. Key questions were examined thoughtfully, with many good illustrations or concrete examples as to how such a society might fulfill its mission statement. Work inspires or comments on our own society or culture or experience in a thoughtful and creative way. Visual aide(s) is used to creatively illustrate key points on the topic for the benefit of the class. Presentation was energetic, interesting, and/or creative and thoughtful.
B: Student or group presented a thoughtful vision of their designed utopia to the class. Some of the questions posed were examined, using some illustration or concrete example drawn from our culture/history or experience. A good visual aide helped illustrate key points on the topic for the benefit of the class. Presentation was adequate, with some energy and creativity behind it.
C: Student or group presented to the class a vision of their designed utopia. Some of the questions posed were attempted or answered, although not as thoroughly as scores above. A visual aide was presented to the class. Presentation was acceptable, but may have lacked elements from scores above.
D: Student or group presented a half-baked or weak idea. Students clearly did not examine the issue effectively. Student did not attempt to answer the questions posed in class, or could not complete presentation. Presentation is less thoughtful or creative. No visual aide.
F: Student or group did not present their ideas of a Utopia to the class.

Students/groups that did not present today, will present next class.

Period 2:

EQ #1: How do we prepare to write a critical analysis paper?

For your critical analysis of Brave New World or A Clockwork Orange, select a thesis (perhaps from one of our discussion questions from last class). Your critical analysis paper (not due yet) will include:

• An introduction to hook the reader, leading in to create the paper's thesis. 
• A summary of the novel.
• A critical review of at least 3 outside or online sources (including a summary of each article's main or key points) and your evaluation of each article.
• A critical evaluation of the novel (using the sources you examined as support)
• A conclusion connecting ideas presented in the paper to our current society or culture.

Use previous notes/classes to start your critical analysis paper. Start by choosing and defining a thesis. Since the first part of your critical analysis is a short summary of the book you read, use your notes and write this part of the paper first. Save your work.

During period 2, there's some presentation about possibly winning a free car or something that's happening in the Ensemble theater this period. If you want to attend, please let me know and we'll head down.

HOMEWORK: Begin to write your critical analysis paper, and/or your dystopian story draft. Both will be due in your portfolio at the end of the marking period. Workshops will occur when we return from Feb. break.