Dystopian Projects and Activities

This dystopian package includes the following 6 projects and activities to pair with a dystopian unit. I have also paired these activities with a Holocaust unit, and Social Justice unit.

1. Dystopia Introduction (Power Point) – This activity asks students to review a series of images, colors, words, and sounds, and give an emotional assessment of each. At the end, students are then asked to reflect on their emotional reactions and explain what a world might look like where these items, emotions, and ideas do not exist.

2. Dystopia Defined (2-page Handout, Power Point) – This is a 2-page handout that reviews the characteristics of a dystopia, a dystopian protagonist, and dystopian fiction. This is used as a handy guide while reading a dystopian novel and can help students recognize the important elements commonly found in dystopian societies. This guide is paired with a Power Point showing 10 dystopian movie clips. Students are asked to watch the movie clips, then determine what dystopian elements they recognize in the movie clips. Lastly, students will compare and contrast two of the movie clips, ultimately deciding on one society they would like to live in the most, and one they would like to live in the least.

3. Utopian Societies (2-page Handout, 7 2-page Articles, Power Point) – This activity asks students to sit in 7 different groups, then read and annotate a 2-page article covering a modern-day utopian society. There are articles on 7 different utopian societies, and each delve into what everyday life is like in these societies. Students will work together to fill out a group packet in which they are asked to analyze their utopian society. Questions range from recognizing rules for the utopian society to creating a motto and flag for their society. Students will then present their society to the class, after which, they will then choose one place they would live and write a reflection outlining why. This project also includes a scoring guide.

4. Creating Your Own Utopia (4-page Handout) – In this activity, students will sit in groups and create their own utopian society. They begin by taking a short quiz to determine the values and goals that will be most important in their society, then answer a series of questions that cover a range of topics, from government to motto to education. Students are then asked to present their societies to the rest of the class. This project also includes a scoring guide.

5. Dystopian Novel Literature Review (8-page Handout) – This is a basic literature review in which students are asked to read a dystopian novel, then analyze the text. Questions include finding biographical information, defining the climax, creating thematic statements, outlining literary devices, and creating an annotated cartoon. This project is commonly paired with the Dystopian Novel Final Portfolio.

6. Dystopian Novel Final Portfolio (2-page Handout) – This projects asks students to read a dystopian noel, then create a book jacket for that novel. Students are asked to define literary elements, write a review, write short constructed responses, and draw their favorite scene. This project also includes a scoring guide.