Read the Excerpt From Anthem, by Ayn Rand.

Educational activity Canticle by Ayn Rand offers first-class opportunities for both philosophical and literary exploration (even if y'all disagree with her themes).  Hither are some approaches that have helped me in pedagogy Canticle.  I have grouped the ideas into before, during, and after reading sections.

Before starting the novella…

Think about why you are teaching Anthem.

Anthem is an amazing novella past an ingenious adult female who does not call up much of women generally .  She has go the darling of hard-core capitalists who oppose social programs (even though Rand herself ultimately accepted her social security benefits ).

Whatever your personal views, be prepared to defend your arroyo in educational activity Anthem. I have some strong opinions against many of Rand's views, merely that is one reason why I savour teaching the book. Students are in the classroom to consider a multifariousness of points of view. I try to present the book in an unbiased way, so students can develop and defend their ain ideas.

Related post: Why Y'all Should Teach Anthem by Ayn Rand

Get free copies of the book

For many years aynrand.org has offered free books for educators. I received eighty copies from their program , and information technology was very like shooting fish in a barrel. They also provide some (biased) teaching materials.

Become students thinking almost society earlier teaching Anthem.

Explain that for thousands of years philosophers and social scientists have been thinking nigh how to make a more perfect society. People are frequently trying to improve guild in different ways, but in that location take also been revolutionary changes (some with disastrous consequences.)

You lot may want to have students enquiry different forms of government/gild or the ideas of philosophers and authors.

Many authors have offered their hypothetical examples (" Utopias Becoming Dystopias " [3 minutes] instructional video from Shmoop.com .) Explain that in Canticle, Ayn Rand imagines a gild based on some interesting ideals and rules, including the abolitionism of singular personal pronouns (I, me, my, mine, his, her, etc.)

Thought experiment: society reboot

Enquire students to identify the biggest problems of their society. What if they could press the reset push button and start from scratch? Take the students engage in a thought experiment where they create an entirely new guild. Have them present the society to the form by identifying the fundamental ethics and how the new society would office.

Explore ideological conflicts before teaching Anthem.

Teach the basic concepts collectivism, socialism, free market place economy, capitalism, etc.  Explain that a major feature of the twentieth century was the ideological conflict resulting from the emergence of communism.

I like to explore the Cold War and commercialism vs. communism through propaganda cartoons:

• " Backer Sharks " (ten minutes) Pro-Soviet animation shows the Soviet workers overcoming external threats
• " Make Mine Liberty " (x minutes) 1948 anti-communism animation
• " American Imperialist: The Millionaire " (10 minutes) Soviet animation against capitalist dogs
• " Going Places " (9 minutes) 1948 animation about why capitalism works

Pupil reflections:

Why did each country find it so of import that everyone in their society agreed with their way of life? If their way of life was so keen, what were they worried about?

How can we balance the needs of the individual with the needs of lodge? Should the government require citizens to piece of work, wear a helmet, quit smoking, buy health insurance, pay taxes, join the army, or serve on a jury? Should the wealthy be forced to share their money?

Instruction Canticle activity: sticker  economies

Into : Discuss how people tin can become wealthy in a backer guild. Of grade, some ways are based on endeavor or ability and other means are fortuitous, like benefits of birth.

Through : Accept a trivia contest as a class. Explain that this contest is an analogy for economic science. The nature of the questions is unimportant, merely they should exist fairly difficult.

This competition will have a backer round and a communist round . In the backer circular, each student answers until they go an respond wrong, and they receive their earnings (some token reward) individually. The communist circular is identical except that the winnings get to a commonage reserve. When the communist round ends, all players receive an equal share.

Beyond : Ask students to reflect on the game:

• How did your results differ between the two rounds?
• In which round did yous earn more?
• Which round was more fair? Why?
• What if the claiming was more than effort than simply answering questions?
• How would the game be different if everyone started out with different amounts?
• How is this game an analogy?

Related post: Activities for Teaching Anthem by Ayn Rand

Connect to the author.

When teaching Anthem, help students contextualize the themes by learning well-nigh Ayn Rand's life.

Ayn Rand was born in Russia and was twelve when the revolutions began (1917). She experienced the plough to communism personally. The turmoil was difficult for her family (considered bourgeoisie); the government took their chemist's shop business.

When Rand came to the United States in 1926, she fell in dear with its ideals and decided that she had to stay. She has been criticized by many as sexist, hypocritical, and immoral. Others run across her as a champion of individualism and freedom.

Preview the culminating task.

Tell students in advance what they will need to do at the finish of the unit to demonstrate understanding. Help them to see where this exploration is headed.

Is there anything they should do every bit they read to make things easier later? For example, if they will be writing an essay on symbols / recurring elements, students might pick a symbolic element before even starting the novella and "crook" by taking notes as they read:

• The tunnel
• Names
• Nature / the sky
• Hurting / suffering
• Darkness / light
• Bible stories
• Physical beauty
• Forbidden words / ideas
• Mythological stories
• Indoctrination (brainwashing)
• Sexuality
• Technology

Related post: Set up-to-impress Anthem Unit Exam

Talk about how many find Rand'southward themes offensive.

In my view, a instructor is not meant to tell students which ideals are right and which ethics are wrong. The teacher should present the views an encourage students to think critically. Before students start reading, explain that Ayn Rand is a controversial figure and that they are to course their own conclusions on her letters. This increases engagement as students prepare to develop and support their views every bit they read Anthem .

While Reading Canticle…

Agree students accountable for independent reading.

When students are not prepared, a well-planned lesson becomes a shattered dream . You may realize that very few of the students actually read the assignment . The students who did read feel cheated and frustrated.

I take plant that the all-time way to concur students accountable for the assigned reading is through reading quizzes, which I count equally homework grades . The students who read feel victorious.

In the past, many of my students have tried to imitation their fashion through literature circle office sheets, online responses, reading packets, focus questions, and the similar. When this is the instance, it is non surprising that appointment is depression. A simple, 10-question quiz gets better results and means that I don't have to wade through piles of packets that the students have copied from each other anyway. Requite yourself (and the copying motorcar) a intermission. When the majority of the students read with fidelity, date follows.

Use the quizzes to communicate with parents / guardians. Having reliable data on the student's reading level is disquisitional to this conversation. If a pupil has a high reading level but cannot pass the quizzes, what is going on? If a student has a lower reading level and cannot pass, what can we do to help them?

 Suggested reading schedule:

• Week 1 Chapter one (5-37)
• Calendar week 2 Chapters ii-7 (38-77)
• Week 3 Chapters 8-12 (78-105)

Page numbers refer to ISBN: 9780451227577

Focus on textual prove when teaching Anthem.

The Common Cadre Standards identify slap-up emphasis on citing textual prove. As a effect, more and more standardized tests are asking students to demonstrate capable identification and citing of cardinal examples.

In my long-grade literature units, I want students to practice citing textual evidence in ii modes . First, I want the students to get comfortable in identifying and analyzing textual testify in informal classroom activities. Second, I want students to build on this skill in writing formal compositions and/or presentations that include formal citations.

Take students codify the rules governing the collective society .

In teaching Anthem, accept students retrieve well-nigh the primary rules governing their own society. What are the key ideals and principles? Accept them think about laws, rights, expectations, good citizenship, morality, and accomplishment.

Now accept them call back nearly the fundamental ideals in the world of Canticle . Equality illustrates them through his experiences and reflections. Accept the students create a document (anthem, constitution, code, transmission, etc.) expressing these ideals every bit the World Council of Leaders might.

Analyze indoctrination in the Canticle society.

Teaching Canticle is a neat inroad to studying propaganda and indoctrination. Take the students compare existent-life examples with the examples Equality describes in the novella.  In addition, ask students to consider how Anthem itself is propaganda.

Take students write from a collective point of view.

Ask the students to imagine that they live in a world without atypical pronouns and where all names have been replaced with numbers. Have the students write a short personal narrative (real story from their life) that does non include any names or singular personal pronouns (I, my, me, mine, he, she, him, her, his, or hers). This could be a friendly creative writing contest.

Trace the development of internal and external conflicts in Canticle.

Have the students call back most other narratives where the protagonist'south internal disharmonize and the master external disharmonize are inextricably linked. Have the students use textual evidence to trace Equality's autumn from collective idea. The students should identify key excerpts that develop the conflicts and provide insightful analysis for each:

"May the Council accept mercy upon u.s.! We had no wish to write such a question, and we knew not what we were doing till nosotros had written it. Nosotros shall not enquire this question and we shall not recollect it. We shall not call decease upon our head." (Rand 49)

Because he has been indoctrinated, Equality truly wants to stop his "sinful" ways. Even so his marvel and determination cannot be contained. When he stops to remember about his behavior, his internal conflict causes him great stress. At this signal, the external conflict with the society is minimal because he hides his crimes successfully. The reader can conceptualize that his marvel volition create the external conflict with the society.

If these ideas are helpful, delight consider purchasing my complete Anthem unit .

Analyze the hypocrisies of the egalitarianism in Anthem.

The society in Anthem is all about equality, or is it? Have students examine the novella and so far to observe primal examples about how "equality" works in Anthem . Are at that place whatsoever examples that show that their equality is non as perfect as they believe? How does Equality's interactions with the Globe Quango demonstrate this hypocrisy? Ask students to explain what Rand is saying regarding societies based on equality.

Teaching Canticle by examining the title

Definitions of an anthem:

ane) a rousing or uplifting song identified with a detail group, torso, or cause.

ii) a choral composition based on a Biblical passage, for singing by a church building choir.

Have students analyze Rand's pick of the title.  How does either of these definitions utilise? What other titles might she have considered?Inform the students that her original title was Ego.  Which championship is amend and why?

Pedagogy Anthem and give-and-take choice

Ask the students to focus on word choice in Anthem and explain that word choice includes…

• Figurative meanings (metaphors, similes, idioms, understatement, etc.)
• Connotative meanings (feelings and associations)
• Multiple meanings
• Tone
• Imagery / sensory linguistic communication (our five senses)
• Sense of time and place
• Allusions
• Sound devices (ingemination, parallel construction, repetition, etc…)

Have student groups select key excerpts so that they may present an analysis. Remind them to refer to the key discussion choice terms in a higher place as they explain Rand's style.

Related post:Anthem and the Common Cadre

Rand'southward use of allusions

Instruction Anthem is an excellent ways for studying how authors employ allusions to adjust their purpose.  In many cases, Rand inverts allusions to the divine in order to sanctify humanity.  For example, Equality and Liberty decide for themselves to return to Eden.  It is their cognition that allows rather than denies their entry to paradise.  Equality is his own god and merely considers his ain volition.

Have students analyze how Rand uses (or abuses) these connections:

1. Plato's "Allegory of the Cave"
2. Prometheus
3. Narcissus
4. Gaia
5. Moses (Mt. Sinai and the Exodus)
6. Genesis (Adam, Eve, and the Garden of Eden)
7. The New Testament (Jesus and his disciples)

Ask the students to consider why Rand, an atheist, utilizes Biblical and other religious references and then extensively.

After Reading Anthem…

Equality's evolving bespeak of view

Students should trace the evolution of Equality's point of view. Enquire the students to identify the betoken of view stages that Equality moves through. Every bit I see it, in that location are iii major stages of his betoken of view in the novella. Accept the students place one citation to represent each of the stages.

Journal idea:

Write Equality's last journal entry. Perhaps he is very sometime and preparing to die. What happened in the balance of his life? Did his signal of view alter or remain the same subsequently the terminal affiliate?

Accept students present on Anthem's  recurring elements and symbols.

Educational activity Canticle sample lesson:

Into : Review thematic elements and theme every bit necessary. Remind students that a thematic chemical element is a discussion or phrase while a theme is always a complete sentence (east.thousand. love vs. Love stinks.)

Have the students identify all of the themes (complete sentences) that they can identify in Anthem . Include the unimportant to the very important. Create a chart of the themes. Enquire students to place the most important themes to Rand.

Through / Beyond : Authors can develop themes in a diversity of ways. The writer might state the theme explicitly: eastward.g. "The message of this story is that you should always exist yourself." Usually the reader must think about the setting, plot events, symbols, motifs, etc. to make inferences and reach a determination well-nigh the theme. Assign each student group one of the following recurring elements Canticle :

• The tunnel
• Names
• Nature / the heaven
• Pain / suffering
• Darkness / light
• Bible stories
• Concrete beauty
• Forbidden words / ideas
• Mythological stories
• Indoctrination (brainwashing)
• Sexuality
• Technology

Students need to nowadays (logically and appropriately) to the class on how the motif develops a major theme. Annotation that Rand uses some motifs in non-traditional ways, like co-opting Bible stories to sanctify humans. Decide if you want the students to employ citations from the text or to simply explicate. (This task could be expanded into a major presentation consignment.)

Writing : The themes in Anthem are non isolated from each other. Cull two or more than themes from the grade chart and explain how Rand weaves the themes together. Consider including cardinal symbols and motifs in your explanation.

or

Respond to Rand'southward messages. Practice you hold with her completely? Do you disagree completely? Do you agree in some ways merely not others? Explain.

Digging in to controversy

On Rand'southward writing Dorothy Parker wrote, "It is non a novel to be tossed aside lightly. Information technology should be thrown with great strength." Many people despise Rand's messages. Ask students to identify the themes of Canticle , and explain the objections readers might have.

Encourage students to take or reject the messages of Anthem.

At present that Ayn Rand has had her say, it is time for students to have theirs. Which of her ideas are right and which are wrong? Should their exist a limit to self-involvement? Are her views unsafe? How should a social club balance individualism and collectivism? How much responsibility does an individual take for the well-beingness of others? What is off-white? Does fairness even matter? How much responsibility does an individual have for the well-being of others?

These types of questions are the reasons why I enjoy pedagogy Anthem .

Pedagogy Anthem to spark creative writing

(three ideas)

Utopia / Dystopia

Write a brusk story around the concept of utopia / dystopia. How might a gild seeking perfection in one aspect become terribly incorrect? For case, imagine a society that decided that the real problem was that everyone was not getting enough slumber. What farthermost measures might the lodge take? How might the extreme measures actually make life worse?

Demonstrate narrative elements: bespeak of view, plot, dialogue (maybe), transitions, sensory language, tone, tension, etc.

Anthem II: The Earth Quango Strikes Back

Ok, possibly the World Council doesn't strike back, but imagine y'all have been hired past the Ayn Rand Institute (information technology is real matter) to write a short sequel for Anthem . You could commencement right later the last chapter, skip ahead generations, or even write a prequel. Make sure you demonstrate narrative elements: point of view, plot, dialogue (maybe), transitions, sensory linguistic communication, tone, tension, etc…

Equality lives!

Equality has restored a printing press from the Unmentionable Times (this could be the proper name of the publication). He plans to write a one-page pamphlet to distribute in the City of Men.

Write the pamphlet arguing that individuals should carelessness the society and assistance Equality form his new society. Make sure to demonstrate the elements of written argument: claims, opposing claims, reasons, evidence, and transitions.

Pedagogy Anthem and pupil functioning

Globe Council Propaganda

The fact that Liberty and Equality abandoned the Metropolis has created a stir. The World Quango is uneasy. Create a propaganda entrada aimed at keeping everyone in line. Remember that the engineering science is limiting you to slogans, chants, plays, and posters.

Canticle on the phase or screen

In a cooperative group, conform one excerpt from Anthem for stage or screen. Piece of work together to write a simple script and keep a record of the discussions, disagreements and decisions (speaking and listening standards). Yous may change elements of the novella if it makes sense for the new medium, but stay true to the tone and theme. Before performing, give a summary of your group's creative choices.

Decision

Canticle has much to recommend it as a classroom text. Despite its brevity, it is packed with engaging elements and topics. Don't let political or philosophical concerns preclude yous from including it in your exercise. Teaching great literature is not meant to silence disagreement but to illuminate it.

If you accept establish these ideas for teaching Canticle helpful, please consider purchasing my complete Anthem unit .

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