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Act
with an educated voice… |
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Brave New World Revisited
Assignments
The first five assignments are intended to be done in order as the students progress through the book. The remaining three links are alternate assessment methods that may be used with the assignments.
| 1. Introductory Assignment | 5. Personal Awareness |
| 2. Present and Future Concerns | Focus Group Research |
| 3. Buying and Selling | Information Dissemination |
| 4. Population control | Issue Awareness |
1. Introductory Assignment top
Students should work in groups to complete one of the four options relating to the Foreword. The groups may be assigned an option or choose for themselves.
Option 1
Watch 3 different news broadcasts. Compare how each cast presents the same story. What emphasis is the news given? How important do the newscasters consider the story? What importance do they give the story as you can determine from their choice of words and tone of voice? Some networks and independents present everything in a light, flippant attitude; other look only for the lurid and sensational. These are good bases to use for comparisons.Option 2
Based on the presentation of ads on TV, radio, magazines/newspapers, identify the "best" 1) age to be, 2) car to drive, 3) job to have, 4) pastime, 5) drink, 6) clothes. What criteria are used to make people targeted by the ads believe what is the "best"?Option 3
List 10 different kind of activities people do for pleasure and relaxation. (Do not give multiples of the same kind. Sports in general is a kind: games other than sports are another kind of activity.) Why do people need recreation? How does that need relate to the kinds of activities?Option 4
List the rights all humans have, in so far as they are human. What responsibilities are connected with those rights? (Remember, these rights that are due all people, whether they are given them or not. Don't just restate the Bill of Rights or the Constitution.)
2.Present and Future Concerns top
The groups will prepare a brief essay (200-300 words) offering the groups' thoughts about one of the following topics which are current and were matters of Brave New World.
Option 1
Genetic engineering has offered rulers and leaders the hints of creating kinds of people they wish to have in their society.Option 2
Clones, once considered kinds of scientific boogie men or zombies, have become a reality.Option 3
Today the ability to create in vitro fertilization, fertility drugs, and artificial insemination has taken our birthing a step closer to Huxley's hatcheries.
3. Buying and Selling top
Groups will analyze the kinds of propaganda in each of these areas and try to determine what can be done by whomever to help the public from being duped by these kinds of propaganda. A narrative essay will be submitted with the group's consensus about the areas of their choosing.
- A detailed look at the kind of stimulation and grabbing power ads have is necessary. This will be a follow up on the second possibility of the introductory assignment for this book.
- A careful reading of/listening to political ads or political speeches will divulge whether the words used are for show or for meaning. Politicians are famous for saying nothing with many fine-sounding words.
- A search of the supermarket for packaging categories and comparison of prices per unit based on the packaging will help show the need to read and save money.
4. Population Control top
Group work relating to chapters VI - end is an essay to determine whether the following methods for population control (ordering, not birth) are humane, appropriate, or totally demeaning without any redeeming qualities. To conclude your discussion of these methods, determine what conditions must exist in human society to make these methods of population control unnecessary.
- Brainwashing has come forward in our country from parents who want their children de-programmed from organizations that seem to fanatic in outlook.
- The drug problem is ever-growing. One cannot watch TV during the day without being subjected to repeated ads for drug or alcohol dependence. Household idols are involved in substance abuse and we receive the contrary information that they use, yet drug use is not good. Those who are addicted are truly controlled by their supplier.
- Subliminal ads in some '50's movies were intended to boost concession sales. Some said it worked; others denied success. Today some department stores are playing in their background music subliminal audio messages against stealing. These stores maintain their shoplifting has decreased.
- Sleep learning was once fostered to make learning easy. It fell on hard times but has returned. Some scientists say that although learning is not accomplished, an affinity for a later study is created
5. Personal Awareness top
Final group work for this book is below. The length will depend on how well you have understood and can understand and how well you wish to exhaust the possibilities. Each group should pick one of the following projects whose completion will make you aware of the need to know about things around you.
Option 1
Recognize three different types of advertisement techniques. Explain how the ad is trying to sell the product, and whether the technique has anything to do with the product itself.Option 2
Write to a consumer advocate about a meaningful consumer problem. (A copy of the letter will be graded for content. If you get a response, that will add points to the final grade. )Option 3
List some pleasures and recreations that people do that are opposed to humanity and degrade individuals as human beings.
Focus Group Research top
Pick a number of topics relating to future issues, such as the issues presented in Brave New World Revisited. Students should be arranged in even number groups and provided with a reading assignment to introduce them to the issue. Students should then do further research on the topic, and share their findings with the remainder of a group. Assessment can be based on a short synopsis of the article each student writes. If a copy of the article is included this may be saved for future use.
Some example topics:
- cloning/eugenics
- population
- privacy
- election reform
Information Dissemination top
Group work can be a beneficial learning strategy, however when groups have different topics of focus it is important for the entire class to share their information for the benefit of all. The following are some strategies for sharing information with the class.
Press conference or Press Release
Each focus group conducts a press release for the class to share what they have learned. References and vocabulary should be made clear. Assessment can be based on the clarity of the information disseminated, student generated handouts can useful.Infomercial
Students create video segments to inform the class. References and vocabulary should be made clear. This will allow students to show their understanding of the use of propaganda techniques.Seminar
Each focus group creates presentation board and/or handouts for the students. Student groups can be spit in half and each half moves around the room from issue to issue allowing stationary half to share on a more one to one basis. After a designated period of time the students can switch roles allowing everyone to listen and present. Assessment can be based on individual notes collected. Some instructors have required that each topic create a worksheet for all the visiting students.
Issue Awareness top
Below are some alternative options for assessing the students awareness of a topic.
Newspaper
Each focus group can express their understanding by writing a newspaper which includes one article per student related to their research. Students can write a newspaper on their own or in groups. Consider having the students create their newspaper on paper or as a webpage design. The collection of newspapers can be shared with the other students as a general overview or as a reference for the class.Laws
Research the laws that are being created on your topic. Students can write their own law and conduct a debate with the entire class. Possibly have a local representative visit the class to discuss the merits of the laws the students have written.Debate
Each focus group is divided in half to represent pro and con sides of their focus group issue or proposed law (student generated or official). The students conduct their debate in front of the students in class with the other students serving as judges. This can be done according to strict debate rules, or any variation you wish. The students may be assessed on the number of arguments for the position, the number of references used, clarity of explanation, general behavior. It may be beneficial to have students in class vote on the winners in writing and include a reason for their decision. A worksheet to help students keep track of their questions, arguments and references would make the assessment easier. This will help to lessen the amount of side talking and increase the attention of the observing students.simple debate format:
| pro/con arguments |
Students should present arguments for their position and present their reference support. |
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| pro/con rebuttal | Students may question the opposing side for clarification of vocabulary or arguments. No new arguments are allowed to be brought up. | |
| pro/con closing | Students present their position, counter or attack opposing position. | |
Socratic Seminar
Each member of the focus group writes 3 questions or concerns related to each of the groups. As a group they review them and decide which are their top 2 choices from the group for each topic. A topic is drawn from a hat, or offered by a student to begin the seminar.