The power point shows the dystopian unit for 8th grade E.L.A, where they examine a text of their choice.

1. Subject: English Language Arts
Topic: Dystopian Literature
Grade: 8th
Objectives: S.W.B.A.T identify
dystopian qualities in a
dystopian texts.

2.  Dystopia: is a society that is broken
down, unpleasant, or in an oppressed or
terrorized state. Unlike a utopia, a
perfect world, dystopias are grim, dark,
and hopeless. They reveal society’s
greatest fears. Totalitarian governments
rule and the needs and wants of
individuals become subordinate to the
state.

3. Dystopian protagonists
• Often feel trapped and struggle to escape
• Question the existing social and political
situations
• Believes and feels that something is horribly
wrong with their society
• Helps the audience recognize the negative
aspects of the dystopian world through his or
her perspective

4. Setting
• The surroundings or environment of anything
– Time
• Date
• Hour
• Historical Era
• Season
– Place
• Region
• Locale
• Single Room
– Weather
• Can be symbolic

5. Task
• Students will select one of the following texts or
any other dystopian texts (How I Live Now,
Hunger Games ect.) to read and examine the
dystopian qualities: character traits, setting and
plot.

6. Process
• 1. Students will read one dystopian story
• 2. Students will examine the use of character traits, plot and
setting and take notes on dystopian qualities that they
recognize in the dystopian text of their choice using the graphic
organizer below.
Character Traits Setting Plot

7. Resources
• Teacher’s College Units of Study in Argument,
Information and Narrative Writing.

8. Evaluation

9. Conclusion
• Students will use their work to write a five-
paragraph essay depicting dystopian qualities
through setting, plot and character traits.