Stop Teaching "Animal Farm!" (and send me some lessons!)

[SMONDRONE]

Political allegory, talking animals, and an ending should keep your students thinking ... sorry to say, it's no longer the "Beasts of England." ....Hey ... don't get me wrong. I love George Orwell and all porky protagonists. In fact, one of my most acclaimed projects last school year was an series of interactive maps of "Animal Farm" made by 10th grade student writers, some fun clip art and about 60 hyperlinked power point slides per class. But to be honest, the Literature teacher who was my partner and I were both a little disappointed with the kids' lack of prior knowledge and current interest to all of the anthropomorphism and political symbolism going on at Manor Farm.
So this year, we going to shake it up a little: keeping those aforementioned elements, we are going to focus on a different text, Brian K. Vaughan's "Pride of Baghdad." I know scholastic has published some on-line guides for that 2004 graphic novel, but I am looking for something a little 'meatier' (pun slightly intended.) Does anyone here have any experience teaching this book. Your input and/or materials you're willing to share would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Sebastian M.

[Sean]

I think one point of the book is: What does it mean to be human? In the book, the animals are more human than the humans. Of course in war one must dehumanize to kill. We don't do it out of necessity in the food chain. You could also use the animals as more of a civilian population that's caught in the middle of the war. The fact that no one is worried about the animals well-being or what they think or feel is just like discarding the civilian population's vote or political stance on a subject, such as the wars in the Middle East. Do governments ever stop and think what kinds of repercussions these decisions will have on a people? We're trying to completely some. Lots fo great discussions or essays can come from the book. If I think of a lesson (I haven't taught it....yet) then I will surely post it.

[Marek Bennett]

And potentially some great comics, too... Understanding a graphic novel often requires creating some comics of your own in its style or theme. What if you ask your students to imagine themselves as familiar animals in extreme (dehumanizing) circumstances that they live in (as humans) every day -- Say, in a city, or in the food industry, or in a dog breeding kennel, or in a natural area being developed for industry ...

Such comics would require research and imaginative narration from the animals' point of view.

[SMONDRONE]

Thanks -

[Marek Bennett]

I half thought you were going to tell us you'd switched over to Walt Kelly's POGO... Actually, some of Kelly's political satire would make a great counterpoint to the serious realism of "Pride..."

[Ryan Goble]

Hey Smondrone - you might cross post this in the and American & British Lit groups - I know of the book but have not taught it - in the meantime, I can tell you that MC POPPER Amanda Hunter had a lot of success with Animal Farm because she team teaches with a history teacher and links the whole novel to persuasion and advertising and uses the PBS film the Merchant of Cool.

Also, a nice companion film for Animal Farm = Babe.

I know that didn't help at all for Pride of Baghdad - I'll have to read that one and get back to you.

[Sean]

I just ran across a supplemental resource for the graphic novel: Saving the Baghdad Zoo. It looks to be very informational and goes right along with the novel. I tried to grab a copy at my review club meeting, but some aggressive grubby-handed librarian got to it before me!