In my British Literature course, I teach this A Modest Proposal lesson. And I have success with it year after year. Check out how I successfully implement this activity in my secondary English classroom.
A modest proposal: Activator
Key to success with this A Modest Proposal lesson is establishing a timeline for your students. To do that, I suggest introducing the time period. That would include its historical details as well as socioeconomic factors. In my classroom, I use a one-page informative article with my students. We read about the time period and discuss prior knowledge so we have a starting point for A Modest Proposal. I have also used some YouTube videos to introduce the time period.
A Modest Proposal: Text
The majority of my A Modest Proposal lesson definitely centers around the text itself. I provide students with their own copy and we work through it together. To help aid understanding, I modify the text so it features comprehension questions throughout. These are along the lines of summary, as opposed to analysis, so we can get through the text more quickly. I also have a Spanish translation of the text (and comprehension questions) that I use with my non-native speakers for my A Modest Proposal lesson.
A Modest Proposal: Activity
The activity I use with this lesson invites students to interact with the satire of the text. To make it more fun and engaging, I give each small group a “deck of cards.” I’ve created these to look just like playing cards, but each card features a quotation from the text. Students use these cards to complete a graphic organizer that has students investigate five satirical elements Swift uses. For an added challenge in this A Modest Proposal lesson, you could withhold these cards and have students look in the text on their own.
A Modest Proposal: Summative Assessment
All of the hard work completed to start the lesson culminates in the final task. For this, I have students write a one-page essay that critiques a modern day issue. Students use a handful of satirical elements already covered as they mimic Swift’s style. I provide them with a skeleton to brainstorm as well as the rubric. The result ends up being a ton of fun! Kids love to “spill the tea,” so to speak, and this assessment allows them to do just that.
Summary of A Modest Proposal Lesson
In sum, teaching Jonathan Swift’s satirical essay is such a fun A Modest Proposal lesson. Especially with seniors like I have in my British Literature course. If this activity sounds up your alley, check out a ready-to-print resource I have on my TpT page.
