Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Read Sir Thomas More’s Utopia.
• Analyze information from a text.
• Read the Bill of Rights and other excerpts from the Constitution of the United States.
• Develop and articulate an argument about the pros and cons of a “utopian” society.
• Write and perform a monologue.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Lyrics: “Imagine”
• Elements of Society
• Utopian Monologue Planner

Videos

• “Imagine” by John Lennon
• Utopia Chapter Summaries
• Creative Monologue with Khaleshia Thorpe-Price

Websites

• Utopia’s Original Text
• Utopia by Thomas More
• Bill of Rights

Teacher Background

Teachers should be familiar with Thomas More’s Utopia and the Bill of Rights.

Student Prerequisites 

Students should be familiar with the Bill of Rights. 

Accessibility Notes

Modify handouts, text, and utilize assistive technologies as needed. Provide preferential seating for presentations and space for movement during monologues. Allow extra time for task completion.

Engage

1. Play the song “Imagine” by John Lennon and just have students listen for fun. Play the song again providing students with the Lyrics: “Imagine” and have them follow along. 

2. Engage students in a discussion about the lyrics. Ask students to discuss Lennon’s vision of a perfect world (no heaven or hell, no countries, no religion, no possessions, etc.).

3. Introduce the idea of a “utopia” or an idealized society. Ask students to share what they know about the term “utopia.” Explain that the word “utopia” is originally the title of a work by Sir Thomas More (1477–1535), an English scholar and Catholic saint who was executed by Henry VIII after he refused to sign an oath recognizing the king as supreme head of the Church of England. More’s utopia is a fictional account of an idealized society with a just government, a happy and prosperous population, and a peaceful attitude. More describes the society in an anthropological way, as if he visited the country. He expresses great admiration for the way of life in the utopia he describes.

4. Provide students with background about Thomas More’s book, Utopia. For example:

- It was written in 1516.

- The original book is written in Latin.

- The book tries to define an ideal republic.

- One of its main themes is the idea that all private property should be abolished and that all goods and materials should be held collectively by the people and distributed equally.

- Explore excerpts from Utopia’s Original Text.

Build

1. Give students an overview of Utopia by Thomas More. If the book is not accessible to your students, reference the Quotes: Sir Thomas More’s Utopia or the Utopia Chapter Summaries videos. Students will learn about the main ideas and societal elements expressed in More’s Utopia.

2. Have a follow-up discussion with students about More’s “ideal society.” Ask students: What are the main themes of More’s Utopia? What would the implications be for society if this were achieved? What roles did individuals play in the society described by More? How does the society balance the role of the individual with that of the government?

3. Distribute the Elements of Society and handout. Have students work in small groups to identify specific characteristics related to an element of the society described in the book. Have them take a position on the topic and determine if and why they agree or disagree with More’s ideals. Allow time for students to discuss their responses in small groups.

4. Introduce the Bill of Rights to students. Discuss the amendments proposed by the First Congress of the United States on September 25, 1789. Compare and contrast the kind of society that the American forefathers created with that of which More was suggesting.

5. Have students rejoin their groups to reflect on More’s Utopia and the Bill of Rights. Ask students to discuss the following questions: What laws or rights do you agree or disagree with? If you could create an ideal or utopian society, what laws or rights would you implement? What are the characteristics of your ideal society? What would you keep the same? What would you change?

Apply

1. Tell students they are going write a monologue sharing their idea of a utopian society. Monologues are a form of storytelling. They serve to express one person's inner thoughts or ideas. Display the Teaching Artists Present video, Creative Monologue with Khaleshia Thorpe-Price, to build student background knowledge on writing and performing monologues. Discuss with students: What is a monologue? What are the essentials of a solo performance?

2. Distribute the Utopian Monologue Planner. Choose an element of society to focus on: (geography and geology, layout of cities and gardens, government and justice system, work, family structure, travel, enslavement, war, religion). Each student will draft a one-minute monologue, meeting the following criteria:

- Create a character.

- Choose a target audience (family, community, local, state, or national leader, another character, self, etc.).

- Identify one element of society (geography and geology, layout of cities and gardens, government and justice system, work, family structure, travel, enslavement, war, religion).

- Declare the characteristics, laws, and/or rights associated with the element in your utopian society in a one-minute monologue.

- Determine lighting, costumes, and simple props needed for the performance.

3. Allow time for students to write and rehearse. They can reference the Elements of Society handout, the Bill of Rights, and More’s Utopia to support the development of their ideas.

Reflect 

1. Perform monologues for an audience. Assess the performances, evaluating the characteristics, laws, and/or rights expressed in the monologue. Engage students in a follow-up discussion or written reflection by asking: How can a monologue express important, new, or contrasting thoughts and ideas?