Summary
In this cross-curricular lesson, students will read and analyze the short story "Harrison Bergeron" by American author Kurt Vonnegut. In the social studies class, students will consider how the amendments to the Constitution promote social balance. They will discuss various claims supporting the amendments and present evidence showing how the amendments affect society. Students will examine the structure of the amendments and draft amendments they hope will improve society for everyone. In the ELA classroom, students will discuss Vonnegut’s fictional story, relate it to our current society, and write an extension to the story based on those conversations.
Essential Question(s)
If society enforced total social balance, what would we lose — and would it be worth it?
Snapshot
Engage
Students participate in a Four Corners strategy focused on the important statement, "Fairness is more important than freedom."
Explore
Students use the I Notice, I Wonder strategy to examine the U.S. Constitutional Amendments.
Engage 2 (optional)
Students will use I Think/We Think to answer the question, “Is being the same as everyone else a good or bad idea?”
Explain
Students read and highlight the short story "Harrison Bergeron" for words and phrases that support Sounds Like/Looks Like/Feels Like.
Extend
Students consider evidence supporting or opposing the validity of constitutional amendments by participating in a Claim Cards strategy in small groups.
Evaluate
Students write fair amendments to the Constitution, which contribute to the betterment of society using the CER strategy.
Evaluate 2 (optional)
Students write an original extension to the end of Harrison Bergeron and create a multimodal presentation for their final presentation.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Harrison Bergeron handout (attached; one per student)
Current U.S. Constitutional Amendments handout (attached; one per student)
Four Corners Signs handout (attached)
Claim Cards handout (attached; one set per group)
Agree or Disagree handout (attached; one per student)
I Think, We Think handout (attached; optional)
Extension Project handout (attached; one per student; optional)
Highlighters
Markers
Chart paper
Sticky notes (two different colors per group)
Preparation
30 Minute(s)
Four Corners Set-up
Use the Four Corners Signs attachment to print signs, or to make your own signs, if you prefer. Place signs labeled Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree around the room prior to class.
Padlet
For the Extend, create a Padlet (link tech tool: https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/1077) and share the link/QR code with students for the Video in Padlet activity.
Engage
20 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides.
Show slide 3 to begin the lesson. Take a moment to read aloud the essential question: "If society enforced total social balance, what would we lose – and would it be worth it?”
Move to slide 4 and review the lesson objectives.
Show slide 5. Watch the short clip that explains what social balance is. Stop the video at the 35-second mark. Ask students to discuss their opinions of the concepts of social balance and fairness.
Show slide 6. Share the directions for the instructional strategy, Four Corners.
Show slide 7. Ask students to consider the statement, "Fairness is more important than freedom."
Explain that fairness is defined as "treating people according to their needs, free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism."
Pass out the Agree or Disagree handout to each student. Give students a few minutes to form their opinions about the statement and write their answers on the Agree or Disagree handout, then ask them to move to one of the four corners in the room: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree.
Show slide 8. Have groups discuss their opinions about the statement and choose a spokesperson to share their thoughts.
Show slide 9. After each representative has spoken, give students who may have changed their opinions an opportunity to switch groups. Ask students who change groups to explain their reasons for changing.
Explore
30 Minute(s)
Display slide 10. Explain the instructional strategy, I Notice, I Wonder. Share the U.S. Constitutional Amendments (or pass out the Current U.S. Constitutional Amendments handout).
Pass out sticky notes to each group (two different colors for each group).
Instruct students to partner up and discuss their observations regarding the structure of the different amendments. What do they notice? What do they wonder? Remind students to examine the amendments for similarities and/or patterns and include those observations on their sticky notes. Remind students to take a picture of their I Notice, I Wonder or keep their sticky notes for a later activity.
As students share their reflections, consider unhiding slide 11 to help visually talk about each “notice/wonder” students share.
Engage 2 (optional)
10 Minute(s)
Unhide slide 12 and introduce the I Think/We Think strategy. Pass out the I Think, We Think handout to each student. Have students individually answer the question, “Is being the same as other people good or bad?” in the left column. Then, have the students form groups of three to discuss their answers, writing notes about what the group thinks in the right column. Have students choose a spokesperson and share their answers.
Explain
50 Minute(s)
Show slide 13. Introduce the author, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Distribute copies of the short story handout, Harrison Bergeron, and highlighters for students.
Show slide 14. Have students listen to a portion of the audio version of "Harrison Bergeron."
The audio version takes 15:38 minutes. About 5–7 minutes into the reading (choose an appropriate stopping place), stop and discuss the current constitutional amendments in relation to the amendments mentioned in the story.
Ask students to discuss the following:
Define "amendment" based on their prior knowledge.
Recall the number of amendments we currently have to the Constitution.
Recall any of the amendments to the Constitution from the previous activity.
Show slide 15 with the list of the 27 amendments to the Constitution and brief explanations for each. You can also distribute the attached Current U.S. Constitutional Amendments handout if you have not already. Ask students the following discussion questions:
Which amendment do you think improved society the most? Why?
Based on the first paragraph of the story, how many amendments had been added to the Constitution from the present to 2081, the date of the story?
Show slide 16. Introduce the instructional strategy, Why-Lighting. Have students highlight instances of unfairness and violations of rights reflected in the print copy of the story. Ask them to write in the margins of the story handout a list of which rights are being taken away and why this is unfair.
Show slide 17 and ask students to keep in mind the concept of “fairness” as they listen. Remind students that "fairness" means treating people according to their needs, freedom from self-interest or favoritism.
Show slide 18. Ask students to continue Why-Lighting as they listen to the story and read along. Continue playing the audiobook version.
When the story has finished, transition to slide 19 and have a class discussion on the issues of unfairness that are displayed in the story.
Were the amendments good for the people?
What basic human rights were being violated to create a "truly uniform" society?
Extend
50 Minute(s)
Show slide 20 and reread the essential question, "If society enforced total social balance, what would we lose — and would it be worth it?”
Show slide 21 and introduce the instructional strategy Claim Cards.
Have students split up into groups of five (5) and pass out a set of Claim Cards. Have each group member select one of the Claim Cards to complete and then discuss with the group. Explain to the students that these claims are based on U.S. Constitutional Amendments.
Show slide 22 after all student groups have discussed their Claim Cards. Have them create a Video in Padlet that includes a claim statement, a brief explanation of why they believed this claim was the best, and evidence to support this claim.
Have students watch their peers’ videos and comment on at least two videos. Comments may be questions or positive observations and remarks.
Evaluate
40 Minute(s)
Show slide 23. Instruct students to review their sticky note results from earlier in the lesson. Have them share their observations about the structure of the amendments.
Show slide 24. Ask students the following question: How can the U.S. Constitution be improved?
As a class, brainstorm some ways the U.S. Constitution should be changed. Have a student from each group write responses on the board or a piece of chart paper. Instruct students to choose a change they consider important and draft an amendment to the Constitution.
Show slide 25. Share with students the two available options: (1) write a 28th amendment and a Claim, Evidence, Reasoning paragraph, or (2) create a multimedia presentation. This is an individual project.
Advise students to ensure that the new amendment includes the following:
It is fair for all people.
It improves society.
It includes evidence for the need for and importance of the amendment.
Instruct them to include in the C-E-R paragraph the following:
A statement of a new amendment.
Claim about its efficacy.
Evidence that this amendment is necessary.
Reasoning explaining how the amendment is fair and how it will help society.
Remind students that these should be similar to the Claim Cards activity they completed previously.
Instruct them to include in the multimedia presentation the following:
A new amendment
A sixty-second presentation including pictures, artwork, music, text, or video displaying why the amendment is necessary, how it is fair, and how it will help society.
Move to slide 26. Students will now get into groups of four to share their new amendment CER OR multimedia presentation. The students should choose their favorite presentation through a silent vote, and the chosen presentations will be presented to the whole class.
Evaluate 2 (optional)
95 Minute(s)
Move to slide 27 and unhide. Pass out the Extension Project handout to every student. As they go through each step, students will individually write an extension to the story and create a multimedia presentation.
Unhide slide 28. Students will then get into groups of four to share their story extension OR multimedia presentation. The students will choose their favorite presentation through a silent vote, and the chosen presentations will be presented to the whole class.
Resources
Anthropic. (2026). Claude (Claude Sonnet 4) [Large language model]. https://claude.com/product/overview
CommonLit, Inc. (2018, Mar. 23). Harrison Bergeron pre-reading video. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0sCJdhW5tU
FindLaw. (n.d.). U. S. Constitutional amendments. https://constitution.findlaw.com/amendments.html
JedmondFish. (2019, July 26). "Harrison Bergeron" Audiobook - Kurt Vonnegut Jr. [Audio]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP_YwwwIScU&t=11s
K20 Center. (n.d). Claim cards. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/160
K20 Center. (n.d.) Claim, evidence, reasoning. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/156
K20 Center. (n.d.). Four corners. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/138
K20 Center. (n.d.). I notice, I wonder. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/180
K20 Center. (n.d.). I think / we think. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/141
K20 Center. (n.d.). Padlet. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/1077
K20 Center. (n.d.). Video in Padlet. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/4077
K20 Center. (n.d). Why-lighting. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/128
Tuttle, C. & Halvorssen, T. (2009). 2081. [Video]. Moving Picture Institute and Passing Lane Films. https://www.teaching2081.org/watch-the-film
Vonnegut, K. (1961). Harrison Bergeron. CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/texts/harrison-bergeron
YourDictionary. (n.d.). Your dictionary. https://www.yourdictionary.com/amendment