51ºÚÁÏ

Lesson 19: The Historical Notes – Rewriting Offred’s Story
A Complete GCSE/A-Level English Literature Lesson on The Handmaid’s Tale

Overview
This fully resourced lesson explores the Historical Notes section of The Handmaid’s Tale, challenging students to consider how history is written, whose voices are prioritised, and how Atwood critiques male academic authority. Through structured discussion, textual analysis, and critical perspectives, students will assess the reliability of Offred’s story and examine the implications of historical interpretation.

Key Learning Objectives

• Understand the purpose of the Historical Notes.
• Analyse how Atwood critiques historical narratives and academic authority.
• Assess the reliability of Offred’s account.

Lesson Activities

• Starter Task: First impressions – students reflect on their initial reactions to the Historical Notes and compare its tone to Offred’s narrative.
• Who Controls the Narrative? Independent analysis of Professor Pieixoto’s lecture, followed by a class discussion on male academic authority.
• Debate: Can Offred’s account be trusted, or is it shaped by her perspective and limitations?
• Critical Interpretations: Feminist, postmodern, and dystopian readings of the Historical Notes.
• Challenge Task: Short response on how history remembers women’s stories.
• Exit Task: Reflecting on Atwood’s use of metafiction and narrative ambiguity.

Resource Includes

• A full presentation covering key discussion points and textual analysis.
• A structured handout for analysing Professor Pieixoto’s lecture.
• Ready-to-use lesson activities that encourage critical thinking and debate.

Why Choose This Resource?

• Engaging and thought-provoking content aligned with GCSE and A-Level English Literature.
• Encourages deep analysis of Atwood’s themes and literary techniques.
• Ideal for classroom discussion, independent study, or essay preparation.

Looking for more lessons on The Handmaid’s Tale? Visit my shop for the full 30-lesson pack covering the entire novel.

The Handmaid’s Tale lesson, GCSE English Literature, A-Level English, Margaret Atwood, Historical Notes, narrative authority, feminist criticism, dystopian fiction, literary analysis, English teaching resources.

51ºÚÁÏ Notice: This resource is for personal classroom use only. Redistribution, resale, or uploading to shared platforms (including school drives and VLEs not for personal classroom use) is strictly prohibited. If you need additional licences, please purchase them separately. © 2024. Revolutionary Education. All rights reserved.