Harrison Bergeron

Use this activity to engage all types of learners while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

In this activity, students will listen to a classic rock song with themes of equality and connect the lyrics to the story through small-group discussion.

“Song Analysis and Text Connections”

The rock band Rush released “The Trees” in 1978. Listen to the song and/or read the lyrics. In a small group, discuss the theme of this song and its connections to “Harrison Bergeron.” Your group will share out to the class, so it may be helpful for someone to take notes as you discuss.

• What is Rush saying about equity and equality in the song?
• How does the song align with the themes in “Harrison Bergeron”?
• Connect the types of trees in the song to the characters in the story: Who are the maples, and who are the oaks? Who uses the hatchet, axe, and saw?

Select 1-2 members of your group to share with the class. Other members of the group can select the 2-3 most valuable conclusions from your discussion to be shared.

Teaching Suggestion: You may want to preview the lyric video to determine if students will be receptive to the music or if reading the lyrics might be more effective.