A Pre-Reading or Companion Activity for The Lord of the Flies

Use Mean Girls (2004) to introduce, deepen, or complicate your students’ understanding of social hierarchies, leadership styles, and mob mentality before or during a study of The Lord of the Flies.

These viewing questions guide students to examine how Kady, Regina, and Janis operate as different kinds of leaders—and how power functions within teenage groups. Perfect for kicking off class discussions on identity, belonging, and the shadow side of community.

✨ What’s Included

• 📄 Printable PDF + Editable Google Docs worksheet with 2 sets of structured questions (aligned with film acts)
• 🔎 Focus on group dynamics, social pressure, storytelling as power, and gendered leadership
• 👥 Designed to be paired with or stand alone from Lord of the Flies

🧠 Skills Explored

• Comparing characters and power structures across texts
• Recognizing archetypes and stereotypes in media
• Analyzing cause and effect in social behavior
• Building vocabulary around leadership, influence, and groupthink
• Preparing students for deeper thematic reading of Lord of the Flies

🧑‍🏫 How to Use It

• 🗂 Activation or Bridge Activity: Use this resource before starting Lord of the Flies to help students visualize complex social dynamics.
• 🎥 Film & Literature Pairing: Screen the film in sections, discuss, and then use it as a point of comparison throughout your novel study.
• 💬 Socratic Seminar or Essay Prompting: Students can use their answers to support thematic writing or discussion about power and leadership in both texts.

🏫 Perfect For:

• Middle and high school ELA classes
• Teachers scaffolding tough themes in Lord of the Flies
• Homeschoolers looking for relatable entry points into classic literature
• Social-emotional learning and media literacy crossover lessons

💡 Planning Room Members:

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