The Lottery Activity – Global Rituals Real-Life Comparison Worksheets and Rubric

Description

Explore modern, real-life parallels from around the world using this comparison activity for Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery!” Students will compare the conformity, superstition, and blind tradition in this short story with six unique rituals from around the world. Includes digital worksheets for Google Classroom®!

Included with this Global Rituals Activity for Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”:

• “Global Rituals” Informational Handouts – Print
• • Task cards highlight rituals from Scotland, Iceland, Borneo, Brazil, Greece, and Indonesia
• “Global Rituals” Worksheets – Digital & Print
• Comparison Paragraph Assignment – Editable & Ready-to-Print
• 4-Level Rubric – Editable & Ready-to-Print
• Teacher Instructions for using this resource

How to use this Global Rituals for Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”:

Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery is a dystopian short story that examines themes of conformity and superstition. The unsettling nature of the tale lies in how an ordinary setting hides a deeply disturbing tradition, forcing readers to question the role of ritual in society. By engaging with this text, students can explore not only the fictional elements but also how traditions—whether harmful or harmless—are passed down and preserved in different cultures. Explore modern, real-life parallels using the Global Rituals included with this activity, which allows students to make connections between literature and real-world practices in a meaningful and engaging way. This bridge between fiction and reality deepens critical thinking, encouraging students to examine why rituals persist and how they influence group behavior.

This Global Rituals activity includes informational handouts about six different traditions from around the world, offering a unique cultural lens through which students can examine human customs. These traditions have been carefully selected to demonstrate that unusual or unfamiliar practices are not exclusive to one culture or region—they exist everywhere. By looking at examples from diverse nations, students gain a more balanced understanding of ritualistic behavior. This is why the collection includes practices from Scotland, Iceland, Borneo, Brazil, Greece, and Indonesia, each bringing its own history, symbolism, and societal significance. Presenting a variety of perspectives helps dismantle stereotypes and fosters appreciation for cultural diversity while still allowing students to critically evaluate the role these practices play in their respective societies.

The description of each ritual is written on an individual card, making it easy to adapt the activity to different classroom formats. These cards can be used to facilitate interactive learning methods such as rotating stations or a gallery walk, where students move around the room to read and reflect on each tradition. This physical movement not only keeps students engaged but also encourages discussion as they compare observations with peers. Another option is to divide students into small groups, assigning each group one of the Global Rituals to study in depth. After researching and analyzing their assigned ritual, groups present their findings to the rest of the class. This collaborative approach ensures that all students are exposed to multiple perspectives while also developing public speaking, teamwork, and critical analysis skills.

This activity for The Lottery also includes a Global Rituals worksheet, a structured tool that guides students in summarizing the details of each tradition. The worksheet prompts learners to focus on essential elements such as the origins, cultural significance, and current form of the ritual. In addition to comprehension, the worksheet encourages higher-order thinking by asking students to compare and contrast each ritual with the fictional tradition in Shirley Jackson’s story. This not only strengthens reading comprehension but also nurtures the ability to draw connections between literature and anthropology. By reflecting on similarities and differences, students learn that while rituals vary widely in form, they often share underlying purposes, such as reinforcing community identity or marking significant life events.

To consolidate their learning, students will write a comparison paragraph about The Lottery and one of the Global Rituals they studied during this activity. This writing task serves as both an analytical exercise and a synthesis of their reading and research. The assessment includes clear assignment instructions and a 4-level rubric, ensuring transparency and fairness in grading. Both the instructions and rubric are provided in editable formats, allowing teachers to tailor the task to specific classroom objectives or adapt it for different grade levels. By engaging in this comparative writing, students sharpen their ability to construct arguments, use evidence effectively, and express ideas clearly—skills that are valuable across all academic subjects.

These activities are also fully adaptable for distance learning and 1:1 classrooms, making them versatile in a variety of teaching environments. Detailed instructions are included within the resource to help educators make a copy of the files to their Google Drive®, ensuring easy distribution to students. In the digital format, all elements—including the Global Rituals cards, worksheets, and guided reading questions—can be edited to meet classroom needs. This flexibility means the resource can be customized for different learning styles, reading levels, and curricular goals. Whether used in a traditional classroom, a hybrid setting, or fully online, the activity maintains its interactive and thought-provoking nature. The combination of literature analysis and cultural exploration ensures that students not only understand The Lottery on a deeper level but also develop a more informed perspective on the variety and meaning of rituals across the globe.

✨ Kindly note that due to copyright restrictions, this resource is not editable, except for the files specifically labelled as editable. This is a common practice within the online marketplace in order to protect the clip artists and software providers that have authorized their intellectual property for the development of this resource.

See what other teachers are saying about this Global Rituals Activity:

“This activity was really memorable for my students. It drove the message of the short-story home and also piqued so much interest – you know real learning has happened when students go out for recess and tell other students about what they’ve learned! Thank you for putting the time and effort into researching this resource.”

– Stephanie K.

⭒ For classrooms utilizing Google Classroom® ⭒

To access the digital version of these worksheets, simply follow the instructions within the resource to copy the files directly to your Google Drive®.