This lesson examines how Suzanne Collins exposes the Capitol’s manipulation of information, image and emotion through propaganda and spectacle. Students analyse how media is weaponised to maintain control, explore the stark contrast between Capitol excess and District deprivation, and investigate how the Games function as a carefully engineered performance designed to distract, intimidate and entertain. Pupils then apply their understanding creatively by designing their own piece of Capitol propaganda. A worksheet is included to support key vocabulary, structured analysis and group collaboration.

• Evaluate the use of propaganda and media in Panem by analysing how information is controlled and manipulated to influence public perception.
• Analyse the contrast between Capitol luxury and District poverty through close reading of descriptive details and visual comparisons.
• Investigate the role of ‘spectacle’ in the Games by exploring how entertainment, image and performance reinforce power.
• Design a piece of Capitol propaganda using persuasive language and visual symbolism to reflect Capitol ideology.

This lesson includes peer and group work, key vocabulary, and in‑lesson tasks that deepen students’ understanding of how media, image and inequality shape the world of The Hunger Games.

Some visuals in this resource were made with AI to help bring ideas to life and support student understanding.