Diane McGinnis

The Giver Unit Plan

NCTE/IRA standards met: 1,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

Show-Me standards met: 1.5, .19, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 CA: 1, 2, 5 GLEs: Reading: 1C,1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I Writing: 1A: 2A, 2B, 2C, 2 D, 2E, 3A Listening and Speaking: 1A, 1B Information Literacy: 2A

Objectives: Students will read and understand The Giver. Students will complete handouts and participate in class discussion to facilitate learning. Students will complete a series of writing activities, which combined will form a collection of personal memories. Student will learn and understand in a social context the value of memories, the importance of choice, and the value of differences. Overview: For the first chapter, and then for each two chapter following, students will be given a handout that asks questions that are important to the story, and questions of personal interpretation and judgment. Also, on each handout is a writing activity. The writings are all based on personal experiences and/or memories. As we complete reading The Giver, students will compile their writings to form a collection of personal memories. The handouts will serve as organizers and study guides more than basic-recall worksheets. As each handout is completed, we will discuss the answer to the questions and the writing activities in class. Three major themes in The Giver deal with the importance of memory, the importance of choice, and the value of differences. These themes will all be addressed in the handouts and especially in the writing activities. Every reader reads at a different pace and with a different style. In addition to this, people have differing learning styles. In order to accommodate this, I plan to offer students the choice to read aloud, read quietly or listen to an audio book of The Giver, which is found on YouTube. Vocabulary terms: Throughout the book, students will record unfamiliar words on their handouts. As a class, we will discuss these words and their meanings. Optionally, for an assignment, we may write definitions of the words and use them in sentences. Students will find the definition of the word and write a sentence using the word. The sentence must reveal the meaning of the word in context. List 1 Apprehensive, chastisement, infraction, relinquish, acquisition, transgression, conspicuous, ominous, indolence, palpable, wheedle, petulantly, sinuous, benign List 2 Adherence, tabulated, meticulously, expertise, languid, rejected, vigilant, meager, solace, excruciating, permeated, contorted, assuage, exempted, anguish, luminous Introduce The Giver as work of fantasy and a text that is sometimes difficult to understand. Share expectations for reading: each person read differently and there is often no correct meaning. What is meaningful or emotional is different for each reader, and for different reasons. Introduce the handouts. Distribute the handout for Chapter 1 and begin reading chapter 1. For this first chapter, we will read it together aloud. Handout:

The Giver Handout 1 Name: Date: Class: Chapter 1: 1. Does the community in which Jonas lives seem similar to ours? What are the similarities? 2. What are the differences? 3. How important are rules in this community? 4. What are some of the rules, and what can we learn about the community from these rules? Writing activity: A ritual is an activity that is occurs regularly and is carried out in the same way each time. A ritual in Jonas family is that they share their feelings during their evening meal. On a separate sheet of paper, write about a ritual that occurs in your family. Unfamiliar words:

Chapters 2 and 3 handout. The Giver Handout 2 Chapters 2 & 3 1. What is the ceremony of the Twelve? 2. Why is Jonas apprehensive about the ceremony? 3. What are comfort objects? Writing activity: Write about a comfort object that you had as a young child. Tell what it is, how you got it, and what it meant to you. Do you still have it? Unfamiliar words: Name: Date:

Chapter 4 and 5 handout

The Giver Chapters 4 and 5 Name: Date:

1. Why are the children in The Giver required to do community service? 2. What are The Stirrings? Writing activity: In Jonas community, when children are eight years old they are required to do volunteer work at different locations. Jonas and Asher like visiting the House of the Old and helping care for the elderly. Jonas father tells that he spent his childhood volunteer hours at the Nurturing Center.

What do you enjoying for others or for the community? Explain what you do, when you do it, and why you enjoy the activity that you do. Is it something that you would like to do for a job when you are older? Unfamiliar words:

Distribute copies of poem Fifteen, Maybe Sixteen Things to Worry About by Judith Viorst. Fifteen, Maybe Sixteen Things to Worry About

My pants could maybe fall down when I dive off the diving board. My nose could maybe keep growing and never quit. Miss Brearly could ask me to spell words like stomach and special. (Stumick and speshul?) I could play tag all day and always be "it." Jay Spievack, who's fourteen feet tall, could want to fight me. My mom and my dad--like Ted's--could want a divorce. Miss Brearly could ask me a question about Afghanistan. (Who's Afghanistan?) Somebody maybe could make me ride a horse. My mother could maybe decide that I needed more liver. My dad could decide that I needed less TV. Miss Brearly could say that I have to write script and stop printing. (I'm better at printing.) Chris could decide to stop being friends with me. The world could maybe come to an end on next Tuesday. The ceiling could maybe come crashing on my head. I maybe could run out of things for me to worry about. And then I'd have to do my homework instead.

As a class, write a poem about things that Jonas might worry about. Begin by asking students to write two or three lines on a sheet of paper. Then have students choose their best line to write on the board. As a class, decide on the arrangement of the lines.

Chapter 6 and 7

The Giver chapters 6 and 7 Name: Date: 1. How are families created in The Giver? 2. What do you think about the punishment method for the children (the discipline wand)? 3. What are some positive qualities (good things) about the community? Writing Activity: How did your parents choose your name? Are you named after someone? Was your name chosen because it has a special meaning? Write about all the details. Unfamiliar words: Chapter 8 and 9 The Giver handout #5 Name: Date: Class: Chapters 8 and 9 1. What are some of the qualities that a Receiver must have? 2. Why is Jonas still apprehensive after he receives his assignment? 3. As Receiver in Training, Jonas is given permission to lie. In your opinion, is it ever okay to lie? Explain why or why not. Writing Activity: It is important for people in Jonas community to speak with precision of language. That is, to speak the most appropriate words and never exaggerate. Our society does not practice precision of language. On a separate sheet of paper, write about a time that you misspoke, perhaps as a young child (like Asher, who said smack instead of snack), or a time when you exaggerated your words. Unfamiliar words: View images of several different book covers of The Giver and discuss the meanings that they might signify. The apple, snowflake, black and white vs. color, hands, transfer

Chapter 10 and 11 The Giver handout #6 Chapters 10 and11 1. What is the work of the Receiver? Name: Date:

2. How does the Giver transmit (or give) memories to Jonas? 3. Why is it important to know about the past, in both Jonas community and in our society? Writing Activity: On a separate sheet of paper, write down a memory that an older person (perhaps a grandparent or neighbor) has shared with you. Write down as many details of the story as you can. Unfamiliar words.

Discussion questions: How important are memories? How important is it for us to know our family history and stories, our nations history. Monuments for 9-11 sometimes read, Let us never forget. Why? Quiz over the first half of the book.

The Giver Quiz Chapters Name: Date: Class: Multiple Choice: Choose the response that best answers the question. Write the letter on the line provided. 1. What work does Jonas father do? _____________ a. He is an engineer. b. He is a pilot. c. He is a Nurturer. d. He works for the department of justice. 2. What is the first memory Jonas receives? _____________ a. It is a family gathering at Christmas. b. It is a ride on a sled through falling snow. c. It is sunburn. d. It is a war battlefield. 3. What are Stirrings? _________ a. Leftover pancake batter b. Intense religious gatherings c. The beginnings of sexual desire d. The ability to see colors 4. Why does Jonass mother discourage Lily from becoming a Birthmother? _____________ a. Giving birth is dangerous, and Lily might die from the complications. b. Birthmothers are very lazy and never get anything done. c. The position holds very little honor in the society. d. The society is overpopulated. 5. Why is Gabriel in danger of being released? ________ a. He bites the staff at the Nurturing Center. b. He is deformed. c. He is not growing fast enough and cannot sleep through the night. d. He smiles too much and the staff suspects that he will not be responsible when he grows up. 6. What do the numbers assigned to each child signify? ________ a. The numbers signify the order of their birth. b. The numbers signify their rank in school. c. The numbers signify their height in inches. d. The numbers signify their department to which they belong. 7. How are families created in The Giver? ________ a. Families are created in the same way as families in our society. b. A committee matches two adults and they apply for children, a boy and girl. c. Parents pick out the babies that they want from a catalog. d. Parents apply for as many children as they want. 8. What does the Receiver do? ________ a. The Receiver works at the communication department. b. The Receiver listens to the complaints of the community. c. The Receiver works at the post office. d. The Receiver is given all of the memories of the past and uses that knowledge to make informed decisions. Essay Questions: Write at least three sentences for questions 1, 2, and 3.

1. What are some of the rules in The Giver, and what can we learn about the community from these rules? 2. One of the writing activities on a handout that you completed asked you to write about a community service that you participate in, or that you might like to do. Remember that community service is anything that you can do to help others. Based on your community service work, if you lived in Jonas community, what might your Assignment be and why? 3. Write an argument either defending the community in The Giver for its positive qualities, or criticizing it for its negative qualities. Use examples from the book to support your judgment. 4. Based on what we know about the community in The Giver, draw a picture of what you think the community looks like. This can be a map of a large area of the community, or a drawing of one street.

Color activity Hang pages of construction paper around the room. Have students go around to each paper and write on it what they think the color means- what it symbolizes, is used to represent, or reminds them of. Yellow: happiness, positive images, warning Red: passion, fire, anger, strong emotions Blue: serenity, calming Purple- royalty, playfulness Black: Death, darkness, depression, boldness, strength White: Purity, newness Green: nature, new life, ecological ideals, Discuss the lack of color in The Giver. Is the community lacking in the emotions and feelings that the colors signify? Have students choose a color of construction paper that represents themselves. On the piece of paper they must explain what qualities of the color match their personal qualities. Chapter 12 and 13 The Giver handout #7 Name: Date: Class: Chapters 12 and13 1. When Jonas is Seeing Beyond, what is it that he is seeing? 2. What are some of the difficulties of being the Receiver? 3. What are some of the changes that have taken place in Jonas life since he began his Assignment? 4. The Giver says to Jonas, We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others (95). In Jonas community they gained equality and climate control, but they lost color and

sunshine. Similarly, in our society, we have a saying, for everything gained theres something lost. Can you think of an example in our society where we gain something, but in the process lose something as well? Writing activity: On a separate sheet of paper, write about a time that you made a choice and later realized that it wasnt the best choice. Did you learn from the situation anyway? Unfamiliar words:

Chapters 14, 15, and 16 The Giver handout #8 Name: Date: Class: Chapters 14, 15 and 16. 1. Why is it important that Jonas feel pain, such as the pain of hunger? 2. When Gabriel is fretful at night, how does Jonas calm him? 3. What is the memory that Jonas receives in chapter 15? 4. In chapter 16, Jonas asks his parents about love. They feel that love is an inappropriate, over-generalized, meaningless and nearly obsolete word. What does the word love mean to you? Writing activity: On a separate sheet of paper, write about your grandparents, great grandparents, or someone who is like a grandparent to you. Write at least five sentences telling who they are and what they mean to you. Unfamiliar words:

Chapters 17, 18 and 19 The Giver handout # 9 Name: Date: Class: Chapters 17,18 and 19 1. How does Jonas react when he sees the children playing war? 2. Describe the situation concerning Rosemary, the person who had been assigned to be Receiver before Jonas. 3. What is Release? (Finally, we learn!) Writing activity: On a separate sheet of paper, write about your favorite holiday memory. Give all the details that you can. Unfamiliar words:

Chapters 20, and 21 The Giver handout # 10 Name: Date: Class: Chapters 20 and 21 1. In chapter twenty we learn that Jonas community not only is unable to see colors (see beyond), but they also cannot hear beyond. What is hearing beyond? 2. Why does Jonas take Gabriel with him when he runs away from his community? 3. Did Jonas do the right thing by leaving the community? Consider not only Jonas, but the community and what they will face when Jonas leaves. Writing activity: The Giver says that he and Jonas are the only people that have feelings. The Giver refuses to leave the community with Jonas because he cares about the people there and wants to help them. Write about someone or a group of people that you have strong feelings for. Your feelings could be protectiveness, pride, love, friendship, pity, responsibility, concern, or something else. What are you willing to do for that person or group because of your feelings? Unfamiliar words:

Chapters 22 and 23. The Giver handout # 11 Name: Date: Class: Chapters 22 and 23 1. As Jonas goes further into Elsewhere and away from his community, what are some of the changes that he sees and experiences? 2. What do you think will become of Jonas and Gabriel? Write as much as you can, telling how you imagine things will work out when they reach the house celebrating Christmas, and what they will do after that. Writing activity: Even though Jonas knew he must do it, for Jonas to leave his community it took tremendous courage. On a separate sheet of paper, write about something that you have had to do that took more courage than you thought you had. Write about how you changed because of the experience. Unfamiliar words: Return the writings that students have completed for the handouts and the color writing. Ask them to review and revise their writing.

Handout:

Write about a ritual that occurs in your familysomething that you do the same way each time, like holidays or family time. Write about a comfort object that you had as a child. What do you enjoy doing for others or for the community? Explain what you do, when you do it, and why you enjoy it. How did your parents choose your name? Are you named after someone? Does your name have special meaning? Write about all the details. Our society does not practice precision of language, as Jonas does. Write about a time when you misspoke or exaggerated your words. Write about a time that you made a choice and later realized that it wasnt the best choice. Did you learn from the situation anyway? Write about your grandparents, great grandparents, or someone who is like a grandparent to you. Write at least five sentences telling who they are and what they mean to you. Write about your favorite holiday memory. Give all the details that you can. Write about someone or a group of people that you have strong feelings for. Your feelings could be protectiveness, pride, love, friendship, pity, responsibility, concern, or something else. What are you willing to do for that person or group because of your feelings? Write about something that you have had to do that took more courage than you thought you had. Write about how you changed because of the experience.

These are the prompts that you have followed for the writing activities. I want you to review your writing and improve it. Add details, add background information, and make each page into a complete piece of writing, not just the answer to a question. Give each piece an introduction, follow a logical order, and make each piece appealing to a reader. Edit yourself critically- if your writing isnt very good, throw it out and start over, or change topics. Let your personality show in your writing. I have a grading rubric, but I dont want to give it to you yet. I want you to first write what you want to write, not what you think that I want. At this point, dont worry about the final product, worry about the individual parts.

We will spend at least a couple of days peer editing. I will begin by presenting to the class how I want them to read and edit each others work. Dont correct grammar and spelling mistakes. It isnt important at this point. Underline words, phrases or sentences that you like, or that stand out to you in some way. Ask questions in the margins or at the bottom of the page. If you want to know more about something, ask for specific details. Ask as many questions as you can, but make sure they are helpful questions. Avoid comments that have no specific meaning, such as good work, I like it, great job, this is unclear. If you like something, say so, but say exactly what it is that you like and why you like it. Avoid negative comments. Instead, focus on what is good about the writing. If you have suggestions, by all means give them.

Students will revise and compile their writings. They will also write an introduction to their collections answering the following questions: Are these important memories that you dont want to forget? Who would value them besides you? (I am hoping that students reply that their parents would like to read this collection.)

Grading Rubric for personal narrative writing: Focus

Subject and specific event clear and maintained Theme or unifying even is explicitly stated Reactions present throughout Has effective closing Subject and specific event clear and maintained Theme or unifying event is stated in opening or conclusion Reactions present throughout (may not be even) Has closing Some episodes or reactions elaborated with specific details Subject and specific event are clear Theme or unifying event is stated and/or summarized Reactions present Subject/topic clear No reactions Abrupt ending Doesnt have a developed focus Subject/ issue is vague Contains unrelated ideas Insufficient writing to maintain a clear focus Subject and issue unclear, limited or confusing Insufficient writing

Elaboration

Most episodes and reactions elaborated with specific detail

Organization

The writing shows a logical order Episodes are

The writing shows a logical order

May contain list of episodes /events and reactions Some elaborations are general Order is evident Some

May contain list of episodes /events and reactions Most elaborations are general Structure is attempted Little

Some attempt at elaboration May be confusing, unclear or repetitive

No elaboration Confusing or repetitive elaboration Insufficient writing

Structure is attempted, but with little

No attempt at structure Confusing

appropriately paragraphed Coherence and cohesion demonstrated Varied sentence structure

Most paragraphing is appropriate Coherence and cohesion are demonstrated Most transitions are appropriate Consistent agreement between parts of speech Uses correct punctuation, capitalization, etc. Consistent use of spelling strategies Developed paper for grade level Writings are combined in an effective manner

Conventions

Uses consistent agreement between parts of speech No errors in mechanics Creative and effective strategies

appropriate paragraphing Some coherence and cohesion are demonstrated Transitions are present Maintains agreement between parts of speech Few errors in mechanics Applies basic grade level spelling

evidence of paragraphing Limited structure Lacks transitions

success Confusing

Insufficient writing

Integration

Fully developed paper for grade level Clear and purposeful Writings are combined in an appealing manner

Bare-bonesdeveloped paper for grade level Simple and clear, presents nothing more than the essentials Writings are combined to form a larger unit

Occasional errors between parts of speech Some errors in mechanics Some evidence of spelling strategies Partially developed Lacks narrative structure There is little evidence of thought in combining writings

Inconsistent agreement between parts of speech Many errors in mechanics Limited evidence of spelling strategies Attempts to address the assignment Confusing or disjointed Writings are not combined.

Parts of speech show lack of agreement Frequent errors in mechanics Little or no evidence of spelling strategies

Does not fulfill the assignment Does not address the writing topics Insufficient writing

Final Test Write an essay telling what you can do to ensure that our society doesnt evolve into a community like the one in The Giver.