THE GIVER: By Lois Lowry

Unit Summary

The Giver by Lois Lowry is both science fiction and fantasy. Jonas, the main character in this novel is raised in an ideal futuristic community. Jonas, along with all members in the community, except the receiver are unable to feel pain, see color, hear music, or know history because the community elders decided long ago that only through sameness could life in the community be orderly, and peaceful. While receiving the memories from the Giver, Jonas learns that people learn from what loves them as much as what hurts them. Jonas is unable to remain in the community with the new knowledge and wisdom he has acquired from the Giver and flees the community and it's life of sameness.

Students will read the book and create a presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint*, a Web page and a newsletter or brochure demonstrating their understanding of the novel.

Curriculum Framing Questions

·       Essential Questions
How are events from our daily lives reflected in literature?

·       Unit Questions
What elements of The Giver by Lois Lowry mirror our daily lives and what can we learn from this?

Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes

Overall Objectives of the Unit:

·       To relate prior knowledge to The Giver

·       To follow the reading and writing process outlined in the student's text, Resource Lines when reading the novel and producing works related to it

·       To recognize and record elements and information found in the novel

·       To connect the novel to life in a meaningful way

·       To assess reading comprehension through factual, interpretive, and evaluative questions

·       To evaluate interpretations of the novel using textual evidence, personal experience, and knowledge of related literature

·       To recognize the lack of personal freedom in the society described in the novel

Student Multimedia Presentation Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, the student should:

·       Relate prior knowledge to The Giver

·       Recognize the importance of personal freedom in a meaningful life

·       Produce a slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation using a storyboard

·       Add multimedia to a presentation

·       Present presentation to the class

Student Publishing Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, the student should:

·       Relate prior knowledge to The Giver

·       Recognize the importance of personal freedom in a meaningful life

·       Use your knowledge of the events from the novel, The Giver, to help you chose a publication format and design a publication using a storyboard and Microsoft Publisher* that clearly connects with an event or events in the novel

·       Add multimedia to the publication

·       Link the publication to The Giver's site found on the school's Web page

Student Web Page Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, the student should:

·       Relate prior knowledge to The Giver

·       Recognize the importance of personal freedom in a meaningful life

·       Use your knowledge of the events from the novel, The Giver, to help you design a Web site using a storyboard and Microsoft Publisher*'s Web Wizard*. The content of this Web site must clearly connect with literary elements of the novel The Giver and include a brief prequel or sequel to the novel The Giver

·       Add multimedia to the Web site

·       Link the publication to The Giver's site found on the school's Web page

Procedures

Student Multimedia Presentation Procedures:

·       Design a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that clearly describes in sentences, personal drawings, clip art pictures, symbols, personal photos, personal video/audio, or music five things that make your life meaningful — things without which life would not be the same

·       View Ms. Ivory's presentation titled "Ivory's 5 ingredients for a meaningful life"

·       Use a storyboard to plan the content and layout of your presentation

·       Enhance presentation by adding graphics, music, inserting a movie clip or any type of multimedia available to you

Student Publishing Procedures:

·       Produce a publication that clearly relates to an event or events in the novel The Giver

·       View Ms. Ivory's publication of The Community Newsletter to help you choose a publication format that clearly connects with an event or events in the novel

·       Use a storyboard to plan the content and layout of your publication

·       Enhance your publication by adding graphics, music, inserting a movie clip or any type of multimedia available to you

·       Link the publication to The Giver's site found on the school's Web page

Student Web Page Procedures:

·       Use your knowledge of the events from the novel, The Giver, to help you design a Web site using a storyboard and Microsoft Publisher's Web Wizard. The content of this Web site must clearly connect with literary elements of the novel

The Giver and include a brief prequel or sequel to the novel The Giver.

·       View Ms. Ivory's Web site of The Giver to help you develop your ideas, format and design of your Web site using Microsoft Publisher's Web Wizard

·       Use a storyboard to plan the content and layout of your Web site

·       Enhance your Web site by adding graphics, music, inserting a movie clip or any type of multimedia available to you

·       Link your Web site to The Giver's site found on the school's Web page

Prerequisite Skills

·       Working knowledge of word-processing, presentation and publishing software.

·       Read the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry.

Differentiated Instruction

·       Resource Student
This unit plan is designed for a variety of learners. The key to the plan is that most learners' needs will be met through the range and variety of choice available to students within assignments. For those students whose independent reading level is lower than the novels', the novel will be available on audiotape.

·       Gifted Student
This unit plan is designed for a variety of learners. The key to the plan is that most learners' needs will be met through the range and variety of choice available to students within assignments. For those students whose independent reading level is lower than the novels', the novel will be available on audiotape.

Credits
Patricia Ivory from Booth Memorial High School in St. John's, Newfoundland, participated in the Intel® Teach to the Future program, which resulted in this idea for a classroom project.