Descriptive Course Data Instructor: Vasse Grade Level: 8th
Course: English Language Arts Unit: The Giver
Period:1 & 3 Length: 10 days, 100 minutes
Goal While I will not be able to complete a full unit on The
Giver in the time given not without rushing, that is for certain
this unit will at least get students through the book while
highlighting key aspects that relate to the Alabama Course of
Study. Students will review their familiarity with plot diagrams
(identifying exposition, rising action, climax, falling action),
while gaining more in-depth knowledge of terms such as
foreshadowing, setting (utopia vs. dystopia), and symbolism.
Students will also acquire vocabulary terms selected from the text
and be able to use these words fluently in several different
contexts. Alabama Standards Met Reading 1. Apply strategies,
including making inferences to determine theme, confirming or
refuting predictions, and using specific context clues, to
comprehend eighth-grade recreational reading materials. Applying
self-monitoring strategies for text understanding Determining
sequence in recreational reading materials 2. Evaluate the impact
of setting, mood, and characterization on theme in specific
literary selections. 4. Apply strategies appropriate to type of
reading material, including making inferences to determine bias or
theme and using specific context clues, to comprehend eighth-grade
informational and functional reading materials. Applying
self-monitoring strategies for text understandings Determining
sequence of steps, events, or information Identifying components of
plot Literature 6. Analyze works of literature for character
motivation, mood, tone, theme, similarities across texts, and
literary devices. Writing and Language 9. Apply mechanics in
writing, including using quotation marks, underlining, and italics
to punctuate titles and using semicolons, conjunctive adverbs, and
commas to join two independent clauses or to correct run-on
sentences. Demonstrating correct sentence structure by avoiding
comma splices in writing Using commas to set off nonessential
clauses and appositives in writing Objectives (Liberty uses I can
statements to guide each day) - I can self-monitor my reading of
The Giver - I can identify and investigate key terms in The Giver -
I can use key terms from The Giver in a sentence - I can make
connections between my life and The Giver - I can identify and
explain foreshadowing and symbolism in The Giver - I can compare
and contrast Utopia and Dystopia - I can remember and explain key
plot points in The Giver Materials Pretest, vocabulary quiz, final
vocabulary test, reading guides for each chapter, symbolism graphic
organizer, utopia vs dystopia graphic organizer projector, pencils,
paper, markers, large sheets of paper, sticky notes, note cards for
Word Wall Assessment - Students will receive a 100 pt but lightly
weighted participation grade for each day. On some days, this will
be a check mark for participating in classroom discussion. One
others, it will be the completion of bellwork. On others, it will
be the completion of their reading guide, participation in small
group reading, participation in Professor-Know-It-All or other
learning games, or completion of assigned graphic organizers. -
Students will take a pretest, quiz, then final test on 13 key
vocabulary terms and two Latin roots - After completing the book,
students will complete a My Utopia project where they work in
groups to create the perfect community
Accommodations - Preferential seating for students with special
needs - Extra assistance during test time through both me and the
Special Ed teacher, Ms. Davis - Read-aloud to support struggling
readers/students with IEPS - Small group reading to support readers
of all ability levels - Word wall to support those who need extra
vocabulary assistance - Use of reading guide to direct struggling
readers in their reading so they are checking for key details -
Frequent use of graphic organizers to help students with
IEPs/struggling readers organize notes and facts - Encourage
student with verbal communication issues to be more social with his
group through group work Procedures Day 1 (100 min) (10 min)
Bellwork Opinionaire. Students will fill in either Agree, Strongly
Agree, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree. Once answered (30 min) Once
the Opinionaire is answered, students will rise. On each question,
students will move to a corner of the room to reflects their answer
of either Agree, Strongly Agree, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree. We
will discuss each answer to explore student opinion and encourage
inferences about the upcoming book. (15 min) Pretest. Emphasize
that this is to help me direct their learning as the unit unfolds.
For the last question, students will make inferences about the
upcoming book based on the Opinionaire and the questions on the
Pretest. (20 min) Pass out reading guides for the first 4 chapters.
Read-aloud the first chapter, modelling questioning of the text
throughout. I will highlight important vocabulary and surprising
details. (20 min) Students will work independently or in small
groups to read the next two chapters. I will walk around to confirm
they are working on their reading guides and progressing in a
timely manner, and to keep down noise. (10 min) Go over the current
answers to the reading guide. Check for understanding and the
recall of important details, such as character names and
personalities.
OpinionaireOn your own sheet of paper, number choose to either
AGREE, STRONGLY AGREE, DISAGREE, or STRONGLY DISAGREE to these
statements: 1. An ideal community would not have an hunger or
starvation. 2. An ideal community would not have any jealousy or
competition 3. An ideal community would not have any unemployment.
4. All children should have equal possessions and privileges at a
certain age, like a bike or a cell phone, regardless of the status
of the child's family. 5. Families are much closer when they share
their feelings. 6. Life would be better and easier if we did not
carry bad memories in our heads. 7. Overpopulation is such a
problem that families should not be allowed to have more than two
children. 8. There is no real need to learn about world history. 9.
Laws should never be broken. 10. When change happens, it makes me
uneasy. Things should stay the same. 11. I am ready to become an
adult. 12. Lying is easy.
Giver Pretest Multiple Choice Questions Instructions: Fill in
the letter of the best answer.____ 1. The Giver was written by
_____________. A. Ellen Whittlinger B. Suzanne Collins C. Lois
Lowry D. Gwendolyn Brooks
____ 2. A utopia is a(n) _____________ society. A. terrible B.
ideal C. average D. okay
____ 3. Hints the author places early in the story that suggest
later plot are called ____________. A. foreshadowing B. irony C.
euphemism D. conflict
____ 4. The main _________ of The Giver is a place referred to
as The Community. A. protagonist B. antagonist C. setting D. point
of view
____ 5. Jonas, the main character of the story, could also be
called the _____________. A. antagonist B. protagonist C.
characterization D. symbol
____ 6. A ______ is an object within the story that represents
something other than itself. A. metaphor B. theme C. character D.
symbol
____ 7. Words used in place of other, possibly less appropriate
words are called _____________. A. similes B. symbolism C.
euphemisms D. metaphors ________________.
____ 8. Authors use S.T.E.A.L. (speech, thoughts, effect on
others, actions, and looks) to show A. characterization B. setting
C. conflict D. point of view
Matching Vocabulary Instructions: Choose the letter that best
matches the word's definition.____ 1. apprehensive ____ 2. aptitude
____ 3. benign ____ 4. nurturing ____ 5. reprieve ____ 6.
excruciating ____ 7. petulant ____ 8. exuberant ____ 9. frigid ____
10. hoard A. childishly grumpy or bad-tempered B. a natural
ability; talent C. intensely painful D. kind or gracious E. viewing
the future with anxiety or alarm F. hiding and storing items away
for the future G. filled with lively energy and excitement H. a
cancellation or postponing of punishment I. extremely cold J.
caring for and fostering the development of something
Short Answer Question Instructions: On the back of this sheet,
write a few sentences answering the question.If you have read The
Giver before, tell me what you remember about the plot, characters,
and theme of the novel. If you have not read the novel before, make
a prediction about the plot based on the questions on this
pretest.
Day 2 (100 min) (15 min) Bellwork Journal. One of the main
things we've observed about The Giver so far is the lack of free
choice. We have seen that characters are assigned husbands and
wives, children, and jobs. Would you prefer to have an expert study
your interests and assign you a future career, or would you prefer
to choose on your own? What would you like your future career to
be? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the idea of deciding your
future? (10 min) Discussion of journal. Gather students' opinions
on their futures. Discuss how the choice of jobs affects all of our
futures. Give students time to reflect on how the lack of choice in
The Giver compares to their lives. (20 min) Small group reading.
Trying to catch students up to about the same place chapter 3.
Read-aloud with students in groups who are having trouble reading
independently. Emphasize the importance of using the reading guide
to check for understanding. (20 min) Whole group reading.
Read-aloud, continue to model thinking. Periodically stop to call
on readers to read a paragraph or a page. (10 min) Review time.
Inform students of the rules of Professor Know-It-All. Give them
time to fill in their reading guides and think of challenging
questions to ask the Know-It-Alls (30 min) Professor-Know-It-All
game. Students will come up in groups to try to answer questions
posed by me and by the class. Students in the class will have to
think critically to come up with questions, and students answering
must be prepared. Day 3 (100 min) (15 min) Bellwork Word Wall. Get
a copy of The Giver. Take ten minutes to review what we have read
so far (up to chapter 3) for words to go on our BZZZ WORDS wall.
Select at least five terms that you feel should go on the wall. We
will then decide as a class what goes on the wall. Suggestions so
far: Apprehensive Newchild Twelves (20 min) Students will work in
groups to define their assigned words. They will then write the
word and the definition on notecards, large enough to put on the
Word Wall for all students to see. (20 min) Give students their
vocabulary list. Define the words together, as a class, using
preexisting knowledge of some students. Those that no one in the
class knows, I will define. (20 min) Whole group reading. I will
read-aloud, periodically calling on students to read a paragraph or
a page. Highlight examples of foreshadowing and symbolism. Question
the nature of The Community, is it good or bad? (15 min) Small
group reading. Students who are ahead have time to work on their
reading guides. (5 min) Exit pass: One key vocabulary term and
definition Day 4 (100 min) (20 min) Bellwork Journal. What do you
usually do on your birthday? Do you have a big party and expect
lots of presents, or is it a quiet day you celebrate on your own?
How does this compare to how the characters in The Giver celebrate
their ceremonies each year in December? Would you like or dislike
sharing your birthday with everyone else? Walk around to discuss
with students, making a personal connection, learning about their
personal interests and celebrations.
(20 min) Whole group reading. I will read-aloud, periodically
calling on students to read a paragraph or a page. Highlight
examples of foreshadowing and symbolism. Write them on the board.
(25 min) Small group reading. Students who are ahead have time to
work on their reading guides. (30 min) Professor-Know-It-All game.
Day 5 (100 min) (30 min) Bellwork Vocabulary practice. Students
will first try the work on their own, then answer the questions on
the board as a class. We will review the definitions once more. (15
min) Word Wall revisit. Students will once more work in groups to
create notecards for the Word Wall. (30 min) Losing my voice. Whole
group reading through two chapters by a recording from the
internet. Stop periodically to discuss reactions and plot
occurrences. Discuss plot diagram exposition and rising action,
specifically. (20 min) Silent sustained reading. Spot-check on
reading guides for a grade. (10 min) Quizlet Vocabulary Scatter
Race to finish up class.
Bellwork 12 Vocabulary Practice Refer to your vocabulary list
for a word bank. Do not copy down the entire sentence, just write
the number and the vocabulary word.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Jonas was ______________ about the future. Jonas was forgiven
for this minor ______________; it was not an important rule he
broke. Fiona has a natural ________________ for caring for the
elderly. Lily is still young, so sometimes her behavior is
_________________. The temperatures in The Community never grows
_____________. Keeping a single apple is not really ________ing.
Jonas's father has a _____________ nature, making him perfect for
the care of small children. In Chapter 7, the confusion and
discomfort in the audience was so thick it was almost
______________. 9. When Jonas crushed his finger in a door last
year, the pain was ______________. 10.Lily received a ____________,
because Jonas's father did not chastise her at that time.
Day 6 (100 min) (20 min) Foreshadowing Bellwork. Students will
look for examples of foreshadowing within stories they have read in
the past and The Giver. They should mention the apple's change at
the very least. (30 min) Dystopia vs Utopia sheet. Class discussion
on the nature of The Community in The Giver. Is it a Dystopia or a
Utopia? How is it both? Gather student opinion on what makes a
perfect world, then discuss. (20 min) Whole group reading.
Spot-check for students completing their reading guides. (20 min)
Giver quiz. (10 min) Work on vocabulary crossword, finish for
homework if not completed.
Bellwork 13
Foreshadowing gives readers clues about what might happen later
in a story. Authors use foreshadowing to build suspense, tempt
readers to predict what might happen, and persuade them to read on
to find out if they were right. Think about it. Even as a little
kid, no one had to tell you that, when someone was forbidden to do
something in a story, they would do it anyway and get into trouble.
The author's words foreshadowed danger, and you understood.
Foreshadowing also "sets up" future events so you're prepared for
them and they make sense. In The Giver, you don't know why the Lois
Lowry mentions the apple changing or Jonas's apprehension until
later in the story, when all is revealed. 1. Why do authors use
foreshadowing in their stories? Check the text above to support
your answer. 2. Identify an example of foreshadowing in the
chapters of The Giver we have read so far. 3. Think about a story
you've heard told, a movie you've seen, or a book you've read. Find
and identify an example of foreshadowing.
Giver Quiz
1. Why do authors use foreshadowing? 2. 3. 4. 5. What memory
does the Giver give to Jonas at the end of Chapter 12? What color
was the sled? How is the memory in Chapter 13 disturbing? Could the
books The Giver keeps be a symbol similar to the pale eyes? (Take a
guess! Think about what the eyes represent and what books could
represent.)
Day 7 (100 min) (15 min) Journal Students will work on creating
their own dystopia. This relates to our discussion of utopia vs.
dystopia yesterday, and also connects to one of their final
assessments where they will work to create their own detailed
utopia. (10 min) Give students a couple minutes to check over their
vocabulary crosswords they did for homework. Turn those in for a
grade. (20 min) Vocabulary quiz. This should take some students far
less time. To those who are finished with the quiz, provide the
symbolism sheet for an early start. (30 min) Listen to recording of
The Giver while students use reading guide. (10 min) Symbolism
sheet. Fill in the apple and light eyes section with what students
already know. Instruct students to work within their groups to find
more examples of symbolism that they will write up on the board.
Walk around to spot-check their thinking and to make sure they are
staying on task. Once students have filled up the board, we will
work through the examples as a class to make sure their
interpretations are thoughtful and meaningful. (5 min) Silent
reading for the rest of class. Day 8 (100 min) (30 min) Bellwork.
Students will define the terms that were most often missed on the
vocabulary quiz. They will work in groups to find a way to teach
this word to the class, so that everyone will get it right on the
final test. (20 min) Begin memory analysis sheet. Students will
draw memories of their choice, then consider what those memories
represent. How do they connect to the symbolism so far? (30 min)
Whole group reading. (20 min) Professor-Know-It-All game. Day 9
(100 min) (20 min) Bellwork Learning styles assessment for the
counselor. (30-40 min) Final vocabulary test. Assist students with
special needs who need help. Give verbal and written instructions
for those who are confused, answer non-revealing questions, etc.
(30 min) Whole group reading. (10 min) Silent sustained
reading.
The Giver Vocabulary TestInstructions: Use the following words
in a grammatically correct sentence:1. apprehensive
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. benign
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. nurturing
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. excruciating
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5. reprieve
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Instructions: Write the correct word in the blank:6. "But she
told me that the Birthmothers get wonderful food, and they have
very gentle exercise periods, and most of the time they just play
games and amuse themselves while they're waiting. I think I'd like
that," Lily said ___________________ly. 7. She mentions that there
was one who had singular skills in caretaking, another who loved
newchildren, one with unusual scientific _____________, and a forth
for whom physical labor was an obvious pleasure. 8. "You know
there's no third chance. The rules say that if there's a third
______________________, he simply has to be released." 9. The
audience applause, which was enthusiastic at each Naming, rose in
an ____________________ swell when one parental pair, glowing with
pride, took a male newchild and heard him named Caleb. 10. Now,
thinking about the feeling of fear as he pedaled home along the
river path, he remembered that moment of __________________,
stomach-sinking terror when the aircraft had streaked above.
Instructions: Define the two latin roots and list an example for
each root.11. a12. auto-
Instructions: On the back of this paper, draw a picture that
represents each following word and include a brief definition:13.
Frigid 14. Hoard 15. Bewildered
Day 10 (100 min) (15 min) Bellwork Complete memory analysis
sheet. Most students have begun drawing and/or interpreting the
memories for symbolic meaning. Take it up for a grade. (30 min)
Whole group reading. Finish the novel at the same time, as a class.
(15 min) Discussion of the ambiguous ending. Address student
concerns. On the board, write possible themes for the novel.
Students will agree or disagree with the themes and state their
reasons why. (40 min) Utopia project. Working in groups, students
will design, name, define the rules for, and visually represent
their own perfect world.
The Giver Utopia Project Move into groups of 3 or 4 Together you
will create a FICTIONAL UTOPIA and a poster that explains your
creation Aspects to include in your poster: A name for your
society The definition of utopia Either a MAP or a FLAG of your
society The rules of your society An explanation of WHY your
society is a utopia, what's so good about it? Remember some of the
issues we discussed on the first day of class, such as hunger,
poverty, crime, jobs, freedom, competition, family, technology
Optional: other pictures that express your utopia Remember: this is
a fictional creation, so it can be as PERFECT as you want it!