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Lessons

Section 1 (lessons 1-3):

Lesson 1: Examine word connotations and analyze setting

Students will begin to read chapter 1 of The Giver, determine word meanings and their connotations, and analyze the text’s setting. This lesson provides some context and fodder for the following lesson, in which students will be introduced to the unit e...

Lesson 2: Continue to analyze setting

Students will finish chapter 1 of The Giver, and analyze character interactions to draw conclusions about Jonas’ community/ the text’s setting.

Lesson 3: Determine the meaning and purpose of the preamble/ preview essential questions

Students will paraphrase the meaning of the Preamble to the United States Constitution, analyze the purpose of phrases within the text, and make connections between the values of Jonas’ society and our own.

Section 2 (lessons 4-7):

Lesson 4: Analyze character interactions

Students will begin chapter 2 of The Giver, and analyze character interactions to draw conclusions about Jonas’ community/ the text’s setting and Jonas’ perspective about his community.

Lesson 5: Analyze Jonas’ memory and make inferences about character, setting

Students will reread a section of chapter 3, define words in context, and draw conclusions about what Jonas’ memory reveals about him and his community.

Lesson 6: Analyze repeated incidents in the text and make inferences about their meaning

Students will reread a section of chapter 4 to examine the way being “released” is portrayed in the text, identify and examine other references of people being “released,” and begin to make inferences about what it might mean/ how it is seen in both pos...

Lesson 7: Analyze Jonas’ characterization

Students will read chapter 8 and analyze the way in which Jonas is characterized in ways that are similar to and different from his community.

Section 3 (lessons 8-12):

Lesson 8: Continue to analyze Jonas’ character

Students will read chapter 9 and continue to analyze Jonas’ characterization and how his perception of the community begins to change.

Lesson 9: Continue to analyze Jonas’ character

Students will read chapter 11 and analyze the way in which Jonas is characterized in ways that are similar to and different from his community.

Lesson 10: Analyze setting, Jonas’ perception of his community

Students will read an excerpt from chapter 12 and discuss how Jonas’ perception of his community continues to change as he receives more memories from The Giver.

Lesson 11: Practice cold-read task

Students read an excerpt from The Hunger Games, a dystopian text that has similar ideas and themes to The Giver, and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of the text.

Lesson 12: Compare and contrast text and film version, connect The Hunger Games and The Giver

Students will compare and contrast the text and film versions of The Reaping scene in The Hunger Games by analyzing the effects of each medium. Students will also connect ideas across texts by analyzing how The Reaping in The Hunger Games and The Ceremo...

Section 4 (lessons 13-18):

Lesson 13: Preview and select independent reading novel for extension task

Students will preview possible independent reading novels that are thematically linked to The Giver, select their independent reading novels, and set goals for their independent reading in preparation for their Extension Task at the end of the unit. Add...

Lesson 14: Identify a research topic

Students will begin reading their independent novels for the Extension Task. They will generate and select a topic for research that enables them to see how a current event/issue in our society supports and/or challenges a right guaranteed by the Preamble.

Lesson 15: Research your topic, select credible sources

Students will begin to research their topic and select two articles from credible sources that relate to their topic. Additional Notes: This lesson has students engage in researching their question/topic given the expectation of the standards. However, ...

Lesson 16: Summarize your articles

Students will summarize the articles that they selected during their research in preparation to write a claim and short response to the question: How does this event challenge/support a right guaranteed by the preamble? Additional Notes: This lesson has...

Lesson 17: Writing an argumentative paragraph

Students will write a claim and a short response to the following questions: How does the current event you researched challenge or support a right guaranteed by the preamble? How does this reinforce or challenge your belief in that right?

Lesson 18: Comparing and contrasting ideas across texts

Students will present their body paragraphs in small groups, and make connections across current events and The Giver to compare and contrast our society with Jonas’ society.

Section 5 (lessons 19-22):

Lesson 19: Analyzing The Giver’s perspective

Students will summarize chapters 13-14 of The Giver. They will closely read an excerpt from chapter 13 and analyze the Giver’s dialogue and demeanor to determine his perspective/ point of view about Jonas’ community.

Lesson 20: Analyze changes in Jonas’ perspective; compare characters’ perspectives

Students will summarize chapters 15-16 of The Giver. They will closely read an excerpt from chapter 16, compare and contrast Jonas’ interactions with The Giver and his parents, and analyze how Jonas’ character and perspective on his community have changed.

Lesson 21: Determine the themes of “Imagine” and “The Human Abstract”

Students will read and determine the themes of two poems, “Imagine,” by John Lennon (song lyrics) and “The Human Abstract” by William Blake.

Lesson 22: Discussing key ideas across texts

Students will engage in a scholarly debate to connect ideas across “Imagine,” by John Lennon, “The Human Abstract,” by William Blake, and The Giver by Lois Lowry.

Section 6 (lessons 23-26):

Lesson 23: Analyze Jonas’ point of view compared to others in his community

Students will analyze Jonas’ interactions with other characters in his community and discuss what they reveal about his perspective and how it has continued to shift. Additional Notes: These lessons have you read Chapters 17-19 aloud as students follow ...

Lesson 24: Determine word meanings and their connotations, analyze how incidents of plot impa...

Students will read and discuss Chapter 18 of The Giver, and analyze Rosemary’s release and its impact on the community and The Giver.

Lesson 25: Analyze how Jonas’ perspective about release differs from the community

Students will read and discuss Chapter 19 of The Giver, and determine the meaning of “release” within Jonas’ community based on evidence from the text. They will examine word choice and connotations to analyze Jonas’ feelings and perspective about relea...

Lesson 26: Determine themes of The Giver

Students will discuss and identify potential themes of The Giver. They will identify reasons and select relevant text evidence to support a given claim.

Section 7 (lessons 27-29):

Lesson 27: Analyze the setting and its impact on Jonas

Students will read and discuss Chapter 22 of The Giver, analyze word meanings and their connotations, and analyze how the change in setting impacts Jonas’ character.

Lesson 28: Analyze the text’s conclusion

Students will read the final chapter of The Giver, analyze the the ambiguous conclusion, and begin to make text-based claims about the final scene of the chapter and what it implies about Jonas.

Lesson 29: Develop and present a text-based claim about the text’s conclusion

Students will work collaboratively in small groups to develop a text-based claim about what happens to Jonas at the text’s conclusion and support their claim with relevant evidence. Students will then present their claims in small groups, and evaluate t...

Section 8 (lessons 30-33):

Lesson 30: Summarize “Harrison Bergeron”

Students will read “Harrison Bergeron,” define unfamiliar words in context, and summarize the text in pairs.

Lesson 31: Analyze characters from “Harrison Bergeron” and their points of view

Students will reread “Harrison Bergeron,” analyze characterization and their differences, and determine how the characters’ perspectives/ points of view on the rules of their society differ.

Lesson 32: Determine themes, engage in scholarly discussion

Students will determine a theme from “Harrison Bergeron,” define Sameness and equality, engage in a scholarly discussion about the tension between Sameness/equality and individuality by citing text evidence and using accountable talk.

Lesson 33: Timed writing

Students will determine a theme from “Harrison Bergeron,” define Sameness and equality, engage in a scholarly discussion about the tension between Sameness/equality and individuality by citing text evidence and using accountable talk.

Section 9 (lessons 34-37):

Lesson 34: Introducing the culminating writing task: determining themes

Students will review the Culminating Writing Task directions and expectations, and determine themes of The Giver in preparation for their Culminating Writing Task.

Lesson 35: Culminating writing task: revising a claim and gathering evidence

Students begin the writing process to answer the prompt for the CWT: How do Jonas’ experiences develop a theme over the course of The Giver? They draft a claim, revise a claim given peer feedback, and begin to gather evidence to support the claim.

Lesson 36: Culminating writing task: writing a first draft

Students continue engaging writing process to answer the prompt for the CWT: How do Jonas’ experiences develop a theme over the course of The Giver? They develop a first draft of their essay.

Lesson 37: Culminating writing task: revising your essay

Students continue engaging in the writing process to answer the prompt for the CWT: How do Jonas’ experiences develop a theme over the course of The Giver? They revise a sample paragraph for precision of language and redundancy, give/receive peer feedba...

Section 10 (lessons 38-43):

Lesson 38: Introducing the extension task: determine themes of IR novels, compare to The Giver

Students will review the Extension Task directions and expectations, and discuss their independent reading novels to determine themes the texts convey. They will also begin to compare those themes to The Giver in preparation for the multimedia component...

Lesson 39: Extension task: revising a claim and gathering evidence

Students begin the writing process to answer the prompt for the ET essay. They draft a claim, revise a claim given peer feedback, and begin to gather evidence to support the claim.

Lesson 40: Extension task essay: writing and revising a first draft

Students continue engaging writing process to answer the prompt for the ET. They develop a first draft of their essay.

Lesson 41: Analyze an exemplar and organize your multimedia presentation

Students analyze an exemplar multimedia presentation to identify important characteristics of the genre. Students work in groups to organize their multimedia presentations comparing their independent reading novels to The Giver.

Lesson 42: Incorporating multimedia effectively to clarify, support, and enhance our presenta...

Students analyze an exemplar presentation and then plan how to incorporate multimedia in their own presentation. Students work with their group to begin creating the presentation. Additional Notes: Students begin creating their multimedia presentation. ...

Lesson 43: Multimedia extension task presentations

Students present their extension task multimedia presentations. Students evaluate their peers’ presentations and give feedback.

Section 11 (lessons 44-45):

Lesson 44: Cold-read task, part 1

Students demonstrate their ability to read, understand, and express understanding of new texts through multiple choice questions.

Lesson 45: Cold-read task, part 2

Students demonstrate their ability to read, understand, and express understanding of two new texts by writing a multi-paragraph essay.