11 Activities for The Giver

Whether you substitute teach or have your own classes, you can never have too many quick activities and assignments on hand to fill the gaps that sometimes arise. Here are 11 good ones that will fit well with The Giver, but can also be used with any novel, play, or short story. And if you really want to save time and reduce your workload, download this full unit plan for The Giver and enjoy stress-free teaching for weeks. 1. Create a Quiz Students create a quiz for the novel, short story, or play being studied. They can use an online quiz-making site like quizyourfriends.com, or do it the old-fashioned way with pen and paper. 2. Character Horoscope Students write a Read More …

The Giver Memory Book

This lesson plan is a great way to really draw students into The Giver as they think about the importance of their own experiences and memories. Start by making a list of emotions – love, fear, anxiety, joy, jealousy, gratitude, etc.  Get students to call them out, and make a master list on the board for them to copy into their notes. Ask your students to then create a Memory Book describing their own memories associated with each emotion.  They can include written descriptions, photos, and drawings.  Students can begin in class by listing the memories they want to include.  They can then start writing their descriptions and collecting their photos and other elements at home. When the books are Read More …

Dystopian Literature Project

When I am teaching The Giver, I usually have my kids read and report on other examples of dystopian literature. There are so many fun books for them to choose from, many of them written in the last five years specifically for young adult readers. I have the notes and instructions all in a nice printable in my unit plan for The Giver, but you can copy and paste them from below to share with your class. Definitions Utopia = a community or society that is perfect, or nearly perfect Dystopia = a society that is undesirable or frightening Intro Dystopian literature often explores the dangers of trying to serve the greater good by repressing the needs of the individual. Read More …

Peace vs Freedom in The Giver

This is a great lesson plan for The Giver.  It gets students to consider the what the objectives and consequences of rules are. You can then get your students to consider the rules of our own society from the perspectives of law makers and citizens. There are lots more lessons like this in my Ultimate Unit Plan for The Giver. You can download the full unit at http://englishunitplans.com/thegiver/ Instructions Context In all societies, people must determine what balance to have between rules and freedoms. In The Giver, Jonas’ society values stability, peace, and order over freedom and individuality. Strict rules govern all aspects of human behavior, all in an attempt to minimize the possibility of conflict. They have peace and Read More …