Teaching The Giver can be a lot of fun, but it is essential to get your students hooked on the novel within the first class or two. Do that, and you can focus on guiding them towards the outcomes you want them to reach. Fail to get them engaged from the start and you will be battling their boredom for the entire unit. When I teach The Giver, I like to start with an Anticipation Guide, which usually leads to some vigorous discussions. If you can get your kids to argue with each other about the fundamental issues in the novel, you’ve got them. I give my students a handout with several strong statements related to themes in The Giver. Read More …