The
Giver
by Lois Lowry
The
Giver
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An ALA Notable Children's Book An ALA Best Book for Young Adults |
Lois Lowry: Lois Lowry was born in Hawaii on March 20, 1937. Her father, Robert Hammersberg, was an Army dentist and consequently moved his family according to his orders from the military. As a result, Lois has lived all over the world. She attended Brown University for two years, then left school to marry and raise a family. After having four children, Lois returned to school to earn a degree from the University of South Maine. In the mid 1970's, Lois fulfilled her childhood dream when she began writing. She currently lives in West Cambridge with her dog, Bandit. Lois and her husband divorced and she enjoys spending her weekends in her 19th century farmhouse in New Hampshire.
These ideas are general and would have to be refined to suit the grade level and the particular students.
Language Arts:
1. Have students write in a journal the most wonderful
and most painful memory they have
2. Have students discuss what would be needed it make
their lives perfect. What would they be willing to give up in order
to achieve that perfection?
3. Have student work in a group to create a “perfect”
community, they should include a physical layout (map), name it, describe
the type of government it would, what laws and rules exist, and a description
of the people's days and their activities.
Science:
1. Examine the nature of color. Discuss the breakdown
of the spectrum. Use prisms to show how light is broken down.
2. Talk about color blindness, its causes, and how males
are more likely to be color blind due to a recessive gene found on the
X chromosome.
3. Use optical illusions to show how the eye can be fooled.
Philosophy:
1. What makes a utopian society? Examine communities
that have attempted to be utopias. What generalizations can be made
about utopias?
2. Have students’ debate about what happened at the end
of the novel. Have them support their ideas from the text.
Sociology:
1. Look at the Amish, Mennonites, or Hasidic Jewish communities.
Have each group of students’ research on each of the groups. Discuss
the differences between these communities and mainstream community.
Social Studies:
1. Have students examine diversity in society, different
cultural issues
2. Have students discuss feelings- and how society regulates
certain feelings of hatred, desire, fear, and sadness
Lesson Ideas for THE GIVER found at http://edtech.fgcu.edu/tech-in/projects/utopia/giver2.htm
Scenario: You are a famous researcher and you have just gotten a new assignment from your boss, Dr. J! Your assignment is to research futuristic cites and then plan your own futuristic city. You must make a city that everyone would want to live in! Dr. J has given you some leads for your quest! Good Luck!
Go to:
http://www.pathfinder.com/TFK/archive/000121/000121_intro.html
and read the article about the future,
then Go to:
http://www.pathfinder.com/TFK/archive/000121/000121_towns.html
and read the article about the future,
then Go to:
http://www.cbc4kids.ca/general/time/millennium/predictions.html
and read the article on the future. Write down
anything of interest that you found in these three articles.
Go to:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/world/9901/beyond-2000/beyond-2000-icons.html
and read the Beyond 2000 article along with the
"World's best guesses about technological developments in your lifetime",
pick one technology development to use in your city and print it out. (This
technology must be present in your futuristic city.)
Go To:http://www.randomhouuse.com/seussville
and search through sight and find a silly name for
your city.
You have followed your leads, and are about to plan your
city, when you get a letter from Dr. J. You must read the letter before
you go on with your research:
Dear Researcher ,
Now that you have read about futuristic cities, you must now plan your futuristic city. You must write a page long summary of your city. The summary must include, a clever name, it must have at least one technological development, and you must describe what daily life might be like. Make sure that you use your imagination! Remember, everyone must want to live there!
Dr. J
