The Giver Novel Study Unit
The Giver Novel Study Unit Overview
The Giver is a novel that opens the reader to alternative possibilities for society. For millennia, humans have sought the ideal society in which to exist, and with each new development, new patterns in social trends have emerged. No longer are we governed by a sovereign, but we try to live by the precepts of democracy. Because society is continually in a state of flux, new ideals and ways of managing people and our culture will emerge. However, for any new society, there must be in place elemental values that its members are able to follow and agree with. Therefore, the students will be encouraged to consider the values they believe in and uphold in their community. It is hoped that the Power Point presentation they create will help them to acknowledge and appreciate what they value about society, as well as giving the students a deeper insight as to how each of these values contribute to society as a whole, and individually. Because this activity is to be done with a partner, it further builds on the theme of community in that it requires cooperation and team-working skills. Finally, because the Power Point presentation is to be in part, evaluated by the students’ peers, the students will come to understand that societies are also judgmental of their members, which is another theme in The Giver.
The persuasive essay is intended to enable students to learn how to build effective skills for arguing their positions, beliefs and ideas. In the novel, the community had to create many persuasive arguments in order to convince itself that the way in which they existed was not only a good way, but also right. However, as an outsider who is merely reading about this society, the students are in the unique position to see both the strengths and the weaknesses of the choice for sameness. Students will be given the opportunity to argue either for or against certain stands regarding issues presented in the text. It is hoped that in creating the arguments, they will not only learn effective ways in which to present their case, but also develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for why they believe the way that they do, as well as why others hold to differing opinions.
Finally, students will be required to engage is a short poetry exercise. This activity is based on the fact that language creates our world-view and beliefs about our world, to a huge degree. Lois Lowry takes full advantage of the use of language and manipulates it artfully in order to create a mood and tone unique to this mythic society. By creating a poem, as well as engaging in discussion on this theme through-out the novel study, students will learn to appreciate how language can be manipulated to build our beliefs and thoughts about our world and ourselves. Students will have the chance to further explore the many meanings and interpretations of words by creating Diamante poetry for themselves.
The Giver Novel Study Rationale
Lois Lowry presents students with the opportunity to fully appreciate a gift we all take for granted in our society: The ability to be able to choose ourselves. While our choices can sometimes be limited by money, time constraints, or even our sex, we are all still very able to discover for ourselves; who we are, our preferences, and who we choose to love and share our lives with. The fact that Jonas and other members of his community, are so limited in what they are able to choose, puts our freedom of choice in a new perspective. However, just as Jonas, upon receiving the ability to choose, also takes on the responsibility of the entire community’s history, we too must own our own mistakes – and successes as well. The Giver puts the fact that responsibility is the flip side of freedom into sharp focus for all its readers. Therefore, it is truly hoped that the students come to not only understand the value of their freedom, but also to really own it as well, for all they do and are responsible for.
The Giver is a novel that opens the reader to alternative possibilities for society. For millennia, humans have sought the ideal society in which to exist, and with each new development, new patterns in social trends have emerged. No longer are we governed by a sovereign, but we try to live by the precepts of democracy. Because society is continually in a state of flux, new ideals and ways of managing people and our culture will emerge. However, for any new society, there must be in place elemental values that its members are able to follow and agree with. Therefore, the students will be encouraged to consider the values they believe in and uphold in their community. It is hoped that the Power Point presentation they create will help them to acknowledge and appreciate what they value about society, as well as giving the students a deeper insight as to how each of these values contribute to society as a whole, and individually. Because this activity is to be done with a partner, it further builds on the theme of community in that it requires cooperation and team-working skills. Finally, because the Power Point presentation is to be in part, evaluated by the students’ peers, the students will come to understand that societies are also judgmental of their members, which is another theme in The Giver.
The persuasive essay is intended to enable students to learn how to build effective skills for arguing their positions, beliefs and ideas. In the novel, the community had to create many persuasive arguments in order to convince itself that the way in which they existed was not only a good way, but also right. However, as an outsider who is merely reading about this society, the students are in the unique position to see both the strengths and the weaknesses of the choice for sameness. Students will be given the opportunity to argue either for or against certain stands regarding issues presented in the text. It is hoped that in creating the arguments, they will not only learn effective ways in which to present their case, but also develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for why they believe the way that they do, as well as why others hold to differing opinions.
Finally, students will be required to engage is a short poetry exercise. This activity is based on the fact that language creates our world-view and beliefs about our world, to a huge degree. Lois Lowry takes full advantage of the use of language and manipulates it artfully in order to create a mood and tone unique to this mythic society. By creating a poem, as well as engaging in discussion on this theme through-out the novel study, students will learn to appreciate how language can be manipulated to build our beliefs and thoughts about our world and ourselves. Students will have the chance to further explore the many meanings and interpretations of words by creating Diamante poetry for themselves.
The Giver Novel Study Rationale
Lois Lowry presents students with the opportunity to fully appreciate a gift we all take for granted in our society: The ability to be able to choose ourselves. While our choices can sometimes be limited by money, time constraints, or even our sex, we are all still very able to discover for ourselves; who we are, our preferences, and who we choose to love and share our lives with. The fact that Jonas and other members of his community, are so limited in what they are able to choose, puts our freedom of choice in a new perspective. However, just as Jonas, upon receiving the ability to choose, also takes on the responsibility of the entire community’s history, we too must own our own mistakes – and successes as well. The Giver puts the fact that responsibility is the flip side of freedom into sharp focus for all its readers. Therefore, it is truly hoped that the students come to not only understand the value of their freedom, but also to really own it as well, for all they do and are responsible for.