Subjects:
  Language Arts
    Art
   Social Studies

Learner Outcomes:
  Students will read Lois Lowry's book, The Giver and complete related activities.  The students will understand the words individualism, freedom and choice and how they relate to our society.  Students will learn how color and music evoke emotions within the viewer or listener.  Students will discuss and debate various topics.

Duration of Lesson:
  5 - 7 forty-five (45) minute class periods

Materials:
  A class set of The Giver, by Lois Lowry
   Construction paper: one piece of several different colors
   Computers with Internet access, PowerPoint and Word

Technology tools:
    Internet access
    Microsoft Word and Power Point

Teacher notes:
  A signed acceptable use policy should be on file for each student.

Procedures:
  1.  To stimulate a discussion on freedom of choice, invite students to brainstorm a list of things they do every day. Have students classify each activity by making a chart with the three column headers:  1) activities that are totally their choice, 2) activities in which they have some choice, and 3) activities in which they have no choice.
         Students might work individually or as a group to chart their answers. Have students look for patterns in the types of items that appear under each heading. Conclude by revealing to students that the freedom to choose is an important issue in the novel they will read.
     2.  Read The Giver, by Lois Lowry, with the students.  Choose activities from this Giver website.
     3.  Have students complete the above activities using PowerPoint and share their ideas during a class presentation.  Student will be graded using a rubric for the presentation.
     4.  Do the following activity after students finish reading the novel.  This activity is designed to show students how color and music evoke feelings within the listener or viewer.  This helps students understand why the elders of the community choose to have a colorless and musicless society.
     5.  During the reading of The Giver, help students note all the various careers.  Help them see that the community elders in the novel choose people's careers for them!   Discuss how they would feel if our government chose careers for them.  Have students do the Career Key Activity to explore careers that they might choose for themselves.
     6.  The ending of The Giver, is often debated upon completing the novel.  Many readers are disappointed with how Lois Lowry chose to end the story.  Some debate is raised as to whether Jonas and Gabe make it to another community and live or whether they freeze to death with memories of a loving community comforting them as they die.  Have students read an article with Lois Lowry discussing the ending of The Giver among other topics.
     7.  Have students either rewrite the ending or write about and debate what they think happen to Jonas and Gabe.  You may want to have a formal debate with the rest of the students as the audience/jury.
     8.  Have students draw and color a scene from the novel using rich colors and textures.  Help them xerox the picture and turn the scene into a black and white version.  Compare how color and/or the absence of it changes people's reaction to it.  (The pictures may be scanned into the computer and a photo enhancing software package may be utilized to alter the picture to make it black and white.  The resulting images may be inserted into PowerPoint to make a class presentation.)

Modifications:
  Adjustments may be made according to students' I.E.P.'s as needed.

Enrichment Activities:
  Research utopian-like societies such as the Shakers.  How do their rules of community compare to The Giver?  How do they compare to your community?

Evaluation/Assessment:
 
 

West Virginia IGO's and National Standards:
 

  Social Studies IGO's:
       6.1, 6.9, 6.59, 6.60, 7.2, 7.29, 7.59, & 7.60

   Language Arts IGO's:
       6.2, 6.5, 6.6, 6.8, 6.11, 6.16, 6.22, 6.23, 6.24, 6.52, 6.57, 7.2, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.9, 7.11, 7.17, 7.22, 7.23, 7.24, 7.51, 7.52, 7.58, & 7.56

    Art IGO's :
           6.1, 6.2, 6.6, 6.16, 7.1, 7.3, & 7.16

  National Standards for Language Arts:
          *Gathers and uses information for research purposes
          *Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process
          *Demonstrates competence in the general strategies for reading a variety of literary texts

    National Standards for Social Studies:
           *Understand issues related to personal, political and economic rights.
            *Understand ideas about civic life.

    National Standards for Art:
            Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes related to the  visual arts
            Knows how to use structures (e.g., sensory qualities, organization principles, expressive features   and functions of art)
            Knows a range of subject matter, symbols, and potential ideas in the visual arts

    Career Clusters:
            Fine arts and Humanities
 

    Authors:
      Mark Graham, Melissa Ridenour, & Vicky Neal
      Bruceton School - Preston County Schools