the assignments in the giver

• Assignments

Assignments are given out in communities , at the Ceremony of Twelve .

All items (24)

• Assistant Director of Recreation
• Birthmother
• Caretaker of the Old
• Collection Crew
• Director of Recreation
• Drone Pilot
• Fish Hatchery
• Fish Hatchery Attendant
• Food Deliver
• Genetic Scientist
• Instructor of 3’s
• Landscape Worker
• Night-time Nurturer
• Receiver of Memory
• Security Guard
• Street Cleaner
• Swimming Instructor

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The Giver Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans and Ideas for Teaching The Giver

10 Lesson Plan Ideas for The Giver

Below are 10 quick lesson plan ideas for teaching The Giver by Lois Lowry. If you want detailed daily lesson plans and everything else you need to teach The Giver in one easy download, check out this amazing full unit plan. Lesson Ideas 1. Introduction to the novel: Before diving into the book, introduce students to the basic plot and themes of The Giver. This can include a brief summary of the story, discussion of the setting and characters, and identification of key themes such as individuality, conformity, and the value of memories. 2. Character analysis: Have students choose a character from The Giver to analyze in depth. This could include creating a character map, writing a character sketch, or Read More …

The Giver Questions – Chapters 9 to 12

For the full list of questions, please see my Ultimate Unit Plan for The Giver. Instructions These questions are intended to compel students to engage with The Giver in a meaningful way. They can be used in many ways, but may be most effective when first done in writing and then discussed as a class. Chapter 9 1. (a) How do Jonas’ instructions contradict the community rules? (b) What challenges do you foresee? (c) How will his life change? 2. If you were Jonas, how would you react to these instructions? Chapter 10 1. How does the Giver treat Jonas? Give specific examples from the story. 2. This is the first time that Jonas can ask any questions he wants. Read More …

The Giver Questions – Chapter 5 to 8

For the full list of questions, please see my Ultimate Unit Plan for The Giver. Instructions These questions are intended to compel students to engage with The Giver in a meaningful way. They can be used in many ways, but may be most effective when first done in writing and then discussed as a class. Chapter 5 1. Why does Jonas force himself to describe his whole dream despite his reluctance and embarrassment? 2. What is the communities attitude towards and treatment for “stirrings”? What does this say about the community? Chapter 6 1. What type of person might not “fit in” to a carefully planned and organized community like the one in The Giver? Chapter 7 1. Why do Read More …

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 …

New Ending Activity for The Giver

This lesson plan comes from my Ultimate Unit Plan for The Giver.  It includes everything you need to teach the entire novel, so you can take a break from prep work.  Click here to learn more. Instructions Start by discussing the ending of The Giver. Did you like the unresolved ending? Why do you think Lois Lowry chose to end The Giver this way? What do you think happened next? Students can then start on the assignment: writing an alternative ending for The Giver. Before students begin writing, they should consider the following: 1) Jonas and Gabriel are cold, tired and getting weaker. How does Jonas find the strength to go on? 2) What effect does the sunshine have on Read More …

Four Attributes Lesson Plan for The Giver

This lesson plan for The Giver asks students to consider the challenges of being the Receiver, and why Jonas was chosen for this role.. In The Giver, the Chief Elder explains that to have any chance of success, the Receiver must possess four essential attributes: intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom. For each of these four attributes, students are to explain what it is, and why it is important for the Receiver.  They must also provide specific examples that show each of the attributes in Jonas.  Finally, they should create a symbol to represent each attribute. I like to have my students create a four quadrant chart for each attribute, with each quadrant providing answers to the questions above. My complete unit Read More …

The Giver Vocabulary Crossword

The crossword puzzle below uses vocabulary from Pages 1‐40 of The Giver. For the full vocabulary list and answer key, plus many other resources, please see my full unit plan for The Giver. Across 3. to punish or criticize severely 6. unaffected by disturbance 7. to signal or summon 9. harsh or grating voice 10. irritable Down 1. unshakable belief 2. violation of law, command, or duty 4. deeply serious or gloomy 5. deep and painful regret 8. distracted and deeply agitated

In Class Essay for The Giver

To save hours of prep time and make teaching The Giver easy, fun, and stress-free, consider downloading the full unit plan. Click here to learn more. Directions You are to write an essay about The Giver. You may choose any ONE of the four topics listed below. You are expected to write clearly, include a thesis, use examples or details from the book as appropriate, and explain your ideas fully. Your essay is due at the end of the period. You may use the following to help you write your essay: Your copy of The Giver Your notes on The Giver Questions Remember, choose ONE of the following: 1. What does The Giver reveal about how much the government should 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 …

The Giver Lesson Plan Ideas

I want to share a few of lesson plan ideas with you here to help you get started teaching The Giver. If you have any good lesson plans for The Giver, please feel free to share them in the comment section. And if you want to have your entire unit for The Giver planned and ready to teach, click here to try my full unit plan. Character Diary Entry – Students write a diary entry from the perspective of a character in The Giver.  They should make the voice authentic and the topics relevant to the character’s role in The Giver.  Start the lesson by discussing what characterization is and how it is achieved. Letter – Students write a letter 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 …

The Giver Questions

For the full list of questions, please see my Ultimate Unit Plan for The Giver. Instructions These questions are intended to compel students to engage with The Giver in a meaningful way. They can be used in many ways, but may be most effective when first done in writing and then discussed as a class. Chapter 1 1. What do the following details from chapter one tell you about the community Jonas lives in? Jonas was frightened when he saw a jet fly overhead. Jonas and his sister don’t know what animals are. Boys and girls are referred to as “male” and “female.” New children don’t spend their first year with their families. It is rare to have visits from 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 …

Theme Lesson Plan

Theme can be a challenging concept for students.  They often confuse it with topics or morals. I find that every year, no matter which grade level I am teaching, I have to go over theme several times to make it stick. For The Giver, I use a three-part lesson plan to teach theme: notes, statements, paragraphs. Notes I start by asking student to make a list of topics from The Giver. After a few minutes, I get them to share their lists, and I write several topics on the board (freedom, individuality, memory, repression, etc.) Once we have a good list to work with, we go through each topic and discuss what the novel says about it. What does The Read More …

Introducing The Giver

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 …

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The Giver: 8 Creative Class Activities

The Giver by Lois Lowry is a teacher’s dream novel. The complex dystopian plotline, dynamic characters, and thought-provoking themes provide so many opportunities for teachers to foster text-to-self and text-to-world connections. Critical thinking activities that allow students to empathize with the characters are a must-have in any novel unit. Below are 8 of my favorite activities for The Giver   that do just that.  

1. The Ceremony of 12 Simulation

This first activity is always a class favorite. It allows students to empathize with Jonas and his friends as they are assigned careers by the Chief Elder during the Ceremony of 12 .

How This Activity Works:

Welcome students to the classroom with a colorful poster for The Ceremony of Twelve. Once they are all settled, immediately transform into The Chief Elder. Address the class explaining that although they have spent the last 11 years learning to fit in and standardize their behavior, that this ceremony will celebrate their differences. Then, one-by-one present each student with their new job and a designated card that states all of the roles and responsibilities. After each student gets their assignment, have the rest of the class say in unison, “Thank you for your childhood.”

Give your students a choice of assignment. They can either fill out an application for a job switch or write a journal discussing their feelings on their new role in the community!

2. Seeing Beyond Activity

In The Giver , Jonas has the capacity to ‘see beyond.’ This means that Jonas, unlike the other members of the community, can use his senses from memory that allow him the ability to see color. This fun, seeing beyond class activity allows students to step into Jonas’ shoes to understand his ability to see beyond.

Students enter the classroom to a colorful poster welcoming them to Seeing Beyond. Ask them to circulate the room to different areas that have hidden image optical illusions. Some will be able to see the hidden pictures, while others will not.

After the activity, students work with partners to discuss how they felt when they were or were not able to see the hidden image. They will also discuss how it felt to successfully or unsuccessfully help someone else see the image and how this relates to the novel.

3. Memory Transmission Activity

Through his role as The Receiver, Jonas receives transmitted memories of the past from The Giver. This FREE memory transmission activity allows students to empathize with both Jonas and The Giver as they will both receive and transmit memories. This one has always been a real hit with my students!

Put a colorful poster on the door welcoming your class to The Giver’s Annex. Then, transform into The Giver and give each group of students descriptions of new memories that Jonas will receive.

Some of the memories involve painful memories, like homelessness, while others involve more positive memories like Neil Armstrong’s arrival on the moon! Students discuss prompting questions that will have them understand the value of keeping the world’s memories safe. After all the memories have been transmitted, they will shift into the role of The Giver. In this role, they will transmit one important historical memory to Jonas of their choosing.

4. The House of Old Activity

The elderly in The Giver are seemingly treated with the utmost respect and care in The House of Old , but the reader soon learns that things are not as positive as they appear. The elders of the community are killed (a.k.a released from society). This activity allows students to examine how the elderly are treated in different cultures/countries in the world and how this compares to how they are treated in Jonas’ community.

Students will enter the classroom to a colorful poster welcoming them to The House Of Old. They participate in small group discussions with information cards that provide details about how the elderly are treated in different cultures. When they are done, they fill in the blank card with how the elderly are treated in the novel and share with the rest of the class!

5. Dream Sharing Activity

In Jonas’ community, everyone must share any dreams they have with their family members. On the surface, dream sharing seems like a good way to keep open communication about inner feelings. In reality, however, it is another way that the government can keep control of the thoughts of their citizens and squash any independent thinking. This activity allows students to interpret their own dreams and consider what deeper meaning their dreams may have.

After reading chapter 6, a poster welcoming them to Dream Sharing greets students at the door. Break the class up into groups of 4 and tell each group to imagine they are family members. Each group receives dream prompt cards with common topics for dreams that have symbolic meanings. Each student shares a dream they remember which connects with one of the topics. If they can’t connect with any topic, they can share any dream they remember.

After everyone has shared their dreams, give each group the Dream Interpretation Cards that explain the symbolic significance of each dream topic. Students discuss and reflect on how it felt to reveal a dream and consider whether or not this would be a good practice in their everyday life.

6. A World Without Pain Activity

In Jonas’ community, members are sheltered from feeling any physical or emotional pain. While this theoretically seems like a peaceful way to live, Jonas soon learns that feeling no pain desensitizes people and doesn’t allow them to appreciate positive emotions. From pain, people are also able to learn from mistakes and avoid making those same mistakes again in the future. This activity brings this idea to the forefront by showing students a real-life example of someone who feels no pain.

Students work in groups to read information about people who feel no physical pain. You could have them research Gabby Gingras or Ashlyn Blocker, for example. As a group, students discuss whether or not they would like to live a life without physical pain and what challenges they might face if they chose yes. Then, they work with their group to brainstorm a list of advantages and disadvantages to living a life free of emotional pain.

7. The Telling of Feelings Activity

Jonas and his family participate in a nightly ritual called The Telling of Feelings  where each person describes an emotion that they experienced during the day and discusses it with the others. Help students understand what this ritual would be like by forming classroom families and simulating the practice.

After reading chapter 2, put students into groups. It is preferable that groups consist of two boys and two girls, but it isn’t necessary. Tell them that the group is their new family and they are to assign roles (parents and siblings).

Each student gets a “Feelings Card” that they fill out in preparation for the ritual. Students must choose a precise word that describes a feeling they had that day. Each member of the group shares their feelings while the other members listen carefully.

After the ritual, have students discuss whether or not they could see themselves doing this with their family, if it would make a family closer, and why they think this is a required ritual in Jonas’ community.

8. Family Forming Activity

In The Giver , couples can only have 2 children as mandated by the government. While this may seem completely removed from the modern-day, this activity will teach students about China’s one-child policy and allow them to consider how it relates to the novel.

This activity works best with a bit of pre-reading discussion. Students discuss how they would react if the government limited the number of children they could have. Ask them if they think this could or would ever happen.

After some discussion, have them read an article or watch a video on China’s one-child policy. I have students record their thoughts as they read using a graphic organizer. The one I use has them consider their thoughts, what they learned, and something that surprised them. Ask students to make a connection between this policy and the events of the novel.

Grab a ready-to-use unit plan with over everything you need to teach  T he Giver (340 pages/slides of eye-catching powerpoints, printable assignments, questions, vocabulary, and interactive class activities) by  clicking here .

I hope you found this helpful! If you are interested in more tips and resources for developing students’ reading skills in ELA, click here.

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