Week 3 Book Reflection
(Fantasy)
REOL 536
The Giver
Lowry, L.
(1993). The giver. New York, NY:
Houghton Mifflin Company.
Summary: Jonas has become a twelve this year and he was given a prestigious
title. He will be trained as “the giver”
who will receive all of the memories from past generations. It is an honor to be selected, but he will
endure much pain and alienation as he is trained to assume the role. With the knowledge he receives, Jonas begins
to understand the control the government has over the citizens as they make everyone
comfortable at all times. He knows something
must be done, but what can he do to stop the injustice?
Reflection: The genre of this book is modern fantasy, characterized by
supernatural events, a futuristic setting, and unusual situations. The setting
is America about two hundred years in the future. The story is unique and touches on political
and ethical issues without being forthcoming about them. The vivid descriptions of the memories that
Jonas receives are powerful.
Classroom Connection: This
is a great book to use when teaching imagery or character. Jonas is a thoughtful boy, which is evidenced by the way he takes all of the memories from the Giver and thinks through how they affect the people in his life. His actions are motivated by events from the story,
so it relates well to the following standard:
·
Common Core Standard RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their
traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to
the sequence of events
I would ask my students
to make a Jonas trading card. On one
side, they will draw a picture of him from one of the events in the story. On the other side, they will give some basic
information about him and then explain his motivation for his actions.
Big Questions: Which
of the memories that Jonas received was your favorite? Why?
Would you accept the
role of “the giver” if it was assigned to you?
The Giver is one of my favorite books!Characterization is a key element to this story, so your trading card idea would be awesome. I especially liked the question about accepting the role of giver. That could lead to some intense discussion!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sherrie's thoughts as well. I really like your trading card idea! I think it is a great way for students to be engaged. I also liked how you brought out some of the underlying messages, such as political and ethical issues, in your reflection. :-)
ReplyDeleteI LOVED the trading card idea! I bet your students would love it as well and what a great way to get them involved in their own learning.
ReplyDelete