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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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The Giver Lesson Plans | Entire Novel Study

This resource includes an  Anticipation Guide  for the novel   The Giver  by Lois Lowry.

An anticipation guide is a comprehension strategy that is used  before reading  to activate students’ prior knowledge and build curiosity about a new topic.

In this lesson, students will respond to several claims by indicating if they agree or disagree with that said statement.

Next, students will work collaboratively in groups to answer related discussion questions to further build anticipation about the novel before reading.

This lesson includes an  after reading  worksheet as well for students reassess their opinions after completing the novel.

This resource includes a PDF copy that is ready to print as well as a WORD DOCUMENT copy in case teachers would like to modify the assignment.

If you are working on a  novel study for  The Giver  by Lois Lowry, these Vocabulary Lists, Practice Activities, and Quizzes  will work perfectly for you!

There are 5 sets of vocabulary words, divided by chapters, with 12-15 words in each section, totaling 63 words.

Included in this resource:

• Vocabulary Charts for Students
• Powerpoint presentation with words, parts of speech, definitions, synonyms, and example sentences—for teaching purposes
• Corresponding practice activities for every section
• Quizzes (or additional practice) for every section
• Teacher Guide and ANSWER KEYS

This resource includes both PDF files (ready to print) and Word Documents (editable) that way teachers can make modifications if needed.

While completing a novel study for The Giver  by Lois Lowry,  have your students answer reading comprehension questions for every chapter!

Included are 11 sets of questions (divided by every 2-3 chapters) which delve into character motives, themes, symbols, and essential plot details. The questions are a combination of literary analysis, reading comprehension, and critical thinking.

Detailed answer keys are provided for all questions. You can print this resource as one all-encompassing packet or you can provide students worksheets one section at a time.

This resource includes the following formats:

• READY TO PRINT Student Copy of Questions (PDF)
• EDITABLE Copy of Questions (Word Document)
• ANSWER KEY TEACHER COPY of Questions with Answers (PDF)

Make sure your students are completing their independent reading for the novel  The Giver  by Lois Lowry  with these quick  Reading Checks or Chapter Quizzes ! This product works well if your students are reading independently or if you are reading as a class and you want to ensure students are paying attention.

These questions require brief responses; they are recall questions that are meant to be simple for anyone who has completed the reading.

This is a tool used simply to check that students are completing the independent reading, comprehending the basic information, and/or are engaged during class.

The reading checks are divided by the following sections:

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-9

Chapters 10-13

Chapters 14-18

Chapters 19-23

This product includes the following file types:

• Powerpoint Presentation
• Printable Worksheets (PDF)
• Editable Worksheets (word document)

Teacher answer keys included!

After reading the novel   The Giver  by Lois Lowry , have your students take a closer look at how the fictional society functions compared to our own contemporary society.

By engaging in discussion and reflection, students will deepen their understanding of societal structures, norms, and values, while also recognizing parallels and contrasts between the two worlds.

Students will not only deepen their understanding of  The Giver  but also develop critical thinking skills that enable them to analyze and reflect on the complexities of their own society.

Answer key included.

File types included:

• Teacher Copy (PDF)
• Student Copy (PDF)
• EDITABLE Student Copy (Word document)

Your students will enjoy searching for different words from the novel  The Giver  by Lois Lowry  in this activity. This resource includes  5 different Word Search worksheets .

Each worksheet is divided by section:

The words are hidden in all directions making these the perfect challenge! The words in each puzzle are pulled directly from each chapter in the book.

ANSWER KEYS INCLUDED!

This is an awesome activity for  early finishers . You could also assign these as  extra credit  or just something fun to enjoy in class/at home.

Use this Powerpoint Presentation to teach students all about  themes in  The Giver,  and other essential background information that is related to  themes  in the novel.

The presentation includes interactive prompts to facilitate discussions that foster critical thinking and engagement. Students will make  real-world connections  with examples such as China’s One-Child Policy and the Holocaust.

Students will consider a world without color and a life without memory as well as the importance that pain plays in our lives.

This lesson includes a  Guided Notes Theme Packet  for students to fill out as they actively listen to the information presented.

Ask your students to share their understanding of the novel  The Giver by Lois Lowry  by imaginatively blending their written ideas with colorful images based on information from the text.

With this   one-pager reading comprehension project,   students will analyze literary elements from   The Giver   as well as share their own personal responses to the book. This activity is the perfect addition to your  dystopian novel study!

Students’ final masterpieces make beautiful bulletin boards!

Included in this purchase is:

• Student directions for the one pager project PDF
• Rubric for the one pager project PDF
• Example one pager for the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry
• 11 BLANK TEMPLATES (printable—optional)
• Student Directions/rubric EDITABLE word document

Have your students analyze characters from  Lois Lowry’s  The Giver   in a fun and engaging way:  Character Collabs !

Your students will use several  characterization  methods to depict each character’s profile, demonstrate their understanding of the literature, and present their final work on a poster.

Posters will showcase your students’ body of work after completing each character’s biography.

Additionally, students will learn the importance of collaboration and effective communication.

There are 9 characters from  THE GIVER  included in this resource:

• The Chief Elder
• Jonas’s Mother
• Jonas’s Father

This resource includes the following:

• Teacher Guide
• Student Directions
• Brainstorm Character Analysis Worksheet
• Blank Coloring Pages for each character
• Answer Keys
• Example of Final Project for the Giver
• Digitally Colored Examples for every character
• Editable documents: directions, rubric, brainstorm worksheet

Your students will love solving puzzles in this  360° Digital Escape Room  based on the novel  The Giver  by Lois Lowry.

Deepen your students’ understanding of the novel while providing an unforgettable experience for them. Check out the video preview to see more!

This activity is designed to work for a laptop, tablet, or smart phone.

Students will try to “escape the cold” and enter a warm house where a Christmas celebration is taking place… just like Jonas at the end of the novel.

To open the lock, students most work together and solve a series of clues based on major plot points and themes from  The Giver.

This activity is a great way to get students to work collaboratively and practice problem-solving skills.

Included in this download are: teacher instructions, student instructions, the master lock graphic organizer, answer keys, printable clues (optional), and a reflection sheet (optional).

This resource includes:  The Giver  Final Test with Answer Key!

This test, based on the novel  The Giver by Lois Lowry , requires students to establish what they learned from the novel and their overall comprehension of the book. This assessment requires students’ knowledge about: symbolism, characterization, theme, and more.

The exam consists of 46 questions and offers students an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities in a variety of ways:

• 18 multiple choice questions
• 11 true or false questions
• 10 character identification questions
• 6 short answer questions (1-2 sentences)
• 1 open-ended question (4-6 sentences)

This resource includes the following file types:

• READY TO PRINT Test Student Copy (PDF)
• EDITABLE Test Student Copy (Word document)
• READY TO PRINT Test Teacher Copy with Answers (PDF)

This  Movie Guide  is based on the 2014 film,   The Giver ,   directed by   Phillip Noyce, and starring  Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges, Brenton Thwaites, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, and Taylor Swift.

Students can appreciate the film and analyze the extent to which the movie stays faithful to or departs from the original text, evaluating the choices made by the director. Answer key included.

This  movie analysis  packet works perfectly at the end of a  novel study for  The Giver  by Lois Lowry.

Students will also have an opportunity to share their opinions on casting choices and adaptation decisions.

The film is 1 hour and 37 minutes in length.

This resource includes  SIX Full Weeks of content for the novel  The Giver  by Lois Lowry.

Additionally, in this  UNIT PLAN BUNDLE , you will receive a teacher guide that encompasses an example Unit Schedule/ Pacing Guide!

You can purchase each lesson individually or save money and get the Bundle!

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5 Engaging Activities to Teach The Giver

After jumping into the world of middle school ELA, I have to say that The Giver is my new Gatsby . In other words, it’s my new favorite whole-class novel. It’s even better than Gatsby (sorry, old sport), and it’s such a gem of a book that it just might keep me teaching middle school forever! The Giver is engaging, thought-provoking, and accessible! My favorite part of teaching it is watching how inquisitive, curious, and invested my students become as they read. The book definitely sparks a lot of curiosity on its own, but I deliberately teach this book to hook and engage students from the start! I love to play up the “mystery” of it all, encourage students to ask lots of questions, take note of all the interesting things they observe, and start guessing about what’s really going on in the community. 

If you’re ready to similarly engage your students, then here are 5 of my favorite activities for teaching The Giver !

1. PRE-READING LEARNING STATIONS

Learning stations are my favorite strategy for hooking my students before reading. They’re so versatile, engaging, and effective that I use them at the beginning of almost every single unit/novel! A good set of pre-reading learning stations will preview essential background information AND spark students’ curiosity before they have a chance to turn to page 1. 

For The Giver, here’s what that looks like:

• Students learn about the genre (dystopian/science-fiction).
• Students debate essential questions through an engaging anticipation guide.
• Students explore the differences between utopias and dystopias.
• Students preview and react to a few of the community’s strict rules.
• Students play a creative word challenge game designed to get them thinking about the power of language in the book!

As you can see, these activities hook and prepare students for further reading! These print/digital pre-reading learning stations are available separately HERE or bundled with other resources for The Giver HERE. For more information about creating your own learning stations, check out the following blog posts:

• 10 Reasons to Implement Learning Stations
• How to Create Engaging Learning Stations
• How to Facilitate Successful Learning Stations
• 10 Ideas for Virtual Learning Stations

2. MOCK CEREMONY OF 12

Chapter 8 of The Giver is practically begging to be acted out in front of an audience of middle schoolers, so take advantage of this and host your own mock Ceremony of 12. It’s a tiny bit of extra effort and work, but I promise you it’s worth the memorable experience. Not to mention, a mock ceremony is a great way to review the chapter, spark connections, and facilitate rich discussions! Here’s what I did to host our Ceremony of 12:

• I created Assignment cards for different jobs in the community. During the ceremony, I assigned these randomly!
• I wrote up a script so I didn’t have to totally wing it as the Chief Elder.
• I designed ceremony programs for my students, so they could follow along during the ceremony. These programs also prompted them to answer a few essential questions and reflect on the chapter/ceremony.

On the day of the ceremony, I donned a black gown (from my college graduation) and a wig (at my students’ request). I also sported a gavel just for fun, and of course, I acted as ridiculous as possible. The whole experience was so much fun for me and my students! 10/10, definitely recommend!

You can find all of these mock ceremony materials, as well as thorough teacher instructions, in this growing unit bundle for The Giver.

3. QUESTION TRAIL

A question trail is my go-to activity to mix things up and break the normal routines of any novel unit! If you’re unfamiliar with it, a question trail is a unique, kinesthetic activity that gets students up and moving on a “trail” of questions around the classroom. 

This activity consists of different multiple choice “stations” or “spots” around the room. At each station, students answer a multiple-choice question. Each answer (a, b, c, or d) will send the students to a different station. If students answer each question correctly, they will travel to each station and complete a full circuit. If students answer a question incorrectly, they will eventually find themselves at a station they’ve already completed, which tells them that they need to backtrack. This gives you clear, immediate feedback so you can see who is getting it (“on the trail”) vs. who is not (“off the trail”).

This means a question trail is a great way to review a chapter with both comprehension and analysis questions. I like to do a question trail after Chapters 16-17 of The Giver, just to make sure students are understanding the book and the standards we are practicing before the climax in Chapter 19. Of course, you can create your own question trail for any chapter/s in the book. If you’re interested in my student-ready question trail for Chapters 16-17 of The Giver, you can check it out HERE. To learn more about how to create question trails, head to this blog post.

4. ACTING OUT CHAPTER 19

When you spend so much time cultivating students’ curiosity and playing up the mystery of “release,” it only makes sense to do this dramatic chapter justice! My students read most of the book for reading homework, but I purposefully do not assign Chapter 19 as reading homework! I selfishly want to witness their reactions to learning what “release” really means. To make the most of this scene, I like to transform the chapter into a script and have students act it out in front of the class. 

Don’t feel pressured to buy props or get too fancy.  In fact, using baby dolls as props might be taking it too far! Because it was 2021, my class ended up using two identical bottles of sanitizer spray for the newchildren twins. Yep, it got that weird, but it was hilarious. If your students are anything like mine, this will make for a memorable reading experience and give you a great chance to reflect, discuss, and process the chapter after the acting!

5. THE GIVER FILM ANALYSIS

I absolutely love facilitating film analysis during/after reading novels, and The Giver is no exception! Film analysis is an engaging, accessible way to scaffold the challenging skill of literary analysis. With the right structure, guidance, and questions, watching a movie can prompt critical thinking and spark rich discussions. I know many fellow ELA teachers don’t like the film adaptation of The Giver because it changes so much from the book, but I think it offers the perfect opportunity for discussion & analysis. 

In addition to asking students to compare/contrast the text and the film, try asking them why they think the film directors made certain changes and how these changes affect the audience. These kinds of questions spark more thoughtful insight and engaging discussions. For print/digital worksheets with these types of questions, check out these The Giver Film Analysis resources. For more information on successfully facilitating film analysis for any novel, head to this blog post!

I hope these ideas help you jumpstart your unit planning for The Giver ! For more engaging activities and resources for teaching this book, check out this growing unit bundle full of learning stations, quickwrites, vocabulary resources, and more! If you have any questions about these activities or how I teach The Giver, leave them below and I’ll do my best to answer. 🙂

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The Giver by Lois Lowry Lesson plans and other teaching resources

Lois Lowry The author's official site.

Teacher Guide to The Giver How might students use storyboards to demonstrate and to extend their learning? Check the resources here. Includes essential questions, plot diagram, character maps, exploration of dystopiansocieties, key themes, motifs and symbols, vocabulary, and more. Note: Storyboard That helps sponsor this site.

Text to Text: The Giver and "The Dark Side of Young Adult Fiction" This article pairs the novel with a nonfiction article from The New York Times. It also provides some biographical information about Lois Lowry and includes a video interview with her.

The Giver A message from the author, booktalk, pre-reading activity, thematic connections, interdisciplinary projects, vocabulary, and related titles.

The Giver A black-and-white activity designed as a followup to the novel.

The Giver Students explore the effect of different colors as an introduction to the idea of "no-color" in the book.

The Giver Designed for grades 7 and 8, this novel guide includes theme openers, crosscurricular activities, research assignments, and related readings.

The Giver : 7 Creative Classroom Activities Job Fair, Memory Book, Travel Brochure, 90-second Video Adaptation, Cover Redesign, Emotional Rainbow, Community Newspaper. Great ideas for helping students connect to the text.

The Giver Educator's Resource Guide Discussion questions, writing prompts, cross-curricular connections, debate topics. academic vocabulary like irony , turning point . Designed to accompany the 2014 film. 28 pages; Adobe Reader required.

The Giver — Authority A unit lesson that will have students be researchers and recorders in the process of finding information on Utopian societies, cults and authority. Students will complete a Powerpoint, Glogster, essay or news broadcast by the conclusion of the essay.

The Giver : Crossword Crossword puzzle with answers. Access requires Adobe Reader.

Memories Matter: The Giver and Descriptive Writing Memoirs From the site: "By discussing the importance of having a written history of humanity, and the ways in which prior knowledge and life experiences influence others, students soon realize the horror of Jonas's utopian society. This understanding generates a keen interest in the descriptive writing of students' own history."

Teaching Problem Solving Through The Giver In this blog post a teacher describes a prewriting strategy that helped students narrow a topic before writing an argument paragraph.

Vocabulary from The Giver Words are presented in context and with definitions. Click on a word for pronunciation, examples of recent use, more.

Word Search: The Giver This 2-page printable requires Adobe Reader for access, includes answers.

Word Unscramble: The Giver A list of 16 scrambled words drawn from the book. This 2-page printable requires Adobe Reader for access, includes answers.

Lois Lowry Links to lesson plans for other works by Lowry.

Crossword Puzzle Generators

Ella Enchanted Activities

The Giver Teaching Ideas

• By Gay Miller in Book Units

November 21, 2016

• Middle School Novel Study

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The Giver Novel Study

This page has printable resources to use with Lois Lowry's novel, The Giver . Activities include vocabulary review, reading comprehension questions, writing prompts, and a puzzle.

Chapters 1-5

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Chapters 6-10

Chapters 11-14, chapters 15-19, chapters 20-23, literature circles.

We have printable literature units for many different books, including Charlotte's Web , Holes , Because of Winn Dixie , and Mr. Popper's Penguins .

We have fiction and non-fiction reading passages for 5th graders. Each passage includes comprehension questions.

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The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver is a great book for students to read as an early introduction to dystopian literature. The story will prompt important discussions about certain themes, the concept of freedom, and more. The activities in this lesson plan will help students create fun and visual responses to the story, and can be extended to the rest of The Giver series if desired!

Student Activities for The Giver

Essential Questions For The Giver

• What are the benefits and disadvantages of conformity?
• What is true freedom, and do we have it?
• What makes for a perfect society, and is it realistic?
• Why should we embrace diversity and individuality?

The Giver Summary

Jonas is a typical 11 year old who lives in a seemingly perfect community. There is little pain, and no crime. People are polite, and everyone belongs to a supportive family. However this utopia comes at a price; there are no choices, emotions are forbidden, and life in the community is dictated by strict rules. In this society, Elders match spouses, and assign children to them before birth. Everyone looks similar in skin color and dress. Everyone in the community is also assigned a job.

When it is Jonas time to learn his job, he is chosen to be the new Receiver. This is the person who holds all the memories of the world for their society. Over time, Jonas learns about color, nature, beauty, pleasure, love, and family. As well as painful memories of loss, loneliness, poverty, injury, war, and death. The former Receiver (the eponymous Giver) explains that the community is founded on the principle of likeness, which requires the consistency of a world without emotion and memory to survive. He adds that these memories give the Receiver the true wisdom needed to guide the committee in all their decisions.

Before the resolution of the novel, Jonas learns how people in the community die, and he plans an escape so that Gabe (a toddler his family is caring for) will not be ‘released’ (killed). Jonas wants to give all the memories he possesses to everyone, despite warnings from the Giver that doing so could have devastating consequences. Jonas becomes upset and feels that, without memories, his family and friends live in ignorance.

This escape plan takes Jonas and Gabe on a journey. Jonas struggles with the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that the Giver has shared with him, before they reach a place that was in Jonas's first received memory. In the snow, Jonas and Gabe sled down a hill, happy for a moment.

More Activity Ideas for The Giver

• The Giver is a classic example of a Bildungsroman novel . Have students keep track of the different elements of Bildungsroman literature through storyboarding! Students can create a storyboard chart with illustrations and descriptions of each Bildungsroman stage.
• Storyboard what the ending of the novel meant to you, personally. Since the ending is somewhat ambiguous, and can mean so many things to different people, reflect on what it means to you.
• Create an alternate ending to the novel with a storyboard that shows and tells the story from a different perspective.
• Complete a storyboard showing the rules that Jonas’ has as Receiver.
• Depict your favorite part of the novel using storyboards and share with your classmates.
• Make a storyboard depicting how Jonas' world seems perfect and what is it lacking.
• Add a presentation to any storyboard project.

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How To Incorporate a Dystopia into the Curriculum

Introduce the concept of bildungsroman.

A bildungsroman is a coming of age novel where a young character grows up and starts to make some personal choices for their actions and their life. In The Giver, Jonas realizes that the society in which he lives is not all it is cracked up to be and he has to make a bold move for justice.

Read The Giver With Students

The Giver is an accessible dystopia for students that is easy to understand but will also make them think. Help students to follow Jonas and his family as the plot unfolds, and he grows more uncomfortable with the society in which he lives.

Discuss Freedom, Diversity, Conformity

The Giver is ripe with big ideas for young students, and you can lead a discussion about the importance of freedom, diversity, and conformity, so students can better understand why Jonas does what he does in the novel.

Use a Storyboard to Explain Literary Elements

Assist students in analyzing theme, plot, conflict, and other elements of stories by utilizing storyboards. When students are actively engaged with drawing and writing, they will better grasp the difficult concepts of a dystopia.

Frequently Asked Questions about The Giver by Lois Lowry

What is a dystopia.

A dystopia is a created society that is trying to seek equality for all, but instead creates a non-perfect world where individuality is stifled and the world crumbles. In trying to create perfection, the government ends up with too much power.

How do you define true freedom?

True freedom is the ability to personally make choices without retribution from the government or worry for the future. True freedom means being yourself.

How important is individuality?

Individuality is what makes a society great, that everyone has the freedom to think, work, and act for themselves and with their own ideas. Without individuality, there is no personal freedom.

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The Giver Lesson Plans for Teachers

Teaching The Giver

The Giver lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. Inside you'll find 30 Daily Lessons, 20 Fun Activities, 180 Multiple Choice Questions, 60 Short Essay Questions, 20 Essay Questions, Quizzes/Homework Assignments, Tests, and more. The lessons and activities will help students gain an intimate understanding of the text, while the tests and quizzes will help you evaluate how well the students have grasped the material. View a free sample

Target Grade: 7th-12th (Middle School and High School)

Length of Lesson Plan: Approximately 117 pages. Page count is estimated at 300 words per page. Length will vary depending on format viewed.

Browse The Giver Lesson Plan:

Full Lesson Plan Overview

Completely customizable.

The Giver lesson plan is downloadable in PDF and Word. The Word file is viewable with any PC or Mac and can be further adjusted if you want to mix questions around and/or add your own headers for things like "Name," "Period," and "Date." The Word file offers unlimited customizing options so that you can teach in the most efficient manner possible. Once you download the file, it is yours to keep and print for your classroom. View a FREE sample

Lesson Plan Calendars

The Lesson Plan Calendars provide daily suggestions about what to teach. They include detailed descriptions of when to assign reading, homework, in-class work, fun activities, quizzes, tests and more. Use the entire The Giver calendar, or supplement it with your own curriculum ideas. Calendars cover one, two, four, and eight week units. Determine how long your The Giver unit will be, then use one of the calendars provided to plan out your entire lesson.

Chapter Abstracts

Chapter abstracts are short descriptions of events that occur in each chapter of The Giver . They highlight major plot events and detail the important relationships and characteristics of important characters. The Chapter Abstracts can be used to review what the students have read, or to prepare the students for what they will read. Hand the abstracts out in class as a study guide, or use them as a "key" for a class discussion. They are relatively brief, but can serve to be an excellent refresher of The Giver for either a student or teacher.

Character and Object Descriptions

Character and Object Descriptions provide descriptions of the significant characters as well as objects and places in The Giver . These can be printed out and used as an individual study guide for students, a "key" for leading a class discussion, a summary review prior to exams, or a refresher for an educator. The character and object descriptions are also used in some of the quizzes and tests in this lesson plan. The longest descriptions run about 200 words. They become shorter as the importance of the character or object declines.

Daily Lessons

This section of the lesson plan contains 30 Daily Lessons. Daily Lessons each have a specific objective and offer at least three (often more) ways to teach that objective. Lessons include classroom discussions, group and partner activities, in-class handouts, individual writing assignments, at least one homework assignment, class participation exercises and other ways to teach students about The Giver in a classroom setting. You can combine daily lessons or use the ideas within them to create your own unique curriculum. They vary greatly from day to day and offer an array of creative ideas that provide many options for an educator.

Fun Classroom Activities

Fun Classroom Activities differ from Daily Lessons because they make "fun" a priority. The 20 enjoyable, interactive classroom activities that are included will help students understand The Giver in fun and entertaining ways. Fun Classroom Activities include group projects, games, critical thinking activities, brainstorming sessions, writing poems, drawing or sketching, and countless other creative exercises. Many of the activities encourage students to interact with each other, be creative and think "outside of the box," and ultimately grasp key concepts from the text by "doing" rather than simply studying. Fun activities are a great way to keep students interested and engaged while still providing a deeper understanding of The Giver and its themes.

Essay Questions/Writing Assignments

These 20 Essay Questions/Writing Assignments can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment on The Giver . Students should have a full understanding of the unit material in order to answer these questions. They often include multiple parts of the work and ask for a thorough analysis of the overall text. They nearly always require a substantial response. Essay responses are typically expected to be one (or more) page(s) and consist of multiple paragraphs, although it is possible to write answers more briefly. These essays are designed to challenge a student's understanding of the broad points in a work, interactions among the characters, and main points and themes of the text. But, they also cover many of the other issues specific to the work and to the world today.

Short Essay Questions

The 60 Short Essay Questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence answer. They ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of The Giver by describing what they've read, rather than just recalling it. The short essay questions evaluate not only whether students have read the material, but also how well they understand and can apply it. They require more thought than multiple choice questions, but are shorter than the essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

The 180 Multiple Choice Questions in this lesson plan will test a student's recall and understanding of The Giver . Use these questions for quizzes, homework assignments or tests. The questions are broken out into sections, so they focus on specific chapters within The Giver . This allows you to test and review the book as you proceed through the unit. Typically, there are 5-15 questions per chapter, act or section.

Evaluation Forms

Use the Oral Reading Evaluation Form when students are reading aloud in class. Pass the forms out before you assign reading, so students will know what to expect. You can use the forms to provide general feedback on audibility, pronunciation, articulation, expression and rate of speech. You can use this form to grade students, or simply comment on their progress.

Use the Writing Evaluation Form when you're grading student essays. This will help you establish uniform criteria for grading essays even though students may be writing about different aspects of the material. By following this form you will be able to evaluate the thesis, organization, supporting arguments, paragraph transitions, grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. of each student's essay.

Quizzes/Homework Assignments

The Quizzes/Homework Assignments are worksheets that can be used in a variety of ways. They pull questions from the multiple choice and short essay sections, the character and object descriptions, and the chapter abstracts to create worksheets that can be used for pop quizzes, in-class assignments and homework. Periodic homework assignments and quizzes are a great way to encourage students to stay on top of their assigned reading. They can also help you determine which concepts and ideas your class grasps and which they need more guidance on. By pulling from the different sections of the lesson plan, quizzes and homework assignments offer a comprehensive review of The Giver in manageable increments that are less substantial than a full blown test.

Use the Test Summary page to determine which pre-made test is most relevant to your students' learning styles. This lesson plan provides both full unit tests and mid-unit tests. You can choose from several tests that include differing combinations of multiple choice questions, short answer questions, short essay questions, full essay questions, character and object matching, etc. Some of the tests are designed to be more difficult than others. Some have essay questions, while others are limited to short-response questions, like multiple choice, matching and short answer questions. If you don't find the combination of questions that best suits your class, you can also create your own test on The Giver .

Create Your Own Quiz or Test

You have the option to Create Your Own Quiz or Test. If you want to integrate questions you've developed for your curriculum with the questions in this lesson plan, or you simply want to create a unique test or quiz from the questions this lesson plan offers, it's easy to do. Cut and paste the information from the Create Your Own Quiz or Test page into a Word document to get started. Scroll through the sections of the lesson plan that most interest you and cut and paste the exact questions you want to use into your new, personalized The Giver lesson plan.

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The Giver Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans and Ideas for Teaching The Giver

Tag: assignment

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

The Giver Ceremony of Twelve Activity - Novel Simulation of the Ceremony of 12

What educators are saying

Description.

The Giver Ceremony of Twelve Activity is an interactive classroom activity that your students will never forget! In The Giver by Lois Lowry, children are assigned their careers during The Ceremony of 12. Bring this into your classroom and allow your students to empathize with Jonas and the rest of the community by taking on the role of Chief Elder and assigning roles to each of your students! The resource includes absolutely everything you need to successfully facilitate a mock Ceremony of Twelve in your classroom!

How The Giver Ceremony of Twelve Activity Works:

Students will be greeted in the classroom by a colorful poster welcoming them to The Ceremony of 12. The teacher is then transformed into The Chief Elder who addresses the class with an included speech.

During the ceremony, each student will come to the front of the class to receive their specifically chosen assignment card that states their roles and responsibilities in the community. They might be assigned the role of nurturer, recreation director, birthmother, caretaker of the old, or any of the other included 32 roles!

After students have received their assignment and the Ceremony of Twelve has come to a close, they will have the choice of two assignments : writing a journal entry or filling out an application for a career change.

Included in The Giver Ceremony of Twelve Activity:

➡️ Teacher Instructions: These detailed instructions will guide you through every element of how to successfully run a simulation of The Ceremony of 12 in your classroom!

➡️ Classroom Poster: Welcome students with this eye-catching poster that will introduce them and hook them into the activity

➡️ Chief Elder's Speech: A copy of The Chief Elder's speech from the novel that the teacher can read to introduce the Ceremony of 12 to the class.

➡️ Selecting Students Graphic Organizer: Easily organize which students will receive which role with this graphic organizer that lists each of the possible careers students might receive.

➡️ Ceremony Presentation: Type student names into the presentation, so the Ceremony of Twelve runs seamlessly, assigning each student their role and signalling them to come to the front to receive their career card.

➡️ 32 Career Cards: Each card includes a career role, many directly referenced in The Giver , and a detailed explanation of the roles and responsibilities associated with the role.

➡️ Journal Response Assignment: This assignment is for students who are pleased with their career assignment. They will share their thoughts and feelings about their new role. They will consider if they like their career, what they would change if they could, and what concerns they have.

➡️ Application for Job Change Assignment: This assignment is for students who are not pleased with their career assignment and would like to request a change in job.

What Teachers Are Saying About The Giver Ceremony of Twelve Activity:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another great product to use with The Giver . Students really enjoyed this activity . As a matter of fact, I saw some students this summer and they brought up this very activity with smiles on their faces! Thank you

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ When the students saw the poster on my door for the ceremony, they were all instantly intrigued . It led to great discussions about the jobs within the community and spoke highly of each personality within the room. It was a great way to discuss the themes in the novel but also served as a great community builder for my class as well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Love this activity! This was a perfect way to really get the students involved and thinking about the Ceremony of Twelve and different life assignments.

>>>This resource is included in my unit plan for the novel!

➡️ The Giver Unit Plan

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• 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