Language Arts Unit: The Giver by Lowis Lowry

Helping students make connections between literature and life is sometimes difficult. This unit is designed to do just that Each activity has a way that students can draw on their own life experiences to more thoroughly understand the themes that Lowis Lowry is trying to convey. I've also made use of alternative writing assignements to help students develop various styles of writing and write for a particular audience. This unit is based on the Utah state core objectives, but may be adapted to fit any objectives you wish. Through this unit, your students will have a lot of fun and make a lot of great connections between literature and life.




I.
Utah
Core Objectives:







a. Objective 3: Demonstrate competency in reading and interpreting LITERARY text.







i. Use comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading a literary text, e.g., myth, essay, poetry, young adult literature, classics.







ii. Recognize the features of each literary genre to increase understanding and appreciation of literature, e.g., myth, essay, poetry, young adult literature, classics.







iii. Recognize and interpret the elements of literature, e.g., theme, metaphor, symbolism, types of conflict, dialogue.







iv. Compare and/or contrast the experiences of various cultures that might be reflected in the literature.







v. Share responses to text, e.g., small and whole class discussion, book clubs, visual presentations, written response, multi-media.







II. Content Objectives:







a. Students will be able to find and understand themes found in a novel and how the author conveys those themes.







b. Students will be able to make connections between literature and their lives, experiences, and societies.







c. Students will be able to use an alternative genre to convey meaning







III. Introduction/Pre-reading.