Hackett 2010

Unit Title: Freedom and Human Rights in The Giver

Subject: English Language Arts
Grade Level: 9th

Essential Question(s): Why is freedom important? Why are human rights important? How might
the absence of freedom and basic human rights affect people’s lives?

Lesson 2: Analyzing human rights in The Giver.

Lesson
Title/Number
What are some themes that are emerging in The Giver?
Lesson Question (s) How does the society in The Giver value human rights?
How does the society in The Giver value freedom?

State Standards
and Performance Reading Standards for Informational Texts Grades 9-10 Standard 2:
Indicators Students will determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in
detail its development over the course of the text, including how it
emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an
objective summary of the text.

(Perhaps number for clarity)

Lesson Objectives
(Bloom’s Taxonomy)
----------------------
1. Students will be able to use the text to analyze the themes of
freedom and human rights as they are portrayed in the novel.
2. Students will explore the implications of freedom in a society.
3. Students will collaborate and use technology to create a class-
wide Wiki page on The Giver (integrating technology).

Acceptable -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evidence 1. Students will refer to their reading of The Giver to produce
*Could be collected for journal entries based on the essential questions. These entries will
accountability/auditing
purposes.
be collected for homework (formative).
2. Students will record concrete details from the text to support the
themes of freedom and human rights while working in groups to
discuss these quotations and record their findings (RBIS – note
taking) (formative).
3. Evidence that students have achieved objective #3 will be through
 Hackett 2010
collaborations and additions to the class Wiki by including the
themes and examples from the text that they have found. Each
student will create his or her own Wiki page (integrating
technology).

The teacher will introduce the lesson by drawing upon the previous
Bell Ringer and class’s Socratic seminar. Students will be asked what they remember
Prior Knowledge from the discussion. Students will then work in groups of three to come
Tap up with 3 conclusions from the discussion. According to the class, what
is freedom? What are human rights? Students will work together and
This can be together or present their conclusions to the class. Rather than discussing these
separate. Also may be
called: set induction, questions, the students will simply collaborate to record how the class
anticipatory set, discussion concluded (RBIS – summarizing).
introduction/review
_______________ ________________________________________________________

The teacher will assign each student to a section of the reading. Students
Procedure will work independently for the first part of the lesson. As they work
independently, students will re-read their section of The Giver and fill out
Teacher input, a chart including what they found in the text, how that quote reflects the
development, themes of freedom and human rights, and 3-5 sentences analyzing the
instructional quote in relation to the theme. The students will address: Describe the
method(s), modeling, human rights or lack of human rights of the people in The Giver. After
guided practice,
the students have worked independently, the teacher will ask students to
independent practice,
and/or activities
come together in groups according to what sections of the text they
analyzed. Students will compare their findings and come together as a
class to talk about evidence in the text that portrays the essential
questions (RBIS – Collaborative Learning).

*Accommodations The teacher will project the task on the board and will provide it on the
for learning charts (visual/kinesthetic).
modalities are The teacher will say the directions and check for understanding on the
required. directions (auditory).
The teacher will read out loud for students who would rather hear their
Label…visual, section than read is visually. Students are also able to pair up to read their
auditory, and section with someone else who has the same section in order to ensure
kinesthetic reading comprehension (auditory).
The teacher will write student findings on the board when the class
comes together as a whole (visual).

Directions: What will you be looking for in the text?

Checks for How should you record what you find?
Understanding When you are finished working alone, then what will you do?
If you’d rather not read by yourself, what should you do?
Label: directions,
procedures, routines, Content: Why are we looking for evidence in The Giver to support the
and content themes of freedom and human rights?
(formative) What human rights are present in The Giver?
 Hackett 2010
What human rights are absent in The Giver?

Students will record concrete details from the text to support the themes
of freedom and human rights. The teacher will collect these (formative).
Assessment
Students will produce journal entries answering the essential questions.
Type and purpose These will be checked for homework (formative).
(sometimes called
evaluation) Students will collaborate and add to the class Wiki by including the
themes and examples from the text that they have found. Each student
will create his or her own Wiki page (formative, integrating technology).

The teacher will close the class discussion and refer back to the
objectives:
Closure 1. Students will be able to use the text to analyze the themes of
freedom and human rights as they are portrayed in the novel.
2. Students will explore the implications of freedom in a society.
The teacher will then ask students about their experiences looking
through the text and address any questions or challenges that they may
have had.

Students will read on in The Giver at the end of class if there is time.
Students will complete this activity in class, so that they can spend their
time out of class reading.
Accommodations

Books, handouts, whiteboard

Materials

60 minutes, 45 minutes teach prep.

Duration