PPaarreennttaall IInnvvoollvveemmeenntt

MMiiddddllee SScchhooooll LLiitteerraaccyy NNoovveell UUnniittss The North Dakota State Parent Information Resource Center (NDPIRC) and the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction are pleased to provide schools with a CD of Parental Involvement Middle School Literacy Novel Units. Literacy is fundamental for learning in school and is the foundation for succeeding in life. The Title I and Special Education units are proud to sponsor this project in collaboration with NDPIRC. During the summer of 2010, NDPIRC contracted with three North Dakota educators to create Parental Involvement Middle School Literacy Novel Units for grades 6-8. Each CD is filled with numerous grade level activities and ideas for promoting literacy in the home. We would like to acknowledge and commend the three exemplary educators who helped create this resource for North Dakota school personnel. ♦ Bethany Higdem, Wahpeton ♦ Danette Brown, Minot ♦ Rebecca Pitkin, Dickinson

Every middle school in the state of North Dakota is receiving one CD with Parental Involvement Middle School Literacy Novel Units to share among all staff in the building. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed by President Obama in February 2009, provides a significant amount of additional funds for local school districts. These funds create an unprecedented opportunity for educators to implement innovative strategies in schools that improve education for at-risk students and close the achievement gaps. Schools are encouraged to use their Title I and Special Education ARRA funds to make duplicate copies of the literacy activities on the CD for grades 6-8. If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact either the Department of Public Instruction or NDPIRC.

NNoorrtthh DDaakkoottaa DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt ooff PPuubblliicc IInnssttrruuccttiioonn

TTiittllee II OOffffiiccee//SSppeecciiaall EEdduuccaattiioonn OOffffiiccee

DDrr.. WWaayynnee GG.. SSaannsstteeaadd,, SSttaattee SSuuppeerriinntteennddeenntt

660000 EE.. BBoouulleevvaarrdd AAvvee..,, DDeepptt.. 220011

BBiissmmaarrcckk,, NNDD 5588550055--00444400

888888--660055--11995511

NNoorrtthh DDaakkoottaa SSttaattee PPaarreenntt IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn

RReessoouurrccee CCeenntteerr ((NNDDPPIIRRCC))

11660000 22nndd

AAvvee.. SSWW,, SSuuiittee 2299

MMiinnoott,, NNDD 5588770011--33445599

888888--776633--77227777

8th Grade Supply List

Stargirl

• Pencil or Pen The Giver

• Paper and Pencil • Computer Access • Markers/Crayons • Email Access or Zip Drive The Wave

• Paper and Pencil • Internet Access • Research Materials (books, encyclopedia, etc) The Hunger Games

• Internet Access • Magazines • Markers/Crayon • Glue • Scissors

Woods Runner

• Paper • Pencils • Computer • Camera (optional) • Large Poster Board Paper • Glue • Scissors • Markers/Crayons • Internet • Lemon or Orange Juice • Milk • Sugar or Salt Water (tsp in a cup of water)

• White Vinegar • Cardboard • Notecards • Game board creations: dice, game pieces, etc

The Giver By: Lois Lowry

Overview (provided by Scholastic.com): Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back. Reading level: Young Adult

The Giver

The Giver Lesson 1 Chapter 1

Title and Purpose of Activity: Before/During/After Reading: Setting the Purpose Anticipation Guide Parent Engagement Strategy: Purpose setting can be greatly enhanced by activating students’ prior knowledge, biases, ideas, and opinions. By practicing this strategy and using anticipation guides, students will become skilled readers and incorporate and internalize the process on their own. Parents will encourage the students to activate their prior knowledge before they read and will questions students about their opinions. As the students read and after they read, the parents will facilitate a discussion with their student about their personal reactions to the statements.

Did their thoughts change?

What in the text surprised them?

What alarmed them?

What do they now think this story will be about? By engaging their brains prior to reading, students will learn how to become more actively engaged during reading, thus increasing comprehension. Rationale for Activity: Everything has a purpose, especially reading. Reading is important and it is critical that students understand and are aware of what they are reading before they even start. When specific topics are outlined, it helps students learn how to steer their reading. If students know what they are looking for, it increases comprehension and increases their ability to analyze and interpret the text. Standards/Benchmark Targeted: 8.2.2. Use prior knowledge and experiences to aid text comprehension. 8.2.3. Use a variety of strategies to construct meaning from text; e.g., vocabulary building

strategies, skimming, paraphrasing, summarizing, brainstorming, and discussing. 8.2.4. Read for a variety of purposes to develop lifetime reading skills and habits. Book Title: The Giver Author: Lois Lowry Materials: Anticipation Chart Directions for use: Allow students to complete the Before Reading section on the worksheet. Parents should discuss the student’s answers with them and focus on directing the student to support their positions. During Reading, the students will evaluate their opinions as they read. After Reading the first chapter, parents should engage in a post-reading follow-up discussion. They should focus on each statement and discuss whether or not their opinion has changed as a result of what they

read, or discuss their personal reaction to their reading. Students will write about whether the book supported their original thought or not. Parents should encourage them to paraphrase the book to support or argue against the original statement. Parents should also encourage them to connect the statement to their own lives.

The Giver Anticipation Chart, Chapter 1

Response Before Reading

Statements about the Topic Personal Reaction After Reading

Messing up in your job leads to your dismissal from the community.

Twelve is a critical age; the most important age of your life in fact.

Children don’t know what animals are.

Families share feelings at the dinner table every night.

Small children and elderly people are kicked out of town because they are too weak.

Families are only allowed two children-one male and one female.

If someone messes up three times, that is it; they are released from the community.

Hiding feelings or lying is against the rules.

The Giver Lesson 2

Chapter 1

Title and Purpose of Activity: After Reading: Connections Parent Engagement Strategy: Parents have always been told that eating dinner together benefits their families in a number of ways. According to parenting families.com, eating together has shown to help families achieve better communication and build stronger relationships, children do better in school (language skills are improved), better adjusted as teens and adults, and the entire family enjoys better nutrition. Doctors suggest that parents need to be careful not to control conversations and suppress their children's opinions. Dinnertime should be a time for open discussion and all members should be encouraged to participate (McEntire, 2010). With this lesson, parents simply need to provide their child time to share his/her feelings with them then the parent will share their feelings with their child. Students and parents will keep track of their discussions on the journaling logs. Rationale for Activity: Students can use writing to sort things out, to clarify, organize their thoughts, and connect their prior knowledge to new insights. Journaling allows students to connect with their own lives. It also facilitates student reflection on development of personal understanding. The journaling strategy is used not only to guide student metacognition (knowing about their knowing) but also to assess students’ writing. Standards/Benchmark Targeted: 8.3.4. Use free writing and journal writing to develop ideas for writing topics. 8.3.7. Incorporate grade-level appropriate vocabulary in writing. 8.3.8. Use organizational patterns; e.g., introduction, body, conclusion or

exposition/body/resolution. 8.4.3. Speak for different purposes; e.g., group discussions, research presentations and

demonstrations 8.4.4. Use volume, eye contact, rate, pronunciation, and articulation effectively in oral

presentations Book Title: The Giver Author: Lois Lowry Materials: Student and Parent Journal Log

Student Reflection Write-Up Directions for use: Just like Jonas his family shared their feelings over supper, the parents and the student will do the same. Ideally the parents and the student would sit down for supper every night; however, that may be unrealistic because of work schedules, sporting events, and church activities, etc. So for one week, the parents and the student will sit down at some point during the day to share their feelings.

It could be in the car ride to school, in a doctor’s waiting room, or while the doing dishes. Both the student and the parents will keep a log of their experience. As a culminating activity, the student will create a more detailed written record in addition to reflecting on their experience of sharing their feelings.

Date (minimum of 5 days)

Student Description of What was Shared

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Date (minimum of 5 days)

Parent Description of What was Shared

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Parent/Student Discussion Write-Up

As the culminating activity, you will create a more detailed reflection on your experience of sharing your feelings with your parents. Write in complete paragraphs (topic sentence, three-five supporting sentences, and a clincher)! Here are some prompts to think about as you reflect on the experience:

Did you find it easy to open up to your parents? Why or why not?

Did you share your true feelings and concerns? Why or why not?

What did you discuss? What did your parents discuss?

Were you surprise by any of the feelings your parents shared with you? Explain.

Were your feelings/concerns the same as your parents or different? Why?

How would you rate the process of sharing your feelings? Explain why.

Do you plan on continuing this? Why or why not?

______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

The Giver Lesson 3 Chapter 6

Title and Purpose of Activity: After Reading: Inferring with Question Stems Parent Engagement Strategy: Questioning is a critical skill that all students must be able to use in their everyday lives. It is important that students can both create and answer critical thinking questions. Parents will participate in the activity with the student. Parents will create six questions about the book in addition to the student’s six questions. Parents are encouraged to discuss their questions. Finally, the parents and student will answer the questions the other has written. Rationale for Activity: Students use their background knowledge, prior experiences, and deductive reasoning abilities to infer meaning and solve problems, but sometimes going beyond the literal is easier said than done. Inferential thinking involves many different processes that enhance understanding. Some include making predictions, using context clues, interpreting language (figurative, idioms, metaphors, and similes), visualizing, cause and effect, purpose, drawing conclusions, and much more. Often times, students are told to go back to the book and read between the lines, think harder, or infer. If students are not shown or taught how to “read between the lines”, how are they supposed to infer any meaning? This is where the use of teacher/parent modeling comes in, along with the use of graphic organizers. “Using question stems that move through Bloom’s Taxonomy will take the students from text-explicit comprehension to test-implicit comprehension and will assist students in gaining a more meaningful understanding of the material” (Successful Reading Strategies for Content Areas, 2008, p. 86). Standards/Benchmark Targeted: 8.2.2. Use prior knowledge and experiences to aid text comprehension. 8.2.3. Use a variety of strategies to construct meaning from text; e.g., vocabulary building

strategies, skimming, paraphrasing, summarizing, brainstorming, and discussing. 8.2.5. Identify theme, protagonist, antagonist, and dialect in literary texts. 8.2.6. Identify figurative language in literary texts including personification, simile, metaphor,

and hyperbole. 8.2.7. Make connections between literature and historical period, culture, and society. 8.3.4. Use free writing and journal writing to develop ideas for writing topics. 8.4.3. Speak for different purposes; e.g., group discussions, research presentations and

demonstrations.

8.4.4. Use volume, eye contact, rate, pronunciation, and articulation effectively in oral presentations.

Book Title: The Giver Author: Lois Lowry Materials: Infer Meaning with Question Stems Chart Questions and Answers Prompts Worksheet Directions for use: Together parents and students will read Chapters 1-6. After they finish Chapter 6, parents and students will make sure they identify key concepts throughout the first six chapters. They will use the question stems to guide their investigation. The question stems are spurred from Bloom’s Taxonomy. Each set of questions will assess the students’ levels of cognitive development. The students and parents will each create six questions. Parents will answer the student’s questions; the student will answer the parents’ questions. Parents are encouraged to discuss their questions and answers with their child and vice versa. The following class period, the student will use the questions and answers they created, as well as the questions their parents created, in a group activity. Students will be placed in groups and will ask their peers questions. If the group member responds correctly to the question, they earn a point. The group member with the most points at the end of all the rounds wins.

Infer Meaning with Question Stems

You are encouraged to work together to formulate your questions and your responses.

Student: Create one question from each section. Exchange your questions with your parent and answer their question.

Parents: Create one question from each section. Exchange your questions with your child and

answer their question.

Knowledge 1. Who? 2. What? 3. When? 4. Where? 5. How? 6. List the facts in order. Comprehension 1. What is meant by.....? 2. Can you describe.....? 3. What is the difference....? 4. What is the main idea? 5. Why does.....? 6. Explain why.... Application 1. Who would you choose...? 2. What would happen if....? 3. How would you...? 4. Do you know someone like...? 5. Would you do the same thing in the same

situation? 6. If you had to....what would you do?

Analysis 1. What part of the reading is the funniest? 2. What part of the reading is most exciting? 3. What part is the saddest? 4. Which things are facts and which are

opinions? 5. What can you do that is just like what the

person in the story does? 6. List five compound words. 7. What is the purpose of....? Synthesis 1. Retell one event from an animal's point of

view. 2. How could we/you...? 3. Make up another ending for the story that

still fits the details. 4. Rewrite a sentence from the reading but

change one thing in it. 5. Write a new title for this story. 6. Write a six-line rhyming poem about the

reading. Evaluation 1. Is the main character in this reading good

or bad? Why? 2. Which is better...? Why? 3. Would you agree that....? Why? 4. What is your opinion of.....? 5. Are they right to do....? Why/why not? 6. Compare two characters in the reading.

Tell which one you think is better and why.

(Successful Strategies for Reading in the Content Areas, 2008)

Infer Meaning with Question Stems Worksheet Knowledge Student Question: Parent Answer: Parent Question: Student Answer: Comprehension Student Question: Parent Answer: Parent Question: Student Answer: Application Student Question: Parent Answer: Parent Question: Student Answer: Analysis Student Question: Parent Answer: Parent Question: Student Answer:

Infer Meaning with Question Stems Worksheet Synthesis Student Question: Parent Answer: Parent Question: Student Answer: Evaluation Student Question: Parent Answer: Parent Question: Student Answer:

The Giver Lesson 4

Chapter 16

Title and Purpose of Activity: During Reading: Visualization and Connection through Text/Picture Walking Parent Engagement Strategy: Parents will be assisting their child in the visualization and connection process. As the parents and child read selected text on pages 122-123, they will individually explore the text through picture walking. Discussion of the pictures and/or words will ensue and help the readers connect new knowledge to the text. Rationale for Activity: When students are able to tap into their own life experiences, it motivates them as they read. The text/picture walk enables students to build images of people, places, interactions, and ideas. They can then use these images along with their life experiences to “see” what they are reading. Students see how the cues, their experiences, and their resulting visual representations are all connected (Wilhelm, 2004). Standards/Benchmark Targeted: 8.2.2. Use prior knowledge and experiences to aid text comprehension. 8.2.3. Use a variety of strategies to construct meaning from text; e.g., vocabulary building

strategies, skimming, paraphrasing, summarizing, brainstorming, and discussing. 8.2.6. Identify figurative language in literary texts including personification, simile, metaphor, and

hyperbole. 8.2.7. Make connections between literature and historical period, culture, and society. Book Title: The Giver Author: Lois Lowry Materials: Text/Picture Walk Template Directions for use: As Chapter 16 is read; the parents and student will pay special attention to pages 122-123. Individually, they will explore the text through picture walking. As each reader reads the book, they will sketch the images the book invokes. Parents and students also have the option to write about the memories or ideas it invokes. Discussion of the pictures and/or words should follow. Students should express why they choose to illustrate their items and how it helps them understands the major ideas of the book. A basic example is provided.

Text/Picture Walk Example Inferencing and Connecting

Lois Lowry’s The Giver

Page 78

He rested for a moment,

breathing deeply. “I am so

weighted with them,” he said.

Jonas felt a terrible concern for

the man, suddenly.

“It’s as if...” The man paused,

seeming to search his mind for

the right words of description.

“It’s like going downhill through

deep snow on a sled,” he said,

finally. “At first it’s exhilarating;

the speed; the sharp, clear air;

but then the snow

accumulates, builds up on the

runners, and you slow, you

have to push hard to keep

going, and-”

Student Response

(Text or picture)

I felt that same feeling

when I had to take a

really important test.

This reminds me of the time I

went on a roller-coaster. When

we got to the top, right before

we were about to go down, I

was so scared, but excited at

the same time. By the end, I

was such a mess; all I wanted

to do was to get off!

Parent Response

(Text or picture)

I felt weighted down when I

was pregnant with you.

When we were little

kids, grandpa

made us a

homemade sled.

All three of us

would sled down

the dam. We would go so fast

and wipe out on the bottom.

But one time, the snow was

really thick and sticky at the

bottom and we got stuck. It

was hard to pull the sled out

because of all the snow.

Inference and Connecting Text/Picture Walking

“What is your favorite?”

Jonas asked The Giver.

“You don’t have to give it

away yet,” he added quickly.

“Just tell me about it, so I

can look forward to it,

because I’ll have to receive

it when your job is done.”

The Giver smiled. “Lie

down,” he said. “I’m happy

to give it to you.”

Jonas felt the joy of it as

soon as the memory began.

Sometimes it took a while

for him to get his bearings,

to find his place. But this

time he fit right in and felt

the happiness that pervaded

the memory.

He was in a room filled with

people, and it was warm,

with firelight glowing on a

hearth. He could see

through a window that

outside it was night, and

snowing. There were

colored lights: red and green

and yellow, twinkling from a

tree which was, oddly, inside

the room.

Student Response

(Text or picture)

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

Parent Response

(Text or picture)

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

On a table, lighted candles

stood in a polished golden

holder and cast a soft,

flickering glow. He could

smell things cooking, and he

heard soft laughter. A

golden-haired dog lay

sleeping on the floor .On the

floor there were packages

wrapped in brightly colored

paper and tied with

gleaming ribbons. As Jonas

watched, a small child

began to pick up the

packages and pass them

around the room: to other

children, to adults who were

obviously parents, and to an

older, quiet couple, man and

woman, who sat smiling

together on a couch.

While Jonas watched, the

people began one by one to

untie the ribbons on the

packages, to un-wrap the

bright papers, open the

boxes and reveal toys and

clothing and books. There

were cries of delight. They

hugged one another.

Lois Lowry’s The Giver Pages 122-123

Student Response

(Text or picture)

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

Parent Response

(Text or picture)

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

The Giver Lesson 5

Chapter 20

Title and Purpose of Activity: During Reading: Connections and Reflections Parent Engagement Strategy: Everyone envisions their own perfect world. In the story, Jonas is living in a “perfect world;” yet he is not happy. With this connection and reflection strategy, the parents and student will create a utopian society of their own. Through written statements and oral discussions, the parents and the student will create a utopian community and sell it in a personally designed brochure. Rationale for Activity: Constructing a personal reaction or response is an important step in both the reading and writing process. As students become more proficient at constructing personal responses, they also become more proficient at combining new knowledge into their existing knowledge. Applying what they have read enables students to make their reading meaningful, gives them purpose when they read and allows them to connect their knowledge to real-life situations. Standards/Benchmark Targeted: 8.3.1. Compose informative writing, e.g., research, biographies, autobiographies, news articles,

and interviews. 8.3.3. Produce persuasive writing; e.g., editorials, essays, business letters, and opinions. 8.3.4. Use free writing and journal writing to develop ideas for writing topics. 8.3.7. Incorporate grade-level appropriate vocabulary in writing. 8.3.8. Use organizational patterns; e.g., introduction, body, conclusion or

exposition/body/resolution. 8.3.9. Use criteria to evaluate own and others’ writing. 8.3.11. Edit for grammar, mechanics, usage, and spelling. 8.3.12. Incorporate a variety of visual aids in publications. 8.3.13. Use computer technology to present written work. Book Title: The Giver Author: Lois Lowry Materials: Student and Parent Utopia Chart

If desired, computer access: Publisher: brochure templates paper and markers/pencils/crayons

Directions for use: The setting of the story occurs in the future in a utopian community, which means a community in which everything is perfect or idealistic, a place where the community leaders “protect people from wrong choices.” A place where there is no pain, no fear, no loss. Sounds great huh? But as Jonas discovers more and more about the past memories, he decides to rebel against the restrictions his community puts on freedom of choice, individuality, and emotion. You need to come up with your own utopian society. Think a big-picture; don’t just eliminate homework and green beans (even though that sounds like a pretty good world). Think of global issues like war, hunger, global warming, and poverty. How would you solve or eliminate these issues? Students will list four elements of their utopian society and will comment on their choices. Parents will create a written response to the student’s choice. Parents will also choose four elements to create their utopian society and comment on their personal choices, while students will react to their parents’ choices. Parents and students will discuss their opinions and formulate an ideal community together. Finally, parents and the student will create a brochure selling their utopian community. A rubric is attached for the brochure.

Student’s Ideas for a Utopian Community

Student Response Parent Response

Parent’s Ideas for a Utopian Community

Parent Response Student Response

Utopian Community Brochure Rubric

4-Excellent 3-Good 2-Okay 1-Needs Work

Content All elements in the brochure would entice people to move to your community. Elements were highlighted in utopian charts.

Most elements in the brochure would entice people to move to your community. Elements were highlighted in utopian charts.

Some elements in the brochure would entice people to move to your community. Elements weren’t highlighted in utopian charts.

No elements in the brochure would entice people to move to your community. Elements weren’t highlighted in utopian charts.

Writing - Organization

Each section in the brochure has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Almost all sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.

Most sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.

Less than half of the sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.

Attractiveness & Organization

The brochure has exceptionally attractive formatting and well-organized information.

The brochure has attractive formatting and well-organized information.

The brochure has well-organized information.

The brochure's formatting and organization of material are confusing to the reader.

Graphics/ Pictures

Graphics go well with the text and there is a good mix of text and graphics.

Graphics go well with the text, but there are so many that they distract from the text.

Graphics go well with the text, but there are too few and the brochure seems "text-heavy".

Graphics do not go with the accompanying text or appear to be randomly chosen.

Spelling & Proofreading

No spelling errors.

No more than 1-3 spelling errors.

No more than 3-5 spelling errors.

Several spelling errors occur in the brochure.

Capitalization & Punctuation

Capitalization and punctuation are correct throughout the brochure.

Capitalization and punctuation are correct throughout the brochure most of the time.

There are 1-2 capitalization and/or punctuation errors in the brochure.

There are several capitalization or punctuation errors in the brochure.

The Giver Lesson 6

Chapter 1-22

Title and Purpose of Activity: After Reading: Visualization with Radio Talk Shows Parent Engagement Strategy: The Visualization Talk Show strategy enables students to not only think independently, but also collaborate with others to develop ideas about the book and then share those ideas with the a group. With this strategy, the parents and student will create a radio talk show together. Parents can assist their student with the creation of the script or they can choose to let the students create it on their own. Parents will participate in the activity by being the voice of a radio host or a character in the book. Parents will focus on assisting the students in conveying a concept, conflict, theme or idea of the story. After the script is created, parents will record their voices online and the students will present their radio shows to the class. Rationale for Activity: Radio talk shows enable students to summarize what they have learned. It allows them to highlight the main ideas of the text in an interactive way. Radio talk shows help the students key in on characters, settings, conflict, concepts and facts, and enable them to demonstrate their knowledge of specific concepts. Standards/Benchmark Targeted: 8.2.2. Use prior knowledge and experiences to aid text comprehension. 8.2.3. Use a variety of strategies to construct meaning from text; e.g., vocabulary building

strategies, skimming, paraphrasing, summarizing, brainstorming, and discussing. 8.2.4. Read for a variety of purposes to develop lifetime reading skills and habits, e.g., for

personal recreation, to model forms of writing. 8.2.5. Identify theme, protagonist, antagonist, and dialect in literary texts. 8.2.7. Make connections between literature and historical period, culture, and society. 8.3.1. Compose informative writing, e.g., research, biographies, autobiographies, news articles,

and interviews. 8.3.5. Use language and format appropriate for intended audience and purpose. 8.3.6. Use prewriting product to create a first draft emphasizing details and referencing sources. 8.3.7. Incorporate grade-level appropriate vocabulary in writing. 8.3.8. Use organizational patterns; e.g., introduction, body, conclusion or

exposition/body/resolution. 8.3.11. Edit for grammar, mechanics, usage, and spelling. 8.4.1. Speak with a purpose using delivery techniques appropriate for different audiences to

inform, demonstrate, entertain, or persuade.

8.4.2. Use supporting materials for topic development; e.g., research, personal experience,

literature, and interview. 8.4.3. Speak for different purposes; e.g., group discussions, research presentations, and

demonstrations. 8.4.4. Use volume, eye contact, rate, pronunciation, and articulation effectively in oral

presentations. 8.5.3. Construct media messages; e.g., editorials, news articles, commentaries, web sites,

commercials, and advertisements. Book Title: The Giver Author: Lois Lowry Materials: Storyboard template Radio talk show rubric Computer Internet access: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Email access or zip drive Directions for use: The parents and child will complete the following RAFT. Role- Radio Host and Characters from The Giver Audience- Sameness or Elsewhere Community Members Format- Radio Talk Show Task- Your task is to create a 3-5 minute radio segment about a major concept of The Giver. You may use any concept in Chapters 1-22. This task is very open-ended. Students and parents will complete the storyboards needed for the radio script. Parents can assist their student with the creation of the script or they can choose to let the students create it on their own. But the parents will participate in the activity by being the voice of a radio host or a character in the book. The focus should be on conveying a concept, conflict, theme, or idea of the story. For example, the student could assume the role of Jonas while the parents play the role of Asher. They could be interviewed about their experiences at the Ceremony of Twelve. Or, the student could assume the role of The Giver while the parents play the role of Jonas. They could relive their experience of seeing colors. The possibilities are endless. As long as the show conveys important information and details from the text (like conflict, setting, characters, etc), the goal of the RAFT will be met. See the rubric for further details. After the script is created, parents and students will record their voices online, save it to their zip drive and/or email the voice clips to their school email account. A tutorial for the Audacity voice recording is attached. The students will work on and complete their radio show in class and will present their radio shows to their peers.

The Giver Radio Talk Show Storyboard Templates

Character:

Introduction to the Show:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

The Giver Radio Talk Show Storyboard Templates

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Script:

Tone:

Character:

Conclusion to the Show:

Tone:

The Giver Radio Talk Show Rubric

4-Home Run 3-Triple 2-Double 1-Single

Concept

Team member has a clear picture of what they are trying to achieve.

Team member has a fairly clear picture of what they are trying to achieve.

Team member has brainstormed their concept, but no clear focus has emerged.

Team member has spent little effort on brainstorming and refining a concept.

Storyboard

Storyboard is complete for each scene. Storyboard reflects outstanding planning and organization.

Storyboard is relatively complete. Storyboard reflects effective planning and organization.

Storyboard has gaps in planning. Storyboard reflects attempts at planning and organization.

Storyboard is not done or is so incomplete that it could not be used even as a general guide. Storyboard reflects very little planning.

Product

The show sounds professional. All requested parts or information is added.

The show has too many or not enough sound effects.

The show is lacking parts or is not clear what the show is about.

The show is confusing. The listener is not clear as to the purpose.

Voice

Voices of the actors were always audible and clear to audience. Actors' voices showed a lot of expression and emotion and not simply read.

Voices of actors were usually audible and clear to audience. Actors' voices showed some expression and emotion and for the most part weren’t just read.

Voices of actors were sometimes audible and clear to audience. Actors' voices showed a little expression and emotion. Actor read the script at times.

Voices of actors were rarely audible or clear to audience. Actors' voices were monotone and not expressive. The actor simply read the script.

Storytelling

All important parts of story were included and were accurate.

Almost all important parts of story were included and were accurate.

Quite a few important parts of story were included and were accurate.

Much of the story was left out, told by a narrator, or was unacceptable.

Audacity Tutorial

Audacity is a free online tool that enables students to record their voice and edit sounds on any computer platform: Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and any other operating system.

To download Audacity, go to http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

The following screen will show up. Select the operating system that is compatible to your computer. Follow the simple steps and the Audacity program will download to the desktop.

Next, open up the download and select the Audacity icon (headphones).

The following screen will appear:

Next, simply click the red record button to record the first storyboard. Remember, the goal is to sound natural and as if you have rehearsed. Don’t expect to record the perfect one on the first try. Experiment a bit in order to get the best recording possible. You are not able to record multiple voice threads. If you are not satisfied with the recording, delete the clip and try again. After you have recorded the perfect voice thread, click on FILE: EXPORT AS MP3. Title it as Your Character’s Name and the Storyboard number (i.e. JONAS #1, ASHER #2). After you have completed all your recordings, save them to your zip drive or email them to your school account. We will use these voice threads in class to finish composing your radio show.

The Giver Lesson 7

End of the Book

Title and Purpose of Activity: After Reading: Synthesizing Response Writing Parent Engagement Strategy: Parents can assist their child in the synthesizing process by questioning them about their prior knowledge and the book they have read. This discussion will aid the student as they create an additional chapter to the story. Parents can create an additional chapter if they choose. This would enable the parents and the student to compare and contrast their endings to the story. Rationale for Activity: Synthesizing information is a difficult process, but one that enables students to look closely “at relationships among sources and then draw conclusions about those relationships” (Successful Strategies for Reading in the Content Areas, 2008, p. 237). The process requires students to connect their prior knowledge, evaluate the new information or text, and then draw conclusions. Standards/Benchmark Targeted: 8.3.1. Compose informative writing, e.g., research, biographies, autobiographies, news articles,

and interviews. 8.3.4. Use free writing and journal writing to develop ideas for writing topics. 8.3.7. Incorporate grade-level appropriate vocabulary in writing. 8.3.11. Edit for grammar, mechanics, usage, and spelling. 8.4.3. Speak for different purposes; e.g., group discussions, research presentations and

demonstrations. 8.4.4. Use volume, eye contact, rate, pronunciation, and articulation effectively in oral

presentations. Book Title: The Giver Author: Lois Lowry Materials: paper and pencil Directions for use: Many readers dislike the ending of The Giver. They find themselves mad at Lois Lowry because she doesn’t specifically explain the fate of Jonas and Gabe. Readers are left wondering if Jonas and Gabe make it to elsewhere, if it was all a dream, or if they die along the way. The outlined task is to create an additional chapter. Parents can assist their child in writing the chapter (play devil’s advocate) or they could write their own and compare and contrast. The parents and student should consider the following questions as they prepare to write an additional chapter to the story.

• In the last chapter, Jonas and Gabriel were cold and tired. Gabriel was getting weaker. What enabled Jonas find the strength to go on?

• Jonas “was aware with certainty and joy that below, ahead, they were waiting for him; and that they were waiting, too, for the baby.” Interpret what that means.

• Jonas learns that just as there is no pain without memory and if there is no pain, there is also no true happiness. What does that mean? Does he achieve true happiness ever?

• The ending isn’t clear. Is Jonas is remembering his Christmas memory when he says “he heard people singing”. Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an “echo” is he and Gabriel freezing to death, falling into a dreamlike coma in the snow?

• Do he and Gabriel reach elsewhere? Explain your theory. There is no word, paragraph, or page limit to the additional chapter; however, it needs to answer the question of the future/fate of Gabe and Jonas. Be descriptive in the writing; show, don’t tell the remainder of the story.