The Giver – “Create Your Own Community” Project
A utopia is defined as an ideally perfect place. In the novel The Giver, Jonas lives in a utopian world designed to provide food, shelter and safety to the people of the community. If you had to design your “perfect world”, what would it look like? What would life be like for the people who live in your community?
What would be special about your community that would make other people want to join it?
You and several group members are going to be designing your own utopian world. You will need to do the following for this project:
Create a name for your community -5 points Create a community flag – 10 points Create a map of your community – 20 points Create a travel brochure for your community - 20 points Bring in a food or drink that represents your community – 10 points Create a rule book/list of ten rules for the community - 15 points Create a power point presentation – 120 points
Portfolio All of the following required items, with the exception of the food/drink, should be neatly printed and put together into a binder or portfolio to turn into the teacher following your presentation to the class.
Community Name (5 points) – Develop a name for your community. Make sure it has meaning and really encompasses what your community is all about.
Community Flag (10 points) – Design a flag to represent your community. This flag can be hand drawn on computer paper or made in some other creative way. It can also be computer generated, but it should relate to your community. Think about what colors symbolize when using them on your flag.
Community Map (20 points) – Draw an overview map of your community. Make sure to label houses, schools, business district (stores, etc.), roads, government buildings, areas for recreation, and any additional areas that are important to your community.
Community Travel Brochure (20 points) – Create a travel brochure for your community. Be sure to include the following – the community’s name, the communities purpose or vision, the intended audience, the membership policy, the location, activities and attractions, the price or cost, and contact information. Your brochure should be attractive and have a neat design and layout. Please use a tradition brochure format (8 ½” x 11” piece of paper folded into thirds). You can also use Microsoft Publisher to do this, which has a preformatted brochure template.
Community Food (10 points) – Make or create a food that represents your community. It could correlate with the theme of the utopia or it might be something that is grown/cultivated in your community.
Community Rules (15 points) – Create a list of the community’s governing rules. These should be typed up neatly on a piece of paper.
Community Presentation (120 points) – Power Point Presentations should be done and shared with the teacher via Google. Presentations should cover all of the information listed below. Each group member should speak during the presentation. Presentations should be mature and show knowledge of content. There shouldn’t be any giggling, laughing, or inappropriate behavior while in front the class.
Power Point Slides
(1)How it Began: Every place has a beginning. How did your community come to be? What is the backstory? Who started this community and why?
(2)Government: Every community needs laws, otherwise there would be chaos. Name ten rules or laws in your community. Who makes the laws? How are the laws enforced? Is your community a democracy? A dictatorship? A monarchy? What happens when a person in the community breaks a law?
(3)Education: School is a way of preparing kids to be successful members of the community. What will school be like in your community? What will be taught and what subjects will be required? How will education serve the community? How will schools in your community be different from schools in your community now?
(4)Family: Think about the families in your utopian community. What are families going to be like in your community? Are the families going to be: Matriarchal – controlled by the mother of the family Patriarchal – controlled by the father of the family Neither matriarchal or patriarchal How many kids should each family have? Is it regulated? Why or why not? Does everyone in each family live in the same dwelling? Why or why not?
(5)Housing: Neighborhoods/Individual family dwellings What are the neighborhoods like in your community? Do people live in separate houses? In townhouses? In apartments? In tents? Describe the dwellings in your community. Are all of the houses the same or different? Explain why you chose to design the houses and the communities that way.
(6)Employment: Think about the jobs people must have to help your community function. Choose 5 important jobs to describe. For each job, include at least five sentences describing: -the title of the job -the function of the job -the type of people chosen for the job -how many people are chosen for the job -how people are trained for the job Include a picture of what a person employed in this job might look like (uniforms, etc.)
(7)Money: Think about the way money will be handled in this community. Is there a system of money? If the answer is yes: -Draw a picture of your money (coins, paper money) -What is your money called? If the answer is no: -Why don’t you have money? -How often do you “pay” people for their jobs? -How do people get what they need to survive?
(8)Transportation: Think about how people will get from place to place within the community. How do people get around in your community? Is there a system of mass transit? Why or why not?
(9)Environment/Climate: Think about where you would have your community built. What is the climate like in your community? Tropical? Artic? Do the seasons change? Are there animals in your community? What kinds? Are they pets or wild? Why?
(10)Recreation: Think about the free time of people within the community. What is recreation like in your community? How much time do most spend on recreation each week? What are their forms of entertainment? What do people for fun in your utopian community? Does the government control how people spend their free time? How is this different from the way people spend their free time in the community that you live in now? (11) Technology: Consider technology and its level of involvement within your community. How does your community view technology? Are they technologically advanced? What forms of technology are unique to the community? Provide some examples of how technology impacts community members.
(12) A Day in the Life: Think about what a day in your community might look like for different people. What does a day look like for a child? For an adult? For an elderly person?
Extra Credit Options— 1. Create a 3-D version of your community map. 2. Dress as members of your community. 3. Write a community anthem/rap/song and perform it. 4. Other options – see teacher with ideas
GRADE
All group members receive the same grade. Please choose to work with people that you feel comfortable with. You can not change groups once they are in place and you are required to complete and participate in all group activities. Distribute work fairly and recognize that there will be differing opinions. You must work as a group to incorporate everyone’s ideas.
Groups will meet several times in class to work on this project, but you will probably have to spend some time working on it individually at home as well.
It is wise to use your Gmail accounts and share the documents so that you can all see, edit, and work on them together.
This project is a huge undertaking and will require both in class and outside work. You must prioritize responsibilities and work as team to complete the project. I have set aside some class time to work on this and meet with you as a group.
Have fun – this is a great project that allows for tons of creativity and the opportunity for you to work with peers and showcase talents.
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