grade8
Strategies That Build Comprehension and Community
UNIT 3 REPLACEMENT LESSONS
Use the lessons on the following pages to substitute the new edition of The Giver (published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014) for the previous edition (published by Laurel-Leaf, 2002).
© Developmental Studies Center Weeks 1–5 MM-RLES82-WEB Unit 3 A Analyzing Elements of Fiction Overview of Week 1 Comprehension Focus • Students analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. The Giver • Students make inferences and think about by Lois Lowry explicit and implicit meanings in text. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014) • Students explore literary devices, including Synopsis flashback and foreshadowing. Jonas’s world seems perfect until he is selected to receive special training Social Development Focus and finds out the truth about his community. • Students take responsibility for themselves. • Students use prompts to help them listen and connect their ideas. Alternative Book
• Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick Do Ahead • Collect longer and shorter fiction stories for the students to read independently throughout the unit. (See “About Teaching Elements and Devices of Fiction” on page 90.) • Make multiple copies of the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet from BLM23. This week, you will begin using these sheets to document IDR conferences, tracking individual students’ growth in their independent reading. (For more about documenting IDR conferences, see page 94.) • Make transparencies of excerpt 1 from chapter 1 of The Giver (BLM2–5).
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 89 Unit 13 Week 1 Day X
Materials Day 1 • The Giver (pp. 1–13) Read-Aloud • Life in the Polar Lands (from Unit 2, Week 1) and Strategy Lesson • “IDR Conference Notes” record sheets (to be used during IDR throughout the program) Lesson Purpose Students: A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Explore an example of foreshadowing. A Begin working with a new partner. A Take responsibility for themselves.
About Teaching Elements and Devices of Fiction In this unit, the students explore fiction through Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver. They will hear 24 chapters (225 pages) over a five- week period, exploring relationships among elements of fiction (character, setting, and plot) as well as literary devices (flashback, foreshadowing, and symbolism). By studying excerpts from the story, asking questions, and making inferences, the students learn how a plot builds toward a climax and how character development and change is connected to what happens in the story and when and where it happens (plot and setting). They learn to look for these same elements and relationships in their own independent reading. Provide a variety of longer and shorter fiction texts at different levels for the students to read during Individualized Daily Reading. Fiction texts include mystery, adventure, science fiction, historical fiction, realistic fiction, fable, folktale, myth, and legend.
PAIR STUDENTS AND GET READY TO WORK TOGETHER Randomly assign partners and have them sit together. Explain that during the coming weeks the students will work with the same partner. Remind them that talking and listening to a partner helps
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them think more about what they are learning, and that at the end of the lesson they will report on their partner conversations. Ask:
Q What do you want to keep in mind today to be a responsible partner? Why will that be important?
Students might say: “I want to remember to ask questions if I don’t understand something my partner says.” “That’s important because I might have to report to the class what my partner says.”
INTRODUCE FICTION AND THE GIVER Display Life in the Polar Lands and remind the students that they have been listening to and reading expository texts—texts that explain or give factual information. During the next few weeks the students will read a narrative text—a text that tells a story. In particular, they will read a fictional story—a story that is made up—and think about the common elements found in stories.
Show the cover of The Giver, and read the name of the author. Explain that you will read this story aloud in sections. Read the copy on the back cover aloud, and ask:
Q What do you think this story might be about?
Q What questions already come to mind about the story?
READ CHAPTER 1 ALOUD Explain that you will read the first chapter ofThe Giver aloud, and Teacher Note that you will stop several times during the reading to have partners talk about the story. Listeners can easily miss details at the beginning of a story. Read pages 1–13 aloud, slowly and clearly, stopping as described Rereading the first paragraph(s) on the next page. Stop and reread the first and second paragraphs before proceeding with the of the chapter (on pages 1–2) before continuing with the rest of rest of the story helps them the story. listen for any information they missed. Use this technique, when appropriate, during read-alouds throughout the program.
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Suggested Vocabulary
ironic tone: tone that suggests that there is something he is not saying (p. 3) tunic: plain jacket usually worn as part of a uniform (p. 5) apprehensive: worried (p. 6) rituals: special activities that are always performed the same way (p. 6) elderly: old people (p. 10) vital: important (p. 10) transgression: the act of breaking a law (p. 11)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
fascinated: very interested (p. 1) obediently: following instructions without asking questions (p. 2) released: let go or set free (p. 3) salmon: type of fish (p. 5) distracted: had his attention pulled away from what he was doing (p. 5) conclusion: end (p. 6) What gender is it?: Is it male or female? (p. 9) disgrace: total loss of other people’s respect (p. 11)
Stop after: Teacher Note p. 6 “Apprehensive, Jonas decided. That’s what I am.” One reason for not sharing as a class during the read-aloud Have the students use “Turn to Your Partner” to discuss what has is to help the students learn to happened so far and what might happen next. Without sharing as depend on their partner, rather a class, reread the last sentence, and continue reading. Repeat this than depending solely on you, procedure at the following stop: to confirm or support their p. 11 “Lily giggled. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘I thought maybe just thinking. Another is to maintain this once.’” the flow of the story. Continue reading to the end of page 13.
Teacher Note DISCUSS THE STORY AND These questions begin to HIGHLIGHT FORESHADOWING Facilitate a brief whole-class discussion, using the following establish the students’ surface- questions. Be ready to reread passages to help the students recall level understanding of the story what they heard. Ask: before they start to analyze story elements over the next Who are the characters in the story so far? Who do you think is the several weeks. Q main character in this story? Why?
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Q What have you found out about Jonas’s world? What did you hear that supports your thinking?
Q (Reread the following passage on pages 5–6: “Jonas, nearing his home now, smiled at the recollection…. Apprehensive, Jonas decided. That’s what I am.”) How does Jonas feel about the fact that it is almost December? What did you hear that makes you think that?
Students might say: “I think Jonas is the main character, because the author spends most of the time describing what he is thinking.” “The community has Nurturers who take care of the newchildren. It seems like the parents don’t take care of their own babies.” “The author describes Jonas as being frightened and apprehensive about what will happen to him in December.” “From all of those clues I think something bad or creepy might happen to Jonas at the Ceremony of Twelve.”
Explain that at this point in the story the author does not tell us directly what will happen to Jonas, but by using a literary device called foreshadowing the author hints at what might happen later in the story. Authors use foreshadowing to help the reader anticipate future events before they happen and to set the mood of the story. Ask the students to listen for other examples of foreshadowing as you read The Giver aloud, and to look for examples in their independent reading.
REFLECT ON TAKING RESPONSIBILITY DURING “TURN TO YOUR PARTNER” Tell the students that in the next lesson they will work again with their partner. Ask:
Q How did you and your partner take responsibility for yourselves during “Turn to Your Partner”?
Q What do you plan to do [the same way/differently] the next time you work with your partner?
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Teacher Note Individualized Daily Reading This unit will give you an opportunity to meet with each START USING THE “IDR CONFERENCE NOTES” RECORD student and practice using the SHEET TO DOCUMENT CONFERENCES “IDR Conference Notes” record Have the students read books at their appropriate reading levels sheet to conduct and document independently for up to 30 minutes. individual student conferences. Each conference should last Tell the students that starting this week during IDR you will spend 5–10 minutes. In future units, more time conferring, or talking with them one-on-one, about their confer with your struggling books so that you can get to know each of them better and help students weekly (possibly more them become stronger readers. Tell the students that you will ask often). For your other students, them to choose a book that they can read and enjoy. During the conferring once or twice a conference, you will have them read a part of the book, then talk month is sufficient. In addition about what they have read. to IDR conferences, a week is set aside periodically in the program Before conducting the first reading conference, facilitate a brief for you to meet with individual discussion about the importance of everyone else reading students to informally assess independently while you meet with one student. Have the students their reading comprehension. begin reading.
During the IDR conferences you document, it is important for the students to be reading books at their appropriate level. If you begin a conference and find that a student is not in an appropriate book, stop documenting the conference and help the student find a different book. Return to document an IDR conference with the student on another day.
Select a student and have him bring a book he can read to the conference. Use one or two of the questions on the “IDR Conference Notes” to guide your reading conference. Jot down the student’s responses as well as any other notes that you think are important on the “IDR Conference Notes.” (For example, “reads fluently and with understanding” or “does not have a strategy for attacking an unfamiliar word.”)
Pause between conferences to circulate among the students and check in with them.
At the end of independent reading, facilitate a brief discussion about how IDR Conference time went. Have a few students share their reading with the class.
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Day 2 Materials Read-Aloud and • The Giver (pp. 14–24) • Transparencies of excerpt 1 Guided Strategy Practice from chapter 1 of The Giver • Student Book pages 16–18
Lesson Purpose Students: A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Build awareness of inferences as they hear a story. A Use prompts to help them listen and connect their ideas. A Take responsibility for themselves.
About Making Inferences Making inferences is a reading comprehension strategy that many students use naturally, although they may not be aware of it. Most narrative texts contain passages that can be understood only through inference. The Making Meaning program focuses on helping students become aware of making inferences by externalizing this thinking through writing and discussion. The goal of teaching the strategy is for the students to make and be aware of inferences in their independent reading. (For more information about making inferences, see page xv.)
REVIEW USING DISCUSSION PROMPTS Have partners sit together. Remind the students that in the previous unit they learned prompts to help them listen and connect their ideas during discussions. Explain that you would like students to practice using them during both whole-class and partner conversations. Write the prompts where everyone can see them:
- I agree with , because… - I disagree with , because… - In addition to what said, I think…
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REVIEW A PASSAGE FROM CHAPTER 1 AND HIGHLIGHT STORY ELEMENTS Remind the students that in the previous lesson they heard chapter 1 Teacher Note of The Giver. Write the words character, setting, and plot on the board If your students are familiar with and briefly define each element: character, setting, and plot, just character - person in a story review them briefly here. setting - where and when a story takes place plot - what happens to the characters in a story (the events that make up the story)
Explain that these three key elements are inextricably linked in stories, and that recognizing relationships among them is important to understanding the stories they read. In the coming weeks the students will think about these elements in The Giver. They will also think about how these elements appear in stories they read independently.
Place the transparencies of excerpt 1 from The Giver on the overhead projector, and explain that this is an excerpt from chapter 1. Read the passage aloud, and ask:
Q What does this passage tell us about the setting of this story? What words tell us that?
As the students respond, underline on the transparency the words and phrases they report (for example, “Neither child knew what the word meant”). Ask the students to open to Student Book pages 16–18 and continue to read the rest of the excerpt, underlining words and phrases that tell about the setting. When they finish, they will talk in pairs about what they underlined and what those words and phrases indicate about the setting.
As the students read and work, circulate around the room and observe. If you notice students having difficulty, support them using questions such as:
Q How would you describe this community? What clues in the passage make you think that?
Q What do you learn about this community from the way [Lily asks, “What gender is it?”]?
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DISCUSS CLUES AND INFERENCES AS A CLASS After allowing sufficient time for pairs to finish, signal for their attention and ask:
Q What words or phrases did you underline in the excerpt? What Teacher Note do those words or phrases tell us about the setting? Keep this discussion brief. Some passages in the excerpt that Explain that today you will continue to read the story aloud. reveal the setting include: Encourage the students to continue to think about what they are • “‘When we were Sixes’” learning about this setting as they listen. • “‘They were learning usages that my group hadn’t READ CHAPTER 2 ALOUD learned yet’” Reread the last few paragraphs of chapter 1 aloud, starting with • “He and the other Nurturers the following passage on page 12: “‘I’m feeling apprehensive,’ he were responsible for all the confessed, glad that the appropriate descriptive word had finally physical and emotional needs come to him.” Continue reading pages 14–24 aloud, slowly and of every newchild during its clearly, stopping as described on the next page. earliest life” • “‘What gender is it?’” Suggested Vocabulary • “‘the committee’s beginning to application: written request for something such as a job (p. 15) talk about releasing him’” in advance: ahead of time (p. 15) • “had not even been given enhance: improve (p. 15) spouses because they lacked, adherence to the rules: making sure people live by the rules (p. 16) somehow, the essential aptitude: ability or talent (p. 19) capacity to connect to others, appeal: request that a rule or law be changed (p. 21) which was required for the ELL Vocabulary creation of a family unit.” English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional • “Two children—one male, one vocabulary, including: female—to each family unit.” suspense: uncertain feeling caused by having to wait to see what happens (p. 18) volunteer hours: time spent working without pay to help others (p. 19) recreation: games, sports, and hobbies that people do in their free time (p. 20) reassured: calmed down (p. 24)
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Stop after: p. 21 “But they all laughed at that—an appeal went to a committee for study.” Turn to Your Partner Have the students use “Turn to Your Partner” to discuss what they know so far about Jonas’s family and community.
Without sharing as a class, reread the last sentence, and continue reading. Repeat this procedure at the following stop: p. 23 “‘Fun doesn’t end when you become Twelve.’”
Continue reading to the end of page 24.
BRIEFLY DISCUSS THE SETTING First in pairs, then as a class, discuss the following question. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q What more did you find out about the setting of this story? What did you hear that makes you think that?
Students might say: “I found out that people don’t get to choose their own profession. Everyone gets an assignment from the Elders when they turn twelve, and that becomes their work forever.” “In addition to what [Sheila] said, people don’t raise their own children. They apply for children, and each family unit gets only one boy and one girl. They don’t even name their own children; the Committee of Elders does that for them.”
Point out that the students are making inferences about the setting from various clues in the story. Explain that when a reader uses clues to figure out something that is not stated directly, the reader is inferring, or making an inference. Explain that inference is an important reading comprehension strategy that the students will explore in more depth in the coming weeks.
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Individualized Daily Reading
CONDUCT INFORMAL IDR CONFERENCES/ HAVE THE STUDENTS DISCUSS STORY ELEMENTS IN THEIR BOOKS Have the students read independently for up to 30 minutes.
Use the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet to conduct and document individual conferences.
At the end of independent reading, have the students discuss any connections they notice among character, setting, and plot in their book with their partner. Circulate among the students and ask questions such as:
Q What is the setting? What effect does the setting have on the characters in this story?
Q What other connections do you notice among character, setting, and plot?
Extension
EXPLORE OTHER BOOKS BY LOIS LOWRY Invite interested students to read other books written by Lois Lowry and to explore her website, www.loislowry.com. You might ask them to find out all they can about the author and report back to the class what they learned. Her other titles for young readers include Gathering Blue, Number the Stars, and A Summer to Die.
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 99 Unit 13 Week 1 Day X
Materials Day 3 • The Giver (pp. 25–42) Read-Aloud • Chart paper and a marker
• “Reading Comprehension and Strategy Lesson Strategies” chart
• Student Book, IDR Journal section Lesson Purpose Students: A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Build awareness of inferences as they hear a story. A Use prompts to help them listen and connect their ideas.
REVIEW CHARACTER Remind the students that they heard the first two chapters of The Giver, made inferences, and began thinking about the story in terms of character, setting, and plot. Briefly review the story by asking:
Q What has happened in the story so far?
Q What have we learned about the community Jonas lives in? Think, Pair, Share Ask the students to use “Think, Pair, Share” to think about and discuss:
Q What do you infer about the character of Jonas, given what you know about him so far? What in the story makes you think that?
Students might say: “Jonas is well behaved and obedient. He worries about not breaking the rules, and he worries when Asher breaks them.” “In addition to what [Sandeep] said, the story says that Jonas studies hard, so I think he’s smart, too.” “The fact that he’s apprehensive might mean that he’s kind of sensitive.”
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Have several volunteers report their thinking about Jonas’s character to the class. As they share, record their ideas on a sheet of chart paper entitled “What We Infer About Jonas.” Explain that they will continue to add to the chart as they find out more about Jonas.
Explain that today you will read chapters 3 and 4 of The Giver aloud. Ask the students to continue to think about what they are learning about the character of Jonas.
READ CHAPTERS 3 AND 4 ALOUD Reread the last paragraph of chapter 2 on page 24 aloud, then continue reading pages 25–42 aloud, stopping as described below.
Suggested Vocabulary
chastise: scold, punish (p. 25) humiliation: embarrassment (p. 29) hoarded: greedily saved (p. 29) sufficient to produce the appropriate remorse: enough to make him sorry (p. 29) solemn: serious (p. 32) regulated: controlled (p. 33)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
self-conscious: embarrassed (p. 26) honor: respect from others (p. 27) bewildered: confused (p. 29) dwelling: house or apartment (p. 31) injured: hurt (p. 34) hasten: speed up (p. 34) steer clear of: (idiom) stay away from (p. 34) frail: weak (p. 38) nuisance: bother (p. 39) glimpsed: seen quickly (p. 39) thrilled: very excited (p. 41)
Stop after: p. 32 “It was different only in the addition to it of the newchild with his pale, solemn, knowing eyes.”
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Have the students use “Turn to Your Partner” to discuss what they know so far about Jonas and his community. Without sharing as a class, reread the last sentence, and continue reading. Repeat this procedure at the following stop: p. 35 “He parked his bicycle neatly in the port beside theirs and entered the building.”
Continue reading to the end of page 42.
Teacher Note MAKE INFERENCES ABOUT SETTING AND CHARACTER First in pairs, then as a class, discuss the questions below. Be ready If necessary, write the discussion to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. prompts where everyone can Remind the students to use the discussion prompts to help them see them: listen and connect their ideas. Ask: - I agree with , because… Q What more did you infer about the setting? What clues helped you - I disagree with , make those inferences? because…
- In addition to what Q What did we find out about what it means to be “released”? said, I think… Students might say: “The community sounds like it’s safe to me. It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of crime, and everyone is nice to each other.” Teacher Note “I disagree with [Michael]. It might seem safe but you get a feeling that something creepy is going to happen. The Elders Disagreements about watch and control everything.” inferences that can be made from information in a text are Refer to the “What We Infer About Jonas” chart and ask: opportunities for the students to think more deeply and use Q Did you infer anything new about Jonas? If so, what? evidence from the text to support their opinions. Students might say: “Jonas is self-conscious because he has pale eyes, just like Gabe.” “I inferred that Jonas really hates to break the rules. I could tell by the way he reacted to the announcement about the apple over the speaker.” “I agree with [Elena]. I also inferred that there is something special about Jonas because he saw the apple change in some way. Asher couldn’t see it.” “In addition to what [Pilar] said, I think he is very curious. He studies the apple for a long time. He also wonders where people go when they’re released.”
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Record any new ideas on the “What We Infer About Jonas” chart. Point out that the way characters act in a story is closely linked to the story’s setting. For example, Jonas seems to accept that he lives in a place where old people are routinely released. While the citizens do not concern themselves with where they go afterward (as Larissa’s shrug suggests), Jonas wonders about it. We start to see that Jonas might be a little different from other characters within this setting. Ask:
Q What do you think it would feel like to be a member of this community? Do the characters seem to feel that way? Why or why not?
Q What other connections do you notice between this setting and the way the characters act?
Students might say: “I think it would be weird to live in this community. You wouldn’t have any freedom.” “I agree with [Takeshi]. But the characters seem really used to the way things are. They don’t seem to mind it.” “In addition to what [Gretchen] said, everyone acts likes everything’s just perfect in this controlled world. Except Jonas. He has questions.”
Explain that the students will continue to think about the connection between the setting in The Giver and how the characters act. Encourage them to look for these relationships in their own stories during independent reading.
ADD TO THE “READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES” CHART reading comprehension Direct the students’ attention to the “Reading Comprehension strategies Strategies” chart. Remind them that they are adding strategies - Recognizing to the chart as they learn them together, and that they should be text features practicing these strategies when they read independently. - Questioning
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Add making inferences and understanding fiction elements (character, Teacher Note setting, and plot) to the chart. Explain that the students will continue Save the “What We Infer About to make inferences and explore connections among character, Jonas” chart for use in the setting, and plot in The Giver and in their own independent reading. coming days.
Individualized Daily Reading
CONDUCT INFORMAL IDR CONFERENCES/ HAVE THE STUDENTS DISCUSS STORY ELEMENTS IN THEIR BOOKS Have the students read independently for up to 30 minutes.
Use the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet to conduct and document individual conferences.
At the end of independent reading, have the students discuss the relationships among character, setting, and plot in their book with their partner. Circulate among the students and ask questions such as:
Q What is the setting? What effect does the setting have on the characters in this story?
Q What other connections do you notice among character, setting, and plot?
Give the students time to record their books in their “Reading Log.”
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Day 4 Materials Read-Aloud and • The Giver (pp. 43–62) • Student Book pages 19–21
Guided Strategy Practice • Assessment Record Book
• “What We Infer About Jonas” Lesson Purpose chart from Day 3 Students: • Student Book, IDR Journal section A Explore examples of flashback and foreshadowing. A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Build awareness of inferences as they hear a story. A Use prompts to help them listen and connect their ideas.
EXPLORE FLASHBACK AND FORESHADOWING Point out that in the early chapters of The Giver, Lois Lowry often has Jonas think back to previous events to give us background information about the story. Explain that when authors go back in time from the main story line, this is called flashback. Flashbacks are often descriptions of a character’s memories.
Ask the students to open to Student Book pages 19–21. Explain that this excerpt is from chapter 3, which they heard yesterday, and that it contains a flashback that gives important information about Jonas. Ask the students to reread the excerpt individually, noticing what words the author uses to move us back into Jonas’s memory and to return us to the main story line. Explain that they will talk in partners about what they notice when they finish reading.
After allowing sufficient time for partners to finish, signal for their attention and ask:
Q What words does the author use to move us back into Jonas’s memory? What words bring us back to the main story line?
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Q What important information do we learn about Jonas and the rest of the community during this flashback?
Direct the students’ attention to the final paragraph in the excerpt. Explain that this is the last paragraph of the chapter. Ask a volunteer to read it aloud. Ask:
Q Why do you think the author might have chosen to end the chapter in this way?
Q What feeling do you get as you read this passage?
Students might say: “The author doesn’t explain what’s happening to Jonas, so we know that we will find out what happens later in the story.” “I always think that if the author describes something in a lot of detail you know that it’s important to the story and will probably come up again later in the story.”
Remind the students that earlier in the week they looked at an example of foreshadowing. Point out that the description of the newchild’s eyes is another example of foreshadowing, in which the author hints about what is coming and sets a mood. Encourage the students to continue to listen for examples of flashback and foreshadowing as they listen to chapter 5 of The Giver today.
READ CHAPTERS 5 AND 6 ALOUD Read pages 43–62 aloud, stopping as described on the next page.
Suggested Vocabulary
rule infraction: the act of breaking a rule (p. 44) reluctantly: without really wanting to (p. 44) reprieve: delay of an unpleasant event (p. 54) inadequate: not good enough (p. 54) summoned: ordered to show up (p. 58) Sanitation Laborer: someone who cleans and gets rid of trash for a living (p. 60) monitored: watched (p. 62)
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ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
fragments: pieces of something (p. 43) treatment: medicine (p. 47) the dosage must be adjusted: the amount of medicine must be changed (p. 48) independence: ability to do things without help (p. 52) applause: clapping (p. 56) reflected negatively on his parents’ guidance: made it look as though his parents hadn’t done a good job of raising him (p. 58)
Stop after: p. 50 “The Stirrings were gone.” Turn to Have the students use “Turn to Your Partner” to discuss what has Your Partner happened so far and what might happen next.
Class Comprehension Assessment As partners talk, listen for evidence that they are making sense of the story. Ask yourself: Q Are the students inferring about the character of Jonas and the nature of this community? (Note: Avoid joining partner conversations during this time. Instead, just observe and notice the students’ thinking and interactions.)
Record your observations on page 11 of the Assessment Record Book.
Without sharing as a class, reread the last sentence, and continue reading. Repeat this procedure at the following stop: p. 58 “Finally it was the morning of the Ceremony of Twelve.”
Continue reading to the end of page 62.
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MAKE INFERENCES ABOUT SETTING AND CHARACTER First in pairs, then as a class, discuss the following questions. Remind the students to use the prompts to help them listen and connect their ideas during the discussion. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q Why was Jonas’s father concerned about Gabriel? What would happen to Gabriel if he were released?
Q (Reread the following passage on page 61: “Jonas shrugged… the choices so carefully made.”) What do the members of the community have to do in order to fit in? What do they have to give up in order to fit in?
Students might say: “The story says that if Gabriel doesn’t gain weight and sleep through the night he will be labeled Uncertain and released. When people and babies are released they go Elsewhere and are never seen again.” “In order to fit in the members of the community have to give up all of their ability to make choices for themselves. They don’t even get to decide who they will marry.” “In addition to what [Cindy] said, everything seems the same. It’s all very controlled—the members of the community have to give up their own free will.”
WHAT WE INFER ABOUT JONAs Refer to the “What We Infer About Jonas” chart and ask: - Jonas is well behaved and obedient. Q Did you infer anything new about Jonas? If so, what?
As the students share, record their ideas on the chart. Encourage the students to continue to think about what they are inferring about Jonas as the story proceeds.
REFLECT ON USING THE DISCUSSION PROMPTS Facilitate a brief discussion about how the students are doing using the prompts by asking:
Q What do you notice about our discussions when you use the discussion prompts?
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Q How does it help our discussions when people are able to connect their ideas to other people’s ideas?
Encourage the students to continue to practice using the discussion prompts in their conversations throughout the day.
Individualized Daily Reading
DOCUMENT IDR CONFERENCES/ HAVE THE STUDENTS WRITE IN THEIR “IDR JOURNAL” Have the students read independently for up to 30 minutes.
Use the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet to conduct and document individual conferences.
At the end of independent reading, have the students write in their “IDR Journal” about the relationships among character, setting, and plot in their book. Have a few students share their ideas with the class.
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 109 110 Making Meaning® Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Unit 3 A Analyzing Elements of Fiction Overview of Week 2 Comprehension Focus • Students analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. The Giver • Students make inferences and think about by Lois Lowry explicit and implicit meanings in text. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014) • Students explore literary devices, including Synopsis flashback and foreshadowing. Jonas’s world seems perfect until he is selected to receive special training Social Development Focus and finds out the truth about his community. • Students take responsibility for themselves. • Students develop the group skills of using prompts to help them listen and connect Alternative Book their ideas in partner conversations.
• Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick Do Ahead • Make a transparency of excerpt 3 from chapter 7 of The Giver (BLM6). • Make transparencies of excerpt 4 from chapter 8 of The Giver (BLM7–10).
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 111 Unit 13 Week 12 Day X
Materials Day 1 • The Giver (pp. 63–81) Read-Aloud • “What We Infer About Jonas” chart from Week 1 Lesson Purpose Students: A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Build awareness of inferences as they hear a story. A Use prompts in partner conversations.
DISCUSS USING PROMPTS IN PARTNER CONVERSATIONS Remind the students that they have been practicing using prompts in discussions to help them listen and connect their ideas to the ideas of others. Explain that this week they will continue using the prompts during whole-class discussions, and they will also start using them during their partner conversations. Write the following prompts where everyone can see them:
- I agree with , because… - I disagree with , because… - In addition to what said, I think…
Ask:
Q How do you think using the prompts in your partner conversations might help your communication?
Q How will you communicate to your partner that you respect his thinking, even if you disagree? Why will that be important?
Ask the students to keep what they talked about in mind as they practice using the prompts in pairs today.
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REVIEW THE STORY Review the first six chapters ofThe Giver by reading the following Turn to sentences aloud. For each sentence, have the students use “Turn to Your Partner Your Partner” to talk about what they remember about the story from that sentence: p. 1 “It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened.”
p. 9 “‘But he isn’t growing as fast as he should, and he doesn’t sleep soundly.’”
p. 14 “One at a time—there were always fifty in each year’s group, if none had been released—they had been brought to the stage…”
p. 20 “During the past year he had been aware of the increasing level of observation.”
p. 23 “Many of the comfort objects, like Lily’s, were soft, stuffed, imaginary creatures.”
Explain that today you will read chapters 7 and 8 of The Giver aloud and the students will make inferences and discuss the story using character, setting, and plot.
READ CHAPTERS 7 AND 8 ALOUD Read pages 63–81 aloud, stopping as described on the next page.
Suggested Vocabulary
standardize: make the same (p. 65) curb any impulse: stop any automatic actions (p. 65) prestige: respect from other people (p. 67) acquisition: gaining or learning (p. 68) retroactive: going back in time (p. 68) precision: extreme correctness (p. 69) avert: turn away (p. 73) indolence: laziness (p. 77) spontaneously: without planning it in advance (p. 80)
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 113 Unit 13 Week 12 Day X1
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
nourishment: food that helps people grow and stay healthy (p. 66) ill at ease: uncomfortable (p. 74) hasty: quick (p. 77) wisdom: the ability to make good decisions and understand things deeply (p. 79) consumed with despair: feeling completely hopeless (p. 79) gratitude: thankfulness (p. 81)
Stop after: p. 73 “Jonas bowed his head and searched through his mind. What had he done wrong?” Turn to Your Partner Have the students use “Turn to Your Partner” to discuss what has happened so far and what might happen next.
Continue reading to the end of page 81.
Think, MAKE INFERENCES ABOUT SETTING AND CHARACTER Pair, Share Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss the following questions. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q What more did you learn about the setting of this story?
Q Something significant happens to Jonas at this point in the story. What do we know about that?
Students might say: “Jonas is really lucky. He gets selected as the next Receiver of Memory.” “I disagree with [Misha]. The Chief Elder says he would experience pain that no one else can imagine. I think this will be a really hard thing for Jonas.” “Jonas feels despair, like they made the wrong choice. But then WHAT WE INFER he sees things change again and he starts feeling like maybe he ABOUT JONAS can do this.” - Jonas is well behaved and obedient. As the students share, record their ideas on the “What We Infer About Jonas” chart.
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REFLECT ON USING PROMPTS IN PARTNER CONVERSATIONS Facilitate a brief discussion of how the students did using the prompts in their partner conversations. Share examples of the prompts you heard students use.
Explain that the goal of learning the discussion prompts is to use them naturally, in both whole-class discussions and one-on-one conversations. The prompts will help them participate responsibly in discussions by encouraging them to listen and connect their comments to those of others.
Individualized Daily Reading
DOCUMENT IDR CONFERENCES Have the students read books at their appropriate reading levels independently for up to 30 minutes.
Use the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet to conduct and document individual conferences.
At the end of independent reading, have the students talk with the class about the relationships among character, setting, and plot in their book. Ask questions such as:
Q What is the setting? What effect does the setting have on the characters?
Q What other connections do you notice among character, setting, and plot?
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 115 Unit 13 Week 12 Day X
Materials Day 2 • The Giver (pp. 63–81) Guided Strategy Practice • Student Book page 22
• Transparency of excerpt 3 from chapter 7 of The Giver Lesson Purpose Students: A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Explore an example of flashback. A Build awareness of inferences as they read. A Use prompts in partner conversations.
REVIEW USING PROMPTS IN PARTNER CONVERSATIONS Teacher Note Remind the students that they have been practicing using prompts If necessary, write the prompts in both whole-class discussions and partner conversations. where everyone can see them: Encourage the students to practice these today and tell them that you will check in with them at the end of the lesson. - I agree with , because… - I disagree with , ANALYZE A FLASHBACK FOR CLUES ABOUT SETTING because… Remind the students that they heard chapters 7 and 8 of The Giver - In addition to what yesterday. Ask: said, I think… Q In yesterday’s reading there was a flashback about Asher as a three-year-old, using the word “smack” instead of “snack.” What do you remember about this incident?
Q What did we learn about the community from this flashback?
Students might say: “Asher got hit with the stick every time he said the wrong word. He finally just stopped talking.” “The Chief Elder tells the story as if it’s funny, and the audience laughs. Even Asher seems to accept it.”
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Place the transparency on the overhead projector, and explain that this is an excerpt of the flashback. Darken the passage below “Asher had asked for a smack” with a sheet of paper; then read the passage aloud, and ask:
Q What does this passage tell us about how people act in this community? What words tell us that?
As the students respond, underline words and phrases they report on the transparency (for example, “the other Threes, including Jonas, had laughed nervously” and “the mistake had been made”). Ask the students to open to Student Book page 22 and continue reading the rest of the flashback, underlining words and phrases that reveal how the characters act in this setting. When they finish, they will talk in pairs about what they underlined and why it makes sense for the characters to act this way in this setting. Teacher Note Some passages in the excerpt As the students read and work, circulate around the room and that reveal how characters act in observe. If you notice students having difficulty, support them the setting include: using questions such as: • “wiggling with impatience in the line” Q How do people act in this community? What clues in the passage • “cheerful voice calling out, ‘I tell you that? want my smack!’” • “laughed nervously” DISCUSS CLUES ABOUT SETTING AS A CLASS • “But the mistake had When pairs have finished, signal for their attention and ask: been made.” • “whimpered, cringed, and Q What words or phrases did you underline in the excerpt? corrected himself instantly” What do those words or phrases tell us about how people • “‘Snack,’ he whispered.” act in this setting? • “Asher stopped talking Q Why does it make sense that the characters would act this altogether” way in this setting? • “‘we had a silent Asher!’” • “She turned to him with Students might say: a smile.” “I underlined ‘wiggling with impatience’ because it shows that • “The audience murmured in Asher started out like a regular, happy kid. Then I underlined ‘whimpered, cringed, and corrected himself instantly’ because agreement.” it shows that he was scared into following the rules.” • “Asher’s cheerful disposition was well known throughout the community.”
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“My partner and I both underlined ‘The audience murmured in agreement.’ The audience seems to accept what happened to Asher. They only focus on his ‘unfailing good humor.’ I guess they feel it’s normal for kids to be treated this way.” “I agree with [Stuart]. I think the characters know that they could be punished for saying or doing the wrong thing, too. They have to act like this is normal, like the most important thing is to be like everyone else.”
Point out that the elements of character, setting, and plot weave together in stories. The setting affects how the characters act. The characters’ choices and actions determine what happens in the plot. Characters change as a result of the plot and setting. By thinking about how these elements interrelate, readers can come to understand what the author is really trying to do in a story.
REFLECT ON USING THE PROMPTS Ask, and briefly discuss:
Q How did you do using the prompts during your partner conversations today?
Q Do you notice a difference in your conversations when you use the prompts? Explain.
Encourage the students to continue to practice using the discussion prompts throughout the day.
Individualized Daily Reading
DOCUMENT IDR CONFERENCES Have the students read books at their appropriate reading levels independently for up to 30 minutes.
Use the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet to conduct and document individual conferences.
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At the end of independent reading, have the students talk with the class about the relationships among the character, setting, and plot and any inferences they made in their book. Ask questions such as:
Q What is the setting? What effect does the setting have on the characters?
Q What other connections do you notice among character, setting, and plot?
Q What inferences have you made? Explain.
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 119 Unit 13 Week 12 Day X
Materials Day 3 • The Giver (pp. 74–81) Guided Strategy Practice • Transparencies of excerpt 4 from chapter 8 of The Giver
• Student Book pages 23–25 Lesson Purpose Students: • Assessment Record Book A Analyze relationships among character, setting, • “What We Infer About Jonas” and plot in a novel. chart from Day 1 A Explore an example of foreshadowing. A Build awareness of inferences as they read. • Student Book, IDR Journal section A Use prompts in partner conversations.
ANALYZE AN EXCERPT FOR FORESHADOWING ABOUT PLOT Remind the students that in chapter 8 of The Giver, Jonas learns that he has been selected as the next Receiver of Memory. The Chief Elder describes several reasons why the Committee chose Jonas. Ask:
Q What do you remember about why the Committee selected Jonas as the next Receiver of Memory?
Place the transparencies on the overhead projector, and explain that in this section of the story, the author foreshadows some upcoming events in the plot. Remind the students that foreshadowing hints at what is to come and sets the mood of a story. Darken the passage below “‘He has shown all of the qualities that a Receiver must have’” with a sheet of paper; then read the passage aloud, and ask:
Q What words or phrases in this passage foreshadow what is to come? What kind of mood do these words or phrases create?
As the students respond, underline words and phrases they report on the transparencies (for example, “Alone? Apart? Jonas listened with increasing unease”). Ask the students to open to Student Book pages 23–25 and continue reading the rest of the excerpt,
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underlining words and phrases that foreshadow upcoming events in the story. When they finish, they will talk in pairs about what they underlined and the mood created by these words and phrases.
Class Comprehension Assessment As partners talk, listen for evidence that they are making sense of the story. Ask yourself: Teacher Note Q Are the students inferring about the character of Jonas and Some passages in the excerpt the nature of this community? that foreshadow the future include: Q Do they recognize foreshadowing and are their inferences • “Alone? Apart? Jonas listened about the upcoming plot reasonable, based on the clues? with increasing unease.” (Note: Avoid joining partner conversations during this time. • “He felt fear flutter within him.” Instead, just observe and notice the students’ thinking and • “‘But you will be faced, interactions.) now,’ she explained gently, Record your observations on page 12 of the Assessment Record Book. ‘with pain of a magnitude that none of us here can comprehend because it is DISCUSS FORESHADOWING AS A CLASS beyond our experience. The Receiver himself was not able When pairs have finished, signal for their attention and ask: to describe it, only to remind us that you would be faced Q What words or phrases did you underline in the excerpt? What do with it, that you would need those words or phrases foreshadow about what is to come? immense courage.’” Q What kind of mood is created by these words or phrases? • “‘The acquisition of wisdom will come through his training.’” Students might say: • “‘He calls it the Capacity to “The author tells us that Jonas is grateful and proud, but he is See Beyond.’” also filled with fear. That makes me think that something scary is going to happen to him. • “the thing happened again” “I agree with [Henrietta]. I think the author is letting us know that • “Briefly he felt a tiny sliver of the Capacity to See Beyond is going to be explained later in the sureness for the first time.” story. It must be important because it came up earlier in the story when the apple changed.” • “His heart swelled with gratitude and pride. But at “In addition to what [Tito] said, the story says that Jonas will be alone and apart, and he will feel real pain. I think the author is the same time he was filled telling us that Jonas is going to face some really hard challenges with fear. He did not know in the story.” what his selection meant. He did not know what he was to become. Or what would become of him.”
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 121 Unit 13 Week 12 Day X3
MAKE INFERENCES ABOUT CHARACTER Remind the students that the elements of character, setting, and plot weave together in stories. We can anticipate what might be coming in the plot because we know something about Jonas. His thoughts, feelings, actions, and speech help to foreshadow the plot. Ask:
Q What does this excerpt reveal about Jonas?
Students might say: “Jonas is brave. He’s full of fear but he is willing to go forward.” “The fact that he sees things change again tells me that he’s special and different from everyone else, that the Committee did make the right choice.” “I agree with [Raymond], but I also feel that the sentence ‘He felt fear flutter within him’ tells us that he’s just a regular kid like everyone else.”
WHAT WE INFER As the students share, record their ideas on the “What We Infer ABOUT JONAS About Jonas” chart. - Jonas is well behaved and obedient. Encourage the students to continue to think about the connections among character, setting, and plot as they proceed with The Giver and in their independent reading.
REFLECT ON USING THE PROMPTS Ask, and briefly discuss:
Q What problems did you have using the prompts today? How can you avoid those problems next time?
Q Which prompts do you find yourself using often? Which ones do you need more practice with?
Encourage the students to practice using all three of the discussion prompts in their conversations throughout the day.
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Individualized Daily Reading
DOCUMENT IDR CONFERENCES/ HAVE THE STUDENTS WRITE IN THEIR “IDR JOURNAL” Have the students read independently for up to 30 minutes.
Use the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet to conduct and document individual conferences.
At the end of independent reading, have the students write in their “IDR Journal” about their reading. Circulate as the students write and ask questions such as:
Q What connections have you noticed among character, setting, and plot in your story?
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 123 Unit 13 Week 12 Day X
Materials Day 4 • Fiction texts at appropriate levels for independent reading Independent Strategy Practice
• “Reading Comprehension Strategies” chart Lesson Purpose • Medium-sized self-stick notes for Students: each student A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in texts they read independently. A Explore flashback and foreshadowing in texts they read independently. A Build awareness of inferences as they read. A Take responsibility for themselves.
reading comprehension REVIEW THE “READING COMPREHENSION strategies STRATEGIES” CHART - Recognizing Direct the students’ attention to the “Reading Comprehension text features Strategies” chart. Remind them that in the past two weeks they - Questioning have been practicing making inferences and understanding fiction elements (character, setting, and plot). They have also been exploring the use of devices in fiction, such as flashback and foreshadowing. Add exploring devices (flashback, foreshadowing) to the chart.
Remind the students that the strategies are meant to help them when they read texts independently. Explain that they will have an opportunity to practice these strategies in their own reading today.
PREPARE TO READ INDEPENDENTLY Explain that as the students read their own fiction books today, they will use self-stick notes to mark places where they find them- selves inferring about the character, setting, or plot. They will also mark examples of flashback and foreshadowing they notice.
READ INDEPENDENTLY AND MARK ELEMENTS Turn to Have the students read fiction texts independently for 30 minutes. Your Partner Stop them at ten-minute intervals and have them use “Turn to Your Partner” to briefly share any passages they have marked using self-
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stick notes. At the first stop, remind the students to tell their group the title of their book and the name of the author, and to say a few sentences about its plot.
Circulate among the students and notice whether they are recognizing different elements of fiction in their reading. Probe the thinking of individual students by asking questions such as:
Q What is the setting of your story?
Q How do the characters act in this setting? Why does it make sense that they act this way?
Q What are you finding out about the main character?
Q Are you noticing the author using flashback or foreshadowing in your story? How?
DISCUSS READING USING “TURN TO YOUR PARTNER” Turn to After the independent reading, use “Turn to Your Partner” to Your Partner have the students talk about the passages they marked. Remind them to take responsibility for themselves by listening carefully to their partner.
After allowing sufficient time for partners to share, signal for their attention and have a few volunteers share passages they marked with the class. Probe the students’ thinking by asking:
Q Read aloud the passage that you marked. How is that an example of [foreshadowing]?
Q What does the passage you marked tell you about the setting of your story?
Q What did you find out about your character from that passage? Are you told that directly or did you infer from clues in the text? What clues?
Explain that the students will continue to have opportunities to notice elements of fiction as they read independently.
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Extension
EXPLORE OTHER EXAMPLES OF SCIENCE FICTION Invite interested students to explore science fiction by reading other books in the genre. Provide opportunities for them to share about their science fiction books with the class, and to discuss what they are learning about the characteristics of the genre. Some examples of science fiction written for adolescents include: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, Holes by Louis Sacher, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, and The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman.
126 Making Meaning® Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Unit 3 A Analyzing Elements of Fiction Overview of Week 3 Comprehension Focus • Students use questioning to help them make sense of text. The Giver • Students analyze relationships among by Lois Lowry character, setting, and plot in a novel. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014) • Students make inferences and think about Synopsis explicit and implicit meanings in text. Jonas’s world seems perfect • Students explore literary devices, until he is selected to including foreshadowing. receive special training and finds out the truth about his community. Social Development Focus • Students take responsibility for themselves. Alternative Book • Students develop the skill of contributing to group work. • Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Do Ahead • Prepare the chart for self-monitoring during IDR (see Day 1, Step 6, on pages 132–133).
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 127 INTRODUCING Unit 13 Week 13 Day X l Heads Together
Materials Day 1 • The Giver (pp. 82–100) Read-Aloud • Student Book page 26
• Chart paper and a marker and Strategy Lesson
• Chart for self-monitoring, prepared ahead Lesson Purpose • Student Book, IDR Journal section Students: A Use questioning to make sense of a story. A Use “Stop and Ask Questions.” Teacher Note A Learn and practice the cooperative structure “Heads Together.” If your students are already A Contribute to group work. familiar with “Heads Together,” take this opportunity to briefly review the procedure and continue with the rest of INTRODUCE “HEADS TOGETHER” the lesson. Have partners sit together. Point out that the students have been sharing ideas about their reading with a partner. During today’s lesson they will use a technique called “Heads Together” to share Teacher Note their thinking in groups of four. Explain that the purpose of “Heads Group work fosters both the Together” is to hear the thinking of several other people and students’ academic and social practice sharing their thinking in a group. Ask: development. In groups, the students are exposed to a Q How might talking in a group of four be different from talking with greater variety of ideas, and the a partner? more complex interactions of the group require that students Put pairs together to form groups of four and have group members develop critical social skills, such sit together. as including one another, solving problems, making decisions, and reaching agreement. (For more PRACTICE “HEADS TOGETHER” information about the role of AND REVIEW THE STORY cooperative structures in social Tell the students that they will practice “Heads Together” as they development, see pages xix–xx.) review the recent chapters of The Giver. Read each of the following sentences aloud. For each sentence, briefly have groups use “Heads Together” to share what they remember about the story from that sentence: p. 65 “‘But today we honor your differences. They have determined your futures.’”
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p. 70 “‘Snack,’ he whispered.”
p. 71 “‘We thank you for your childhood.’”
READ CHAPTERS 9 AND 10 ALOUD WITH “STOP AND ASK QUESTIONS” Point out that, beginning with today’s reading of chapter 9, the plot shifts from Jonas’s life before his Ceremony of Twelve to his new life after. Explain that the students will use “Stop and Ask Teacher Note Questions” as they listen to the story today. Ask them to turn to To review the way you intro- Student Book page 26, “Stop and Ask Questions About The Giver (1).” duced “Stop and Ask Questions,” Explain that as you read aloud, you will stop four times. At Stop 1, see pages 72–76. the students will share their questions as a class. At the remaining stops, they will write their questions in the appropriate boxes in their own Student Book. Tell them that they will use their questions after the reading to discuss the story in their group.
Read pages 82–100 aloud, slowly and clearly, stopping as described on the next page.
Suggested Vocabulary
relish: enjoyment (p. 86) you are prohibited from dream-telling: you are not allowed to tell your dreams (p. 86) compel: force (p. 87) intimate: personal or private (p. 87) reeled: spun around and around (p. 90) wing: section of a building (p. 92) luxurious: comfortable and expensive (p. 93) transmit: send (p. 97) exhilarating: exciting (p. 99) runners: blades on the bottom of a sled that slide on snow (p. 99)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
singled out: chose (p. 85) apply for: ask for (p. 87) option: choice (p. 87) unintentional: not on purpose (p. 89) concentration: the ability to think without being interrupted (p. 93)
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 129 INTRODUCING Unit 13 Week 13 Day X1 l Heads Together
Stop after: p. 85 “‘We don’t know,’ his father said uncomfortably. ‘We never Teacher Note saw her again.’” The intent of “Stop and Ask Questions” is to have the Ask: students focus on the kinds of questions that could be asked Q What question about the story could you ask right now? about the story, even if they do not naturally have a question at Call on a few volunteers to share their questions aloud. Record this point. They should generate the questions exactly as the students say them on a sheet of chart any questions they can think paper entitled “Questions About The Giver.” If the students have of related to the story. Accept difficulty generating questions, model a few yourself and record their questions without them. (For example, “What happened to the first Receiver?” “Why discussion. Hearing others’ are Jonas’s friends acting so strangely toward him?” “What is going questions gives the students to happen to Jonas now?”) examples of the kinds of questions that can be asked. Tell the students that they will write questions on their own at the next three stops. Reread the last sentence before the stop and continue reading to the next stop: Teacher Note p. 90 “But he would have no way of knowing if the answer he received was true.” Circulate among the students and notice whether they are able Have the students record their questions in the Stop 2 box on to generate questions. If some Student Book page 26. Without discussing the questions, reread the students are having difficulty, last sentence before the stop and continue to the next stopping have a few volunteers share point. Follow this procedure at the next two stops: their questions with the whole class. Record the questions on p. 97 “In his mind, Jonas had questions. A thousand. A million questions. As many questions as there were books lining the chart verbatim without the walls.” discussing them. Continue to model with the class in this way p. 100 “‘I am going to transmit the memory of snow,’ the old man during stops until the students said, and placed his hands on Jonas’s bare back.” are able to write questions successfully on their own. USE QUESTIONS TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS THE STORY IN GROUPS Ask the students to review their questions and think about what Heads they heard in the story. Have them put a check mark next to each question they think is answered in the story. Then use “Heads Together Together” to have the students discuss the story using their questions. Ask them to think about what they heard that helps to answer any of their questions.
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DISCUSS THE STORY AS A CLASS After a few minutes, signal for the students’ attention and facilitate a whole-class discussion, using the questions that follow. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q Which questions got you and your group talking? What did you hear that helped you discuss that question?
As the students respond, add their questions to the “Questions About The Giver” chart.
Students might say: “One of us asked, ‘Why can Jonas lie now?’ We think the question is not answered because even though Jonas thinks about this a lot, it doesn’t say why.” “In our group, we asked, ‘Will the old man be kind or mean to Jonas?’ We think this question is answered because the old man talks to Jonas and looks at him with sympathy.”
Q (Reread the following passage on page 94: “But the most conspicuous difference was the books…their titles embossed in shiny letters.”) What more do you learn in this passage about the setting of this story? What do you think it means that all of the books are with the old man?
Students might say: “We learn that people only have a couple of books in their dwellings—books like the dictionary and the Book of Rules.” “It makes sense because the people aren’t allowed to have a lot of their own ideas. Books might give them too many ideas and they won’t want to go along with the rules.” “Maybe the old man has all the books because he’s the one that knows what life is really like outside the community.”
Point out that the students are making many inferences about the significance of the books in the setting (the lack of them in the community and the abundance of them in the old man’s dwelling), as their meaning is not stated directly in the story. Point out also that the setting has changed for Jonas; the old man’s dwelling is a place very different from the setting he has known. Explain that the
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 131 INTRODUCING Unit 13 Week 13 Day X1 l Heads Together
setting in this story plays a major role in what happens to Jonas. Teacher Note Encourage the students to continue to think about how the setting Save the “Questions About The affects the characters inThe Giver. Giver” chart for Day 2.
Individualized Daily Reading
INTRODUCE SELF-MONITORING Before the students read independently, explain that today you will be stopping them periodically during IDR to have them monitor how well they are understanding their own reading. Monitoring their reading means stopping to think about what they are reading and, more importantly, how well they are understanding. Direct their attention to the following questions, which you have written on chart paper labeled “Self-Monitoring Questions.”
- What is happening in my text right now? - Does the reading make sense? - What am I puzzled about? - How many words on the page I just read are new to me? How many words do I not know? - Would it be better to continue reading this book or get a new book?
Explain that when you stop them you would like them to think about each of these questions quietly before continuing to read. Explain that the purpose of this is to help them become better at tracking when they are understanding their reading and when they are not. When they do not understand, they may need to reread, use a comprehension strategy, or get a new book.
Have the students read books at their appropriate reading levels independently for up to 30 minutes. Stop them at ten-minute intervals and have them monitor their comprehension by thinking about the questions on the chart.
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As they read, circulate among them and ask individual students to read a selection aloud to you and tell you what it is about. If the student is struggling to understand the text, use the questions on the chart to help her be aware of monitoring her own comprehension.
At the end of independent reading, have the students talk about how they did using the questions on the chart to help them monitor their own comprehension.
Give the students time to record their books in their “Reading Log.”
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 133 Unit 13 Week 13 Day X
Materials Day 2 • The Giver (pp. 101–121) Read-Aloud and • Chart paper and a marker
• “Questions About The Giver” Guided Strategy Practice chart from Day 1
• Student Book page 27 Lesson Purpose • “Self-Monitoring Questions” chart Students: A Begin outlining the plot of a story. A Make inferences and use questioning to make sense of a story. A Use “Stop and Ask Questions.” A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Practice “Heads Together” and contribute to group work.
BEGIN A PLOT OUTLINE FOR THE GIVER Remind the students that yesterday they listened to the part of The Giver in which Jonas’s life as The Receiver begins. On a sheet of chart paper, make a diagram that looks like the following:
Plot Outline for The Giver Jonas’s life before the Jonas’s life after the ceremony (Chapters 1-8) ceremony (Chapters 9-23)
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Point out that chapters 1–8 tell of Jonas’s life leading up to the Ceremony of Twelve. Everything that happens in this section informs the reader about the setting of the story, who Jonas and the other characters are, and what might happen in the rest of the story. Ask:
Q What are some important things that happen in the first part of the book?
Students might say: “Jonas feels apprehensive and he tells his family when they share their feelings.” “Jonas’s father brings home a baby that isn’t growing fast enough.” Teacher Note As the students share, record their comments on the chart under If necessary, add the following “Jonas’s life before the ceremony.” events to the chart:
- Jonas has apprehensive Explain that at the end of chapter 8, the plot shifts to Jonas’s life feelings. after the ceremony, in his role as Receiver of Memory. Ask: - Jonas shares his apprehensive feelings with his family. Q What are some important things that happen in the parts we’ve heard so far about Jonas’s life after the Ceremony of Twelve? - His father brings Gabe home. - Jonas starts seeing objects Students might say: “change.”
“Jonas goes to the old man’s house for the first time.” - Jonas is selected to be The “Jonas’s friends start treating him strangely, like they’re Receiver. avoiding him.” “He receives a list of instructions.” Teacher Note As the students share, record their comments on the chart under If necessary, add the following “Jonas’s life after the ceremony.” events to the chart:
Remind the students that the plot of a story is “what happens.” - Jonas receives a list of Explain that as they continue to read the story in the coming days, instructions. they will add to the outline of the plot by recording important - Jonas goes to the old man’s things that happen in the story to the chart. house and meets him for the first time.
- He receives a memory of sledding on snow.
- He sees colors for the first time.
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 135 Unit 13 Week 13 Day X2
READ CHAPTERS 11 AND 12 ALOUD WITH “STOP AND ASK QUESTIONS” QUESTIONS ABOUT Refer to the “Questions About The Giver” chart and remind THE GIVER the students that in the previous lesson they used “Stop and - Why can Jonas lie now? Ask Questions” to help them listen to a section of the story. - What happened to the first Receiver? They will continue to use questioning as they listen to the next two chapters today.
Have the students open to Student Book page 27, “Stop and Ask Questions About The Giver (2),” and explain that you will stop four times as you read today to let them write their questions about the story. After reading, they will use their questions to discuss the story in their group of four.
Reread the last paragraph on page 100 aloud (“‘I am going to transmit the memory of snow,’ the old man said, and placed his hands on Jonas’s bare back”). Then read pages 101–121 aloud, slowly and clearly, stopping as described on the next page.
Suggested Vocabulary
disgrace himself: embarrass himself (p. 101) began the descent: began moving downhill (p. 103) agricultural periods: times of the year when food can be grown (p. 106) obsolete: no longer used (p. 106) they made conveyance of goods unwieldy: they made moving things to be sold from one place to another difficult (p. 106) significant: important (p. 112) sought: looked for (p. 118) mastered: gotten control of or learned everything about (p. 119) relinquished: let go of (p. 120)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
shivered: shook from cold (p. 101) climate: weather patterns (p. 106) quizzically: curiously (p. 108) dumbfounded: amazed (p. 118) work the kinks out: (idiom) solve the remaining problems (p. 120)
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At each of the following stopping points, have the students write any questions they can think of: p. 106 “‘But you will find that that is not the same as power.’”
p. 108 “‘Jonas,’ he said, ‘it will be painful. But it need not be painful yet.’”
p. 112 “The feeling that it was good. That it was welcoming. That it was significant.”
p. 115 “I will ask the Giver, he decided.”
Continue reading to the end of chapter 12.
DISCUSS THE STORY IN GROUPS AND AS A CLASS To review Heads Have groups use “Heads Together” to briefly discuss the questions Together they wrote; then facilitate a whole-class discussion using the see pp. 128–133 questions below. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q What is a question that got you thinking? Is the question answered in the story? How do you know?
Point out that the setting in a story is more than the physical environment; it includes the time period and the conditions under which the people live. Ask:
Q What are you learning about the time in which this story takes place? What clues tell you that?
Q (Reread the following passage on page 106: “‘Climate Control. Snow made growing food difficult…so it became obsolete when we went to Sameness.’”) How has the “Sameness” in this world affected Jonas and the other characters in the story?
Students might say: “The story takes place in the future sometime. What tells me that is the old man’s memories of things like color and sunshine, which we have today.” “In addition to what [Louis] said, I think the ‘Sameness’ has made people not even realize things could be different. The people don’t even question the rules.”
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Encourage the students to continue to think about how setting affects the characters inThe Giver and in their independent reading selections.
DISCUSS WORKING IN GROUPS OF FOUR Facilitate a brief discussion of the group work. Ask:
Q How did your group do with getting everyone to contribute ideas during “Heads Together”?
Q Why is it important that each group member feels responsible for contributing ideas to the discussion?
Explain that the students will continue to practice using “Heads Together” in the coming days.
Individualized Daily Reading
PRACTICE SELF-MONITORING SElf-monitoring Questions Refer to the “Self-Monitoring Questions” chart and review the questions. Remind the students that it is important to check their - What is happening in my text right now? reading comprehension as they read. - Does the reading make sense? Have the students read independently for up to 30 minutes. As they read, circulate among them and ask questions such as:
Q What is your book about? What is happening right now?
Q What do you think might happen next? Why do you think that?
Q If you don’t understand what you are reading, what do you do? How is this helpful?
Stop them at ten-minute intervals and have them monitor their comprehension by thinking about the questions on the “Self- Monitoring Questions” chart.
At the end of independent reading, have the students talk about how they did monitoring their own comprehension.
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Day 3 Materials Read-Aloud • The Giver (pp. 122–135) • “Reading Comprehension Strategies” chart
Lesson Purpose • Student Book page 28 Students: • Assessment Record Book A Make inferences and use questioning to make sense of the story. • “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart A Analyze relationships among character, from Day 2 setting, and plot in a novel. A Practice “Heads Together” and contribute to • “Self-Monitoring Questions” chart group work. • Student Book, IDR Journal section A Continue outlining the plot of a story. A Discuss an example of foreshadowing.
BRIEFLY REVIEW THE “READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES” CHART Remind the students that they have been exploring relationships among common elements of stories. Briefly refer to the “Reading reading comprehension strategies Comprehension Strategies” chart and review that the students - Recognizing have been using questioning to help them think beyond the text features surface level of a story. Add questioning to the chart and explain - Questioning that the students will continue to practice using the strategy today.
READ CHAPTER 13 ALOUD WITH “STOP AND ASK QUESTIONS” Explain that the students will hear chapter 13 today. Have the students open to Student Book page 28, “Stop and Ask Questions About The Giver (3),” and explain that you will stop four times during the reading today. After reading, they will use their questions to discuss the story in their group of four.
Reread the last few lines on page 121, then read pages 122–135 aloud, slowly and clearly, stopping as described on the next page.
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Suggested Vocabulary
irrationally angry: angry without reason (p. 124) vibrance: color, energy (p. 124) exempted: excused from (p. 128) everyone had access to memories: everyone could have memories (p. 131) chaos: extreme confusion, out of control (p. 131) finally it subsided as the memories were assimilated: [the suffering] finally went away as people got used to the memories (p. 131)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
ordinary: regular (p. 122) geraniums: type of flower (p. 125) hack: cut (p. 126) corpse: dead body (p. 126) rage and grief: anger and sorrow (p. 127) books are forbidden to citizens: people in the community are not allowed to have books (p. 128) shield: protect (p. 135)
At each of the following stopping points, have the students write any questions they can think of: p. 124 “‘We really have to protect people from wrong choices.’”
p. 128 “‘’Ccept your apology,’ Lily responded indifferently, stroking the lifeless elephant.”
p. 133 “‘The very highest honor.’”
p. 135 “He placed his hands on Jonas’s back.”
USE QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS THE STORY IN GROUPS OF FOUR Ask the students to review their questions and think about what they heard in the story. Have them put a check mark next to each question they think is answered in the story. Then have them reread their checked questions and put a star next to those they
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think are answered directly and a circle next to those they think can be answered indirectly using clues. To help the students remember what the symbols mean, write them where everyone can see them:
4 - Question answered
H - Question answered directly
l - Question answered indirectly using clues Heads Use “Heads Together” to have the students discuss the story using Together their questions. Ask them to think about what they heard that helps to answer any of their questions.
Class Comprehension Assessment As partners talk, listen for evidence that they are making sense of the story. Ask yourself: Q Are the students making inferences about the setting of the story?
Q Do they notice relationships between the setting and how the characters act?
Record your observations on page 13 of the Assessment Record Book.
DISCUSS THE STORY AS A CLASS When most groups have finished talking, facilitate a whole-class discussion, using the questions below. Remind the students to use the prompts they learned to help them listen to one another in the discussion. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q What is a question that got you or your group talking? Is the question answered directly in the story, or did you figure out the answer from clues? What clues?
Q What happened in the community that made the people feel that they needed a Receiver of Memory?
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Q (Reread the following passage on page 134: “He wondered what lay in the far distance…the place where the elephant died?”) What might this passage foreshadow?
Students might say: “When the girl was released ten years ago, people suffered. That’s why they felt they needed a Receiver, so The Receiver could suffer instead of everyone else.” “I think the author is foreshadowing that Jonas is going to go find out what is in the world beyond his community.”
ADD TO THE PLOT OUTLINE CHART Direct the students’ attention to the “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart:
Plot Outline for The Giver Jonas’s life before the Jonas’s life after the ceremony (Chapters 1-8) ceremony (Chapters 9-23)
- Jonas has apprehensive feelings. - Jonas receives a list of - Jonas shares his apprehensive instructions. feelings with his family. - Jonas goes to the old man’s house - His father brings Gabe home. and meets him for the first time. - Jonas starts seeing objects - He receives a memory of “change.” sledding on snow. - Jonas is selected to be The - He sees colors for the first time. Receiver.
Ask:
Q What important things have happened in the reading today that we can add to our plot outline?
Students might say: “The Giver gives Jonas a memory about an elephant hunt.” “The Giver tells Jonas what happened ten years ago with the girl who was supposed to be The Receiver.”
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As the students share, record their comments on the chart under Teacher Note “Jonas’s life after the ceremony.” If necessary, add the following events to the chart: Remind the students that they will continue to add to the plot - Jonas receives a memory outline as they listen to the story. about the killing of an elephant.
- Jonas starts to wonder what lies beyond the river. Individualized Daily Reading
READ INDEPENDENTLY/HAVE THE STUDENTS WRITE IN THEIR “IDR JOURNAL” SElf-monitoring Refer to the “Self-Monitoring Questions” chart and review the Questions questions. Remind the students that it is important to check their - What is happening in my reading comprehension as they read. Have the students read text right now? independently for up to 30 minutes. - Does the reading make sense? As they read, circulate among them and ask individual students to read a selection aloud to you and tell you what it is about.
At the end of independent reading, have the students use their “IDR Journal” to write about how using the self-monitoring questions helps them.
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Materials Day 4 • Fiction texts at appropriate levels for independent reading Independent Strategy Practice
• Medium-sized self-stick notes for each student Lesson Purpose Students: A Use “Stop and Ask Questions” to think about texts they read independently. A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in texts they read independently. A Practice “Heads Together” and contribute to group work.
REVIEW THE WEEK Have partners sit together. Remind them that they heard more of The Giver this week and used “Stop and Ask Questions” to help them think and talk about the story. Review that the students thought about whether their questions were answered directly or indirectly by making inferences (using story clues).
Teacher Note Remind the students that they USE “STOP AND ASK QUESTIONS” used self-stick notes previously to WITH INDEPENDENT READING ask questions about expository Explain that today the students will use “Stop and Ask Questions” texts. If the students have not as they read stories independently. Ask them to jot any questions used the technique recently, you they have on self-stick notes and use the notes to mark places in might model it again, using a their reading where the questions arose. Review that the purpose fiction text of your own. For an for asking questions is to help them think about what they read, example of how to model the and tell them that they will use their recorded questions to discuss technique, see page 84. the story after they read.
READ INDEPENDENTLY AND SHARE QUESTIONS Have the students read fiction texts independently for 15–20 Heads minutes. Stop them at five-minute intervals and have them use Together “Heads Together” to share any questions they have written on self-
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stick notes. At the first stop, remind the students to tell their group the title of their book and the name of the author and say a few sentences about its plot.
Circulate among the students and notice whether they are able to write questions about their reading. Probe the thinking of individual students by asking:
Q What question can you ask about the setting of the story? The characters? The plot?
Q What is happening in the story right now? What is one thing you wonder about what is happening? How can you ask that as a question?
DISCUSS THE STUDENTS’ QUESTIONS USING “HEADS TOGETHER” Heads After the independent reading, use “Heads Together” to have the Together students talk about what they read using their questions. Remind them to take responsibility for contributing to the group discussion, and tell them that you will check in to see how they did at the end of the lesson.
After allowing sufficient time for groups to share, signal for the students’ attention and have a few volunteers share their questions with the class. Probe the students’ thinking by asking:
Q What was happening in the text when that question came to mind?
Q How would you answer that question right now? What evidence in the book makes you think that?
Q Is that question answered directly in the text or indirectly through clues? If directly, how? If indirectly, through what clues?
Explain that the students will have more opportunities to use “Stop and Ask Questions” to think about their reading.
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REFLECT ON WORKING IN GROUPS OF FOUR Remind the students that this week they learned and practiced “Heads Together” and thought about taking responsibility for contributing to group work. Help the students reflect briefly on their work together by asking:
Q How did you contribute today to your group’s conversation? If you had difficulty with this, what would help you to contribute your ideas next time?
146 Making Meaning® Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Unit 3 A Analyzing Elements of Fiction Overview of Week 4 Comprehension Focus • Students analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. The Giver • Students make inferences and think about by Lois Lowry explicit and implicit meanings in text. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014) • Students visualize using descriptive language Synopsis in text. Jonas’s world seems perfect until he is selected to receive special training Social Development Focus and finds out the truth about his community. • Students take responsibility for their learning and behavior. • Students develop the skill of including Alternative Book everyone in group work and discussion.
• Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick Do Ahead • Make transparencies of excerpt 5 from chapter 15 of The Giver (BLM11–12). • Prepare to model visualizing in independent reading (see Day 4, Step 3, on pages 162–163).
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Materials Day 1 • The Giver (pp. 136–151) Read-Aloud • “Questions About The Giver” chart
• Transparencies of excerpt 5 from chapter 15 of The Giver Lesson Purpose Students: • Student Book pages 29–30 A Visualize to understand a story. • “Self-Monitoring Questions” chart A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Use “Heads Together.” A Include everyone in group work and discussion.
BRIEFLY REVIEW “HEADS TOGETHER” Remind the students that last week they learned to use “Heads Together” to discuss their thinking in a group. Ask:
Q How does it help your group work if everyone takes responsibility for contributing their ideas?
Q What can you do to make sure everyone in your group feels included and welcome to share?
Encourage the students to focus on making sure everyone in the group feels included, and tell them you will check in with them this week to see how they are doing.
BRIEFLY REVIEW THE STORY Heads USING “HEADS TOGETHER” Together Tell the students that they will use “Heads Together” as they review the parts of The Giver they heard last week. Read each of the following sentences aloud. For each sentence, briefly have groups
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use “Heads Together” to share what they remember about the story from that sentence: p. 87 “You are not permitted to apply for release.”
p. 118 “‘Yes,’ Jonas said slowly. ‘I saw it, in the sled.’”
p. 131 “‘Finally it subsided as the memories were assimilated.”
PREPARE TO VISUALIZE Point out to the students that Lois Lowry uses very descriptive language to make this story come alive for the reader. Ask the students to close their eyes and visualize, or create a mental image, as you reread a passage from last week’s reading.
Read aloud the following passage on pages 125–127: “Under the touch of his hands, Jonas had found himself suddenly in a place that was completely alien…. It was a sound of rage and grief and it seemed never to end.” Ask the students to open their eyes and use Think, “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss: Pair, Share Q What did you imagine in your mind as you listened to this passage?
Have several volunteers share what they imagined with the class. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Follow up with questions such as:
Q What words did you hear that gave you that image?
Q What else did you [see/hear/smell/taste/feel] as you listened to the passage?
Explain that, as the students listen to chapters 14 and 15 today, you would like them to try to create mental images from the words in the story. You will ask them to talk about these in their group of four at the end of the reading.
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READ CHAPTERS 14 AND 15 ALOUD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GIVER Refer to the “Questions About The Giver” chart and remind the students that they have been using “Stop and Ask Questions” to - Why can Jonas lie now? help them think and talk about the story. Explain that today they - What happened to the first Receiver? will not write their questions during each stop; instead, they will use “Heads Together” and talk about what they are visualizing at that point in the story. Explain that you will stop four times as you read today.
Reread the last few sentences on page 135 aloud (“‘All right,’ The Giver said…. He placed his hands on Jonas’s back”). Then read pages 136–151 aloud, slowly and clearly, stopping as described below.
Suggested Vocabulary
acceleration: speeding up (p. 137) unendurable: unbearable (p. 138) assuage: relieve (p. 139) ominous: threatening (p. 143) immobilized: made unable to move (p. 150) stench: bad smell (p. 151)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
hatchet: axe, a sharp cutting tool (p. 137) vomited: threw up what was in his stomach (p. 137) relief-of-pain: something to make pain go away (p. 138) squirmed fretfully: moved around unhappily (p. 146) he felt a small lack: he felt that something was missing (p. 147) crimson: red (p. 150) “Forgive me”: “I’m sorry” (p. 151)
Heads Together Use “Heads Together” at each stopping point: p. 137 “‘Nooooo!’ he cried, and the sound disappeared into the empty landscape, into the wind.”
p. 143 “Now it was ominous. It meant, he knew, that nothing could be changed.”
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p. 144 “‘We release the smaller of the two.’”
p. 148 “He decided not to tell.”
Continue reading to the end of chapter 15.
DISCUSS THE STORY AS A CLASS Facilitate a whole-class discussion, using the questions below. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q What did you find out from today’s reading? Was that stated directly in the story, or did you infer from clues? What clues?
Q (Reread the following passage on page 139: “They have never known pain, he thought. The realization made him feel desperately lonely….”) Why might this realization make Jonas feel “desperately lonely”?
Q Jonas wonders for the first time what happens to babies when they are “released.” What did you learn about the “release” of babies and older people from this reading?
HIGHLIGHT LANGUAGE THAT CREATES VISUAL IMAGES Place the transparencies of the excerpt on the overhead projector and have the students turn to Student Book pages 29–30. Point out that the excerpt is from the part of the story they heard. Direct the students’ attention to the first paragraph by darkening the rest of the excerpt with a sheet of paper on the overhead projector. Reread the paragraph aloud; then ask:
Q What words or phrases help you visualize this place using all your senses? What do you visualize from these words?
As the students identify words and phrases, underline them on the transparencies.
Students might say: “The words ‘noisy, foul-smelling place’ makes me know it’s not going to be peaceful or quiet.”
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“‘Thick with smoke that hung, yellow and brown, above the ground’ makes me think there’s been a fire and you’re looking through smoke.” “I can hear the sounds of the place from the words ‘groaning men’ and ‘whinnying in panic.’”
Explain that partners will read the rest of the excerpt together and underline other words and phrases that help them visualize this scene using all their senses. Remind them to talk with each other about the mental images they get from the words and phrases.
REFLECT ON LANGUAGE THAT CREATES VISUAL IMAGES After allowing sufficient time for students to finish, signal for their attention and ask volunteers to report words and phrases they underlined in the excerpt. As they report, underline them on the transparency and ask:
Q What did you and your partner visualize from these words?
Q Did others visualize the same thing from these words? If not, tell us what you visualized.
Emphasize that visualizing, or creating mental images from words, is a strategy that helps readers better understand and follow what they are reading. Encourage the students to think about the mental images they form as they read in their own books.
Individualized Daily Reading
REVIEW SELF-MONITORING SElf-monitoring Questions Refer to the “Self-Monitoring Questions” chart and review the questions. Remind the students that it is important to check their - What is happening in my text right now? reading comprehension as they read. - Does the reading make sense?
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Have the students read books at their appropriate reading levels independently for up to 30 minutes. As they read, circulate among them and ask questions such as:
Q What is your book about? What is happening right now?
Q What do you think might happen next? Why do you think that?
Q If you don’t understand what you are reading, what do you do? How is this helpful?
Stop them at ten-minute intervals and have them monitor their comprehension by thinking about the questions on the “Self- Monitoring Questions” chart.
At the end of independent reading, have the students talk about how they did monitoring their own comprehension.
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Materials Day 2 • The Giver (pp. 152–173) Read-Aloud • “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart from Week 3
• “Self-Monitoring Questions” chart Lesson Purpose Students: A Visualize and make inferences to understand a story. A Continue outlining the plot of a story. A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Use “Heads Together” and include everyone in group work and discussion.
ADD TO THE PLOT OUTLINE CHART Direct the students’ attention to the “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart, and read the items on the chart under “Jonas’s life after the ceremony.” Ask:
Q What other important things have happened since Jonas began his training that we can add to our plot outline?
Students might say: “The Giver gives Jonas a memory about breaking his leg on a sled.” “Jonas accidentally gives Gabe a memory while he’s rubbing his back.” “Jonas decides not to tell The Giver that he transmitted a Teacher Note memory to the newchild.” If necessary, add the following events to the chart: As the students share, record their comments on the chart under
- The Giver gives Jonas a painful “Jonas’s life after the ceremony.” memory of breaking his leg on a sled. Remind the students that they will continue to add to the plot outline as they listen to the story. - Jonas transmits a memory to Gabriel and decides not to tell.
- The Giver gives Jonas a very painful memory of war.
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READ CHAPTERS 16 AND 17 ALOUD Explain that during today’s reading you will stop five times to have groups use “Heads Together” to share what they are thinking. Reread the last paragraph on page 151 aloud (“The Giver looked away…. ‘Forgive me,’ he said”). Then read pages 152–173 aloud, slowly and clearly, stopping as described below.
Suggested Vocabulary
solitude: being alone (p. 153) optimistic: hopeful (p. 161) feelings permeated a greater realm than: feelings affected more than (p. 164) disregarded: ignored (p. 166) depressing: sad (p. 171)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
bear their burden: carry their weight, or feel their pain (p. 152) risk: danger (p. 159) injustice: unfairness (p. 165) suppressing giggles: trying not to giggle (p. 167)
Heads Use “Heads Together” at each stopping point: Together p. 154 “The small child went and sat on the lap of the old woman, and she rocked him and rubbed her cheek against his.’”
p. 158 “‘I can see that it was a dangerous way to live.’”
p. 162 “Something within him, something that had grown there through the memories, told him to throw the pill away.”
p. 167 “Feelings surged within Jonas. He found himself walking forward into the field.”
p. 170 “Jonas knew with certainty that he could change nothing.”
Continue reading to the end of chapter 17.
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 155 Unit 13 Week 14 Day X2
DISCUSS THE STORY AS A CLASS Facilitate a whole-class discussion using the questions below. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q What did you find out from today’s reading? Was that stated directly in the story, or did you infer from clues? What clues?
Q What did you visualize as you listened today?
Q What happens to Jonas when he witnesses the children playing war? Why does that make sense in the story?
Students might say: “It says that Jonas didn’t recognize that the kids were playing war before.” “In addition to what [Maya] said, I think he remembers the horrible memory of war and he realizes his friends can’t understand what it really means.”
Point out that in fiction stories, characters change as a result of what happens to them. This is especially true of the main character in a story. Ask:
Q What changes are you noticing in Jonas? Why do you think he’s changing in that way?
Students might say: “Jonas is changing because he’s starting to make his own decisions. He decides not to take his pill, even though it’s against the rules.” “He also decides not to tell that he gave the memory to Gabe.”
Explain that the students will continue to think about how Jonas changes between now and the end of the story.
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Individualized Daily Reading
REVIEW SELF-MONITORING AND PRACTICE REREADING SElf-monitoring Refer to the “Self-Monitoring Questions” chart and review the Questions questions on it. Remind the students that it is important to - What is happening in my check their comprehension as they are reading. One of the best text right now? techniques for helping them comprehend what they are reading is - Does the reading to go back and reread. Tell them that rereading a text helps them make sense? understand more deeply and clarify misunderstandings. Explain that today they will practice rereading.
Have the students read fiction texts at their appropriate reading levels independently for up to 30 minutes. Have them place a self-stick note on the page where they start to read. Stop them after Turn to 10 minutes and have them use “Turn to Your Partner” to tell each Your Partner other what has happened in the part of the story that they just read. Then, have them reread the same part. Ask them to talk to their partners about any new details they learned from the rereading.
At the end of independent reading, have the students share their experiences of how rereading helped them understand.
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Materials Day 3 • The Giver (pp. 174–189) Read-Aloud • “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart from Day 2 Lesson Purpose Students: A Visualize and make inferences to understand a story. A Continue outlining the plot of a story. A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Use “Heads Together” and include everyone in group work and discussion.
DISCUSS INCLUDING EVERYONE DURING “HEADS TOGETHER” Remind the students that they are focusing this week on including everyone in their group during “Heads Together.” Ask, and briefly discuss:
Q How did your group do yesterday with including everyone?
Q If you had difficulty with this yesterday, what can you do today to make sure everyone feels included?
READ CHAPTERS 18 AND 19 ALOUD Explain that during today’s reading you will stop three times to have groups use “Heads Together” to share what they are thinking. Read pages 174–189 aloud, slowly and clearly, stopping as described on the next page.
Suggested Vocabulary
excruciating: extremely painful (p. 176) luminous: light (p. 176) syringe: tool used to give an injection, or shot (p. 186)
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ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
occasionally: sometimes (p. 174) self-possessed and serene: confident and calm (p. 175) gravely: seriously (p. 180) scale: tool used to weigh things (p. 184) motionless: without moving (p. 187)
Heads Use “Heads Together” at each stopping point: Together p. 179 “And he, Jonas, would never have done it—never have requested release, no matter how difficult his training became.”
p. 181 “His thoughts seemed to be elsewhere, and his eyes were very troubled.”
p. 187 “He had seen them before. But he couldn’t remember where.”
Continue reading to the end of chapter 19.
DISCUSS THE STORY AS A CLASS Facilitate a whole-class discussion using the following questions:
Q What did you find out from today’s reading? Was that stated directly in the story, or did you infer from clues? What clues?
Q What did you visualize as you listened today?
Q Jonas comes to understand something at this point that he didn’t know before. What does Jonas come to understand?
Q What did the author tell us about “release” earlier in the story that makes this so shocking now?
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Students might say: “Jonas finds out that ‘release’ actually means ‘kill.’” “It’s so shocking because we’ve been told that releases are a time for celebration in the community.” “I agree with [Daniel]. Jonas’s father lied to him when he told him that the twin would go to another community.”
ADD TO THE PLOT OUTLINE CHART Direct the students’ attention to the “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart. Review the items on the chart under “Jonas’s life after the ceremony,” and ask: Teacher Note If necessary, add the following Q What important things have happened since our last entry that we events to the chart: can add to our plot outline? - Jonas receives a memory in which he learns about love. Students might say:
- He sees children playing “Jonas watches his father kill a baby on the video.” a game of war. “Jonas sees kids playing a game of war and he gets upset.”
- He tries to get others to understand but they can’t. As the students share, record their comments on the chart under “Jonas’s life after the ceremony.” - The Giver tells Jonas about Rosemary. Explain that the students will hear the next two chapters of The - Jonas watches a video of his Giver tomorrow. father “releasing” a newchild and realizes that he killed it. Individualized Daily Reading
PRACTICE REREADING WITH QUESTIONING Explain that today the students will practice questioning as they reread. Tell them that you want them to read and think about questions that come up. Then you will have them reread and think about whether new questions come up for them during the rereading.
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Have the students read independently for up to 30 minutes. Have them place a self-stick note on the page where they start to read. Stop them after 10 minutes and have them think about questions that came to mind. Ask them to reread the same part in the story and think about other questions that come to mind.
At the end of independent reading, have the students share their questions with the class.
Extension
PRACTICE VISUALIZING WITH OTHER TEXTS Invite the students to look for poems or other texts with especially descriptive language and read them aloud to their classmates. Encourage the students to listen with their eyes closed and visualize what is being described. They might then describe their visualizations to one another, or sketch what they saw in their minds. Encourage them to visualize by using all five of their senses.
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 161 Unit 13 Week 14 Day X
Materials Day 4 • Fiction texts at appropriate levels for independent reading Independent Strategy Practice
• “Reading Comprehension Strategies” chart Lesson Purpose • Book for modeling visualizing in Students: independent reading (see Step 3) A Visualize and make inferences as they read independently. • Small self-stick notes for A Analyze relationships among character, setting, each student and plot in texts they read independently. • Assessment Record Book A Use “Heads Together” and include everyone in group work and discussion.
REVIEW THE “READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES” CHART reading comprehension Review the “Reading Comprehension Strategies” chart and remind strategies the students that they have been using strategies such as making - Recognizing text features inferences, questioning, and analyzing relationships among character, - Questioning setting, and plot. They have also been visualizing to help them think and talk about The Giver. Add visualizing to the chart.
Emphasize that they are learning strategies to help them better understand what they read independently. Explain that today they will practice visualizing and making inferences in their independent reading.
READ INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT STOPPING Make sure that the students have a variety of fiction texts at appropriate reading levels available to them. Ask them to use a self-stick note to mark the place they begin reading today and have them read independently for 15 minutes.
MODEL VISUALIZING AND PREPARE TO REREAD Stop the students after 15 minutes. Explain that they will reread, starting again at the self-stick note. As they reread, they will use
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additional self-stick notes to mark places where they visualize, or form a mental image of, what they are reading.
Model by selecting a passage from your own book that lends itself to visualization. Introduce the selection to the students, read it aloud, and then reread it, using a self-stick note to mark a place where you visualized. Describe the picture that formed in your mind, explain how the text sparked the image, and explain how that helped you make sense of the text.
REREAD INDEPENDENTLY AND MARK PASSAGES Have the students reread independently for 15 minutes, marking places where they are visualizing as they read. Circulate and look for evidence that the students are visualizing. As you notice individual students marking text, probe their thinking about the strategy by asking questions such as:
Q What words in the text helped you form a mental image? What did you see in your mind?
Q Did you picture something that was stated directly, or did you infer? How?
Class Comprehension Assessment Watch for evidence that the students are making sense of what they are reading. Ask yourself: Q Are the students marking places in the text where descriptive language helped them visualize?
Record your observations on page 14 of the Assessment Record Book.
DISCUSS AS A WHOLE CLASS Heads Use “Heads Together” to have the students talk about the Together visualizations they recorded.
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Have a few volunteers share their visualizations with the class. Probe the students’ thinking by asking:
Q What was happening in the text when you visualized?
Q What words helped you form a mental picture? What did you picture in your mind?
Q Did you visualize something that was directly stated in your text, or did you infer? How?
Explain that next week you will continue to read and analyze The Giver.
164 Making Meaning® Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Unit 3 A Analyzing Elements of Fiction Overview of Week 5 Comprehension Focus • Students analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. The Giver • Students explore the role of the climax in by Lois Lowry the plot. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014) • Students make inferences and think about Synopsis explicit and implicit meanings in text. Jonas’s world seems perfect • Students explore literary devices, until he is selected to including symbolism. receive special training and finds out the truth about his community. Social Development Focus • Students take responsibility for their learning Alternative Book and behavior. • Students develop the group skill of asking • Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick clarifying questions.
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 165 Unit 13 Week 15 Day X
Materials Day 1 • The Giver (pp. 190–208) Read-Aloud • “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart from Week 4 Lesson Purpose Students: A Make inferences to understand a story. A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Continue outlining the plot of the story. A Explore character change as a result of conflict and resolution in the plot. A Explore the role of climax in a plot. A Use “Heads Together.”
BRIEFLY REVIEW THE STORY USING “HEADS TOGETHER” Tell the students that they will use “Heads Together” as they review the parts of The Giver they heard last week. Read each of Heads the following sentences aloud. For each sentence, briefly have groups use “Heads Together” to share what they remember Together about the story from that sentence: p. 148 “He decided not to tell.”
p. 151 “‘Forgive me,’ he said.”
p. 168 “‘What’s wrong, Jonas? It was only a game…. ’”
p. 179 “‘It’s in your rules, Jonas. But it wasn’t in hers.’”
p. 189 “‘Well, there you are, Jonas. You were wondering about release,’ he said in a bitter voice.”
REVIEW THE PLOT OUTLINE CHART Direct the students’ attention to the “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart. Review the items on the chart under “Jonas’s life after the ceremony.”
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Ask: Teacher Note Some of the most significant Q What do you think are the most significant things that have points in the plot include: happened so far in the plot? Why do you think so? - Jonas is selected to be The Receiver. As the students respond, place a small star next to the items on the chart. - The Giver gives Jonas a very painful memory of war. Point out that in most fiction plots, there are a number of - Jonas receives a memory in significant events, or “high points,” that lead to the “highest point” which he learns about love. or climax of a story. The author builds the conflict in the story - Jonas watches a video of his through these high points. In the climax, the most dramatic action father “releasing” a newchild occurs. This climax and what happens right after it result in the and realizes that he killed it. most significant change for the main character. Explain that in this story, Jonas’s viewing of the video showing the killing of the baby is the climax. Place a large star next to this item, and ask:
Q How do you think Jonas will change as a result of seeing the video?
Students might say: “I think Jonas will start hating his father now that he knows the truth.” “I think Jonas will run away from the community. Maybe he will ask to be released, like Rosemary.” “I disagree with [Lyndon]. Now that he knows what ‘release’ means, I doubt he will want to do that.”
READ CHAPTER 20 AND PART OF CHAPTER 21 ALOUD Explain that you will read the next one-and-a-half chapters aloud. You will stop four times as you read today, and at each stop the students will use “Heads Together” and talk about the thoughts and questions they have.
Read aloud from page 190 to the break on page 208 after “And he had taken Gabriel, too.” Stop as described on the next page.
Suggested Vocabulary
acquire: get (p. 195) violation: breaking of a rule or law (p. 198) solace: comfort (p. 201) meticulously: carefully (p. 204)
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ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
fleeing: running away (p. 198) absence: not being there (p. 200) in unison: all together (p. 202) opposite side: other side (p. 207)
Heads Together Use “Heads Together” at each of the following stopping points: p. 193 “Jonas watched him, and listened.”
p. 202 “The Giver would help them.”
p. 205 “The Giver would know that Jonas had said goodbye.”
p. 207 “‘It’s bye-bye to you, Gabe, in the morning,’ Father had said, in his sweet, sing-song voice.”
Continue reading to the break on page 208.
DISCUSS THE STORY AS A CLASS Facilitate a whole-class discussion using the following questions:
Q What have Jonas and The Giver decided to do? Why do you think they’re doing it?
Q What happens to force Jonas to flee the night before they planned?
Q (Reread the following sentence on page 207: “‘It’s bye-bye to you, Gabe, in the morning,’ Father had said, in his sweet, sing- song voice.”) What’s unusual about the father’s behavior here?
Students might say: “Jonas is forced to escape the night before because he finds out that Gabe is going to be released in the morning.” “I think the author wrote the passage that way because she wants us to feel really horrified that the father is so sweet toward a child he’s going to kill.”
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DISCUSS UNDERSTANDING ONE ANOTHER DURING “HEADS TOGETHER” Explain that over the past two weeks the students have been focusing on contributing their ideas and including everyone during “Heads Together.” This week, they will think about whether they are really understanding one another in the group, and what they can do if they don’t understand. Ask:
Q Have you had any experiences in which the group didn’t understand what someone in the group was saying? What happened? What did you do as a group?
Q Why is it important that everyone in the group understand what everyone else is saying?
Explain that tomorrow the students will think about clarifying questions they can ask to help them understand one another in the group.
Individualized Daily Reading
READ INDEPENDENTLY AND MAKE INFERENCES Have the students read fiction texts at their appropriate reading levels independently for up to 30 minutes.
As the students read, circulate among them and talk to individual students about their reading. Ask questions such as:
Q What do you think this [story] is about? Why do you think that?
Q What inference did you make as you read today? What clues helped you make the inference?
At the end of independent reading, have the students share their inferences with the class. Have them share the inference and then read the passage that helped them infer.
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Extension
OUTLINE OTHER PLOTS Provide the students with further experiences with plot by outlining the plots of other stories read together. These can be novels or short stories. Follow the procedures described in this unit to identify what is known at the beginning of a story, the major shifts in the plot, dramatic events that build the conflict, and the climactic event. Discuss how the climax results in some kind of change for the main character of the story.
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Day 2 Materials Read-Aloud and • The Giver (pp. 207–213) • Chart paper and a marker
Guided Strategy Practice • “What We Infer About Jonas” chart from Week 2
Lesson Purpose • Student Book pages 31–33 Students: • Student Book, IDR Journal section A Make inferences to understand a story. A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Explore character change as a result of conflict and resolution in the plot. A Use “Heads Together.” A Ask clarifying questions.
DISCUSS ASKING CLARIFYING QUESTIONS Remind the students that this week they are focusing on understanding one another during “Heads Together.” Ask:
Q Have you ever had trouble communicating exactly what you were thinking with your group? What happened? What makes it hard sometimes to communicate clearly?
Q What kinds of questions could your groupmates ask you to help Teacher Note you communicate more clearly? If the students have difficulty generating clarifying questions, Students might say: suggest a few yourself such as “We could ask the person to repeat what she said. those in the “Students might “We could ask, ‘Can you say it another way?’” say” note; then ask, “What other questions could you ask?” “We could say, ‘Do you mean…?’ and say what we heard.” “We could say what part we understand and what part we don’t get.”
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 171 Unit 13 Week 15 Day X2
As the students brainstorm questions, record these on a sheet of chart paper entitled “Clarifying Questions I Can Ask.” Ask:
Q If you don’t understand what someone says in your group today, whose responsibility is it to make sure you do understand? Why is it important to take that responsibility?
Encourage the students to make sure they understand one another in their group today and to ask clarifying questions to help them. Tell them that you will check in with them at the end of the lesson. Teacher Note Some passages from the excerpt that indicate character change DISCUSS CHARACTER CHANGE include: Remind the students that in fiction stories, the main character • “‘I won’t! I won’t go home! You changes as a result of facing conflict. The most significant change can’t make me!” usually happens after the climax, or the most dramatic event in • “Jonas looked up wildly. ‘No the story. Remind the students that in The Giver, the climax is when one heard that little twin cry, Jonas watches the video of the baby’s “release.” either! No one but my father!’” • “‘I will take care of that, sir. I Direct the students’ attention to the “What We Infer About Jonas” will take care of that, sir,’ Jonas chart they created early in the story. Ask: mimicked in a cruel, sarcastic voice…. He couldn’t seem Q What was Jonas like at the beginning of the story? to stop.” Have the students turn to Student Book pages 31–33. Point out that • “‘But he lied to me!’ the excerpt is from the part of the story they heard earlier. Ask the Jonas wept.” students to individually reread the excerpt, and then work in their • “Jonas wrapped his arms group to underline passages that show how Jonas has changed around himself and rocked from the beginning of the story. Remind them to make sure they his own body back and forth. are understanding one another and to ask clarifying questions, ‘What should do? I can’t go if necessary. back! I can’t!’” • “Jonas found himself using After allowing sufficient time for groups to work, signal for their the nasty, sarcastic voice again. attention and ask volunteers to share passages their group ‘Then we’ll have a sharing underlined. Follow up with questions such as: of feelings?’” • “‘And love,’ Jonas added, Q What does this passage tell us about how Jonas has changed? remembering the family scene that had so affected Q Would the old Jonas have acted this way? Why does it make sense him. ‘And pain.’ He thought that he has changed in this way? again of the soldier.” Q Do you agree or disagree with what [Corazon] said? Explain.
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READ THE REST OF CHAPTER 21 ALOUD Explain that you will reread part of what you read yesterday in The Giver, then continue reading several more pages. You will stop twice as you read so the students can use “Heads Together” and talk about the thoughts and questions they have. Encourage them to continue to listen for ways that Jonas has changed from the beginning of the story.
Reread from “Jonas reached the opposite side of the river” on page 207, then continue reading to the end of page 213, stopping as described below.
Suggested Vocabulary
isolated place: a place without people (p. 209) fugitives: people who run away or escape a place (p. 210) taut: tight, stiff (p. 210) vigilant: watchful (p. 213)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
stir: movement (p. 208)
Heads Use “Heads Together” at each of the following stopping points: Together p. 210 “Together the fugitives slept through the first dangerous day.”
p. 213 “Finally there was an entire day and night when they did not come at all.”
DISCUSS THE STORY AS A CLASS Facilitate a whole-class discussion using the following questions. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q What other evidence did you hear that Jonas has changed from the beginning of the story?
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Students might say: “Jonas is really loving toward Gabe and he takes care of him. At the beginning of the story he ignored him more.” “In addition to what [Marcus] said, at the beginning of the book, Jonas counts on the community to tell him what to do when the plane flies overhead. Now he has to figure it out on his own. He hides and tries to make Gabe and himself cold.”
BRIEFLY REFLECT ON ASKING CLARIFYING QUESTIONS Ask, and briefly discuss:
Q Did you have the opportunity to ask any clarifying questions in your group today? Tell us about it.
Encourage the students to continue to look for opportunities to ask clarifying questions to help them understand one another in the group.
Individualized Daily Reading
DOCUMENT IDR CONFERENCES/ HAVE THE STUDENTS WRITE IN THEIR “IDR JOURNAL” Have the students read independently for up to 30 minutes.
Use the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet to conduct and document individual conferences.
At the end of independent reading, have the students write in their “IDR Journal” about their inferences and the clues they used to infer.
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Day 3 Materials Read-Aloud • The Giver (pp. 214–225) • “Plot Outline for The Giver” chart (from Week 4)
Lesson Purpose • Student Book, IDR Journal section Students: A Finish outlining the plot of a story. A Analyze relationships among character, setting, and plot in a novel. A Explore character change as a result of conflict and resolution in the plot. A Explore an example of symbolism. A Use “Heads Together” and ask clarifying questions.
ADD TO THE PLOT OUTLINE CHART Direct the students’ attention to the “Plot Outline for The Giver” Teacher Note chart, and read the items on the chart under “Jonas’s life after the If necessary, add the following ceremony.” Ask: events to the chart: - Jonas and The Giver plan Q What has happened since the climax of the story? Jonas’s escape.
- Jonas learns that Gabe Students might say: is going to be released in “Jonas has a breakdown when he realizes the truth.” the morning. “The Giver and Jonas start planning his escape.” - He takes Gabe and escapes “Jonas finds out that Gabe is going to be released in without saying goodbye to the morning.” The Giver.
As the students share, record their comments on the chart under - They hide from search planes “Jonas’s life after the ceremony.” as they travel farther away.
Explain that you will read the last two chapters of the book today. Referring to the plot outline, ask:
Q How do you think this story might end? Why would that make sense for this story?
Encourage the students to listen for how the author ends the story and any more evidence that Jonas has changed.
Replacement Lesson © Developmental Studies Center Grade Eight 175 Unit 13 Week 15 Day X3
READ CHAPTERS 22 AND 23 ALOUD Read chapters 22 and 23 aloud (pp. 214–225), stopping as described below.
Suggested Vocabulary
diminished: lessened and disappeared (p. 214) cultivated fields: farmed fields (p. 216) inadequate: not good enough (p. 219) lethargy and resignation: tiredness and giving up (p. 222) impeded: slowed down (p. 222)
ELL Vocabulary English Language Learners may benefit from discussing additional vocabulary, including:
flagging: weakening (p. 217) summit: highest point (p. 223)
Heads Together Use “Heads Together” at each of the following stopping points: p. 218 “He no longer cared about himself.”
p. 225 “But perhaps it was only an echo.”
DISCUSS THE STORY AS A CLASS Facilitate a whole-class discussion using the following questions. Be ready to reread from the text to help the students recall what they heard. Ask:
Q What happens at the end of the story? Why do you think so?
Q What has happened to the memories Jonas had? What effect do you think this will have on his community?
Q The author intentionally begins and ends the story in December. Why do you think that is? How is Jonas’s December different at the end, compared with the beginning?
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Students might say: “At the end of the story, Jonas finds a community where people have feelings and love. It’s hard to tell whether it really happens or he dreams it, though.” “I think Jonas saves his community. They get to have memories now, and feelings.” “I disagree with [Peter]. At the end it says maybe the music he heard from the place he left was only an echo.” “At the beginning of the story, Jonas feels apprehensive about December. At the end, it’s about family and love and hope.”
Ask:
Q Where have we heard about the sled before?
Point out that sometimes when an author intentionally repeats an image, the image comes to mean something in the story. Explain that this is called symbolism. Ask the following question, and be ready to reread earlier passages about the sled from pages 101–104 and 136–137:
Q What do you think the sled has come to symbolize, or mean, in the story? Why?
Students might say: “I think the sled symbolizes life beyond the community. Everything in the community was gray, but Jonas saw the sled in color.” “In addition to what [Felicia] said, Jonas didn’t even know what a sled was at first. But now he knows it’s waiting for him. It shows how Jonas changed.” “The sled is also something that moves fast. It symbolizes his escape to a new world.”
REFLECT ON THE GIVER AND ON ASKING CLARIFYING QUESTIONS Ask, and briefly discuss:
Q What did you enjoy about hearing and talking about The Giver over the past few weeks?
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Q Now that you have heard the whole novel, what would you say The Giver is really about? Why do you think so?
Q What did you learn about fiction that you think will help you when you read your own novels?
Q What did you learn about working in groups that will help you the next time you work in a group?
Encourage the students to continue to look for opportunities to ask clarifying questions of one another when they work in their group.
Individualized Daily Reading
DOCUMENT IDR CONFERENCES/ HAVE THE STUDENTS WRITE IN THEIR “IDR JOURNAL” Have the students read fiction texts independently for up to 30 minutes.
Use the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet to conduct and document individual conferences. At the end of independent reading, have the students write in their “IDR Journal” about how they did using self-monitoring and rereading with their independent reading.
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Day 4 Materials • Fiction texts at appropriate levels Independent Strategy Practice for independent reading
• “Reading Comprehension Lesson Purpose Strategies” chart Students: • Medium-sized self-stick notes A Review the reading comprehension for each student strategies they have learned. • Assessment Record Book A Apply strategies related to fiction to their independent reading. • (optional) Space for the class to A Use “Heads Together” and ask clarifying sit in a circle questions. A Have a check-in class meeting.
REVIEW STRATEGIES LEARNED IN THE UNIT reading comprehension Direct the students’ attention to the “Reading Comprehension strategies Strategies” chart and review that the students used questioning, - Recognizing inferring, and visualizing to think and talk about The Giver. They also text features used understanding elements (character, setting, and plot) and devices - Questioning (flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism). Ask:
Q What have you learned about what happens to main characters in fiction?
Q What have you learned about setting? How is setting important to what happens in the story?
Q What have you learned about how plots are put together?
If necessary, remind the students that they have explored many relationships among character, setting, and plot as they heard The Giver. They thought about how characters change as a result of what happens to them, how conflict is developed in a plot, and the role of the climax of a story. They also thought about how the setting affects the characters and what happens to them.
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Remind the students that the purpose of studying elements and devices of fiction is to help them use the elements and devices to better understand the fiction they read on their own.
PREPARE TO MARK ELEMENTS AND DEVICES IN INDEPENDENT READING Explain that today the students will read their own fiction texts independently. As they read, they will use self-stick notes to mark places where they recognize elements or devices of fiction that they have learned. Encourage them to be ready to share what they marked in their group.
READ INDEPENDENTLY AND MARK ELEMENTS AND DEVICES Have the students read fiction texts independently for 20–30 Heads minutes. Stop them at ten-minute intervals and have them use Together “Heads Together” to briefly share any elements they have marked using self-stick notes. At the first stop, remind the students to tell their group the title of their book and the name of the author, and to say a few sentences about its plot.
Circulate among the students and notice whether they are recognizing different elements of fiction in their reading. Probe the thinking of individual students by asking questions such as:
Q What’s happening in your story?
Q Have you gotten to the climax of your story yet? If so, what happens?
Q How is the character changing, or how do you think she will change? What in the text makes you think so?
Q Are you noticing the author using [flashback/foreshadowing/ symbolism] in your story? How?
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Class Comprehension Assessment Listen for evidence that the students are making sense of their reading. Ask yourself: Q Do the students recognize when they are making inferences?
Q Do they recognize relationships among character, setting, and plot?
Q Do they notice literary devices such as flashback, foreshadowing, and symbolism?
Record your observations on page 15 of the Assessment Record Book.
DISCUSS ELEMENTS AND DEVICES USING “HEADS TOGETHER” Heads After the independent reading, use “Heads Together” to have the Together students talk about the elements and devices they marked. Remind them to take responsibility for the group work by contributing their ideas, including everyone, and asking clarifying questions if necessary. Tell them that you will check in to see how they did at the end of the lesson.
After allowing sufficient time for groups to share, signal for the students’ attention and have a few volunteers share elements they marked with the class. Probe the students’ thinking by asking:
Q Read aloud the passage that you marked. How is that an example of [foreshadowing]?
Q Why does it make sense that your character would change in that way, based on what has happened in your story?
Q You marked a passage that describes the setting. How do you think the setting affects the characters in your story?
Encourage the students to continue to mark elements they notice as they read fiction independently.
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HAVE A BRIEF CHECK-IN CLASS MEETING ABOUT WORKING IN GROUPS Tell the students that they will have a brief check-in class meeting, and have them sit so they can all see one another. Review the class meeting ground rules.
Remind the students that they have learned and practiced “Heads Together” and thought about taking responsibility for their group work. Help the students reflect on their work together by asking:
Q What have you learned about how a well-functioning group works?
Q How have you learned to take responsibility for the functioning of your group?
Q What else have you learned about working in groups that will help you the next time you work in a group?
Encourage the students to continue to look for opportunities to take responsibility when working in groups by contributing ideas, including everyone, and asking clarifying questions of one another.
Have the students briefly discuss how they did following the Teacher Note ground rules during the class meeting. If necessary, review the This is the last week in Unit 3. procedures for returning to their seats, and adjourn the meeting. You will reassign partners for Unit 4.
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Individual Comprehension Assessment Before continuing with Unit 4, take this opportunity to assess individual students’ progress in analyzing elements of fiction to make sense of what they read. Refer to pages 36–37 in the Assessment Record Book for instructions.
IDR Conference Week Take a break from the Making Meaning lessons in the upcoming week and use your daily reading block for IDR. As the students read independently, you will have an opportunity to confer with every student and to document these conferences using the “IDR Conference Notes” record sheet. (See page 49 in the Assessment Record Book.) During the year, each student’s accumulated IDR conference record sheets will become a record of her progress over time. Continue with Unit 4, Week 1, in the following week.
Extension
LOOK FOR SYMBOLISM IN OTHER STORIES Invite the students to look for examples of symbolism in stories they read, hear, or see (on television or at the movies) and to bring these examples to share with the class. Encourage discussion about what the symbols mean in the stories, and why those symbols make sense for their stories.
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