“The Giver” by Lois Lowry
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
VOCABULARY: Choose at least 3 vocabulary words per chapter (or 1-2 if there are less than 3) to complete a vocabulary worksheet. You will be quizzed on these, so make sure they are words you need to practice. When you have completed BOTH SIDES of the Vocabulary Worksheet, please turn it in. Please indicate the chapter the word was from next to each word in the worksheet. You should have completed 12 words total each time you turn in a Vocabulary Worksheet.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS: Write out the questions along with the answers in your journals after reading each chapter.
DISCUSSION/WRITING RESPONSE QUESTIONS: Write out the questions along with the answers in your journals. Some of these will be used as beginning journal entries so pay attention carefully to when and which each of these are due.
CHAPTER 1: VOCABULARY
1. Utopia:
2. Distraught:
3. Apprehensive:
4. Insight:
5. Palpable:
6. Chuckle:
7. Tremble:
CHAPTER 1: COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Describe Jonas’ community.
2. Describe Jonas’ family. What do his parents do?
3. Who is Asher?
4. What is the word that Jonas feels? Why?
5. What is “release”?
6. What do they discuss in their ritual of feeling sharing?
7. What is this “Ceremony of 12”?
8. Describe the evening ritual.
9. What does Lily mean when she says the visitors acted like animals?
10. What is Jonas’ father occupation?
11. What is a family unit?
CHAPTER 1: SUMMARY
Jonas was frightened because he felt that something terrible was about to happen. He grew restless about the ceremony of twelve, which will determine his work. He described his feelings during the evening ritual. Lily his sister, talked about visitors who did not comply with the community’s rules. His father talks about releasing a small child, because he was not growing as expected.
CHAPTER 1: DISCUSSION/WRITING RESPONSE
1. Compare and contrast Asher’s behavior for being late with students at CIPLC.
2. Do you think that the government should limit the size of families in the community?
3. Who should plan your future?
CHAPTER 2: VOCABULARY
1. Aptitude:
2. Remarkable:
CHAPTER 2: COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What happens every December? Why is it so important?
2. What happens when children become Ones? Nines?
3. Who is the Receiver in the community and how are rules changed?
4. Who is Gabriel and why is Jonas’ father worried about him?
5. What things do Jonas’ parents share with him about their memories of their assignments and of their friends’ assignments?
6. What do families have to do acquire a child?
7. How do communities change rules?
8. How do the elders decide on the assignments for the twelve-year olds?
CHAPTER 2: SUMMARY
Jonas and his parents are talking about the December ceremonies. They remembered receiving Lily. Jonas’ father recalled receiving his assignment at twelve to reassure Jonas about the changes. His mother foresaw how Jonas and Lily would change. Jonas would not be able to play with his friends, s often. He would prepare for the future. Lily would surrender her comfort toy, a stuffed elephant.
CHAPTER 2: DISCUSSION/WRITING RESPONSE
1. How would you feel if you were an age at which you were not able to play anymore?
2. Would you allow someone else to select your occupation/ profession?
3. How do people in Venezuela choose their occupation or profession?
CHAPTER 3: VOCABULARY
1. Chastise (verb): To scold and reprimand; to punish
“Ms. Lingenfelter chastised the 9th grade for their terrible behavior today.”
2. Bewildered:(adj.): To be flustered, confused, and incredulous; amazed in a confused way
“I was bewildered by how bad the students were behaving today.”
3. Mystified (adj.):Confused; puzzled, and/or shocked
”I was mystified by how the magician could make someone disappear.”
4. Remorse (noun): Extreme guilt; regret
“The 9th graders felt remorse about their behavior the last two classes.”
5. Petulant (adj.): impatient in an excited way
“The students were petulant about the upcoming J-VANAS tournament.”
6. Solemn: (adj.):serious in a sad way
“Ms. Lingenfelter was very solemn in class due to the 9th graders’ behavior.”
CHAPTER 3: COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What do Jonas and Gabriel have in common?
2. Who are birthmothers? Why does Lily want to be a birthmother?
3. What game does Asher and Jonas play? Why does Jonas play?
4. What did +Jonas notice about the apple? Why does he take it home?
5. How do all evenings end in the community?
6. What else do you learn about and/or can you infer about the community from this chapter?
CHAPTER 3: SUMMARY
Jonas’ father brought Gabriel, a baby boy who was being considered for release, to the family unit. Lily pointed out how Gabriel and Jonas were similar. They both had strange eyes. She believed that they had the same birthmother. Lily expressed her desire to become a birthmother, but her mother rejected her idea because that profession carries little honor. Jonas perceived how things could change. He remembered playing catch with Asher and for a split second seeing the change in the apple.
CHAPTER 3: DISCUSSION/WRITING RESPONSE
1. What is the role of the speaker in Jonas’ community?
2. How would you feel if your transgressions and violations of the rules were announced publicly? What are the benefits of announcing rule violations publicly?
3. In your opinion, why does the mother oppose Lily’s ideas of being a birthmother?
CHAPTER 4: VOCABULARY
1. Dwelling:
2. Regulated:
CHAPTER 4: COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Who is Fiona?
2. What happens if someone does not finish his or her volunteer hours before the Ceremony of Twelve?
3. Describe the release ceremony
4. What significant event happens to The Eights?
5. Where does Jonas spend his volunteer hours? What does he do? What do you learn?
6. What happens at release?
CHAPTER 4: SUMMARY
Jonas looked for his friends Fiona and Asher at the House of the Old. He realized that he had done his volunteer work at different places, leaving him with no idea of what his assignment will be. He helped a woman named Larissa to wash her body. The community had a rule against watching people naked, except for the newborns and the old. Larissa talked about Roberto and Edna releases. She admired Roberto’s life, but she thought that Edna’s life was not very interesting because she was not very intelligent. She was only a birthmother.
CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION/WRITING RESPONSE
1. Why do only committee members know about what happened after people are released?
2. Why do you think that people are released?
3. What is your idea of the House of the Old?
4. What is euthanasia? How do you feel about it?