The Giver ISBN-9780544336261
Summer Reading Assignment
Students will read The Giver by Lois Lowry by the end of the summer. This project (sheets A &
B) and the book are to be brought on the first full day of 8th grade.
Students will choose one of the defined themes to track as they read (see bottom of page).
Students should choose at least seven quotes to support the theme, and complete a sticky note per
quote using the following format (refer to the example):
Example:
1. chapter #, page #
2. the entire quote
students should place the sticky notes
on sheet A (provided)
After students complete the reading, they should fill out the Venn diagram (provided), comparing
and contrasting our society and the society in The Giver based on the chosen theme. Use at least
three specific examples in each area of the diagram.
The following themes are present in The Giver. Read through each theme, and then pick one to
track with sticky notes.
Communication can both inform and confuse: Jonas always wants to choose the best word,
and his society stresses precision of language. Track examples of language and communication.
ex. Page 3, “Jonas was careful about language. Not like his friend Asher, who talked too fast and
mixed things up, scrambling words and phrases until they were barely recognizable and often
very funny.”
Memory is important because it teaches us pain and pleasure: As Jonas receives the
memories of his community, he learns what pain and pleasure are, and for the first time, he feels
emotion. He then realizes that his community does not truly experience any of these things.
Track examples of feelings, memory, pain, and pleasure.
ex. Page 125, “Trust the memories and how they make you feel.”
Choice is necessary to experience freedom: When the community abandoned their choices,
they gave up their individuality and freedoms. Track examples of choice, freedoms, and
conformity.
ex. Page 95, “Our people made that choice, the choice to go to Sameness…we relinquished
sunshine and did away with differences.”
The Giver
Jonas’
Society
Similar
Our
Society
ISBN-9780544336261
Summer Reading Sheet B
The Giver ISBN-13: 9780544336261
Summer Reading Sheet A
Name____________________________________Class_____________________________Date___________________
My theme is __________________________________________
Directions: place sticky notes in order of chapter appearance below: