7th GRADE ELA: Duty of Self vs. Duty to Others
UNIT 1: The Dangers of Conformity
ANCHOR TEXT: The Giver- Lois Lowry
Essential Questions:
1). With all the diversity of society is
Conformity worth considering?
2). Is conformity ever a necessity or a quick solution?
Guiding Questions:
1. Do you think the community in the Giver was a successful utopia?
2. Who is Lois Lowry? What influences her work?
3. What is conformity?
4. How is conformity developed as a theme or an issue in The Giver?
5. How are the characters affected by this issue in their society?
6. How does setting influence the characters, behaviors and events in the story?
7. How do character traits and motivation affect the outcome of a story?
8. How do conflicts affect characters’ behavior?
 What is a conflict?
 What are various types of conflicts?
9. At what times would euthanasia be considered beneficial?
10. What is symbolism? What symbols are used in the novel?
11. How is irony used in the novel?
12. What is foreshadowing and how is it developed in the story?
13. How does setting affect a character’s behavior and actions?
14. What is a theme?
15. How does a story evolve around its themes?
16. How does point of view affect the outcome of a story?
17. How important is the individual?
Enduring Understandings:
 Everyone has a right to choose between conformity and non-conformity
 People have both good and bad qualities
 No society is perfect
 Parents and society play important roles in the moral education of children
 Rules are important for the smooth running of every society
 A responsible person thinks first about his/her society before himself/herself
Teacher Designed Standards Assessed:
1. Students will reflect upon their work as literary critics by:
a) Identifying strengths.
b) Identifying struggles.
c) Setting goals to improve their work.
d) Revising their work to make it better
e) Asking questions to improve their understanding.
Key Concepts / Vocabulary
Utopia
Symbolism
motifs
Euthanasia
Conformity
Irony
foreshadow
Elements of Plot:
 structure
 foreshadowing
 irony
Character Development:
 protagonist/antagonist
 major/minor character
 static/dynamic character
 round/flat character
Theme
Setting
Conflict:
 Man vs. Man
 Man vs. Nature
 Man vs. Society
 Man vs. Self
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Authentic Performance
Task(s):

Alignment to NYS Common Core Standards:
1. Students will be assessed .1. RL. 7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what
using a baseline reading the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the textext.
assessment
2. Frame reading goals for theRL RL. 7.2 determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its
development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the
year
text.
3. Listen and take notes about
author( Lois Lowry)
4. Popcorn share and round 7.3 RL 7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g.,
robin discussions on the how setting shapes the characters or plot).
issue of utopian societies in
RL.7.6. Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of
present day America.
5. Read and discuss articles view of different characters or narrators in a text.
on these utopian societies.
6. Make connections to
RL.7.7. Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its
similar societies in the
audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of
novel and movies
techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera
7. Watch movies with relatedfocus and angles in a film).
themes and list similarities
and differences with the
book.
8. Complete graphic
W11A: Make well-supported textual and thematic connections
organizers related to the
across genres.
various literary elements
(characters, plot, setting
conflict etc.)
RL3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents
9. Conduct mini research on in a story or drama reveal aspects of a character
euthanasia to support class
1.
discussion of the issue.
10. Conduct a mini survey on
2.
the topic or issue of
conforming to society’s
norms.
11. Students will learn how to
argue and support
argument with valid points
from various sources.
Diagnostic and Pre/Post Assessments:
1. Students will respond to the essential question at the start of the unit and at the end
of the unit. (pre/post)
2. complete a questionnaire
3.
Formative Assessments:
1. Daily reader response journal entries
2. Class discussions and group discussions
3. Quizzes and tests
4. Class work
5. Homework
6. Exit ticket
Summative Assessment:
1. Listen to and take detailed notes on the life and accomplishments of Lois
Lowry. Use your notes to answer questions.
2. After each chapter, write a title you would give the chapter based on
themes that are developed in that chapter. Write a sentence or two to
explain your choice.
3. The ending of The Giver has been interpreted in different ways. Choose
one possible interpretation and state whether or not you agree with it.
Use clues from the text to support your argument. (CLASS DEBATE)
4. Argue whether Jonas’ choice of not conforming to his society’s norms
was duty to self or duty to members of his society. Explain how this
situation relates to our present day society.
(CLASS DEBATE)
TEACHING AND LEARNING PLAN
Teaching and Learning Activities:
1. Use the essential questions as a pre-assessment. (individual
journal entry)
2. Introduce unit vocabulary and have students use vocabulary
strategies to learn the words.
3. Use unit guiding questions to do lessons on literary elements
4. Watch movies with similar themes
5. Have students work in groups to complete the authentic task
for the unit.
6. Read informational text together.
7. Use essential question as a post-assessment. (individual journal
entry)
8. Have students self-select pieces for the portfolio, reflect on
selections and set goals for improvement.
9. Administer the unit test.
Resources Needed:
www.UWEC.edu
Articles on the Euthanasia
Movie“Pleasantville”
Video clips of The Giver
“The Village”
Poem: “The Giver”
ASSESSMENT TASKS
TASK #1
1. The ending of the giver has been interpreted in a few
different ways. Choose one possible interpretation of the
ending and list at least 5 reasons for your choice. Use
clues from the text to explain your conclusions.
CHOICE
RATIONALE
EVIDENCE
CCSS: RI 7.1, 7.2
TASK #2
SHORT CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE
Conformity can sometimes be dangerous. Based on the rules and the
occasional stereotypes in The Giver, what dangers are presented to
members of conforming to these rules? Use textual details to support
your answer. (One paragraph)
CCSS: RL 7.1, 7.2, 7.3
Task #3
Compare and Contrast
Use a Venn diagram to show at least four differences and four
similarities between the book and the two movies shown over
the course of the unit. These should be based on characters,
setting and other elements of literature.
CCSS: RI 7.7
At the end of the unit students should be able to:
1. Explain the theme DUTY to SELF vs. DUTY to OTHERS
2. Explain what conformity is
3. Explain the negatives and or positives of conforming to society’s norms
4. Argue whether Jonas’ choice of not conforming to his society’s norms
was duty to himself or duty to members of his society. Explain how this
relates to our present day society.