Curriculum  /  ELA  /  6th Grade  /  Unit 2: Challenging Authority: The Giver  /  Lesson 1

Challenging Authority: The Giver

Lesson 1
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ELA

Unit 2

6th Grade

Lesson 1 of 32

Objective

Explain the characteristics, purpose, and development of the genre of dystopian fiction and define important terms related to this topic.

Readings and Materials

  • Video: “How to recognize a dystopia - Alex Gendler” by TED-Ed 

  • Article: “The History Of The Dystopian Novel Actually Begins With A Book About Utopia” by Charlotte Ahlin (Adapted by Fishtank ELA Staff.) 

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A Note for Teachers

As a part of intellectual preparation, consider exploring the following resources to build your own knowledge about dystopian fiction. These materials are relatively complex, as they are written for an adult audience, and may be confusing or inaccessible to students. If being used as supplements in the classroom, we recommend using an excerpt of the articles or providing them to students who may need more challenging materials.

Target Task

Assign

Writing Prompt

What is the goal of dystopian fiction? How does it maintain its relevance in the present day?

Sample Response

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Key Questions

Key Questions

  • How did events in the real world lead to the development of the genre of dystopia? Support your answer with examples from the video. ("How to recognize a dystopia")

  • What are the common characteristics of the protagonists in dystopian fiction? What role do they typically play within the story? ("The History Of The Dystopian Novel Actually …")

  • Why are dystopian novels often set in the future? What message do they convey to readers? ("The History Of The Dystopian Novel Actually …")

Exit Ticket

Assign

Assess student understanding and monitor progress toward this lesson's objective with an Exit Ticket.

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Vocabulary

Text-based

utopia

n.

an imagined place where everything is perfect, especially as related to government and society

dystopia

n.

an imagined, nightmarish society in which people are oppressed and all aspects of their lives are controlled by the government

Root/Affix

u/ou-

prefix

not

dys-

prefix

not, bad

-topo

suffix

place

-topia

suffix

place

Homework

Assign

To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.

  • Book: The Giver by Lois Lowry  — Chapters 1–2

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • How is Jonas feeling at the beginning of the book? Why? Use the word "apprehensive" in your answer. 

  • What does Jonas' family do every night after dinner?

  • What happens every December in the community?

  • What is Jonas' father's job? Who is Gabe?

  • How are families structured in the community?

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Common Core Standards

  • L.6.6 — Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
  • RI.6.2 — Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

Supporting Standards

L.6.4
L.6.4.b
L.6.4.c
L.6.4.d
RI.6.1
RI.6.4
RI.6.7
RI.6.10
SL.6.1
SL.6.2
SL.6.3
SL.6.6
W.6.2
W.6.2.a
W.6.2.b
W.6.4
W.6.9
W.6.9.b
W.6.10

Next

Explain how specific words, sentences, and passages in the first two chapters of The Giver help establish the setting.

Lesson 2
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Lesson Map

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