1. The Giver
By Lois Lowry

2. Lois Lowry Born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1937
Moved to rural Pa. when WWII began
Lived all over U.S., as well as Japan
Graduated from Boston U. and U. of Southern Maine
Also worked as a freelance journalist and photographer
Now lives in Maine

3. Writing Career Published first book, A Summer to Die, in 1978
Find a Stranger, Say Goodbye made into a TV movie
Anastasia Krupnik named ALA Notable Book
Won two Newbery Awards for Number the Stars and The Giver

4. Perfect Society In groups of 3-4:
Describe your idea of a perfect society.
Details please!
What rules/laws would you need?
At least 10
How would your laws be enforced?
Who is in charge? Who has the power?
How would decisions be made?
Think of a name for your society.

5. Vocabulary Chapters 1-4 palpable apprehensive pondered transgression
chastisement
petulantly
hoarded
nondescript
gravitating
chortled

6. Vocabulary Chapters 1-4 palpable - real apprehensive - fearful
pondered - considered
transgression - wrongdoing
chastisement - scolding
petulantly - irritably
hoarded - collected
nondescript - plain
gravitating – being drawn toward
chortled – laughed; chuckled

7. Questions Chapters 1-4
What is significant about the airplane incident in the opening pages of the story?
Why is Jonas apprehensive about the upcoming Ceremony?
How are Assignments determined in the community?
Why does the community value “precision of speech”?
What are the different ways the community views “release”?
Explain the role of Birthmother in Jonas’s community.
How is conformity encouraged in the community?
What is the purpose of the telling of feelings session?
Why didn’t Jonas share the incident involving the apple with his family at the telling of feelings session that evening?
How are the elderly treated in Jonas’s Community?

8. Answers Chapters 1-4
What is significant about the airplane incident in the opening pages of the story?
It points out how strict the community is because the pilot was released after making a wrong turn.
2. Why is Jonas apprehensive about the upcoming Ceremony?
Because he is turning 12 and will receive his assignment, he is apprehensive about what the assignment may be and whether he will be disappointed with what is chosen for him.
3. How are Assignments determined in the community?
Assignments are determined by observation by the Elders which consider a child’s interests, talents, strengths, and weaknesses.
Why does the community value “precision of speech”?
Members of the community must use words with the exact meaning so that there is no room for interpretation or feelings.

9. Answers Chapters 1-4
What are the different ways the community views “release”?
Release for newchildren is viewed as sad because they have not had the opportunity to live in the community and have done nothing wrong. Release for the elderly is viewed as a time of celebration for the life they have lead. Release for a transgression is viewed as a disgrace.
Explain the role of Birthmother in Jonas’s community.
The role of Birthmother has very little honor. They receive pampering during their reproductive years and then become laborers in the community.
How is conformity encouraged in the community?
Conformity or being the same is encouraged through dress. Everyone wears the same clothing, participates in the same ceremonies.

10. Answers Chapters 1-4 How are the elderly treated in Jonas’s Community?
What is the purpose of the telling of feelings session?
It encourages members of the community to analyze their feelings so that they are looked at with fewer emotions. It helps prevent them from becoming overemotional about daily events.
Why didn’t Jonas share the incident involving the apple with his family at the telling of feelings session that evening?
Jonas was confused and was unsure how to put the event into words.
How are the elderly treated in Jonas’s Community?
When they are no longer productive members of the society, they are moved to The House of Old. After this, they are clelebrated and then “released.”

11. Vocabulary Activity
Using the 10 words from Chapters 1-4, write a newspaper article telling about an event that was newsworthy from the book. This article must be written from Jonas’s point of view and at least 8 sentences.

12. Vocabulary Chapters 5-8 11. Interdependence 12. Reprieve
13. Relinquish
14. Congregated
15. Meticulously
16. Profound
17. Retroactive
18. Crescendo
19. Benign
20. Indolence

13. Vocabulary Chapters 5-8 11. Interdependence – mutual reliance
12. Reprieve - postponement
13. Relinquish - surrender
14. Congregated - gathered
15. Meticulously - precisely
16. Profound - extreme
17. Retroactive – applying to a prior period
18. Crescendo – gradual increase
19. Benign - kind
20. Indolence - laziness

14. Questions Chapters 5-8
11. What is the purpose of telling of dreams sessions? 12. What is the significance of Jonas’s dream about Fiona and why must such dreams be officially reported? 13. In what ways does the community stress interdependence? 14. Why is the annual Ceremony so important to the community? 15. What happens at the Ceremony of Loss and the Murmur-of-Replacement Ceremony? 16. Why might minor rule-breaking, such as riding a bicycle before the age of nine, be tolerated in the otherwise strict community? 17. How does one’s gender affect the Assignment one receives? 18. What might the incident involving Asher asking for a “smack” instead of a “snack” indicate about the community? 19. Explain the phrase, “Thank you for your childhood,” that the Chief Elder offers each Twelve after announcing his or her Assignment. 20. Why is Jonas so upset when he is passed over by the Chief Elder? 21. What is ironic about the phrase used to describe the Receiver of Memory’s job: “the most honored in the community”?

15. Vocabulary Chapters 9-12
21. Requisitioned 22. Intricate 23. Conspicuous 24. Diminish 25. Successor 26. Exhilarating 27. Tentatively 28. Conveyance 29. Phenomenon 30. Admonition

16. Vocabulary Chapters 9-12
21. Requisitioned 22. Intricate 23. Conspicuous 24. Diminish 25. Successor 26. Exhilarating 27. Tentatively 28. Conveyance 29. Phenomenon 30. Admonition

17. Questions Chapters 9-12
22. How does Jonas’s family react to his Assignment? 23. How does Jonas’s rule sheet serve to further distance him from others in the community? 24. Which rule bothers Jonas most and why? 25. Jonas notices that The Giver’s dwellings contain thousands of books while his own, as well as everyone else’s in the community, contain only three reference volumes. What might be the reason for this contrast? 26. Why is it forbidden to lock doors or turn off the speakers, which are a part of every dwelling? 27. What is Sameness? 28. What is Jonas’s first training session like? 29. What might the use of the discipline wand on the elderly suggest about the community and about human nature? 30. How does The Giver help Jonas understand his capacity to see beyond, and what is Jonas’s reaction?

18. Vocabulary Chapters 13-17
31. Vibrance 32. Skeptically 33. Chaos 34. Assimilated 35. Assuage 36. Distended 37. Placidly 38. Imploring 39. Pervaded 40. Realm

19. Questions Chapters 13-17

20. Vocabulary Chapters 18-23
41. Ruefully 42. Wretched 43. Emphatically 44. Solace 45. Stealthy 46. Languid 47. Augmented 48. Vigilant 49. Lethargy 50. Impeded

21. Questions Chapters 18-23