The Giver Day 14

The Giver, Day 14: Test Prep/Essay Outline
Rationale: As per the cooperating teacher’s request, a unit test must be given. This test will consist of a few multiple choice questions to help the students get warmed up, then gradually move into higher order thinking questions of the short answer and essay format.  Today will be spent helping students review the test by going over what will be on it with them, and helping them plan an outline for the essay portion of their test.
Context: This lesson is given with some time before the test is to be taken. This will help students keep the information fresh in their mind and assist in studying, which is their homework. The test will embody what we have studied over the course of this unit: color, memory, the power to make choices, and other themes.
Objectives: During and after this lesson, students will:
1. Review and ask questions about the material studied in class as well as the text itself,
2. Prepare notes and an outline from which to study for their exam, and
3. Study these notes in order to earn a satisfactory grade on their exam.

NYS Learning Standards Addressed:
Reading
1.  Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
3.  Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story
or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or
provoke a decision.
11.   Interpret, analyze, and evaluate narratives, poetry, and
drama, artistically and ethically by making connections to:
other texts, ideas, cultural perspectives, eras, personal
events, and situations.
a. Self-select text to develop personal preferences.
b. Establish and use criteria to classify, select, and evaluate
texts to make informed judgments about the quality of the
pieces.
Writing
4.  Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for
writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
a. Produce text (print or nonprint) that explores a variety of
cultures and perspectives.
5.  With some guidance and support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate
command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including
grade 8 on page 53.)
9.  Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
a.  Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g.,
“Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on
themes, patterns of events, or character types from
myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as
the Bible, including describing how the material is
rendered new”).
b.  Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction
(e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and
sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is
introduced”).
10.  Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames
single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-
specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Speaking and Listening

1.  Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-
on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
a.  Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched
material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation
by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to
probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
b.  Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-
making, track progress toward specific goals and
deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
c.  Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers
and respond to others’ questions and comments with
relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
d.  Acknowledge new information expressed by others,
and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views
in light of the evidence presented.
e.  Seek to understand other perspectives and cultures and
communicate effectively with audiences or individuals
from varied backgrounds.

Language
3.  Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,
speaking, reading, or listening.
a.  Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the
conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular
effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action;
expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to
fact).
4.  Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and
content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a.  Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or
paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence)
as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b.  Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes
and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g.,
precede, recede, secede).
c.  Consult general and specialized reference materials
(e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print
and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or
determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of
speech.
d.  Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of
a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred
meaning in context or in a dictionary).

Materials/Preparation:
The Giver copies for each student
Pens/Pencils/Paper
Copy of exam for teacher ONLY
The Giver Test Review Sheet
Hamburger Review Sheet

Activities/Instruction:
1. Allow students time to come in and get settled. Take attendance, do housekeeping. (5 min)
2. Tell students their final exam for The Giver is approaching. Explain that in a few days, they will be taking a test covering what we have learned together so far. Have students take out the Review Sheet from yesterday, as well as their questions they were asked to bring in. Begin by having students ask any and all questions they might have about the review sheet, The Giver; anything regarding their upcoming exam. Once these have all been addressed, segue into going over the review sheet with them. (10 min)
3. Read over the sheet with them, having them fill it in as they go along with you. Write definitions and answers to questions on the board for students to copy. Give them a few multiple choice questions to answer, encouraging them to write it down-it will be on the test! Discuss the short-answer questions as a class and pick out some of the best ideas. Write them on the board for students to copy and study. (10 min)
4.  In the remaning time, hand out the Hamburger Organizer for students to use when creating their essay topics. Emphasize to students that they will be allowed to have these on the day of the test-so HAND THEM IN before leaving, with names! Help students create a topic, three points for their essay, and a conclusion. Any remaining time will be left to study. While students are studying, have them place their question on the desk for a quick check by the teacher. (20 min)
Extensions:
1. Students could be given an old unit test provided from The Giver if available. They may work in it together in class, and then compare answers as a means of getting more preparation and study time in before the exam.
Plan B/Adaptions
If students do not appear to feel confident in their ability to take and pass the exam, allow one more day of review to take place, or consider modifying the test so students feel comfortable. Ask them what bothers them about the test, and change it so it remains challenging, but not confusing or nerve-wracking.
Student Assessments/Reflection:
1. Students will be assessed on their question asked before leaving. Teacher will not collect sheets (students can hold onto them and refer back to questions and answers) but will walk around and check for students who have them at the close of the period. Five points will be awarded for a question written down.
2. Students will be reflecting on ideas and lessons learned while reading The Giver as they prepare for their exam. They will be asked to express these ideas in writing on their test-the exam itself is a reflection of their time spent studying the novel in class and at home, in study hall, etc.

Mrs. Tordoff/Miss Roosa
Test Review Sheet
Name:__________________

TEST DATE:

Directions: Below are some things you will be required to know to pass your final test for The Giver. Use this sheet to study for your exam.

Your test will consist of 5 multiple choice questions, four short answer questions, and one essay. You will be allowed to prepare an outline for your essay portion.

A. Multiple Choice (10 pts)
Know these things:
1. Where did Jonas learn he was going to be the Reciever of Memory?

2. Why was one of the twins released in Chapter 19?

3. What does Jonas begin to notice in certain parts of the novel? Think about Fiona’s hair, the books on the shelf, and the pumpkins in the field.

4. Define Euphemism:

5.  What emotion did Jonas experience for the first time when seeing the memory of Christmas?

B. Short Answer (10 pts)
You will be asked to write three sentences about the following topics:

1.  Dystopian Societies-What makes a society dystopian?
Why is Jonas’s community dystopian?

2. What are the Stirring pills?
Should the community keep them, or discontinue them?

3.  What is a euphemism in our own life?
Where do you use this euphemism?

4. Jonas’s community and our own community: What is different about it?

C. Essay (30 pts)
You will be asked the following question:
Evaluate Jonas’s community. Why is it a good or bad place to live? Choose whether you think it is a nice place to live or a poor place to live. Note: CHOOSE ONLY ONE -DO NOT EVALUATE BOTH SIDES. Then, use three examples from the text to support your decision.

You may create an outline to help you write your response.
You will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. Use of at least three examples to support whether or not you think the community is a good place to live.
2. Correct spelling and punctuation.
3. A clear thesis/topic that tells me your opinion at the start of the essay.
4. A closing paragraph that ends your essay smoothly.
5. At least one page of writing.
(6 pts apiece=30 pts)