by Lois Lowry
A WebQuest for 10th Grade Communication Arts Students
Designed by Adrienne Chleborad
chleboa@mail.savannah.k12.mo.us
*If you are a teacher, please click here and start at Teacher Page
Introduction
Jonas’s world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community.
When Jonas turns twelve he is singled out to receive special training from an old man known as The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of true pain and pleasure of life. Now it’s time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back. As The Giver transfers the memories, Jonas discovers the disturbing truths about his utopian world. This science fiction novel by 1994 Newbery Medal winner Lois Lowry captivated millions of readers.
Your team has visited Jonas’ community and decided that it has some irreparable flaws. You will create a perfect society of your own and advertise it through a brochure that your group creates. However, your city is allowed to have only three freedoms (and one freedom cannot be the freedom of choice). Think about the following questions as you research the concept of a perfect society:
1. Who grants freedoms? Where does freedom come from?
2. What freedoms will you grant/suppress in your ideal city? How will you protect/enforce those freedoms? (Think about issues of control.)
Your group's final brochure will include the following information:
1. Give your city an appropriate and relevant title.
2. Explain your three freedoms and why the group chose them.
3. Outline what life is like in your city (school, family, recreation, etc.)
4. Give a brief physical description (rural, futuristic, urban, etc.)
You may want to divide the brochure into sections with subheadings, using each subheading to answer the above questions. Or, you may choose to incorporate the answers into the body of the text. Remember, this is an advertisement, so showcase your community's freedoms in a positive manner.
Tasks
Use the following tasks to fine-tune your city’s freedoms. Discuss the topics and answers with your group, using the questions above to guide your discussion. Assign a note taker or takes turns recording the information for each step. Complete graphic organizers where indicated.
Use your group members as your greatest resources; the purpose of the external sites is to spark discussion.
Click here to see Student Checklist and Rubric
Step One: Starting Point
Make of list of at least five choices/freedoms that Jonas’ community did not have, but that your group may want to include in their community. Then, rank them in order of importance. All members must agree on the top three, because these will be the freedoms discussed in your brochure. Your teacher will provide you with at least one graphic organizer. (Topic=Your Community, outer circles=proposed freedoms). You may want an additional cluster web to answer why you chose those freedoms (Topic=the Freedom, outer circles=reasons you chose that freedom). Don't be afraid to change and fine tune your decisions as you progress through the project.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Step Two: Define “Perfect Society”
Define “perfect society” by first defining “Utopia.” Learn from what literary text the word is adopted, and what goals Utopias try to achieve. Don’t forget to take notes.
Definition of Utopia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia
Utopian Philosophy: One man's idea of utopian society. This essay is meant to spark (and challenge) conversation among group members.
http://users.erols.com/jonwill/
Step Three: How Utopia Works
Visit the four sites of Utopias that exist today. Use a Compare/Contrast Graphic Organizer to compare and contrast two of your choice. Only one Graphic Organizer is required for the whole group.
The Acorn
Community of Virginia
The Farm in Tennessee
http://www.thefarm.org/index.html
Twin Oaks Community in Virginia
Victory City – A City Under One Roof
Step Four: Government Involvement
Decide what type of government your city will have. How involved will the government/people be in the lives of the citizens? Note: don’t forget your original questions. Click here to view questions. The following links will help you fine tune aspects of your community.
1. Use this United Nations link as a springboard for discussion about some interesting freedoms:
Declaration of Rights from the United Nations (in plain language)
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/humanrights/resources/plain.asp
2. Choose at least three of the following links and analyze the brief descriptions of the types of government. How involved are the citizens? Who makes the ultimate decisions for the community/country?
Types of Governments
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy
Step Five: Synthesize the Information
Create a brochure advertising your perfect city. Be sure to:
1. Give your city an appropriate and relevant title.
2. Explain your three freedoms and why the group chose them.
3. Outline what life is like in your city (school, family, recreation, etc.)
4. Give a brief physical description (rural, futuristic, urban, etc.)
You may want to divide the brochure into sections with subheadings, using each subheading to answer the above questions. Or, you may choose to incorporate the answers into the body of the text. Remember, this is an advertisement, so showcase your community's freedoms in a positive manner.
Conclusion
Freedom is not a concept we should take lightly. This WebQuest has given you insight into how a society values life, individuality, and freedom. However, have you considered the simple freedoms like the right to choose a career, feel emotion, dream, or even see in color? What are some simple freedoms that we enjoy everyday that a government cannot take away?
Take a moment to appreciate the little choices in life. You may want to write a journal entry or simply make a list of all the choices/freedoms you enjoy in one day.
Helpful Sites
If you need a reminder how to create a brochure:
Microsoft Brochure
http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/geog_econ/trifold.html
Some interesting information and insight about The Giver from the author:
Q & A with Lois Lowry
http://www.loislowry.com/faq.html
Credits
The Giver image and Introduction http://www.altavista.com/image/results?q=The+Giver&mik=photo&mik=graphic&mip=all&mis=all&miwxh=all
Webquest templates http://webquest.sdsu.edu/
Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer http://web000.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/Tools/comparecontrast.pdf
Cluster Web http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/cluster_web3.pdf
Ideas adapted from:
Teacher CyberGuide by Virginia Frank http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/giver/givertg.htm
"The Giver: A WebQuest for 8th Grade Reading and Language Arts" by Amy Cordy, Jennifer Fouty, Marybeth Malone, and Ekaterina Rohal http://www2.franciscan.edu/webquests/thegiver/
"The Perfect Society" by Nellie Deutschhttp://www.nelliemuller.com/Theperfectsociety.WebQuest.htm
Last updated on (12-11-2006). Based on a template from The WebQuest Page