the hunger games - wikispaces · this unit plan is designed for a five week period for eleventh...

This unit plan is designed for a five week

period for eleventh grade English/American

Literature students.

The Hunger

Games What is a Dystopia?

Alex Ryckman and Kirstie Wheeler; EDUC 463 – Fall 2010

Introduction

The dystopian novel is a sub-genre of science fiction that creates a world that is entirely

possible based on the direction that society is heading, or has headed in the past. It is a way to

determine ways in which society can go based on the technology that it has, and the frequency of

the warfare. Although there can be elements that seem fantasized, everything in science fiction is

possible because it is built around the technology that we have, and the technology that could

come to the surface in the future.

Up until this point in the semester, we have been discussing major movements in

literature, such as Realism, Romanticism, Modernism, and Post-Modernism. In these units,

students will be exploring the significant novels of the movements, and looking at the specific

themes that can be found in each movement. At the beginning of all of the units, students will do

an activity similar to the activity in the dystopian novel unit—which is creating a working

individual as well as class definition to gauge their prior knowledge and understanding of each of

the movements.

As a part of the contemporary section of the year, we have moved to take a look at

science fiction and one of the sub-genres of science fiction. Since science fiction has a lot of

misconceptions about it—such as being primarily based in outer space—so it is important to

show students texts that allow them to expand their definition of what constitutes science fiction

through an exploration of some of the sub-genres. By looking at science fiction and the dystopian

novel, we are able to get a glimpse of a genre that is significant in our time—much like Realism,

Romanticism, Modernism, and Post-Modernism were at their time—and look at what may draw

people to this genre over other genres of our time. In a time where technology is growing

constantly, and war is a threat, we can apply what we learn from a science fiction and dystopian

novel to our lives to see where we may be able to change so that we may be able to avoid a

future in which we have no control.

When we look at all of the literary movements that we study, we will be able to see the

changes that led up between each movement, as well as what led to the changes. At the end of

the year, students will get another look at all of the movements to determine which has had the

most impact on the United States, and create a paper that demonstrates their research abilities as

well as their understanding of the material that we have covered. This will allow them to bring

all of their knowledge from the course of the year in order to argue what has created the largest

impact on our society, ranging from any period in time.

As this is an eleventh grade class, students will usually be between the ages of sixteen

and seventeen, with a few on the younger as well as the older sides. The students that are in a

typical class at Thompson Valley High School are all over the board—there are struggling

students that use the special education services as well as students that excel in the class. The

students at the high school all have varying interests, and the school is supportive of the

extracurricular activities that its students participate in. Most of the students are extremely social

and use the time in class to socialize with their classmates in some way, but have no trouble

getting the work done if they are pushed to do it.

Texts:

Short story: ―Bloodchild‖ by Octavia E. Butler

Novel: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The standards that we will be using throughout our unit are the Colorado Academic

Standards that were created and adapted into some schools during the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Rationale

This unit was created and designed in order to teach students about utopian and dystopian

societies through the use of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Throughout the year in this

American Literature course, students have looked at some of the makings of American society

and have seen some of the factors that play into creating social structures. Utopian/dystopian

literature often creates the image of a ―perfect‖ society where things often are not as simple as

they appear to be. Collins’s novel fleshes many of these ideas out into the open for all readers to

see. As a class, we will break apart the novel and discuss the factors at play and how those

representations can be applied to discover purpose within the novel’s gruesome tale.

By looking at science fiction and the subgenres that it has—which includes the dystopian

novel—we can look at some of the misconceptions that students have about the typical science

fiction novel. Through our exploration of the dystopian novel—thus the science fiction novel—

we can look at what changes have occurred over time to turn the society into the dystopia. Since

science fiction uses the possibility that arises through our technology, we can look at the ideas

that are prevalent in our society and see how it matches up with the ideas that Collins presents in

The Hunger Games.

The overall goal of this unit is to help students understand the ideas related to societies

and the power structures that support them. Throughout the unit students will progressively learn

the factors that define a utopian or dystopian society and, as a culminating project, they will

design their own dystopia using the knowledge that they discovered throughout the novel.

Some objections that The Hunger Games may get are against the violent content of the

novel. The focus of it is on the fight to the death for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18.

Although these events are apparent in the novel, the students’ focus will be directed toward

understanding that the Hunger Games is a symbol of society, not a literal event. Students will be

reminded throughout classroom discussions that these representations are to be handled maturely

and with specific purposes in mind. Collins created this novel with a rhetorical purpose and our

goal is to further understand that purpose through close analysis of the text.

Since the nature of science fiction is looking at the possibility of what can happen,

teaching it can be seen as a way to encourage students to look at society in a negative light.

Although this isn’t our intention to portray society in a negative light when looking at science

fiction as a genre, as well as the subgenres of science fiction, it will be important to emphasize

the idea that science fiction—while entirely possible—is just what it says: fiction. Students will

look at the ideas of science fiction as a genre and determine what makes the unit’s novel and

short story science fiction as well as dystopian literature.

Suggested Pedagogy – Week One Literature: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Excerpt:

Prim is screaming hysterically behind me. She’s wrapped her skinny arms around me like

a vice. ―No, Katniss! No! You can’t go!‖

―Prim, let go,‖ I say harshly, because this is upsetting me and I don’t want to cry. When

they televise the replay of the reapings tonight, everyone will make note of my tears, and I’ll be

marked as an easy target. A weakling. I will give no one that satisfaction. ―Let go!‖ (The Hunger

Games, page 23)

Chapters: 1 – 7

The Hunger Games – Day One

90 minutes As this is the beginning of the unit on dystopian novels, we will be expanding on the idea

of science fiction novels. We will be expanding on the ideas that we discussed in the previous

unit of what constitutes a science fiction novel by looking at one of the subgenres and what

constitutes a dystopian novel.

For the day, students will be given a choice on how they wish to participate in our

discussion on dystopias and utopias. They will be able to write on the board or speak in our class

discussion as we create our own definitions of the terms.

Objectives

Students will create a working definition of what utopia and dystopia are.

Students will partake in class discussion based on the ideas that they generated about

dystopias and utopias.

Students will look at the first two chapters of The Hunger Games to see an example of a

dystopia and compare it to the definition that they created.

Standards

11.1.1.a Give informal talks using an appropriate level of formality of verbal language

and nonverbal interaction with audience.

11.1.1.e Identify, explain, and use content-specific vocabulary, terminology, dialect, or

jargon unique to particular groups, perspectives, or contexts (such as social, professional,

political, cultural, historical or geographical).

11.2.1.a Analyze literary components (e.g., tone, symbolism, irony, extended metaphor,

satire, hyperbole) to interpret theme.

11.2.1.c Interpret and synthesize themes across multiple literary texts.

11.4.2.a Analyze the logic of complex situations by questioning the purpose, question at

issue, information, points of view, implications and consequences, inferences,

assumptions and concepts.

In order to reach the standards, students will be creating informal definitions of the terms

dystopia and utopia, and will create a class definition through a discussion of what they have

written on the board. Students will also be discussing the differences and similarities between

―Bloodchild‖ and The Hunger Games.

Materials

The Hungers Games by Suzanne Collins

White board

White board markers

―Bloodchild‖ by Octavia E. Butler

Culminating assignment sheet

Assessment

To test student understanding of the concepts of the day, we will be looking at what they

have written on the board, as well as what they are saying during the discussion about the

different terms and their definitions.

Lesson

On separate sides of the board: dystopia and utopia. (15 minutes)

o Students will pull out a sheet of paper and begin to create a working definition of

what they believe a dystopia and utopia are.

Markers will be passed out to students so that they are able to write their

ideas on the board under the corresponding heading/idea. As students

write their thoughts on the board, they will pass the markers around to

their peers so that all students are able to get their voice heard.

o Using the ideas that students wrote on the board, we will discuss and flesh out the

―real‖ definitions of utopia and dystopia. With these new definitions, we will look

at other text examples that students have encountered to get an understanding of

what ideas students already have about the themes that appear in a dystopian

novel.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

1984 by George Orwell

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Read short story—―Bloodchild‖ by Octavia E. Butler (35 minutes)

Introduction to the unit (10 minutes)

o Reading quizzes

Reading quizzes will be every Friday and Thursday (the last day of the

school week for their class)

o Reading journals

Reading journals will be the following day after students have read a

section of the book for homework, and they will always have to do with

the culminating assignment of the unit so that students are working on it

throughout the unit.

o Reading schedule

Students will be expected to read one to two chapters every day in class,

and occasionally for homework.

o Culminating assignment—handout

Read The Hunger Games chapters 1 and 2 out loud as a class. (35 minutes)

o Stop occasionally to discuss where we see implementation of dystopian/utopian

ideologies.

Homework: The Hunger Games chapter 3

Create Your Own Dystopia During this unit, we will be reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and

exploring the idea of what makes a society a dystopia as well as why a society makes the shift

into a dystopian society. While we look at Panem as a dystopian society, we will be working on

creating our own dystopia using The Hunger Games as a basis for it.

When we have reading for homework, we will be responding to reading journals. In these

reading journals, we will be looking at the things that Collins does in her novel—such as the

reapings for the districts in Panem, the interviews, et cetera—and looking at how it may apply to

our own dystopias.

The final product will be a combination of things—a presentation and a choice product

that documents your dystopia. The product that documents your dystopia can be one of the

following, or another of your choices (this list is not exhausted in any way):

A video

A powerpoint

A poster

A story—it must go further than the

final chapter does

A picture—oil paints, markers,

crayons, et cetera, but it must be

worthy of a final product

A comic

A webquest

For the presentation, you will have to give an explanation of your country’s annual event.

This includes talking about how the participants are chosen, what the arena looks like, the types

of obstacles that participants might encounter, and the rules that would be in place. The item that

you have will accompany the presentation that you give on it; both the presentation and the

product will work together in some way. The way that they work together will be up to you.

When you’re making a decision about which form you want to use for your product,

think about the way that you would have the best ability to convey what you want. Feel free to

take risks, but also remember to think about what you feel will best benefit you, as well as your

peers’ understanding of your dystopia. Look at what you plan on doing and see if it will be

enough to encompass the work that you have done and put into your dystopia.

When you’re creating the final product, think about what we have gone over throughout

the unit. There is a reason that we are working on some things during class instead of having

everything done outside of it. Use the time that you have in class and the resources that you have

available to you.

When turning in the final product, you will be expected to turn in the following:

Dystopia definition—individual and

class definition

Reading journals

Photograph—representation of The

Hunger Games

District flag

Photograph—representation of

student’s event/dystopia

Plant book

Final chapter

All of these steps will show me the work that you have done while leading up to the final

product. Although they are only preliminary steps, you will be expected to complete all of the

pieces as part of your final grade.

When you have completed your work on your presentation as well as the work for your

product, ask yourself if this is work that you are proud of and would like to turn in. If you’re

proud of the work that you complete, it will show in the way that you present.

Presentation

4 3 2 1

Content Student shows a

strong understanding

of their dystopia and

the decisions that

they made while

creating it.

Student shows a

good understanding

of their dystopia, but

stumbles a little

when discussing

their decisions.

Student shows an

understanding of the

topic, but is unable

to articulate their

decisions for their

dystopia.

Student does not

understand their

dystopia or why they

made their choices.

Preparedness Student is extremely

prepared and ready

to give their

presentation on the

day that they signed

up for. It is obvious

that they have spent

time rehearsing it.

Student is prepared

to give their

presentation on the

day that they signed

up, but they could

have used a little

extra time to

rehearse.

Student is prepared

for their presentation

but they need extra

time and are unable

to do it on their

chosen day. They

have done very little

rehearsing.

Student is not

prepared. They have

done very little to

get ready for their

presentation.

Comprehension Student is able to

answer the questions

that are asked easily

and without too

much effort. They

know about the

content of their

presentation.

Student is able to

answer the questions

asked, but needs a

little prompting prior

to answering the

question.

Student is able to

answer some of the

questions posed by

their peers, but they

need some questions

reworded and need

help answering

them.

Student is unable to

answer questions

that are asked by

peers.

Dystopia - Product

4 3 2 1

Attractiveness Student uses colors

and a form that

works to their

advantage. It makes

the final product

appear put together

and well-thought

out.

Student uses colors

that work together.

The final product

could use a little

more work, but it is

still well-thought out

and put together.

The colors that the

student chose don’t

all work together—

some of them clash.

The final product

could use more work

to make it look more

professional.

The student put very

little thought into

how the final

product would turn

out. The final

product needs more

time to be worthy of

a final product

name.

Requirements All of the required

pieces have been

turned in with the

final product.

Most of the required

pieces have been

turned in with the

final product.

Some of the required

pieces have been

turned in with the

final product.

Few or none of the

required pieces have

been turned in with

the final product.

Content The idea of the

dystopia is present

in the final product.

Student enhances the

understanding of

their audience.

The idea of the

dystopia is present

in the final product,

but there are a few

elements missing to

enhance audience

understanding.

The idea of the

dystopia has to be

sought out. There

are elements that

make it more

prominent missing.

The understanding

of the audience is

lacking.

The final product

seems to be lacking

a distinct idea of the

student’s dystopia.

The audience

understanding is

lacking.

Originality The final product

has a lot of thought

and creativity put

into it. Even though

it is based around an

idea that is already

created, the student

makes it their own.

The final product

uses few of the ideas

that it was based

around, but there are

a lot of creative

pieces to it that

make it original.

The final product

follows some of the

idea that the

dystopia is based

around, but there are

pieces of originality

in it.

The final product

sticks closely to the

idea that it is based

around. There is a

little originality in it.

The Hunger Games – Day Two

90 minutes Today we will continue the beginning of The Hunger Games as a class. As a means to

further our knowledge of the text we will practice analyzing characterization and making

inferences based on dialogue.

Students will select two characters from the text that they wish to write a conversation

between. The twist is that students will write their conversation in the form of a text message so

that they can utilize common language that they work with and use every day. This practice

allows students to see that the various uses of language can create different results and meanings.

Objectives

Students will create a text conversation between several (two or three) characters in The

Hunger Games in order to see how the language that the characters use in texts change.

Students will begin to work on creating their dystopian society through the reading

journal question/topic.

Standards



11.2.2.c Predict the impact an informational text will have on an audience and justify the

prediction.

11.2.2.d Use text features and graphical representations to complement comprehension

and enhance critical analysis of a text.

11.3.3.a Apply punctuation correctly and articulate stylistic choices.

11.3.3.b Use a variety of phrases (absolute, appositive) accurately and purposefully to

improve writing.

Today’s standards will be met through class discussion and the text messaging activity.

During the texting activity, students will learn that language can change depending on the

audience and the way that writers (including themselves) choose to craft a word, sentence, or

page, can greatly impact the reader’s understanding.

Materials

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Reading Journal

Homework handout

Assessment

Students’ text conversations will be turned in and graded. While grading the assignment,

we will be able to see if the students grasp the changes in meaning from various dialogues.

Lesson

Reading journal (15 minutes)

o Looking at how Katniss and Peeta are herded off after the reapings, what would

you have happen after your own reapings? What would be similar? What would

be different? Keep in mind that it must still remain a dystopia.

Students will share a part or their entire reading journal, or they may

summarize it for their peers. Discuss the differences between student

reading journals as well as whether they are moving in the right direction

or not.

How are they regarded—cheered, silence, boos?

o Why are they regarded in this fashion?

How do your participants feel about the lottery style pickings?

o Would you change the way that the participants are

chosen?

Are there people that volunteer for others? Think about the careers

in some of the districts.

What differs between yours and one of your peers’ reapings?

o Why are these choices and differences relevant?

Would you call the ―reapings‖ something different in your

dystopia?

o What would you call them? Why?

Read The Hunger Games chapters 4 – 5 (25 minutes)

Activity – Text writing (25 minutes)

o Create a text conversation between two of the characters from the first section of

the novel. Change the audience that you’re writing to and create another text

message conversation.

Another option: Look at different student examples to see differences in

audiences and the changes that were made when looking at another

audience (Katniss txting her mother, versus txting Gale or Primrose).

o What makes you think that your characters would text in the fashion that you

chose?

What is important know about the characters in order to make these

inferences?

How does knowing a character help you to understand the purpose in their

dialogue?

Homework: Photographs (adapted from the media literacy study in Pam Coke’s Teaching an

Author, Teaching a Text: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston)

Since it is very likely that not all students will have a camera or be able to afford one—

and instead of requiring that students buy a disposable camera for one picture—there will be two

options to the photography assignment.

Students will be required to either take a photograph of something that was significant to

them from The Hunger Games, or find an image online and print it off. If money is an issue with

printing, then I will bring in some change so that students are able to print it off at school (as it’s

inexpensive to print off one page). They would bring the pictures that they printed to class

(whether they printed it off at home or at school, it doesn’t matter)—whether it be a picture that

they took or one that they found online—and would write a description about why they choose

their picture.

Homework Photographs (adapted from the media literacy study in Pam Coke’s Teaching an Author,

Teaching a Text: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston)

You will be required to either take a photograph of something that was significant to you

from The Hunger Games, or find an image online and print it off. If money is an issue with

printing, then I will bring in some change so that you are able to print it off at school. You will

bring the picture(s) that you printed to class (whether you printed it off at home or at school, it

doesn’t matter)—whether it be a picture that you took or one that you found online—and would

write a description about why you chose that picture.

Some things that you might want to consider when you’re writing your description are:

How does your picture connect to the novel? Be sure to use specific examples—they

don’t need to be direct quotations, but if a direct quotation would work better than a

summary, then you should use the quotation.

What about your picture do you like?

o Why did you choose it?

Does the composition of the picture add to or detract from the meaning that you took

from it?

o Why or why not?

Is the picture more modern than the novel? Less modern?

o Does that take away from the meaning that you had of the picture?

Why or why not?

What kind of feeling is there when you look at the picture?

The Hunger Games – Day Three

90 minutes Through our continuation of the novel, we will be taking a quiz on the reading that we

have completed so far in the unit. It won’t be a quiz that asks for answers to questions, but a way

to gauge how students are coming along in the novel. Using the homework from the night before,

we will create a game that allows us to look at all of the photographs that students brought in and

their definitions.

As a change to the normal discussion aspect of English Language Arts, we will use the

game as a way to look at the photographs that everyone brought in. It allows all students to have

their photographs viewed by their peers, and gives them the option of letting their peers make

connections instead of being given them.

Objectives

Students will create a game from the photographs that they brought in for homework.

Students will think about what makes the photograph descriptions match up (or not) with

the photographs.

Standards

11.1.2.c Evaluate effectiveness of oral delivery techniques.



11.3.1.d Use a range of strategies to evaluate whether the writing is presented in a clear

and engaging matter (such as reading the text from the perspective of the intended

audience, seeking feedback from a reviewer).

11.3.2.a Articulate a position through a concise and focused claim or thesis statement,

and advance it using evidence, examples, and counterarguments.

11.3.2.b Locate and select appropriate information that clearly supports a definite

purpose, topic, or position.

Students will reach these standards through the game that they create and play as a class.

They will have to come up with an argument when they find a picture and description that fit

together in order to explain why the two items belong together. To make their argument stronger,

they will need to incorporate pieces from the photograph and description that fit together.

Materials


Photographs

Photograph descriptions

Quiz

Note cards

Assessment

To test the understanding that students have of the concepts that we have gone over for

the day (as well as for part of the week), they will be taking a reading quiz. Their homework and

the game that they create will also work as a way to determine their understanding of the game

and creating arguments as well as support for their arguments.

Lesson

Reading quiz (10 minutes)

o From the reading of the week so far, what are the most important things that you

have picked out? List a minimum of three things that have stuck out to you as the

most significant pieces of information.


o Generate ideas about what your capitol would encompass to the rest of your

country. Would each major part of your country have a specific trade? What

would set them apart from the other parts?




or not.

What does each part of the country signify?

o Where do they get the materials for their trade?

o How were the districts given their specific trade?


Photograph

o Game (30 minutes)

After collecting all of the photographs that students brought in as well as

the descriptions that they wrote, lay them out on tables pushing together,

like a memory game. Students would need to match the picture to its

description and provide a reason why they believe that the two go

together.

Students could argue that a description and a picture go together

that weren’t intended to.

Homework: The Hunger Games chapter 8 – 9

Reading Quiz From the reading of the week so far, what are the most important things that you have picked

out? List a minimum of three things that have stuck out to you as the most significant pieces of

information.

Suggested Pedagogy – Week Two Literature: The Hunger Games


Excerpt:

I lift my chin and stand as straight as I can. The cylinder begins to rise. For maybe fifteen

seconds, I’m in darkness and then I can feel the metal plate pushing me out of the cylinder, into

the open air. For a moment, my eyes are dazzled by the bright sunlight and I’m conscious only of

a strong wind with the hopeful smell of pine trees.

Then I hear the legendary announcer, Claudius Templesmith, as his voice booms all

around me.

―Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!‖ (The Hunger

Games, page 147)

Chapters: 8 – 15

The Hunger Games – Day Four

90 minutes Today we will delve further into The Hunger Games by learning about an author’s

purpose and audience. Students will write a RAFT through Katniss’s perspective that is

addressed to another character in the story.

Students must write in the voice of Katniss, but they may choose who their letter is

intended for. Through this exercise, students will learn that the way a character speaks or a writer

writes is very dependent on who their audience is.

Objectives

Students will learn how writing changes based on their audience through writing to

different people using the RAFT format.

Students will learn how different aspects of writing something (such as the Role,

Audience, Format, or Topic) can change how they write the final product.

Standards

11.1.1.d Analyze audience responses to evaluate how effectively the talk or

presentation met the purpose.


11.2.1.a Analyze literary components (e.g., tone, symbolism, irony, extended

metaphor, satire, hyperbole) to interpret theme.

11.3.1.b Write literary and narrative texts using a range of stylistic devices (poetic

techniques, figurative language, symbolism, graphic or visual components) to support

the presentation of implicit or explicit theme.

11.3.1.c Enhance the expression of voice, tone, and point of view in a text by

strategically using precise diction (considering denotation, connotation, and audience

associations)l diverse syntax; varied sentence patterns; and punctuation for stylistic

effect.

These standards will be met through class discussion and the writing and sharing of their

RAFT writing activity. During the RAFT activity, students will learn that the message can

change drastically depending on who it is written for. By practicing and pretending that their

message has a specific audience, the students will grasp how their voice can be used to express

certain feelings to certain people.

Materials


Reading Journal

RAFT

Assessment

RAFT assignments will be turned in at the end of the period for grading. The RAFT will then

be graded to see how well students understood the main idea of the exercise. The expectation

will be that students were able to step into the shoes of their role and express their ideas to

another character by using the voice of Katniss.

Lesson


o Create an annual event that your dystopia would host. What would it be? What

steps would your capitol go through in order to run the event each year? Would

the arena change every year, or would it be the same? Where would it be held?




or not.

If your event changes its arena, why would you change it?

o Would there be benefits to changing the arena every year?

o What disadvantages could there be if the arena remained

the same?


RAFT (30 minutes)

o Students are often writing letters of some kind—love letters to their boyfriend or

girlfriend, or notes to pass in class. Depending on who they’re writing to, students

change the language that they use. If they’re writing to their boyfriend or

girlfriend, then it will be different than if they were writing to a friend or

acquaintance. Students will be able to change their writing based on their

audience and with the help of knowing Katniss as a character.

Using the RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) format, students will

work in groups of three to four to create a letter from Katniss Everdeen’s

perspective towards one of the following:

Gale

Effie—either before they became friends (when they first met) or

after they created a bond

Prim

The Capitol

Her father

Peeta

Discuss how audience changes the way that students talk or write.

Would they talk to their parents the same way that they talk to their

friends?

Would they write an email to their grandparents the same way that

they would to a stranger?

Discuss how writing to a specific audience would affect their

writing.

RAFT: Role Audience Format Topic

The role is always Katniss Everdeen.

The audience varies (Gale, Effie, Prim, Peeta, Katniss’s father, the

Capitol).

The format is a letter.

The topic is the beginning of the Hunger Games (Chapter eleven,

pages 148 – 160).

For the letters (one letter per group), students will work with two to three

other people in order to create a letter from Katniss to their assigned

audience. Using chapter eleven as a topic, students will ―rewrite‖ the start

of the Hunger Games in a way that is for an audience other than herself

(like the book is written). Students will be able to use the rest of the book

(and the other two in the series if they have read them), or have their letter

be written from the first night of the Games.

Students will be given twenty to thirty minutes to create a letter in

their groups.

One person from each group will be picked to read their letter out

loud to the rest of the class.

Discuss how the writing in the letters changed when the audience

changes, using specific examples from the letters. (10 minutes)

o How does tone change depending on your audience?

o How does the audience change between formal and

informal writing?

Why did you make the choice to write it either

formally or informally?

o Look at your peers that wrote to the same person. What

decisions did you make that were different? Why did your

choices differ even though you were writing to the same

person?

o What is it like to write from someone else’s perspective?

What information helps or hinders when you’re

writing?

Homework: The Hunger Games chapters 12 – 13

The Hunger Games – Day Five

90 minutes As we continue to read the novel, we will be looking at the districts in Panem and what

they symbolize to the rest of the country, as well as what the capitol symbolizes to its citizens.

While we look at the districts, we will begin to look at our districts in our dystopia to determine

what they would symbolize, as well as the trade that they do.

By creating the flags, students will be given the choice of how they want to do it, as well

as what flag (or flags) they want to do—such as a single district, multiple districts, the capitol, or

a combination. They will be given supplies in order to create their flags during class and will be

allowed to make the choice of what they want their flag to look like.

Objectives

Students will look at the significance that adjacency pairs, and opening and closing

sequences have when having a conversation—specifically, an interview—with another

person.

Students will create a flag that demonstrates a significant part of their dystopia.

Standards





As a class, we will continue to read the novel. In addition to the reading, we will look at parts

of the novel that give us ideas about the districts and the capitol in order to look at what would be

on their flags, as well as to help us create our own.

Materials


Art supplies

o Markers

o Crayons

o Colored pencils

o Construction paper

o Poster board

o Glue

o Tape

Assessment

In order to assess student understanding, they will be taking a quiz on the week’s reading.

We will be discussing the reading journal that they have completed for the day, and as students

create their flags, they will be graded on the process.

Lesson


o What are three questions that you still have after the reading that we have done

this week? What are you still struggling with in the novel or how it relates to what

we’re doing for the unit?

Introduce terms for the reading journal (5 minutes)

o Adjacency pairs—would your interviewee or interviewer go against the adjacency

pairs? What would happen if the interviewer asked a question, and the

interviewee responded with a greeting?

o Opening sequence—how would your interview begin? How does your

interviewer open the interview? Does your interviewee begin or open the

interview?

o Closing sequence—how would your interview end? What signals would be given

to show that time has run out?


o Write an interview between two people participating in your annual event (one

person actually in it [such as Katniss and Peeta, or the other tributes] and the other

working on the event [such as a stylist, the president, et cetera]).




or not.

How did the terms help or hinder your writing?

Were the terms significant when you were creating the interview?

Would you have been able to write this without knowing the terms?

Would your prior knowledge about interviews have been helpful

without using the terminology?


―District‖ Flag (30 minutes)

o Building off of the questions that we have gone over so far in this unit, create a

flag for your dystopia. It can be for either the entire country (such as Panem) or

for a part of is (such as one of the districts). Think about if each of your own

―districts‖ would have a specific trade that they would master, and what it would

be.

What would your capitol encompass?

What would it want its citizens to think of when they saw or thought about

it?


Reading Quiz What are three questions that you still have after the reading that we have done this week? What

are you still struggling with in the novel or how it relates to what we’re doing for the unit?

Suggested Pedagogy – Week Three Literature: The Hunger Games


Excerpt:

―Rue!‖ I shout back, so she knows I’m near. So they know I’m near, and hopefully the

girl who has attacked them with tracker jackers and gotten an eleven they still can’t explain will

be enough to pull their attention away from her. ―Rue! I’m coming!‖

When I break into the clearing, she’s on the ground, hopelessly entangled in a net. She

just has enough time to reach her hand through the mesh and say my name before the spear

enters her body. (The Hunger Games, page 232)

Chapters: 16 – 21

The Hunger Games – Day Six

90 minutes Today we will continue our discussion of The Hunger Games and practice writing in

different formats to learn how their effects can be adapted for specific purposes.

Students will select a scene from chapter 17 or 18 and rewrite the events using another

format such as a text, tweet, poem, journal entry, et cetera, in order to learn how formatting can

change the impacts of writing.

Objectives

Students will rewrite a section of The Hunger Games in order to look at the changes that

can be made when the format of the writing is different.

Students will lead a discussion based on the choices that they have made during their

rewrite in order to justify their decisions.

Standards




prediction.




techniques, figurative language, symbolism, graphic or visual components) to support the

presentation of implicit or explicit theme.

11.3.1.d Use a range of strategies to evaluate whether the writing is presented in a clear

and engaging manner (such as reading the text from the perspective of the intended

audience, seeking feedback from a reviewer).

11.3.1.e Evaluate and revise text to eliminate unnecessary details, ineffective stylistic

devices, and vague or confusing language.

Standards will be met through today’s re-writing activity as well as the discussion that

follows. Students will be tasked with rewriting a portion of either chapter 17 or 18 from the

novel. When they choose their selection, students must rewrite it in another format such as a text,

tweet, poem, journal entry, et cetera. Students will rewrite their choice and share their creation

with the class or in small groups. Using the new creations as examples, students will discuss as a

class how the formatting alterations can affect the message.

Materials


Reading Journal

Homework Handout

Assessment

Students will be assessed based on their responses during discussion of the rewrites.

Their individual rewrites will also be collected and checked for understanding.

Lesson


o Katniss is constantly reminding herself that the Hunger Games can only have one

winner. Would your game makers ever make an exception to such a rule? Give an

example if they would, and explain why or why not.




or not.

What incident would have to happen for your game makers to

change the rules?

o Would there be an exception?

What would your audience do if they were falling for two of the

contestants and one of them had to die?

Read The Hunger Games: chapters 17 – 18 (30 minutes)

Rewrite

o Discussion (10 minutes)

Why use this format? Why not use a different format? What do you gain

or lose by using this kind of format?

What other kinds of formats are there that you can use?

o Text

o Tweet

o Movie script

o Journal

o Poem

o Status update

Why would you use one over the other? Benefits? Disadvantages?

What format would you be most interested in reading? Why?

o Students will choose a section of the text from either chapter 17 or 18 and will

rewrite it in another format—either individually or with a partner. The length of

the section can be anywhere from two pages to five pages, and they have the

choice to rewrite their section of the text however they want. Some formats that

they might consider are:

Text message

Twitter updates

Journal entries

Poem(s)

Status updates

o Activity (25 minutes)

Looking at the pages that you (and your partner, if you chose one) picked.

Use the descriptions and dialogue that are included throughout the

selection that you have chosen. Pick and choose what you would have

included entirely if you were the one writing this book, but make sure that

you stay true to what Collins has included.

Alternate activity: If students are struggling to stay on task in their

groups—or even getting on task—then they will still do the

activity, but it would become an individual assignment instead of

allowing them the option to work with a partner. If students still

struggle, it will become homework in addition to the homework.

As students finish their rewrites, they will group up with another person

(or group) and discuss the changes that they made when they were doing

their rewrite, as well as why they chose the format that they did. While in

their small groups, they will discuss the choices that they made and give a

brief reason why they made that choice.

After students have had a chance to complete their rewrites as well as had

time to discuss their choices with at least one other group, we will come

together as a class to discuss the overall changes that were made to their

section of the text.

o Discussion (10 minutes)

What did you notice? Changes?

Do we get the same message when switching between formats?

If not, what did we lose? How can you tell?

Does it take away from the story or does it seem to be about the

same?

Do you get the same feeling from the book through another format, or

does it resonate with you more when it’s in the prose format?

Did we lose Katniss Everdeen’s voice by doing this? How did your voices

come to play in your rewrite?

How do you think this would look if we used another format (text, tweets,

poem, et cetera)?

How does this compare to writing for your teachers?

Would you write a paper in tweets? Texts? Status updates?

o Why?

o Would you be able to get the same things across if you did

or would it be more difficult?

Homework: Photograph

Find or take a picture that resembles the annual event that your dystopia will be hosting.

It can be photoshopped or it can be a ―natural‖ picture. After you have found/created a

photograph that fits, write a description about it. The description can be about the arena that it’s

in, what the event is, why it’s needed in your country, or anything else. Use your reading journal

about your annual event for help if you need it.

Homework Find or take a picture that resembles the annual event that your dystopia will be hosting. It

can be photoshopped or it can be a ―natural‖ picture. After you have found/created a photograph

that fits, write a description about it. The description can be about the arena that it’s in, what the

event is, why it’s needed in your country, or anything else. Use your reading journal about your

annual event for help if you need it.

The Hunger Games – Day Seven

70 minutes As we continue the novel, we will be once again look at photographs that students have

brought in for homework. In small groups, students will discuss their photographs and the

descriptions that they have written for them. Each student in the group will write on a note card

two things to help their peer succeed for their final product.

Through this exercise, students will be able to work in smaller groups or larger groups,

giving them the choice to make of what would be more beneficial to them, as well as what would

make them more comfortable. Since there is a form of revision involved, it is important for

students to be comfortable in their group.

Objectives

Students will determine how their photos—as well as their peers’ photos—fit into their

idea of their ―Hunger Games.‖

Standards




prediction.



11.3.3.f Use resources (print and electronic) and feedback to edit and enhance writing for

purpose and audience.

Students will be making revisions based on the comments that they receive from their peers.

The descriptions will be used as a way to determine how the audience will understand their

photograph. As groups discuss the photographs and the descriptions, the comments will allow

students to see how the audience understands their dystopia.

Materials


Photographs

Photograph descriptions

Assessment

For the assessment, students will be turning in their photographs as well as the comments

that they received. As we walk around the class to listen to the discussions that are taking place,

students will also be assessed on their understanding through the comments that they make

verbally to their peers, as well as those that they write down.

Lesson

Read The Hunger Games chapter 19 (20 minutes)

Photograph sharing (30 minutes)

o Students will get in to groups of four to five to discuss the photographs that they

brought in for homework.

Students will look at the descriptions that they have written and discuss

them as they show their pictures to the group that they are working with.

As they describe their photograph, their group members will write two

things on a note card:

A positive remark about the photograph that they chose to

represent their annual event, and

A constructive remark about the photograph that they chose to

represent their annual event, and a way for them to improve their

photograph for the final product.

Some questions that students may want to consider while in their groups

are:

How does this encompass my annual event?

Do I use a photograph that will enhance my audience

understanding?

o How can I make this better?

o Is there ―too much‖ in the description for what the

photograph is supposed to entail?

o Did I put enough information in the description?

o Full class discussion (10 minutes)

Did working in small groups help you learn how your audience is going to

understand your photograph?

Will you be able to take some of the information that you learned from

your peers in order to revise either your description or photograph?

Leftover time can be used for a head start on homework.


The Hunger Games – Day Eight The class will continue readings and discussions of The Hunger Games and will also be

given time to work on their projects after discussion.

Students will have the choice of how they spend their time working on their final project

and they will be in charge of how much work they can get done in this time.

Objectives

Students will create the audience that they have for their ―Hunger Games‖ and the

audience that the event is aimed towards.

Students will work on their final product for their culminating assignment.

Standards



11.3.3.f Use resources (print and electronic) and feedback to edit and enhance writing for

purpose and audience.

Today’s standards will be met during discussion of the novel as well as revisions students

make to their projects. Students will have an opportunity to workshop their project

components with peers and gain feedback necessary for continuing the writing/revision

process.

Materials


Reading Journals

Culminating Assignment Sheet

Quiz

Note Cards

Assessment

Students will be quizzed on this week’s readings and reading journals will be discussed.

Lesson


o Write everything that you can remember about this week’s reading. This must fit

on a 3 x 5 note card.


o Does the audience in your annual event enjoy a blood bath? Do they get bored

when the contestants aren’t fighting? What do your game makers do to get the

contestants together again?




or not.

What kind of people are in your capitol?

o What are the kinds of things that they enjoy?

What other things might they be interested in if there isn’t a

bloodbath?


Culminating assignment work time (45 minutes)

o Go over what is required for the final

o Questions

Homework: The Hunger Games chapter 22 – 23

Reading Quiz Write everything that you can remember about this week’s reading. This must fit on a 3 x 5 note

card.

Suggested Pedagogy – Week Four Literature: The Hunger Games


Excerpt:

Cato stands before me, almost at the lip of the horn, holding Peeta in some kind of

headlock, cutting off his air. Peeta’s clawing at Cato’s arm, but weakly, as if confused over

whether it’s more important to breathe or try and stem the gush of blood from the gaping hole a

mutt left in his calf.

I aim one of my last two arrows at Cato’s head, knowing it’ll have no effect on his trunk

or limbs, which I can now see are clothed in skintight, flesh-colored mesh. Some high-grade

body armor from the Capitol. Was that what was in his pack at the feast? Body armor to defend

against my arrows? Well, they neglected to send a face guard. (The Hunger Games, page 335)

Chapters: 22 – 27

The Hunger Games – Day Nine

90 minutes As we reach the end of the novel, students will be looking at an idea that Katniss brought

up at the beginning of the novel. Through this idea, students will explore it further in order to

create something that works for their dystopia.

Students will be allowed to choose all of the aspects of their plant book. They will be able

to choose what kinds of plants they want—edible, medicinal, and poisonous—as well as what it

is going to look like. The way that they create the book will be unique to each student.

Objectives

Students will create a book that incorporates some of the significant plants in their

dystopian society.

Standards





11.3.2.b Locate and select appropriate information that clearly supports a definite

purpose, topic, or position.

11.3.2.c Choose, develop, and refine appeals for desire effect on audience.

11.3.2.e Use vocabulary for intentional development of voice and tone for a specific

audience, purpose, or situation.

Students will be creating a book that uses pieces from The Hunger Games in order to help

them create the book. They will be looking at plants that Katniss has encountered during her life

and decide which kinds they would want to include in their own dystopia, as well as creating

their own. When they are working on the descriptions of the plants, they will be using

terminology that is significant to plants in order to enhance the idea of creating a plant book.

Materials


Reading journal

Computer lab

Art supplies

o Paper

o Colored pencils

o Markers

o Crayons

o Glue

o Tape

Assessment

As the end of the class nears, students will be assessed by the products that they have

created. The products at the end of the class do not need to be complete, but they will be assessed

based on the work that they have done and the understanding that they have of the assignment.

Lesson


o Peeta gets a kill in the Hunger Games by accidentally poisoning Foxface. What

kind of terrain would you have in your annual event? Why? What kinds of plants,

animals, lakes, rivers, et cetera, would you have? Explain.




or not.

What advantages or disadvantages does the terrain have for your

competitors?

o Why give them these advantages or disadvantages?

Do the citizens of your dystopia have a say in the terrain for the

event?

o How are the terrain and arena chosen?


Plant book (30 minutes)

o At the beginning, when we learn about Katniss taking care of her family after her

father’s death, she brings up a medicinal and edible herb book that her parents

kept. Using this as a spring board, come up with five plants that would be in your

dystopia. Include a drawing and description of them.

The drawing doesn’t have to be an awesome drawing. If you feel more

comfortable taking a picture of a current plant and editing it in order to fit

the plant that you came up with, feel free.

If you choose not to draw a picture, include an illustration of it through

words. Make sure that we’re able to visualize it when we read it.

If you’re using medicinal herbs as well as edible herbs, how does the way

that you write about them change?

What would happen if you used the same language for the two

different types of herbs?

o Full class discussion (15 minutes)

Has this helped you to understand your dystopia more?

Has it been less beneficial to you?

What was the most useful part about this assignment?

General check in questions:

How is your final product and presentation beginning to come

along?

What do you want to work on more before you have to turn it in?


The Hunger Games – Day Ten

90 minutes Today we will finish reading The Hunger Games and create a final chapter of our own

dystopian societies.

Students will have the choice of how they write their final chapter and all the components

that go into wrapping their story up. Students can choose different stylistic devices, voices,

characters, or whatever they wish to create the final moments in their story.

Objectives

Students will create a final chapter for their dystopian society.

Students will acknowledge some significant people in their protagonist’s life through the

final chapter that they write.

Standards




techniques, figurative language, symbolism, graphic or visual components) to support the

presentation of implicit or explicit theme.

11.3.1.c Enhance the expression of voice, tone, and point of view in a text by strategically

using precise diction (considering denotation, connotation, and audience associations);

diverse syntax; varied sentence patterns; and punctuation for stylistic effect.

11.3.1.e Evaluate and revise text to eliminate unnecessary details, ineffective stylistic

devices, and vague or confusing language.

11.3.3.b Use a variety of phrases (absolute, appositive) accurately and purposefully to

improve writing.

11.3.3.d Ensure that a verb agrees with its subject in complex constructions (such as

inverted subject/verb order, indefinite pronoun as subject, intervening phrases or clauses).

Standards will be achieved through writing and revisions of the students’ final chapters. We

will discuss how different literary elements are at play and students will work in peer groups to

edit and revise their works.

Materials


Reading Journals

Quiz

Note Cards

Assessment

Students will be given a reading quiz on the final two chapters of the novel. Students will also be

assessed on their understanding of dystopian literature based on the final chapter that they create

in class.

Lesson


o How does this novel reflect a dystopia? Give concrete examples from the novel to

support your beliefs. Remember to think about the definitions that we created at

the beginning of the unit.


o Given that this is the ―final‖ day of the unit, how do you feel about the work that

we have done? Has it been helpful for you to work on pieces of your dystopian

society as we read the book? Explain some of the choices that you have made for

your society and why—reflect upon the work that you have done.




or not.

What would you do differently if you were to do this unit again?

What suggestions would you make for improving the unit?

o Which parts did you enjoy the most?

o Which parts didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the work?


Final chapter (30 minutes)

o Write the final chapter to your ―Hunger Games.‖ Address the most important

people in your dystopian society. What would you have your protagonist say to

them? Make sure to include at least three different people for your narrator to

address in some way.

The way that your protagonist addresses the people doesn’t have to be

obvious, such as ―To Peeta, I’m sorry that I hurt you.‖ Make it interesting.

Think of some interesting ways to write it. Write the final chapter like an

actual story. Make use of stylistic fragments, appositives, and parallel

structure when it’s appropriate. Do not force things just to put these

elements in—make it natural.

Stylistic fragment—―deliberate use of fragments to establish

informal tone, when appropriate‖ (Benjamin, 132)

Appositive—―appositives to strengthen sentences with additional

noun information that renames a key noun in the sentence‖

(Benjamin, 132)

Parallel structure—―appositives to strengthen sentences with

additional noun information that renames a key noun in the

sentence‖ (Benjamin, 132)

o As students finish writing, they will get together with a partner in order to get peer

feedback on their writing.

o While students are working on their final chapter, there will be a signup sheet

passed around for them to sign up for their presentations.

Homework: Prepare for your presentations!

Presentation Signup Sheet

Monday – Day Eleven

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Wednesday – Day Twelve

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Friday – Day Thirteen

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

Reading Quiz How does this novel reflect a dystopia? Give concrete examples from the novel to support your

beliefs. Remember to think about the definitions that we created at the beginning of the unit.

Suggested Pedagogy – Week Five Literature: The Hunger Games


Excerpt:

Once I’m on my feet, I realize escape might not be so simple.

Panic begins to set in. I can’t stay here. Flight is essential.

But I can’t let my fear show.

Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have

begun… (The Hunger Games, back of the book)

The Hunger Games – Day Eleven

90 minutes Students will be giving their presentations on the work that they have been doing over the

course of the unit. There will be a set number of presentations a day so that there will be time to

discuss those that we have seen, as well as the dystopias that the students created.

When signing up for presentations, students will be able to choose when they present so

that they are prepared as best as they can be for it.

Objectives

Students will present the work that they have completed over the course of the unit to

their peers.

Standards

11.1.1.b Deliver formal oral presentations for intended purpose and audience, using

effective verbal and nonverbal communication.

11.1.1.c Deliver oral talks with clear enunciation, vocabulary, and appropriate

organization; nonverbal gestures; and tone.

11.1.1.d Analyze audience responses to evaluate how effectively the talk or presentation

met the purpose.

11.1.2.a Critique accuracy, relevance, and organization of evidence of a presentation.

11.1.2.b Critique the clarity and effectiveness of delivery.


11.1.2.d Listen critically to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the presentation.

11.4.2.a Analyze the logic of complex situations by questioning the purpose, quest at



11.4.3.a Analyze the purpose, question at issue, information, points of view, implications

and consequences, inferences, assumptions, and concepts inherent in thinking.

11.4.3.b Assess strengths and weaknesses of thinking and thinking of others by using

criteria including relevance, clarity, accuracy, fairness, depth, breadth, logic, and

precision.

When students are giving their presentations, they will be trying to reach to their audience in

a way that will keep them captivated and interested. Unlike the informal talks and presentations

that students have been giving over the course of the unit, this will be formal and students will be

graded on it.

While students are in the audience listening to their peers, they will be taking notes on parts

of the dystopia and presentation that interests them the most.

Materials

Rubrics


Sign-up sheet

Assessment

The presentations that students give as well as the final products that they turn in at the

end will be the basis of the assessment for their presentations.

Lesson

Presentations (90 minutes)

The Hunger Games – Day Twelve






Objectives


their peers.

Standards






met the purpose.












precision.




graded on it.



Materials

Rubrics


Sign-up sheet

Assessment


end will be the basis of the assessment for their presentations.

Lesson


The Hunger Games – Day Thirteen






Objectives


their peers.

Standards






met the purpose.












precision.




graded on it.



Materials

Rubrics


Sign-up sheet

Presentation quiz

Note cards

Assessment


end will be the basis of the assessment for their presentations. After all of the presentations have

been completed, students will also be quizzed.

Lesson


Presentation quiz (10 minutes)

Presentation Quiz What was your favorite presentation? What did you like about it? What made it more appealing

than the other presentations? What was your favorite part about it?

the hunger games - wikispaces · this unit plan is designed for a five week period for eleventh...

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