what assignment does jonas want

• Son Characters
• Protagonists

Jonas is the main protagonist in The Giver and a secondary character in Messenger and Son ; he was only mentioned in Gathering Blue . At the start of the series, he was selected as the Receiver of Memory . After a year of training, Jonas began to question the way the community was run and made a plan with The Giver to restore everyone's memories. The day he left the community, he took Gabriel (because he was going to be released ), food, and water to stay alive. During his travel, Jonas gave most of his provisions to Gabriel. Eventually, he and Gabriel reach Elsewhere by taking a ride on a sled. After reaching Elsewhere, Jonas grows into a man, and becomes Leader of the Village , marrying Kira , and having two children with her.

• 1.1 The Giver
• 1.2 Messenger
• 2 Job Assignment

Jonas is the main protagonist of The Giver .

Jonas then grew to be an adult and Leader of Village in Elsewhere , depicted as a place where all outcasts from previous communities gathered to create a cherishing and altruistic community. It is said in the book that a few years after he fled his Community, he was sent a barrage of books from the Giver that now make up his library, a sign that things had indeed changed. Directly outside Village resides Forest , a perhaps sentient and dangerous realm which Villagers feared.

A boy named Matty , also known as Matt, is able to pass through Forest without incident and subsequently was appointed Messenger by Leader, now known as Jonas. Discord soon grew within the Village , as a creature called Trademaster began to appear and tempt Villagers with material goods in exchange for their virtues. This transformed their compassion into discontent, and they soon pushed to close their borders to the disabled and broken in order to protect themselves, much to the Leader's dismay.

Seer , Kira's father, soon sent Matt back to his own Village in order to retrieve her before the borders close. Leader used his capacity to See Beyond in order sense Forest's dangers. As their journey reached its end but their situation grew more perilous, Leader himself went to attempt to save them but was captured by Forest 's traps. Kira , who also possess the capacity to See Beyond using her weaving skills, manages to forge a telepathic connection with him, who tells her to ask Matt to use his powers. Matt expands his abilities to heal not just the entire Forest , but the Village and its peoples as well, diminishing Trademaster’s threat and restoring the Villagers' humanity at the expense of his own life. Matt is known and remembered as Healer, a name given to him by Leader as the Village is restored.

He had retired from his position as Leader for the sake of his family, but was still revered by much of Village . He and Kira were happily married with two children named Annabelle and Matthew . Gabe , now fifteen, experienced the urge to return to his village to find his birth parents, which Jonas discouraged. However, Jonas soon began to sense the presence of something with a connection to Gabe , revealed to be Gabe 's birthmother, Claire , aged by Trademaster's powers. The Village appeared to be content, once again a welcoming place built from those who were broken. A local museum was also described, containing artifacts relevant to the Village ’s history, including the sled Jonas had brought Gabriel on.

Jonas was soon confronted by a seemingly old Claire, who explained the shocking truth to Jonas and revealed much about Gabe's past, in addition to the return of Trademaster . They both resolved to tell Gabe, however, Claire's condition weakened while Gabe was reluctant to abandon his plan of escaping to his former Community. Jonas and Kira attempted to explain the concept of Seeing Beyond, which he admitted was fading for the both of them as they aged. Jonas planned to use his power one final time, in order to locate Trademaster and have Gabe defeat him using his own abilities.

He then left to take care of an ailing Claire, and was soon tracked down by Gabe which prompted him to explain the truth about his parentage. When Gabe was skeptical about the trade she had made, Mentor explained to him Trademaster's true nature and the impact he had on Claire's life. Gabe soon vowed to reverse the trade and restore his mother; supported by Jonas, who saw beyond a final time in order to locate him, Gabe defeated Trademaster using his powers of empathy and clairvoyance to reduce him to dust. By doing so, Claire was restored to her usual health and beauty and was guided by Jonas to reunite with Gabe.

In the film adaptation of The Giver , Jonas was portrayed by Australian actor Brenton Thwaites. He was also aged up to be 18 in the film, instead of 11 or 12. In addition, instead of the marker of pale blue eyes indicating the ability to See Beyond, he, the Giver, and Gabriel have a blue mark on their wrists. In the film adaptation, he was also assigned the Number 52 instead of Number 19. Furthermore, Fiona is presented as his love interest, whereas in the books, she is incapable of reciprocating feelings due to the effect of the pills.

Job Assignment

In the Village, Jonas became known as meat face in his late teens and continued to guide the people through times of trouble. He retired during late adulthood in order to raise his family, and assumed the position of Scholar/Protector of the books instead.

Curriculum  /  ELA  /  6th Grade  /  Unit 2: Challenging Authority: The Giver  /  Lesson 4

Challenging Authority: The Giver

Lesson 4 of 32

Readings and Materials

A note for teachers, target task, key questions, enhanced lesson plan.

Lesson Notes

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Evaluate what kind of person Jonas is, based on the way he responds to specific events and his community's values in Chapters 5–6 of The Giver .

Book:  The Giver by Lois Lowry  — Chapters 5–6

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Prior to the start of class, print out the quotes in the Hamlet Quote Card resource and glue/tape them to a notecard in order to be prepared for the opening activity. If possible, move the student desks/tables to the side of the room so that there is room for students to walk around. Alternatively, take students to a space outside the classroom where they will have more room to engage in the activity.

In Chapter 5, Jonas and his parents discuss him experiencing Stirrings for the first time. In the novel, Stirrings are likely, though not explicitly stated, intensified feelings associated with puberty. While Jonas first experiences these feelings in the form of confused attraction for Fiona, the Stirrings are not explicitly sexual or romantic. When discussing the events of Chapter 5 with students, frame Stirrings as "strong or intense feelings." As a part of internalization for this unit, leverage the Hot Topics in Discussion Teacher Tool to ensure that discussion remains appropriate, safe, and respectful for all.

Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved.

Writing Prompt

How does Jonas respond to the values and expectations of the community? What conclusions can we draw about what kind of person he is, based on his behavior? Support your answer with at least two pieces of specific evidence from the text. 

Sample Response

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Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding

What can be inferred about Jonas based on how he responds to the community's rules and expectations regarding sharing dreams? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.

Summarize Jonas' discussion with his mother regarding the Stirrings. What can be inferred about what the community values based on how Stirrings are discussed? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.

Based on the events of Chapter 6, how does the community treat and view children? What can be inferred about their values based on their treatment of children?

Why does the author include Jonas' conversation with Asher on pages 60–61? How does this scene fit into the overall structure of the text?

Exit Ticket

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

Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text

producing powerful feelings or images in the mind

not clear or specific

to trust someone with a secret

not enough or not good enough

Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.

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 7–8

While reading, answer the following questions.

What happens during the Ceremony of Twelve?

How would you describe Asher's personality?

What story do they tell about Asher? Why?

What happens when the Chief Elder gets to Jonas' number? How does it make him feel?

What assignment is Jonas selected for?

What qualities does the Chief Elder say that Jonas has that qualify him for this assignment?

What emotions does Jonas experience when he learns of his new assignment?

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Common Core Standards

Reading standards for literature.

RL.6.2 — Determine a theme or 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.

RL.6.3 — Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

Supporting Standards

Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit

Language 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.

RL.6.1 — Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.6.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

RL.6.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6—8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Speaking and Listening Standards

SL.6.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.6.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Writing Standards

W.6.1 — Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

W.6.1.a — Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.

W.6.1.b — Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

W.6.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.6.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

W.6.9.a — Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics").

W.6.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Explain how specific passages from Chapters 7 and 8 of The Giver  use juxtaposition to develop the plot and fit into the overall structure of the text.

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

• “How to...”
• “The History Of The Dystopian Novel Actually Begins With A Book About Utopia”

L.6.6 RI.6.2

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

• The Giver — Chapters 1–2

RL.6.5 W.6.1.c

Determine the meaning of unknown words in The Giver and explain the impact of specific words and phrases on the mood and tone.

• The Giver — Chapters 3–4

L.6.4 RL.6.4

• The Giver — Chapters 5–6

RL.6.2 RL.6.3

• The Giver — Chapters 7–8

Draw conclusions about Jonas based on the way he responds to specific events in Chapters 9–10 of The Giver .

• The Giver — Chapters 9–10

RL.6.3 RL.6.5

Analyze how Jonas responds to events and how he changes as he continues his training in The Giver .

• The Giver — Chapters 11–12

Explain how author Lois Lowry develops several thematic topics in Chapter 13 of The Giver .

• The Giver — Chapter 13

Analyze why Jonas makes certain decisions and analyze how the events of Chapters 14 and 15 advance the overall plot. 

• The Giver — Chapters 14–15

Analyze how Jonas changes and why in Chapters 16 and 17.

• The Giver — Chapters 16–17

RL.6.3 RL.6.6 W.6.1.c

Explain how specific words and phrases develop mood, tone, and meaning in Chapters 18 and 19 of The Giver .

• The Giver — Chapters 18–19

RL.6.4 RL.6.5

Explain how Jonas has changed as a result of witnessing the release of the newchild. 

• The Giver — Chapters 20–21

Analyze the changes in Jonas' character at the resolution of The Giver .

• The Giver — Chapters 22–23

Determine universal themes for the novel The Giver and explain how the author develops those themes.

Engage in a Socratic Seminar with peers, demonstrating a deep understanding of the text and topic by posing and responding to questions, and providing evidence to support ideas.

SL.6.1 SL.6.1.a SL.6.1.c SL.6.4

Unpack the prompt for a multi-paragraph essay, study an exemplar, and begin to gather evidence.

• Analytical Writing Rubric, Mid-Unit Task (G6, U2)

W.6.1 W.6.5 W.6.9

Draft a strong claim statement and create an outline for a multi-paragraph essay.

W.6.1 W.6.1.a W.6.1.b W.6.5

Draft and revise strong body paragraphs, incorporating feedback from peers.

Craft a strong introductory paragraph, complete with hook, context, and sub-claims.

W.6.1 W.6.1.a

Use pronouns appropriately in writing.

L.6.1 L.6.1.a L.6.1.d

Identify arguments an author makes about screen time and explain whether or not claims are supported by credible reasoning and evidence.

• “The Harmful...”

Identify arguments and claims authors make about screen time and explain whether or not claims are supported by evidence.

• “Less Screen...”
• “Why the Screen...”

RI.6.2 RI.6.8

Explain how specific sections of an article fit into the overall structure of the text and help to develop meaning.

• “Kids Must...”

Explain how specific sections of an article fit into the overall structure of the text and help to develop meaning.

• “Don't Limit...”

Identify arguments and claims a speaker makes about screen time, and explain whether or not claims are supported by reasoning and evidence.

• “3 Fears about screen time for kids—and why they're not true”
• “3 Fears about screen time for kids—and why they're not true (transcript)”

Create a poster of pros and cons of parents limiting kids' screen time and appropriately cite evidence.

W.6.2 W.6.8 W.6.9

Unpack an argumentative essay prompt, write a strong claim statement, and begin to outline the essay.

Draft and revise two strong body paragraphs.

W.6.1 W.6.1.a W.6.1.b W.6.1.c

Draft strong introduction and conclusion paragraphs.

W.6.1 W.6.1.a W.6.1.e

Revise essays for tone and add transitions to clarify reasoning and connections between ideas.

• Persuasive Writing Rubric (G6, U2)

W.6.1 W.6.1.c W.6.1.d

Use pronouns appropriately and incorporate any edits to final drafts. 

L.6.1 L.6.1.c L.6.1.d W.6.5

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