This lesson can be used as a pre, during, or post reading activity with Lois
Lowry's "The Giver". It is a good way to talk about the idea of no-color
that exists in the book.
Affix several large sheets of colored paper around the room at student
height. I used yellow, white, green, blue, red, and black but additional colors
may be added. There should be a felts at each of the sheets of paper as well.
Have students stand in front of the colored paper sheets and write down
whatever comes to mind when they see that particular color. Encourage them to
explore the emotions that come up as well as memories or associations with
objects, etc... Every few minutes call out "SWITCH" and have
students rotate to another coloured paper. Repeat this process until everyone
has had a turn at each of the stations. Tell students to wonder around the
room and read what other students wrote down. As a class examine the common
emotions and memories that certain colors evoke. You'll notice that black
reflects the more negative feelings of fear and loneliness while yellow
usually brings at positive feelings and associations. Red has a tendency to be
both negative and positive as it conjures up ideas of death and love. Have
students discuss ideas of why the community in the novel is devoid of colors.
This activity helps them understand the power of colors and the emotions that
they can bring to a person. Some of these emotions are unheard of in "the
community". I usually leave the sheets of paper hanging for a few days
because my other classes are intrigued with the idea and want to add their
ideas too.
I then have the students write in their reading journals for the last 10
minutes of the class on the activity and how it relates to the novel.
This same type of activity can be used with several selections of music.
Students write down their emotions, feelings, and memories based on the
selection played. "The community" does not have music either and the
connections can be made as in the above activity.