Teaching The Giver by Lois Lowry I thought would be quite challenging until I came across this lesson plan dealing with the book for 6-8 grade students.
After the students have read The Giver I would leave different color posterboards all around the room in different areas (red, yellow, black, white, etc). To make the kids become active in the novel, I would ask them to walk around the room and “visit” each station where the different color posterboards are located. They would have to brainstorm thoughts or feelings that they reacted to the colors and write them down on the posters. This will get them analyzing what these colors bring to their lives; happiness, sadness, etc. Then they will have to think about the community that Jonas lives in. Was it positive or negative that the community couldn’t see colors? Do you think that Jonas benefited from seeing the color red? They will have to react by writing a short answer response to why they think that colors are an important part of ones life. This will get students thinking in a more critical way.

I feel that this will help students realize that colors are actually a vital part in ones life. “You’ll notice that black reflects the more negative feelings of fear and lonliness”(www.teachers.net/lessons/posts/664.html). Discussing with peers will also help them comprehend what these colors mean in life. Do you think it would be good for the well being of a community to not see any colors? In my opinion it would not be because they wouldn’t be able to know any expressions that go along with feeling happy or sad, angry or mad.