Lesson Plan: Introduction to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Objective:
- To introduce students to the basic plot and themes of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- To engage students in discussions and activities related to the novel
Materials:
- Copies of The Hunger Games for each student
- Handout with key terms and quotes from the novel (optional)
- Access to a projector and computer (optional)
Warm-Up:
- Ask students if they are familiar with The Hunger Games and what they know about it. Encourage them to share their prior knowledge and any personal connections they may have to the novel.
- Show a short trailer or clip from the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games (optional). Ask students to pay attention to the setting and characters, and to make predictions about the plot based on what they see.
Direct Instruction:
- Provide an overview of the basic plot of The Hunger Games. Explain that the novel is set in a dystopian society called Panem, which is divided into 12 districts and a Capitol. Each year, the Capitol holds a brutal event called The Hunger Games, in which one boy and one girl from each district are chosen at random to compete in a fight to the death. The protagonist of the novel is a 16-year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in The Hunger Games.
- Discuss the main themes of the novel, including survival, power dynamics, and the impact of media and propaganda. Ask students to consider how these themes might be relevant to their own lives.
Guided Practice:
- Divide students into small groups and assign each group one of the key terms or quotes from the handout. Have each group research the term or quote and discuss its significance in the novel.
- Have groups present their findings to the class, encouraging class-wide discussion and analysis.
Independent Practice:
- Have students read the first few chapters of The Hunger Games on their own. Ask them to pay attention to the setting, characters, and themes introduced in the text, and to make predictions about how the plot might develop.
Closure:
- Ask students to share their thoughts and impressions about the novel so far. Encourage them to consider how the themes and issues raised in the novel might be relevant to their own lives and the world around them.
Assessment:
- Observe and take notes on student participation in group discussions and presentations.
- Collect and review students’ predictions about the plot of the novel.
- Assign a short writing prompt or quiz based on the material covered in the lesson.
