The+Hunger+Games2

__**APA Citation**__ Collins, S. (2008). //The Hunger Games.// New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.



In the book titled The Hunger Games, North America has been destroyed and in its place is a new nation called Panem. With 13 Districts and a dictatorial Capitol, all the people can do is try to survive while the Capitol resides in luxury. The Districts, which consist of the working class people, provide the Capitol population with everything it needs to remain in power and sustain its lifestyle. While the Capitol lives this lifestyle District 13 is not happy and decides to mount an uprising. District 13 gets destroyed. The goal of maintaining control and to sustain its luxury, Panem seeks to constantly remind of its control in what is known as The Hunger Games. Every year in what as referred to as the reaping, each of the 12 Districts send two tributes, one boy and one girl, to fight in an arena to the death; the last child standing is the winner. The Hunger Games are a source of entertainment for the nation and are televised for each citizen of Panem to watch. Katniss Everdeen, who is telling the story, lives in the extremely impoverished District 12 with her mother and younger sister, Primrose. Her father was killed in a mine explosion at the age of eleven. Extreme grief caused Katniss’s mother to fall into deep depression, therefore she is now raising and providing for both Prim and herself. Katniss shuns other people except her own family members and her one friend and hunting partner, Gale. Gale, who hunts small animals illegally, helps to provide food for his family. He teaches Katniss how to hunt and other survival skills. At the annual “reaping,” when one boy and one girl is drawn to see who will fight to the death in the Hunger Games, Prim’s name is called. Katniss steps up to volunteer in Prim’s place. The boy chosen is Peeta, whom Katniss knows from school. During the games Peeta and Katniss struggle to keep one another alive, and, at the end, they are the two survivors. The gamemakers changed the rules earlier declaring there would be two winners, but at the end they reverse their own rule change back to only having one winner. Deciding to outwit the gamemakers and the Capitol, Katniss gives Peeta and herself poisonous berries. They both seemingly die, but after the show ends, they spit out the berries and the Capitol must declare, for the first time, two Hunger Games winners.
 * __Summary __**


 * __Critique of Novel __**

The Hunger Games is an excellent book. Issues such as power struggle, war, ethics; oppression and romance are different themes running throughout the book. In the book Katniss is unable to figure out her feeling for either Gale or Peeta, because she is afraid to let anyone get close to her. I think that Katniss’s struggles, not only with poverty, but also with her unclear feelings towards both boys, are what make the book a real page-turner and relatable to most young adolescents. I feel since the above-mentioned themes are covered in this book that it makes it more suitable for upper middle grades, such as 8th grade. Even though this book is enormously popular among young adolescents it is, in my opinion, a little graphic for a 6th grader. With the futuristic setting many adolescents are drawn to read it because it could very well be what America looks like in the future, but without the killing, hopefully. Also, fighting to survive could relate to adolescents because they are coming of age, and they are trying to find their place in the world and survive the adolescent years just as Katniss was trying to survive in the world she lived. Poverty is another issue that is very poignant in the book. Many young adolescents are unfortunately faced with this situation everyday and being able to relate to the main character and her situation could make a kid feel like they are not alone in the world. I feel overall that The Hunger Games is a great book for any young adolescent and it has many interdisciplinary lessons for teachers to use in the classroom.


 * __Content Area Uses Based on the North Carolina course of study __**

__Language Arts __

Students could determine a theme or central idea of The Hunger Games Book and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it affects the characters, setting, and plot.

Students could analyze the differences in the points of view between Katniss and other tributes and the audience who watching the games being televised.

Students could analyze the extent to which the film version of The Hunger Games stays faithful to the book version.

__Math__

Students could use the concept of probability to determine how great of a chance Katniss had of her name being picked the first time during the reaping. They could form their own lottery in class and determine their chances of winning a prize.

__Science__

Teach students to understand the composition of various substances as it relates to their ability to serve as a source of energy for growth and repair of organisms. With this understanding:

Students could discuss and summarize the foods Katniss eats in order to provide the energy she needs to survive.

They could explain how the diet, exercise, and general health of Katniss were vital to her survival. To demonstrate this, students could keep track of what they eat for a week and discuss the differences in energy levels with the differences in diets.

__Social Studies __ Students could explain the impact of economics, politics, social and military conflicts the Capitol had over the Districts. Students could summarize how the leaders and citizens helped shape the nation of Panem. Students could explain how the location in which Katniss lived presented opportunities and challenges for the good of the people of District 12. Students can discuss the how human and environmental interactions affected the quality of life for Katniss. Students could also summarize how the contributions of each District shaped the Capitol and the nation of Panem.