The Hunger Games!
Name:______________________
What They Ate
Activity & Discussion Points to Cover
the Theme of Hunger in
The Hunger Games
Created By Tracee Orman
www.hungergameslessons.com
With lesson extension activities for service
projects and an activity using Scholastic’s Hunger
Games online games.
©2010 Tracee Orman
The Hunger Games!
Name:______________________
What they ate...
Survival meant eating things you
wouldn’t normally eat.
Write down some of the things Katniss, her family, the citizens of the Panem
districts, and the tributes must eat to survive.
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What do the citizens of the Capitol eat?
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How do these meals differ?
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©2010 Tracee Orman
The Hunger Games!
Name:______________________
Suggested answers to “What They Ate”:
Katniss & district citizens ate: Game meat (such as deer, rabbit, wild turkey,
pheasant, etc.), squirrel, birds, possum, fish, bread, cheese (such as goat cheese); they
had grain & oil rations; Katniss collected berries, nuts, apples, herbs, dandelions & other
greens. Whatever they could grow or hunt/trap (illegally) they would eat, basically.
Anything sugary was on very rare or special occasions. Store bought pre-packaged
food was extremely rare for district citizens.
Capitol citizens ate: More than one course would be served, so meals consisted of
soups, salads, meat, vegetables, fruit, and dessert. Lamb chops, carrot soup, green
salad, mashed potatoes, and chocolate cake was Katniss & Peetaʼs first meal on the
train. Breakfast might be eggs, ham, fried potatoes, fruit (that is kept chilled in a tureen
on ice), baskets of rolls, orange juice, coffee, and hot chocolates.
How do these meals differ? Students should respond that the district people are
responsible for growing & making their own food. They have very little or no money to
buy food, or would have to trade things for it. Their food is survival for them--whatever
they can eat, they will. If itʼs rat meat, itʼs better than no meat at all.
The Capitol people seem to take for granted what actually goes into preparing even
one meal--raising the animals (having to feed them daily, clean their pens, milk them,
etc.), harvesting the fruits & vegetables, growing the grain, etc.
For class discussion:
Another question to ask may be which is healthier? If the district people actually had enough
to eat & were able to grow fruits & vegetables yearly, theirs would probably be a healthier diet
since they do not eat a lot of sugar or drink beverages that are loaded with calories (except
Haymitch, of course--but he has advantages being a victor). The Capitol people could probably
eat very healthy, but most likely their meals are loaded with fat. But because plastic surgery
and other forms of ridding excess weight is very prevalent in the Capitol, they donʼt seem to
care (Catching Fire goes into this theme a little deeper, showing how the Capitol people binge &
purge).
Food that Katniss & Peeta may think are delicacies are probably things that most Americans
today take for granted. Many students may think the Capitol people eat just like many
Americans today. Hopefully, this will get the students thinking about what they would live on if
they had to provide food for themselves--no stores to buy cereal or pop tarts or ordering pizza or
fast food.
You can ask the students: Would you eat Greasy Saeʼs “winter specialty” of mice meat,
pig entrails, and tree bark?
-Most will probably say no, but if they were starving, I am sure they would in order to survive.
Perhaps some will share stories of different things theyʼve eaten or people they know eat. I
share that my Italian grandmother would prepare a meal using cow brain & cow tongue. My
fatherʼs family (Germans) always prepare a stew at Christmas using rabbit, squirrel, pheasant,
potatoes, apples, and raisins. It always sounded gross to me growing up, but one year I got the
courage to try it & actually loved it.
©2010 Tracee Orman
The Hunger Games!
Name:______________________
Hunger is NOT a Game
I’ve had the good fortune of being introduced to the
Imagine Better project through The Harry Potter Alliance
from my friends in The Hunger Games fandom.
They are working with Hunger Games fans to spread the
word about world hunger. This is a perfect opportunity for
you to introduce a service project to your students and
have them proactively help put an end to world hunger.
Here’s a message you can pass on to your students and
others:
In Panem, the Capitol enforces scarcity. Though there
are a multitude of resources throughout the Districts, the
Capitol uses its power to control and limit these resources and
keep the nation hungry.
Our system is broken, too. As in Panem, there is plenty of food in OUR world to
go around, but millions of people still don't have enough to eat. Sign the GROW
Pledge today and help fight artificial scarcity! http://www.thehpalliance.org/grow
This is a video from Oxfam about their GROW Campaign that helps illustrate some of
the campaign's key points: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEncHWEjLTI
You can also read the blog posts (that include lesson ideas) on my website, found
here:
Is Hunger a Factor After Mockingjay? (Looking at what people eat around the world):
www.hungergameslessons.com/2011/12/things-that-make-me-go-hmmm-ishunger.html
Hunger Games Fans Are Teaming Up Against Hunger: http://
www.hungergameslessons.com/2012/03/hunger-games-fans-are-also-teamingup.html
Hunger is NOT a Game: http://www.hungergameslessons.com/2012/03/hunger-isnot-game.html
Thanks for helping to make a difference!
©2010 Tracee Orman
The Hunger Games!
Name:______________________
Could you survive in the Arena? Let’’s find out!
To play the games “Trial By Fire” or “Tribute Trials,” follow these directions:
1. Website: http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/games/index.htm
2. When you reach this site (above), you may click on the “Play Trial By Fire Now!”
button, or scroll down to play “Tribute Trials.”
3. Below, a pop-up window will appear (if it doesnʼt, make sure your pop-up windows
are not blocked in your browserʼs Preferences). Type in your FIRST NAME only!
4. Click the PLAY NOW & good luck!
Or should I say, ““May the odds be ever in your favor!”” :)
©2010 Tracee Orman
The Hunger Games!
Name:______________________
Teacher Guide to Trial By Fire:
There is only one path to take in order to be the Victor in “Trial By Fire.”
Here are the steps to take in order to win the game:
"
1. Run away
"
2. Set up camp
"
3. Forest
"
4. Eat
"
5. Befriend
"
6. Evade… You Win!
I have never earned more than a 99% in “Tribute Trials”, so I have no idea what it takes
to achieve a higher score. Good luck!
Check out my blog:
Hunger Games Lessons
To find so many more Hunger Games activities, discussion questions, check quizzes,
tests, graphic organizers, vocabulary, puzzles, Jeopardy-style review Powerpoints, etc.
check out my Hunger Games Complete Unit.
I also have units for Catching Fire & Mockingjay.
My Online Store:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Tracee-Orman
Thanks to Down With The Capitol for creating a wonderful site for
teachers, students, and fans of The Hunger Games Trilogy!
http://hungergamesdwtc.net
©2010 Tracee Orman