No Prep Plans: Hunger Games Inside Panem — Food, Scarcity & Power

No Prep Plans: Hunger Games Inside Panem — Food, Scarcity & Power

Explore one of the most revealing inequalities in The Hunger Games: who has food, who goes hungry, and who controls access to the resources people need to survive.

In this no-prep novel study lesson, students investigate how food scarcity, Capitol excess, tesserae, and resource control reveal the unequal power structure of Panem. Students move beyond identifying examples from the novel to analyze how controlling basic needs can influence choices, increase risk, and strengthen political power.

The lesson culminates in a collaborative “Who Eats in Panem?” Evidence Investigation in which students build an evidence-based case connecting food, scarcity, inequality, and Capitol control.

Grades: 6–10
Time: 1–2 class periods (45–60 minutes each)

What's Included
- Teacher directions
- Student-friendly overview
- Mini research questions
- 5-step “Who Eats in Panem?” Evidence Investigation
- Food Tells a Story literary analysis page
- When Hunger Becomes Power analysis page
- Build the “Who Eats in Panem?” Investigation planning page
- Real-world connection activity
- Color student pages
- Printer-friendly black-and-white student pages

Students Will
- Compare food scarcity in the districts with Capitol abundance
- Analyze food as a symbol of survival, wealth, security & power
- Examine food-related moments through Katniss’s perspective
- Use textual evidence to analyze inequality
- Trace the relationship between scarcity, tesserae & Reaping risk
- Examine whether choices made under extreme need are truly free
- Analyze how controlling resources can shape behavior
- Explore food as both a potential reward and means of control
- Connect fictional resource control to a historical or contemporary example
- Develop and defend an evidence-based conclusion

Great For
- The Hunger Games novel studies
- Dystopian literature units
- Theme & symbolism
- Literary analysis
- Textual evidence
- Power & inequality
- Character perspective
- Cause-and-effect analysis
- ELA + Social Studies connections
- Collaborative learning

Original Work & Novel Disclaimer
This resource is an independently created, original educational work designed to support classroom study of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
This product is not affiliated with, authorized by, sponsored by, or endorsed by Suzanne Collins, Scholastic, the publisher, or any other rights holder associated with The Hunger Games. The novel title, characters, fictional locations, and other intellectual property associated with the novel remain the property of their respective rights holders.

No portion of the novel is reproduced or included. All instructional materials, research prompts, analysis activities, worksheets, and project materials are original educational content intended for supplemental classroom use alongside legally obtained copies of the novel.

Please Note
- Novel is not included
- Designed for classroom educational use
- Students should have access to The Hunger Games
- Some research activities may require internet access