Holes

Stanley Yelnats is sent to Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correctional Facility in Texas for a crime he didn't commit. The warden makes the boys dig holes five feet wide and five feet deep.  He tells the boys this will "build character".  As Stanley makes friends, he soon realizes the warden has another motive and it's not character building.  The boys are digging the holes because the warden is searching for something.  Stanley sets out to find the truth and in doing so he must overcome being bullied.

Reading Level:
     Lexile: 660
      
Genre/Theme:
     Adventure/Mystery    
     Racism
     Bullying

Subject:
     English Language Arts

Teaching Ideas for a 6th Grade Class:
     Web Resources: 
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/cover-cover-comparing-books-1098.html
offers a lesson plan idea on comparing the book to the movie.

http://www.eduscapes.com/newbery/99a.htm offers links to everything from author connections to sample lesson plans.  It also offers links for teacher connections as well as movie connections.

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=924&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.scholastic.com%2Fbrowse%2Fsearch%2F%3FNtx%3Dmode%2Bmatchallpartial%26_N%3Dfff%26Ntk%3DSCHL30_SI%26query%3Dholes%26N%3D0%26Ntt%3Dholes%22+class%3D%22endecaAll%22%3EAll+Results%3C%2Fa%3E also offer a detailed lesson plan to compare and contrast the book to the movie.

Suggested Delivery: Small Groups

Before Reading: 
     Vocabulary to Introduce: preposterous, compound, condemned, mirage, spigot, authenticated, writhing
There is something unique about Stanley Yelnats name.  It is considered a palindrome.  This means his name is spelled the same forward as it is backwards.  Have students think of any other palindromes (i.e. mom, dad).  Ask students if they have ever been accussed of something they didn't do (looking for personal connections).  This is a story of a boy who has been bullied and now is being accussed of a crime he didn't commit.  He is sentenced to Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correctional Facility.  Have students predict what Stanley's life will be like at this juvenile facility and why the story is titled Holes in their reading logs.     

During Reading:
Students will use their reading journals to keep track of the different characters, the setting, plot events, and resolution that occur at the end of each chapter. 

After Reading: 
Sometimes there are movies based on books.  Ask students if they can recall reading a book and then watching the same titled movie.  There are always similarities and differences.  Watch the movie Holes.  Have students work in small groups comparing and contrasting the movie with the book.  Have students refer to their reading journals being sure to compare and contrast various characters, the setting, plot events, and resolution.  Students will write a persuasive essay in which they will give their opinion of which was better, the movie or the book.  They must give reasons for their response and use evidence from the book and/or movie. 

Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. New York: Scholastic Press.