Holes

(1999 Newbery Award Winner)
by Louis Sachar

Take the Holes On-Line Trivia Game!

A WebQuest by Teresa Phillips

Introduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion

Introduction

Welcome to Camp Green Lake!  As a member of Group D, you are to "dig" 5 holes that are 5' x 5' each and gather in-depth information on the themes provided.  Remember to watch out for the yellow spotted lizards, and stay away from the Warden's fingernails!

Task

After "digging" for information, each group will present a 10-minute panel discussion (3-5 students per group).  In addition, you must complete one of the following:

  • PowerPoint presentation (5-10 slides) (individual or group)

  • Video with written script (individual or group)

  • Research paper (individual only)

  • Other (You may select your own presentation technique but must have prior approval by the teacher.)

Process

  • Answer the questions provided for each hole.

  • Read/search the connected links for additional information.

  • Summarize your thoughts.

  • Present your results in the format your have chosen for your task.

Hole #1 - Friendship

There are many instances of friendship throughout HOLES.  Here are 2 examples to get you started:

  • The friendship between Stanley & Zero versus the friendship between Stanley & X-Ray

  • The friendship between Sam, the "Onion Man," & Kissin' Kate Barlow

You might want to consider the following thoughts about your personal experiences of friendship:

  • Your idea of what a friend should be
  • The 3 qualities you most admire in a friend
  • 2 or 3 of your closest friends
  • What attracted you to form friendships with these people?
  • What activities do you share with your friends?
  • Do you confide in your friends?  Why is it or is it not a good idea to confide in your friends?
  • What do you particularly like about your friends?
  • What do you particularly not like about your friends?
  • Who are your best friends?  Why?
  • Is there anything you would like to say about friendship?

Where to Dig


(Click below for Inspire Link.)
http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/pges/kid-pages/friendship/default.html

Now choose two characters in HOLES and discuss why their friendship is meaningful to you.

Hole #2 - Family Relationships


Each member of Group D had a very different family life.  Compare and contrast the family relationships that were evident in the book.  Think about Zero's non-family versus Stanley's loving family.  Can you relate to any of the family relationships in this book?  What kind of family life do you think the other members of Group D had (Armpit, X-Ray, Squid, Magnet, and ZigZag)?

Where to Dig


(Click below for a dictionary link of the term "family".)
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?search=family

Hole #3 - Nature

Nature plays a very important role in HOLES.   Describe the environmental conditions at Camp Green Lake.  Do you think Madame Zeroni's curse has influenced the physical setting at the camp?  How does the environment reflect the lives of the inmates?  Are the weather conditions in HOLES consistent with the actual weather in Texas? 

Where to Dig


(Click below for Texas weather information.)
http://www.weatherchannel.com

Hole #4 - Prejudice/Racism

Do you see evidence of prejudice/racism in the relationship of Kissin' Kate & Sam, "the Onion Man"?  Have attitudes and tolerance levels changed since then?  How did the events in 1890 influence the story?   Do you believe Zero's hardships at the camp are a reflection of prejudice/racism?

Where to Dig


(Click below for link.)
http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/ethnicstudies/race_discrim_main.html

(Click below for Encyclopedia link.)
Search using the term "racism."
http://www.encyclopedia.com/

Hole #5 - Reptiles

                                        
                                                                                         WhoZoo (http://whozoo.org)

Pretend you are one of the reptiles in the book (scorpion, rattlesnake, spotted yellow lizard, or the tarantula).  Describe yourself.  What do you eat?  What kind of climate do you like?  How does your presence affect the underlying evil and poison surrounding the story?

Where to Dig


(Click below for scorpion information.)
http://www.desertusa.com/oct96/du_scorpion.html

(Click below for rattlesnake information.)
 http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/r1/rattlesn.asp

(Click below for lizard information.)
http://www.dcchargers.com/HOLES/yellow-spotted%20lizards.htm

(Click below for tarantula information.)
http://www.amonline.net.au/spiders/culture/tarantulas.htm#salmon

http://www.whozoo.org/Intro2001/brooksal/BS_TxTarantula.htm

Other Topics You Might Want to Explore
Wild Wild West
Legendary Outlaws
Illiteracy
Curses

Other Sites of Interest
Amazon's review of HOLES:
 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0374332657/o/qid=931279479/sr=2-1/002-4056254-1587635

The Louis Sachar site:
http://www.carr.lib.md.us/authco/saclouis_sachar.htm

Other Newbery winners site:
http://www.ala.org/alsc/newbery.html

A site for teachers:
 http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1980/1/80.01.03.x.html

Evaluation
This WebQuest will be worth 100 points as follows:

  • Introduction - 10

  • Presentation - 20

  • Content - 20

  • Format - 20

  • Panel Discussion - 20

  • Conclusion - 10

Conclusion
After reading this book, you should be able to identify themes and issues including the importance of family and friend relationships, perseverance even under adverse and unfair conditions, and consequences of your choices.   The final message is that it's up to each individual to overcome the obstacles and hardships that will ultimately build character.

Sources: http://www.plainfield.k12.in.us/hschool/webq/webq91/index.htm

 

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