Holes

by Louis Sachar

A WebQuest

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!  After reading and discussing the book, you must complete this WebQuest.

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 you 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 different types of friendships 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  

BadgerLink

Search for the following articles:

• "The Friendships of Delinquents" by Robert F. Marcus (Friendship and delinquents)

• "Predictors of Friendship Quality and Peer Group at Summer Camp" by Nancy A. Hanna (Friendship and "summer camp")

Now choose two characters in HOLES and discuss why their friendship is meaningful to you, what you have learned from their friendship and how you will apply it to your friendships.

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  

Search using the term "family."

http://www.eb.com:180

http://www.britannica.com/

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

(Click below for Texas climate conditions.)

http://traveltex.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? What about other prejudice in the story?

Where to Dig  

http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/ethnicstudies/race_discrim_main.html

Search using the term "racism."

www.britannica.com

http://go.grolier.com/gol

Hole #5 - Reptiles  

(The closest picture to a yellow spotted lizard I could find.)

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 lizard information.)

http://www.snap.com/directory/category/0,16,-13735,00.html

http://www.badgerlink.net

Other Topics You Might Want to Explore

Wild Wild West

Legendary Outlaws

Illiteracy

Curses

Where to Dig  

www.google.com

www.excite.com

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://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/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.

SPLOOSH, YOU'RE DONE!!!!!