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Holes by Louis Sachar

Holes by Louis Sachar follows Stanley Yelnats, a boy unjustly sent to a juvenile detention camp where he and the other boys are forced to dig holes under the hot desert sun. As Stanley befriends a boy named Zero, they uncover secrets about the camp's true purpose and their families' intertwined histories, ultimately leading to justice and the breaking of a family curse.

Check out activities to use with this chapter book: 

 

Vocabulary

This book is filled with rich vocabulary. Review new words. You can hand the words on a word wall, make a scavenger hunt looking for the words around the room or in the book, or  match the picture to the word. Vocabulary words are group by chapter ranges. 

     

Play bingo with the vocabulary words as you talk about what they mean or how they are used in the story. 

     

Play Dots and Boxes with a partner. Try to close in each vocabulary word. Person with most words boxed wins. 

     

Make playing cards with specific vocabulary. You can play Go Fish, Uno, or Memory Matching. Print cards on cardstock for better quality. 

     

 

Comprehension

In smaller groups, discuss these discussion questions about the story. 

 

 

Characters

Make a list of the different characters in the story.

Talk about why the author gives the boys nicknames? What do these nicknames tell about each person? Make name tags to act out or delve into a character's importance to the book. 

 

Compare and Contrast

After reading the book, watch the movie. What is the same and what is different in the two versions? 

Habitats

The story takes place in a desert. What are some characteristics of a desert? 

 

Compare deserts to other habitats. 

 

Math

Talk about measurement. The holes needed to be 5 feet deep and 5 feet diameter. What did the boys use to measure their hole? What other things can you use to measure? 

There are many ways to measure. Learn measurement types with common objects.  Learn difference between mass, linear, and volume measurements in metric units.   

  

Compare attributes of objects. 

How many holes were there? Build math sentences with Holes cards.