Holes

By Louis Sachar
Novel Study

About the Author

Louis Sachar was born on March 20, 1954 in East Meadow, New York.
It wasnt until high school that he fell in love with reading. This love
continued into college and some of his favorite authors included Tolstoy and
Dostoevsky. He especially loved to read Russian literature. Thinking that he
would like it, Sachar took a Russian course in college. However, it was not
for him, and he began to look for another course to take. An opportunity
came up that required him to be an elementary teachers aide for college
credit. So, he took this opportunity. This event was spurred Sachars
interest in writing childrens literature. During this time, he wrote Sideways
Stories from Wayside School, which is a collection of short stories about
the students at Wayside School. The kids in this book were based on the
kids that Sachar knew at the school he helped at. Sideways Stories was
published as Sachar began law school. During law school, he wrote three
more childrens books. Today, even though he is a lawyer, he has decided to
become a full-time author of childrens books. His books have won many
awards. Holes, one of Sachars most popular books, has won awards such as:
The Newberry Award, New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year, and
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year.

Table of Contents

Title page
About Author
Table of Contents
Summary
Chapter Guides
Activities
Explanations

Summary
Stanley Yelnats comes from a family that is cursed with bad luck. This bad luck
causes Stanley to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Consequently, he is
convicted of stealing a famous baseball players shoes from a homeless shelter. The
judge gives Stanley a couple of choices: jail or camp. He chooses to go to Camp Green
Lake. He thought that going to a camp would be fun. However, this camp does not live
up to Stanleys Camp Fun and Games expectations. Camp Green Lake is a camp for
Bad Boys where they have to dig a hole a day to help them build character. There
is no lake at Camp Green Lake and it is extremely hot. While at camp, he meets other
boys: Zero, X-Ray, Squid, Magnet, Armpit, and Zigzag. He also meets the counselors
Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski (Mom) and the Warden. Besides Stanleys story there are
two other stories intertwined within Holes. The first story explains the curse that effects
Stanleys family. A one-legged Gypsy, Madame Zeroni, cursed Stanleys great-greatgrandfather Elya Yelnats because he betrayed her. The second story takes place 110
years ago at Camp Green Lake. Katherine Barlow falls in love with Sam, the onion
seller. However, there relationship causes trouble because Sam is Black and Katherine
is White. This results in Sam being killed. In her grief, Kate becomes an outlaw known
as Kissin Kate Barlow. She gets this name because she kisses the men she kills, leaving
a lipstick mark on them. Kate robs Stanleys great-grandfather and steals his fortune.
She buries the money somewhere around the dried up Green Lake. That is what the
boys are digging holes for. The Warden wants to find the treasure, so she requires that
the boys show her anything of interest that they dig up. Stanley, ends up finding a
Lipstick tube of Kate Barlows, prompting the Warden to ramp up the digging efforts in
hopes of finding the treasure. Now, the boys are paired together to dig more
efficiently. Stanley is paired with Zero, whom he becomes friends with. Stanley and
Zero work out a deal that lets Stanley teach Zero how to read and write. Unfortunately,
everyone looks down upon Zero for learning to read. This causes him to run away, into
the desert. Stanley runs after him. Stanley searches for Zero, finally finding him under
the remains of Sams boat. They survive on Sploosh, or canned peaches, for a while.
Eventually, they find water and onions by Gods thumb (a rock that looks like a
thumb, which Stanleys great-grandfather once saw). They stay there for a while
and Zero confesses that he was the one who stole the shoes. Stanley is okay with
it. The story ends with Stanley and Zero finding the treasure, almost being bitten
by lizards, the camp being shut down, and an ending that is happy for both Stanley
and Zero.

Weekly Calendar
Week 1

Week 2

-Read 1-10

Read 11-20
-Complete
Chapter
Reading
Guide
-Discuss
-Complete
Predictions
sheet,
connections,
and
inferences
sheet.

-Complete
Chapter
Reading
Guide
-Discuss
-Complete
Predictions
sheet,
connections,
and
inferences
sheet.

Week 3
Read 21-30
-Complete
Chapter
Reading
Guide
-Discuss
-Complete
Predictions
sheet,
connections,
and
inferences
sheet.

Week 4

Week 5

Read 31-40
-Complete
Chapter
Reading
Guide
-Discuss
-Complete
Predictions
sheet,
connections,
and
inferences
sheet.

Read 41-50
-Complete
Chapter
Reading
Guide
-Discuss
-Complete
Predictions
sheet,
connections,
and
inferences
sheet.
-complete
open mind
portrait
-Complete
Summarizing
Graphic
Organizer
-Watch Movie

Name:________________________________

Date:_______________

Chapters 1-5
1. Explain why the name Camp Green Lake is interesting

2. What is the worst thing that can happen to a camper at Camp Green Lake?
A. Rattlesnake bite

C. Yellow-spotted lizard bite

B. Scorpion Sting

D. Bee Sting

3. What kind of campers go to Camp Green Lake? ____________________________________________

4. Describe Stanley Yelnats

Why does Stanleys home always smell like burning rubber?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Explain the curse of the one-legged Gypsy

6. What did the Yelnats family like about the name Stanley?
__________________________________________________________________
7. Who is Kissin Kate Barlow?
A. A gypsy

C. Stanleys mom

B. Stanleys cousin

D. The outlaw that robbed Stanleys great-grandfather.

8. Who is Mr. Sir?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Why do you think the boys call Mr. Pendanski Mom?

Name:________________________________

Date:_______________

Chapters 6-10
1. What crime was Stanley accused of? _________________________________________
2. Do you think it would have been better if Stanley lied to the judge? Why or Why not?

3. How can someone get a day off at Camp Green Lake?

4. Who is Caveman?

5. Do you believe in curses? Why or why not?

6. Why do you think Stanley lied about Camp Green Lake in the letter he wrote to his
mother?

7. Would you lie to your parents about Camp Green Lake like Stanley did? Explain.

8. What did Stanley find while digging his hole? Did it get him the day off?

Name:________________________________

Date:_______________

Chapters 11-16
1. If you were Stanley, would you give something you found to X-Ray?
Explain your reasoning.

2. Do you think Mr. Pendanski was fair to tell Stanley, You messed up your life, and its
up to you to fix it? Explain your reasoning.

3. What did Stanley discover while digging? ___________________________________________________

4. Based on the description in the book, draw a picture below of what the object might
look like.

5. Who got the day off? ___________________________

6. Describe the Warden

7. What are the new digging rules?

8. Do you believe the boys idea that the Warden has cameras and microphones
everywhere? Why or why not?

9. Why do you think Zero did not know about Sesame Street or nursery rhymes?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name:________________________________

Date:_______________

Chapters 17-21
1. Justify this statement with facts from the book: The Warden is an impatient person.

2. How did Stanley get injured? _________________________________________________________________

3. What do we learn about Zero? ________________________________________________________________
4. If you were in Stanleys shoes, would you teach Zero? Why or why not?

5. Who got in trouble for stealing the sunflower seeds? ___________________________________

6. What is the secret ingredient in the Wardens nail polish? ___________________________

7. What did the Warden do to Mr. Sir?

8. Explain what the Warden meant when she said, Hes [Mr. Sir] not going to
dieUnfortunately for you.

9. What happened to Stanleys Great Grandfather?

10. Why do you think Zero dug Stanleys hole for him?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name:________________________________

Date:_______________

Chapters 22-26
1. What deal do Stanley and Zero make?

2. Put yourself in Stanleys shoes. How might you teach someone to learn to read or
write ?

2. What connection does Stanley make about the tube he found while digging a hole?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Who is Katherine Barlow? _____________________________________________________________________

4. Describe Trout Walker

________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. How was Green Lake different 110 years ago?

6. Do you think it is fair that Mr. Sir punished Stanley? Why or why not?

7. Who is Sam? ______________________________________________

8. Based on what happened in chapter 26, answer the authors question: Whom did
God punish??

Name:________________________________

Date:_______________

Chapters 27-33
1. Why do the other boys have a problem with Stanley and Zeros deal?

2. What is Zeros real name? _________________________

3. Who else has turquoise boots like Kate Barlows? __________________________
4. Explain what happened when Kate arrived back at Green Lake.

5. What is the significance of Stanleys vision of the giant fist with the thumb sticking
up?

6. Do you think Mr. Pendanskis advice, Hit him back.teach a bully a lesson is good
advice to give someone in Stanleys situation? What advice would you give to someone
who is being bullied?

7. Did your impression of Mr. Pendanski change after the events in Chapter 30? Why or
why not?

8. Why doesnt Stanley go after Zero?

9. If you were in Stanleys shoes, how would you take on the task of finding Zero?

Name:________________________________

Date:_______________

Chapters 34-39
1. What does Stanley walk towards in the beginning?
____________________________________
2. What does Stanley find while walking?

3. What is the significance of the name, Mary Lou?

4. What is Sploosh? ________________________________________________

5. Describe Stanley and Zeros relationship during this part of the story.

6. At the beginning of the book, we learned that all the Stanleys in the Yelnats family
remained hopeful, despite their bad luck. In what ways has Stanley remained hopeful,
despite his bad luck, up to this point in the book?

7. Does Stanleys bad luck change?

8. What was Zeros confession? Why do you think he chose to confess?

Name:________________________________

Date:_______________

Chapters 40-45
1. Do you think that the onions will cure Zeros sickness? Why or why not?

2. What do you think about the incident where Stanley finds his shovel and sack? What
is strange about his shovel and sack?

3. If you were in Stanleys shoes, would you be angry with Zero? Why or why not?

4. Do you agree with Stanley that his life has become better since going to Camp Green
Lake? Why or why not?

5. Would you go back to Camp Green Lake or go on the run, like Stanley was
considering? Explain your reasoning.

6. What was Zeros life like before Camp Green Lake?

7. What did Stanley dig up?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Who interrupts Stanley and Zero before they can look at the Treasure?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. What kind of nest were Stanley and Zero standing in? ______________________________________

Name:_______________________________

Date:________________________

Chapters 46-50
1. Why wont the campers be digging anymore holes?

2. Why do you think Zero gives Stanley a thumbs up?

3. Who are the two strangers that arrive?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Whose name was on the suitcase? ________________________

5. Why was Mr. Pendanski hesitant to get Zeros file?

6. Is the fact that chapter 49 ends with it raining at Camp Green Lake important?
Explain your reasoning.

7. What was inside of the suitcase?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. What happened to the Camp in the end? ________________________
9. What happened to Zero? ________________________________________

Name: _________________

Open-Mind Portrait
Direction: Choose 1 character from Holes and complete an Open-Mind Portrait with
the template below.

Name:___________________________________
Setting Map
Directions: Create a map of Camp Green Lake. Use the legend to help a reader read
your map!

Name:______________________________________________________

Making Predictions
Directions: Make 1 prediction for each set of chapters we have read. Make
sure to explain your thinking, citing any examples from the text. As we
continue reading, dont forget to check your predictions to see if they came
true!
Chapters
1-5
6-10

11-15

16-20

21-26

Predictions:

Explanation and
Evidence

Did your
prediction come
true? Yes or No.

27-33

34-39

40-45

46-50

Name:_______________________________________
Making Connections
Directions: As we read, record any connections from the text you have in
this organizer.
Text to Text
(this book reminds me of
something else that I have
read)

Text to Self
(What I have read relates to my
life because)

Text to World
(What I have read relates
to what is going on in the
world0

Name:________________________
Text Detectives
Directions: You and your group will go through the chapter, find 3
inferences, and fill out the graphic organizer accordingly.
Question
Step1:
Write the
question

It Says
I say
And so
Step2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
Find information Think about what Combine what
from chapter
you know about the text says with
that will help
that information. what you know to
answer the
come up with the
question
answer

Name:_________________

Date:________________

J. Orlin, 2008

Kate Barlows Treasure!

Kissin Kate Barlow has hidden her treasure somewhere out on Camp Green Lake.
objective: To uncover all of Kates hidden goods by searching graph coordinates without
crossing the Yellow Spotted Lizard!
number of players: 2
materials:

one game board for each player

a pencil for each player

Procedure:
1. Out of sight of the other player, circle 4 different points on the first coordinate graph
below. Label one L (for Lipstick), S (for Suitcase), P (for Peaches), and Y (for YellowSpotted Lizard).
2. Write the ordered names of each point. These are the points you are hiding. The other
player should do the same.
3. Each player should keep his or her graphs hidden from the other player.
4. Players take turns guessing a coordinate for example (5, 3). Mark the coordinate you
guess on the second graph below so that you have a record of your guesses.
5. If the other player guesses one of the coordinates you starred, inform them of what he
or she has found (e.g. the peaches) and (s)he can star that point on his/her second graph.
To Win:
6. If a player stumbles across the Yellow Spotted Lizard, it is sudden
death! The other player is the victor. Otherwise, a player needs to
collect all three safe items: the lipstick, the suitcase, and the jar of
peaches.

HIDE YOUR TREASURE

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

Star four points.

Label one:

L for lipstick

S for suitcase

P for peaches
and

Y for yellow-spotted lizard

Write your coordinates below:


Lipstick: __________

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 x

Suitcase: __________
Peaches: __________
Yellow-Spotted Lizard:
__________

search for YOUR OPPONENTS treasure

y

Put a dot next to each

coordinate that you have
guessed. If you correctly
guess the coordinate of a
prized item, put a star and
the initial of the item (e.g. L
for lipstick).

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 x

HOLES TEST- FINAL

Name________________________________________ Group______________________
Match each character with the appropriate description. Write the letter on the line
provided.
1.________unlucky, overweight

A. Elya Yelnats

2. _______ mom

B. Clyde Livingston

3.________quit smoking, eats sunflower seeds

C. Warden; Ms. Walker

4. ________ inventor

D. Zero

5. ________Stanleys great-great grandfather

E. Stanley

6.________woman, in charge of the camp

F. Sam

7. ________Sams donkey

G. Stanleys Father

8. ________man, sold onions, kissed Kate

H. Mr. Sir

9.________baseball player

I. Mr. Pendanski

10._______smallest in Group D

J. Mary Lou

Use complete sentences to answer the following questions.

11. Provide three (3) descriptions of the yellow spotted lizard.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
12. What does X-Ray ask Caveman to do the next time he finds something?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
13. Why are there no fences, guards, or towers at Camp Green Lake?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Short Answer
14. When each boy finishes digging holes for the day, what is their ritual?
___________________________________
15. Who has poor vision, wears glasses, and is the leader of the group? ___________________
16. Who is Zero related to? __________________________________
17. Name one bully in the book. ________________________
18. What does the Wardens nail polish have in it that makes it harmful? __________________
19. How did Kate Barlow die? _________________________
20. Why is Sam killed? ___________________________________________________________
21. What does Zero confess to Stanley?
______________________________________________________________________
22. Why does Stanleys attorney take Zero with them when they leave?
______________________________________________________________________
23. Why arent Stanley and Zero attacked by the yellow-spotted lizards?
______________________________________________________________________
24. What does Kate Barlow make? __________________________________
25. Where did Stanleys great-grandfather find refuge? ___________________________
Read each quote, write on the line the character that is speaking.
Warden

Zero

Elya Yelnats

Mr. Sir

Mr. Pendanski

26. Im in love with Myra Menke __________________________________

27. I quit smoking last monthI used to smoke a pack a day. __________________
28. My real name is Hector. ___________________________
29. Can you get into the state files from our computer?_______________________
30. You might as well try to teach this shovel how to read! Its got more brains than Zero.
______________________________

True or False: Write TRUE or FALSE on the line provided.

31. ___________Kissin Kate Barlow was one of the most feared outlaws in all of the West.
32. ___________Linda Miller was Mr. Sirs wife.
33.___________Miss Kathryn Barlow is also known as Kissin Kate Barlow.
34. __________Zero drove Mr. Pendanskis truck into a hole.
35. __________Stanley found Zero under a boat.
36. _________Zero is the one who stole the sneakers.
37. _________X-Ray wants Stanley to teach him the read.
***************************************************************************
Sequencing: Place the following events in order by placing numbers 1-5 in the blanks.
__________43. Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake.
__________44. Zero and Stanley find the treasure.
__________45. Zero hits Mr. Pendanski with the shovel.
__________46. Stanley goes to find Zero.
__________47. Zero runs away

Cause and Effect: Read the statements below. Write C for Cause and E for Effect.
48. _______Stanleys family is cursed with bad luck
_______Stanleys great-great grandfather forgot to honor a promise

49. _______Stanley becomes stronger

_______Stanley digs holes everyday

50. _______Sam and Katherine kissed

_______Sam was shot and killed

Other Information

Reading information:
We will be reading half of the chapters in a week during class, the other 5 chapters will have to be
read independently or with a partner

Visualization Activities
Students will acquire the skill of visualization through completing an open-mind portrait and a
setting map. Both of these activities will be done at the end of this novel study. For the open mind portrait,
students will select a character from Holes. Then, they will create their portrait based on the characters
actions, feelings, thoughts, etc. using markers, crayons, glue, and colored pencils. This will help them to
visualize the characters within holes. Students will create a setting map of Holes complete with a legend to
help the reader understand their map. They can use pencils, crayons, markers, etc. to create their map. This
will help students to visualize the setting of Holes.
Recall Activity
Students will have a chapter reading guide for every 5 chapters of the book. These questions are
thought provoking and varied according to Blooms Taxonomy.
Predicting Activity
Students will fill out a prediction chart for each set of chapters. They will find evidence to support
their predictions from the text. Also, they will keep up with their predictions throughout reading the book, to
see if their predictions have come true.
Making Connections
Students will fill out the making connections worksheet at the end of each reading week. Teacher will
lead students in a discussion about how history effects their lives and the lives of those in Holes. They will find
specific examples in the book dealing with history and the effects it has on the characters. Then they will look
at examples in the students world that has to do with the effects of history.
Summarizing
Students will complete a five finger summary of the chapters they have read each week. Students will
create a five finger summary chart using construction paper, markers, etc. This will be explaining the who, what,
when, where, and why parts of the story.
Making Inferences
Students will be placed into equal groups and become text detectives for each set of chapters. As text
detectives, students must find inferences within the text with their group. They will record their inferences on a
chart. The teacher will ask each group of detectives to give an inference they found and she will write it on a
large chart. The class will examine the inferences that the teacher writes down and discuss them.

Questioning Activity
At the end of each reading week, students will write a question or two having to do with the chapters
they read that week. Then they will place it into the question box. The teacher will mix up the question box,
take out a question, and discuss it with the class.
Determining Importance Activity
Students will complete a main idea chart. They must list setting, actions, conflict, climax, resolution,
theme, and the characters. This will help them to determine the overall importance of Holes.

Math
Standard: 11.) Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of

the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinates and absolute value to find distances between points
with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate. [6-NS8]
Objective: Students will identify and graph a set of coordinates on a graph.
Activity: Students will play the game Kate Barlows Treasure! with a partner. The object of the game
is to guess where the treasure is located on a map through guessing the coordinates. Students will
record their guesses by plotting their coordinate guesses on their own map.

Science and Technology

Standard:
Technology:
5.) Use basic features of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software.
Science:
7.) Describe Earth's biomes (AL. 6)
Objective: Students will identify the characteristics of the desert biome.
Activity: In equal groups, students will create a presentation about the desert biome using
information from the Holes and through informational text. Part of the presentation will be
comparing and contrasting the conditions described in the book with the facts about the desert
biome.

Art
Standard: 1.) Create works of art utilizing a variety of traditional and nontraditional media and techniques.
Objectives: Students will create the landscape described in Holes using mixed media.
Activity: Students will use different materials including construction paper, crayons, markers,
cardboard tubes, magazines, toothpicks, clay, etc. to create a diorama of the landscape in Holes.
They can even add characters within their landscape.

Music (Poem)
Standard: 2.) Demonstrate a characteristic sound while singing unison or two-part songs. (6th)
Objectives: Students will sing the song from the Holes book in unison.
Activity: At the end of the book, students will sing the song that Zeros mom sang to him:
If only, if only, the moon speaks no reply;
Reflecting the sun and all thats gone by.
Be strong my weary wolf, turn around boldly.
Fly high, my baby bird,
My angel, my only.
Social Studies
Standard:
10.) Analyze social and educational changes during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries for their
impact on Alabama.

Objectives: Students will compare and contrast what happened in Holes concerning Katherine and
Sam, and the racial issues the boys discuss, with the social conflicts concerning race (Jim Crow Laws)
in Alabama during late 19th early 20th centuries.
Activity: In partners students will use the information gathered from Holes, any social studies notes,
related texts, and internet resources to create a Venn-diagram on poster board. Students will use this
Venn-diagram to compare and contrast what racial issues are being discussed in Holes to what was
happening in Alabama, esp. with Jim Crow laws). Then they will present their diagram to the class.

Opening/Closing of Study
Opening: Begin the study by asking the question: Have you ever gotten in trouble for something you
did not do? Give students a few moments to think. Then ask them to share with a partner. Ask if
anyone would like to share. Then, connect that situation to the situation we find the main character,
Stanley Yentas, in.

Closing: Students will watch the movie Holes. Then they will complete a writing prompt, Was the
movie better or worse than the book? Explain. Last, they will take the test.

Extension:
Students will choose an important event from the book, create a script, and do a readers theater.
Writing Connection:
This book is filled with descriptive words. To teach descriptive writing, take a piece of the book that
has a good amount of descriptive words, create copies, and give them to the students. Display the
same copy overhead through the projector. With the students circle the descriptive words.
Additionally, read the same passage without the descriptive words, to demonstrate how boring writing
can be without the use of descriptive words.

Vocabulary:
Teacher will teach this explicitly and then let students complete the activity.
Students will complete a Frayer model for each word.
hover
forbidden
stifling
obstacle
descendant
gruff
perseverance
neglect
stranded
premises

Bibliography/Other Resouces:
http://www.voorhees.k12.nj.us/cms/lib/NJ01000237/Centricity/Domain/2766/Holes%20Test.pdf (Test)
http://alothman-b.tripod.com/brainstorming.JPG
http://www.achievementstrategies.org/1originalSite/images/storyMap.gif
http://www.readingrockets.org/pdfs/inference-graphic-organizer.pdf