MYP Year 1 (Grade 6)

If you have just entered Grade 6 (MYP Year 1), this is the ideal place to start with. This page will provide you all the information that you will require to understand the activities of this year. We will be using the novel “Holes” by Louise Sachar and a couple of simple texts, short stories and poems.

Focus

Let’s first focus on the “focus”. The focus of this year will be:

1. Basic literary concepts. Read Now!
2. Genres. Read Now!
3. Language Skills. Read Now!

Please note, this page is being created. 

Activities:

1. Reading simple texts, short stories, and poems.
2. Basic textual analysis and comprehension exercises.
3. Creative writing activities like short story writing or poetry.
4. Oral presentations on personal experiences or book reports.

Books: Often include age-appropriate novels like Holes by Louis Sachar or Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

1. Reading Comprehension

• Short Stories:
  • What is the main conflict in the story, and how is it resolved?
  • Describe the main character. What are their strengths and weaknesses?
  • How does the setting influence the events of the story?
• Poetry:
  • Identify a simile or metaphor in the poem. What does it compare?
  • How does the poem make you feel? What words or phrases create that feeling?
  • What is the theme of the poem, and how is it conveyed?
• Non-fiction Texts:
  • What is the author’s main argument or point in the text?
  • List three important facts or pieces of information from the text.
  • How does the text connect to something you’ve learned or experienced?

2. Literary Analysis

• Character Sketch:
  • Choose a character from the story. How do their actions reveal their personality?
  • What motivates the main character in the story? Provide evidence from the text.
  • How does the main character change from the beginning to the end of the story?
• Plot Diagram:
  • Identify the climax of the story. Why is this moment significant?
  • What is the turning point in the story, and how does it affect the outcome?
  • Create a plot diagram, labeling the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
• Theme Exploration:
  • What is the central theme of the story? How is it developed through the plot and characters?
  • How does the author use symbolism to convey the theme?
  • How does the theme of the story relate to a real-world issue or experience?

3. Writing Assignments

• Narrative Writing:
  • Write a short story based on the prompt: “A mysterious letter arrives at your door, and it changes everything.”
  • Create a narrative where the main character faces a tough decision. How do they resolve it?
  • Write a continuation of the story you just read, imagining what happens next for the characters.
• Descriptive Essays:
  • Describe a place that is special to you. Use sensory details to make the reader feel like they are there.
  • Write a descriptive essay about a person you admire. Focus on their qualities and actions.
  • Describe an event that you will never forget. What made it memorable?
• Reflective Journals:
  • How did the story you just read make you feel? What did you learn from it?
  • Write about a time when you faced a challenge similar to a character in the story. How did you overcome it?
  • Reflect on a theme from the story that resonates with your own life. How do you connect with it?

4. Speaking and Listening

• Class Discussions:
  • What do you think the author was trying to say with this story? Do you agree or disagree with their message?
  • How do different characters in the story see the same event? Why do their perspectives differ?
  • What did you find most surprising or interesting about the text, and why?
• Oral Presentations:
  • Prepare a short presentation on the main character of the story. How do their actions drive the plot?
  • Present your analysis of the poem. What message is the poet trying to convey, and how do they use language to do it?
  • Choose a global issue discussed in class and present how it connects to the themes in the literature you’ve studied.
• Debates:
  • Debate whether the main character’s actions were justified. Use evidence from the text to support your stance.
  • Discuss whether the ending of the story was fair to all characters. Why or why not?
  • Argue for or against the relevance of the story’s theme in today’s world.

5. Vocabulary and Grammar

• Vocabulary Building:
  • Define the following words from the story and use each in a sentence: [insert words from the text].
  • Match the vocabulary words to their correct definitions.
  • Create a short story using at least five vocabulary words from the text.
• Grammar Practice:
  • Correct the grammar mistakes in the following sentences: [insert incorrect sentences].
  • Rewrite the following sentences in the past tense: [insert sentences].
  • Combine the following sentences using conjunctions: [insert sentences].

6. Creative Projects

• Storyboards:
  • Create a storyboard that illustrates the key events of the story. Include dialogue and descriptions.
  • Draw a scene from the story and explain its significance to the plot.
  • Design a book cover for the story you just read, including a brief summary on the back.
• Poetry Writing:
  • Write a poem that explores a theme from the story you just read. Use at least one simile or metaphor.
  • Create a haiku based on the main character’s emotions at the climax of the story.
  • Write a free verse poem that describes the setting of the story in vivid detail.
• Book Reports:
  • Summarize the plot of the book in your own words, focusing on the main events.
  • Discuss your favorite character from the book. What makes them interesting or relatable?
  • Write a brief review of the book. What did you like or dislike about it, and would you recommend it to others?

These sample questions and tasks are designed to help MYP Year 1 students develop their skills in reading, writing, analysis, and communication while engaging with a variety of texts.

Literary Analysis with Holes

Introduction to “Holes”

• Author: Louis Sachar
• Publication Year: 1998
• Genre:
  • Young Adult Fiction
  • Adventure
  • Mystery
• Setting: Camp Green Lake, Texas (a fictional, dried-up lake turned juvenile detention camp)
• Themes:
  • Fate and Destiny
  • Friendship and Loyalty
  • Injustice and Justice
  • Perseverance
  • Family and Legacy

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Basic Literary Concepts

1. Characterization:
   • Protagonist: Stanley Yelnats IV – a boy who is sent to Camp Green Lake after being wrongly accused of stealing a pair of shoes.
   • Antagonists: The Warden (a woman obsessed with finding treasure), Mr. Sir, and Mr. Pendanski (camp counselors who treat the boys harshly).
   • Key Supporting Characters: Zero (Hector Zeroni), Stanley’s friend; other boys at the camp like X-Ray, Armpit, and Zigzag.
2. Plot:
   • Exposition: Introduction to Stanley and his family’s bad luck, the curse, and his arrival at Camp Green Lake.
   • Rising Action: The boys digging holes, Stanley’s growing friendship with Zero, and the backstory of Kate Barlow.
   • Climax: Stanley and Zero’s escape and survival in the desert, leading them to discover the truth about the treasure and the curse.
   • Falling Action: The discovery of the treasure, the unraveling of the Warden’s schemes, and the curse being lifted.
   • Resolution: Stanley and Zero return home, wealthier and free, with their families’ futures changed.
3. Literary Devices:
   • Symbolism:
     • Holes: Symbolize the emptiness and futile search for something, but also the digging into the past.
     • Onions: Represent healing and survival.
   • Irony: The boys are digging to find something that has been in the family’s past all along.
   • Foreshadowing: The use of stories from the past to hint at future events.
   • Flashback: The intertwining of past and present through stories of Stanley’s ancestors and the history of Green Lake.
4. Point of View: Third-person omniscient, which allows the reader to understand the thoughts and motivations of multiple characters.

Chapter-wise Summary and Analysis

Chapters 1-10: Introduction to Camp Green Lake

• Summary: Stanley Yelnats IV is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention camp where boys are forced to dig holes in the dried-up lakebed. The story introduces Stanley’s family curse and his struggles at the camp. He makes tentative friendships and learns the routine.
• Analysis: Themes of fate and destiny are introduced. The holes symbolize the emptiness and repetitive nature of punishment without purpose. The camp’s harsh environment reflects the injustice Stanley faces.

Chapters 11-20: Developing Relationships

• Summary: Stanley starts to bond with Zero and learns about the history of Green Lake, including the story of Kate Barlow, an outlaw who buried treasure there. The boys compete for the Warden’s favor, but Stanley realizes the camp’s dark purpose.
• Analysis: Friendship and loyalty emerge as key themes, especially in Stanley’s relationship with Zero. The historical flashbacks begin to intertwine with the present, hinting at the deeper connections between the past and the boys’ current situation.

Chapters 21-30: The Escape Plan

• Summary: Stanley teaches Zero to read, but when Zero runs away, Stanley follows him. They find refuge on God’s Thumb, a mountain where Stanley’s ancestor found refuge many years before.
• Analysis: Perseverance is highlighted as the boys struggle to survive. The mountain represents hope and a break from the cycle of despair at Camp Green Lake. The connection to Stanley’s family history becomes more apparent, deepening the theme of destiny.

Chapters 31-40: The Treasure Hunt

• Summary: Stanley and Zero return to camp, dig where they think the treasure is buried, and find a suitcase belonging to Stanley’s great-grandfather. The Warden attempts to take it, but the camp is shut down when the truth comes out.
• Analysis: The climax of the story reveals the interconnectedness of the past and present. The treasure symbolizes justice and the breaking of the Yelnats family curse. The Warden’s defeat represents the triumph of good over evil.

Chapters 41-50: Resolution

• Summary: The boys are rescued, the Warden is exposed, and Stanley’s innocence is proven. Stanley’s family becomes wealthy, and Zero is reunited with his mother.
• Analysis: The resolution ties up the novel’s themes, especially the idea of justice. Stanley’s perseverance and loyalty to Zero lead to a happy ending, lifting the family curse and bringing closure to the story.

Conclusion

• Language Skills:
  • Vocabulary Development: Students should be encouraged to explore and discuss the language used by different characters, especially slang and the language of the boys at Camp Green Lake.
  • Reading Comprehension: Focus on understanding the dual narratives (past and present) and how they connect.
  • Critical Thinking: Analyze how the themes of fate, justice, and friendship are portrayed and interconnected.
• Final Thoughts: “Holes” is a rich text for analysis, with its blending of genres, deep themes, and use of literary devices. It’s an excellent book for introducing students to the complexities of storytelling and thematic development.

Next: Book Reading

Reading the original is always the first step in approaching any work. It can be a novel or an advertisement.

Next: Year 2

Let’s now go to Year 2 of your MYP English with more advanced features of Language and Literature.