Objectives

• Analyse how Sachar uses setting and language in Chapters 1–3 to establish Camp Green Lake as a place of punishment and deception.
• Explain how the three-timeline structure in Chapters 7 and 11 creates meaning about fate and inherited consequence.
• Trace how the friendship between Stanley and Zero develops across Chapters 9, 12 and 13, using close textual evidence.
• Evaluate how Sachar presents injustice and race through the story of Kate Barlow and Sam in Chapters 8 and 16.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical essay arguing how the motif of holes functions as a symbol of fate and redemption across the novel.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: A Place That Lies: Setting and Deception in Chapters 1–3

   55 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   The name 'Camp Green Lake' suggests a serene place with lush greenery and a beautiful lake. However, the reality reveals a dry, barren landscape without a lake in sight.

   Teacher input

   Model close reading on the opening paragraph of Chapter 1, concentrating on the list 'rattlesnakes, scorpions, and lizards.' Highlight how the tricolon gradually escalates the sense of threat, with the term 'deadly' being reserved until the third item (yellow-spotted lizards), which creates a delayed impact. Show how to incorporate a brief quotation and analyze word choices in one analytical sentence, starting with the phrase 'the word … suggests … because …' before transitioning away from that scaffold.

   Independent task

   Re-read the passage in Chapter 2 where Stanley arrives at camp, and Mr. Sir asserts, "You're not in the Girl Scouts." In this moment, Sachar crafts a vivid impression of Mr. Sir's authority, portraying him as a figure who thrives on intimidation and control. His dismissive remark not only highlights his disdain for Stanley's innocence but also underscores the harsh realities of the camp environment. Earlier, in Chapter 1, Stanley reflects on his family's history of misfortune, describing how "bad luck" seems to follow them, which sets the stage for his arrival at this unforgiving camp. The phrase "bad luck" conveys a sense of helplessness, suggesting that Stanley's fate has been predetermined by forces beyond his control. Similarly, Mr. Sir's authoritative demeanor is further emphasized when he states, “This is not a summer camp,” which starkly contrasts with any notions of leisure or fun. The word "not" sharply reinforces the camp's grim reality, painting it as a punitive place rather than a place of growth. This language reflects the camp's true purpose: to break down the boys rather than build them up. Ultimately, Mr. Sir's harsh words serve as a reminder of the novel's broader theme of deception, where appearances can be misleading, and the true nature of authority often masks ulterior motives.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, name the single most powerful word Sachar uses in Chapters 1–3 to make the reader feel that Camp Green Lake is dangerous, and explain in a second sentence why that word is more effective than a synonym you could have chosen instead.

2. Lesson 2: The Curse Travels: Structure and Time in Chapters 7 and 11

   55 min · ch. 6, 7, 11

   Do now

   Without looking at the book, jot down all the details you know about Elya Yelnats and Madame Zeroni. After that, think of one question regarding how their story ties into Stanley's that you still can't answer. You have four minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model how to analyze structural juxtaposition by examining the transition from Chapter 6, where Stanley writes a cheerful yet dishonest letter home, to Chapter 7, in which Elya makes a promise he will ultimately break. Highlight for students how Sachar intentionally shifts between these timelines during moments of deception or broken trust, rather than doing so randomly. Focus on the specific line in Chapter 7 where Madame Zeroni warns Elya, "If you forget me, I will curse you and your children and your children's children for all of eternity." Use this warning, which appears right after Stanley’s act of dishonesty, to illustrate what the structural placement suggests about inherited behavior.

   Independent task

   Read the moment in Chapter 11 where the backstory of the Latvian village picks up, and Elya finally boards the boat to America, having failed to keep his promise to Madame Zeroni. Write a structured comparison in two paragraphs, each with a minimum of six sentences. In the first paragraph, explain the significance of Elya's broken promise within his own timeline. In the second paragraph, discuss how Sachar's decision to return to this story in Chapter 11—after Stanley has been at camp for weeks—suggests that the past continues to impact the present. Each paragraph must include at least one embedded quotation and one analysis of Sachar's narrative choice.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining why Sachar places the Madame Zeroni backstory in Chapter 7 rather than at the very beginning of the novel, and what effect that delayed reveal has on the reader's understanding of Stanley's situation.

3. Lesson 3: Digging Together: Friendship and Trust in Chapters 9, 12 and 13

   50 min · ch. 9, 12, 13

   Do now

   Chapter 9 is called 'Zero's Secret' in this guide. Before diving into the book, take a moment to guess: what sort of secret do you think a boy named Zero might have, and what could be the reason for keeping it hidden? Write three to five sentences about your thoughts, then check the relevant section in Chapter 9 to see how accurate your predictions were.

   Teacher input

   Model a character-tracking annotation on the exchange in Chapter 9 where Stanley agrees to teach Zero to read in return for Zero digging part of his hole each day. Emphasize the word 'deal' — illustrate to students how this practical arrangement is intentionally unromantic, and how Sachar employs it to make their friendship feel earned instead of sentimental. Show how to write about character development by comparing Zero's behavior at two different points in the story: in Chapter 9, he's silent and dismissed by Mr. Pendanski as having 'nothing' in his head, while in Chapter 13, he carries Stanley and keeps him alive on God's Thumb.

   Independent task

   Using evidence from Chapters 9, 12, and 13, write two analytical paragraphs (each a minimum of seven sentences) arguing how Sachar presents the development of Stanley and Zero's friendship. Your first paragraph must focus on Chapter 9 and the reading-for-digging arrangement, quoting at least once and commenting on what the arrangement reveals about how trust forms between people who have been let down by adults. Your second paragraph must focus on the moment in Chapter 13 where Stanley carries Zero up God's Thumb, quoting at least once and explaining how this physical act connects to the Elya–Madame Zeroni story from Chapter 7.

   Exit ticket

   Write two sentences: in the first, identify one moment in Chapters 9–13 where Zero shows he trusts Stanley; in the second, explain what Sachar wants the reader to understand about friendship from that specific moment.

4. Lesson 4: A Town That Burned: Justice, Race and Kate Barlow in Chapters 8 and 16

   55 min · ch. 8, 16

   Do now

   Read the following sentence from Chapter 8: 'It was the happiest town in Texas.' Respond to this with two sentences: one that accepts the statement as true, and another that interprets it as ironic. Finally, write a third sentence predicting the future of that happiness and the reasons behind it.

   Teacher input

   Model writing about Sachar's depiction of injustice by concentrating on the scene in Chapter 8 where the townspeople of Green Lake witness Sam being shot from a boat while Katherine Barlow is compelled to watch. Illustrate how Sachar deliberately omits the shooter's name and employs passive voice ('Sam was shot') to convey the workings of collective racism — no specific person is identified as accountable, reflecting the nature of systemic injustice. Guide students in linking this technique to the novel's overarching message about justice, connecting it to Stanley's wrongful conviction in Chapter 2.

   Independent task

   Sure! Here’s a humanized version of the text you provided:

   ---

   Write three analytical paragraphs (each at least six sentences long) to answer this question: How does Sachar illustrate that injustice corrupts everyone involved — both those who endure it and those who perpetrate it — through the story of Kate Barlow and Sam in Chapters 8 and 16? Your first paragraph should examine Sam's murder in Chapter 8, paying attention to Sachar’s language choices surrounding this event. Your second paragraph must discuss Katherine's transformation into 'Kissin' Kate Barlow' — consider what this change costs her and what it reveals about justice. Lastly, your third paragraph should draw on Chapter 16 to demonstrate how the repercussions of that initial injustice extend into the future, impacting the Warden, the Walker family, and Stanley himself.

   Exit ticket

   In two full sentences, explain what Sachar suggests about justice by making the Warden — a descendant of the man who murdered Sam — the person who forces boys to dig for the treasure that was never rightfully hers.

5. Lesson 5: Every Hole Has a Reason: Writing a Sustained Essay on Fate and Redemption

   60 min · ch. 1, 3, 7, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16

   Do now

   Write the word HOLES in the center of a blank page. Take three minutes to brainstorm a word map of everything from the novel that this word might represent—think about physical holes, emotional voids, gaps in justice, and the family's misfortunes. You'll use this map in your essay today.

   Teacher input

   To craft an essay introduction that argues instead of merely listing points, let's take the following claim as our starting point: 'In Holes, Sachar uses the act of digging as a symbol that operates on three levels simultaneously — it punishes the innocent, hides the past, and, intriguingly, becomes the means by which the curse is eventually lifted.' This sentence illustrates a clear structure (the three levels), creates a sense of tension (the conflict between punishment and liberation), and indicates the essay's overall trajectory.

   Next, we'll connect a quotation from Chapter 3, where it says, 'You are digging to build character,' to one from Chapter 15, which discusses the discovery of the suitcase. This comparison will highlight how the same action of digging holds contrasting meanings at different stages of the narrative.

   Independent task

   Write a comprehensive analytical essay consisting of four to six paragraphs in response to the question: "How does Sachar use the motif of holes throughout the novel to explore the themes of fate and redemption?" Your essay should include the following: an introduction that clearly articulates your argument regarding what holes symbolize throughout the novel; a paragraph discussing Chapters 1 and 3 that analyzes how Sachar depicts digging as both punishment and deception; a paragraph focused on Chapters 7 and 11 that explains how the curse acts as a type of hole — representing a void in the Yelnats family's fortune; a paragraph on Chapters 12 and 13 that argues how Stanley and Zero's escape and ascent symbolize a move away from the constraints of fate; and a conclusion that revisits your initial argument while examining what the discovery of the suitcase in Chapter 15 and the lifting of the curse in Chapter 16 imply about the possibility of escaping fate. Be sure to quote from at least four different chapters, incorporating each quotation into a sentence of your own, and analyze at least one specific word or phrase from each quotation. Aim for a minimum of 450 words.

   Exit ticket

   Re-read your introduction and write one sentence explaining what your essay's central argument is and whether, now that you have written the whole essay, you would change that argument — and if so, how and why.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can identify and justify a single word-level choice rather than summarising plot — the marker looks for a named word, a reason, and a comparison with a synonym.
• Lesson 2 exit ticket: checks whether students understand structural choice as a deliberate authorial decision — the marker looks for a reason tied to reader effect, not just a description of where the chapter falls.
• Lesson 3 independent task: checks whether students can track character development across multiple chapters using embedded quotation — the marker looks for the Chapter 9 / Chapter 13 comparison and the link back to Elya.
• Lesson 4 independent task: checks whether students can write about injustice as a systemic force rather than individual villainy — the marker looks for use of the passive construction point from teacher input and a cross-chapter connection.
• Lesson 5 do-now word-map: checks the breadth of students' symbolic reading before they write — the teacher scans for students who list only physical holes, and targets those students for additional support during the essay.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama, including where a story is set, how the action is ordered, and how the characters are introduced and developed.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about an interpretation of literature and supports that claim throughout the essay.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of specific words and phrases in a literary text, including connotation, metaphor, and symbol.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure in a text, including how an author sequences and paces narrative events.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of a character, including how characters develop, interact with each other, and advance the plot or theme.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between texts and the contexts in which they were written; present a personal and critical response to literary texts.
• AO2 — Analyse and evaluate the ways writers use language, form and structure to create meanings and effects.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect; with accurate spelling and punctuation.

IB Lit

• Criterion A — Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the text, including its content, context and how meaning is constructed.
• Criterion B — Analyse the ways in which the author's choices of language, structure, technique and style shape meaning.
• Criterion C — Develop and sustain a line of inquiry that constitutes a coherent and convincing argument.