Name:
Dear Incoming 7h Grade Student,
7th grade is finally here! I want to congratulate you on all of your successes this year, and I look
forward to having you in my class next year. All 7th grade students who will attend Williams Prep during
the 2012-2013 school year are required to complete the following assignments. You WILL be given a
quiz over the entire novel on August 6th, 2012. The reading comprehension questions and the narrative
paragraph are due that same day. The book, Holes by Louis Sachar, can be purchased at Half Price
Books, Borders, or Barnes and Noble ($6-$8). Below I have outlined my expectations on novel
annotations and packet completion. Please take the time to review these expectations, as you will be
held accountable for ensuring your packet is neat, complete, accurate, and on time.
Only Excellence Will Do,
R. Corcoran
7th Grade English Language Arts
rverkruyse@uplifteducation.org
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Holes by Louis Sachar
The trouble started when Stanley was accused of stealing a pair of shoes donated by basketball great
Clyde "Sweetfeet" Livingston to a celebrity auction. In court, the judge doesn't believe Stanley's claim that the
shoes fell from the sky onto his head. And yet, that's exactly what happened. At Camp Green Lake, the
warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five
feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at
Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the treacherous warden is searching for something,
and before long Stanley begins his own search—for the truth.
NOVEL ANNOTATIONS FOR Holes
Directions: Complete the following in pen or pencil on the pages of your copy of Holes.
1 Prediction- At the beginning of each chapter, write a prediction of what you think is going to happen.
1 Question- Write down one question that you have per chapter.
1 Connection (self, text, or world) - Make one connection per chapter to self, text, or world.
2 Vocabulary words- Identify and underline 2 words per chapter with which you are unfamiliar. Look up
the definitions and write them in the margins (the sides of the page).
1 Visualization- Draw one illustration per chapter.
1 Summary-At the end of each chapter, write a BME (Beginning, Middle, End) summary.
2
Holes Reading Comprehension Questions
Directions: All short answer questions must be written in complete sentences. You are to use a separate
sheet of lined paper to answer all of the questions. Make sure that you are heading (labeling) each
section before beginning your responses.
Chapters 1 - 10
1. What is the worst thing that a camper can be bitten by? What happens to them if they are
bitten by it?
2. Who owns the hammock and the shade between the only two trees? Why?
3. What did each camper do after they finished digging their hole? Why?
4. How big were the holes that the campers were expected to dig each day? How did they know
they were digging the correct size?
5. The first two chapters of the novel are a total of three pages. However, in those three pages the
author uses a variety of adjectives to set the mood. What is the mood that is being set?
Chapters 11 - 20
6. What did Stanley tell Mr. Sir about the sunflower seeds? Why do you think he lied?
7. What did Stanley picture to help take his mind off digging his second hole?
8. What did X-Ray let Stanley do when the watering truck came? Why did he do this?
9. What woke Stanley up from his sleep?
10. What was the secret ingredient in the Warden’s nail polish? What happened to Mr. Sir when he
came in contact with it?
11. Pendanski was sitting around with the boys, discussing what they might do with their lives. Give
two examples of what makes Mr. Pendanski a good motivator. Give two examples of when Mr.
Pendanski isn't so kind. Do you think he is someone who can help or inspire the boys? Explain.
Chapters 21 - 30
12. What is Zero’s real name? Why has he always been called Zero?
13. When the people of Green Lake would get sick, who are the two people they would see? What
do you think is strange about this?
14. How did Kate Barlow die before she told Linda and Trout where the look was buried?
15. Who dug Stanley’s hole while he was at the Warden’s house? Why do you think he did this?
16. What did Kate Barlow do to the sheriff after she shot him?
3
Chapters 31 - 40
17. What was the task that Zero and Stanley had to help each other with?
18. What did Zero confess to Stanley?
19. What was the pool of water that Stanley thought he saw?
20. What was the name of the boat that Stanley found in the middle of the lake?
21. What does the Warden tell Mr. Pendanski and Mr. Sir to do with Zero's files?
Chapters 41 – 50
22. When Stanley fell and slid down the mountainside, why didn't the jars of water break?
23. What did Stanley realize he was standing on in the hole?
24. Where did Zero wait a month for his mother to return? Why?
25. What was the name of Mr. Yelnat's foot odor spray? Why do you think this is the name?
26. What did Mr. Sir tell Stanley while he was in the hole with lizards on him?
Narrative Paragraph
Topic: In Holes, Stanley remains hopeful even when bad things happen to him. Think about a time when
something bad happened to you, but you kept going.
Directions: Write a narrative paragraph about a time when you didn’t give up hope. Your paragraph
should have a minimum of five complete sentences. Make sure that you have an introductory sentence
and a concluding sentence. At least one sentence must contain a text-to-self connection between your
life and Stanley’s. Write your paragraph on a separate sheet of lined paper.