Holes
By: Louis Sachar
In Louis Sachar’s Holes, Stanley Yelnats is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention facility in the middle of a hot, dry desert, after being wrongly accused of stealing a pair of sneakers. Each day, Stanley and the other boys are forced to dig enormous holes, supposedly to build character. But Stanley soon discovers that there may be a hidden reason behind all the digging. As he uncovers secrets about the camp’s past and his own family history, Stanley faces challenges that test his determination, friendship, and problem-solving skills. His experiences set the stage for an adventurous story about perseverance, injustice, and discovering the truth.
Students will read Louis Sachar’s Holes and identify problems faced by characters at Camp Green Lake. Using the engineering design process, students will explore microelectronics, microchips, and coding while considering how technology can solve real-world problems. Students will respond to a series of client letters from the Warden by designing, coding, and building a micro pedometer to track the distance campers travel to and from their assigned holes. They will test and improve their prototypes before presenting their solutions and reflecting on how their inventions could impact the story.
Core Content: ELA, Computer Science, Engineering, and Microelectronics
Grade Levels: Grade level 4
Time Required: 2-3 weeks
ME Career Connection: Students explore careers such as electrical engineers, robotics technicians, and computer hardware engineers, learning how these professionals use microelectronics, coding, and sensors to develop devices that solve real-world problems.
Author: Mya Lorenz