Holes by Louis Sachar

Guided Reading Questions, Vocabulary,

and Task Sheets by Heather Blackburn
Suggested Pacing Guide for Holes:

Day 1 – Chapters 1-3, pages 3-10

Day 2 – Chapters 4-6, page 11-25
Day 3 – Chapters 7-8, page 26-42
Day 4 – Chapters 9-11, pages 43-54
Day 5 – Chapters 12-14, pages 55-68
Day 6 – Chapters 15-18, pages 69-82
Day 7 – Chapters 19-22, pages 83-100
Day 8 – Chapters 23-26, pages 101-115
Day 9 – Chapters 25-28, pages 107-123
Day 10 – Chapters 29-30, pages 127-140
Day 11 – Chapters 31-34, pages 141-154
Day 12 – Chapters 35-39, pages 155-176
Day 13 – Chapters 40-42, pages 177-188
Day 14 – Chapters 43-44, pages 189-203
Day 15 – Chapters 45-47, pages 204-216
Day 16 – Chapters 48-50, pages 217-233
Chapter 1, pages 3-4

 How has Camp Green Lake changed in the last 100 years? Compare and contrast it then
and now. (1-2)
 Why do campers sometimes try to get bitten by a rattlesnake or scorpion? (2)
Chapter 2, page 5

 Why did Stanley go to Camp Green Lake?

 What do the campers do at Camp Green Lake? Why?
Chapter 3, pages 6-10

 What did Stanley take with him to camp? (6)

 How was Stanley treated in school? (7)
 Why does the family blame all of their bad luck on their no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-
stealing-great-great-grandfather? (7-8)
 Why does the family think they are cursed? (8-9)
 What does Stanley's father do? (8-9)
 How did his grandfather lose all of his money moving to California? (9)
 Who is Kissin' Kate Barlow? (9-10)
Chapter 4, pages 11-15
Vocabulary: desolate (11), juvenile (12),

 Why do you suppose they had Stanley in handcuffs? (11)

 How long was the bus ride? (11)
 Describe Mr. Sir. (12-15)
 Why does he chew sunflower seeds? (12)
 How big must the holes be? (13)
 How do the boys know if their hole is big enough? (13)
 Why do they eat breakfast at 4:30? (13-14)
 Why does Mr. Sir challenge Stanley to run away? (14-15)
 Why does Mr. Sir carry a gun? (14-15)
 How long will Stanley be at Camp Green Lake? (15)
Chapter 5, pages 16-20

 Describe Mr. Pendanski.

 Where do the boys stay? (16-18)
 Why is Stanley hesitant about where he is going to sleep? (18)
 What is Mr. Pendanski’s nickname? (19)
 Where does Stanley have to go to get water? (19-20)
Chapter 6, pages 21-25
Vocabulary: scarcity (21), coincidence (24), despicable (25)

 Why was Stanley unable to get clean, even though he took a shower? (21)
 What are the meals at camp like? (21)
 Why do you think no one believed Stanley about why he was sent to camp? (22)
 Why is Stanley having a difficult time sleeping in his cot? Give at least two reasons why
the text. (22-23)
 Why did Stanley miss the bus on the day of the crime? (23)
 “His father had been trying to figure out a way to recycle old sneakers, and suddenly a
pair of sneakers fell on top of him, seemingly out of nowhere, like a gift from God.”
What kind of figurative language is that on page 24?
 According to Stanley, what was unusual about Clyde Livingston’s nickname? (24)
 “Stanley had felt like he was holding destiny’s shoes.” (24) What kind of figurative
language is that?
 Why did Clyde donate his shoes? What was Clyde’s life like when he was a young child?
(24-25)
Chapter 7, pages 26-40
Vocabulary: forlorn (30), excavated (34), reluctantly (34), preposterous (34), dawdle (35),
grimaced (39)

 Describe Stanley’s first day of digging a hole.

 Who was Elya Yelnats, Mrya Menke, Igor Barkov, and Madame Zeroni? (28-31)
 “Myra’s head is as empty as a flowerpot.” What kind of figurative language is that on
page 29?
 Why does Madame Zeroni not like Myra? (29-30)
 What does Zeroni think that Elya Yelnats should do instead of marrying Myra? (30)
 How will Zeroni help Elya? What must Elya do? (30-31)
 According to Zeroni, what would happen to Elya’s family if he didn’t carry her up the
mountain? (31)
 Whose idea is it to ley Myra decide who to marry? (34) What does Myra decide? (34-35)
 Why did Elya not marry Myra? (35) Where did Elya go? Why? (36)
 What important thing did Elya forget to do before leaving his country? (36-37)
 Who is Sarah Miller? What does Sarah sing to her child every night? (39)
 If you were Stanley, would you have walked or take the ride? Explain? (40)
 Why do you suppose Stanley turned down the ride from Mrs. Pendanski? (40)
 Why did Stanley spit in his hole? (40) and (37)
 Throughout chapter 7, the author goes back and forth between the past and the
present, why?
Chapter 8, pages 41-42
 What are some things we learn about the yellow spotted lizard? (41-42)
Chapter 9, pages 43-47
Vocabulary: upholstery (44)
 What’s the difference between a rec room and a wreck room? (43)
 Why did Stanley almost get in a fight? Who stopped it? (44)
 What is Stanley’s nickname? (44)
 What is unusual about the letter Stanley is writing to his mother? (46-47) Why did he lie
to his mom? Do you think that was a good or bad idea? Explain.
 Why do you think Zero asked Stanley about Clyde’s shoes? (46-47)
Chapter 10, pages 48-51
 On page 48 it says, “He hated the sun.” Why would Stanley hate the sun? Do you think
he has always hated the sun? Explain why or why not.
 What did Stanley find while digging his second hole? (49)
 Why did Stanley not tell the other boys he found a fossil? (50)
 Why do you suppose the boys always line up in the same order for water, no matter
who gets there first? (50)
 Why was Stanley disappointed? (51) Why did Stanley NOT get the day off? (51)
 Do you agree with Mr. Pendanski? Is the fossil interesting? Explain.
 What do you think the Warden is looking for?
Chapter 11, pages 52-54
 Describe the conversation between X-Ray and Stanley. Do you agree with X-Ray? If you
were Stanley, would you agree to give something to X-Ray too? Explain why or why not.
Do you think Stanley will really give his next item to X-Ray? (52-53)
 Why does Stanley like his nickname? (54)
 Who is Derrick Dunne? (54)
 What helps Stanley finish digging his second hole with ease? (54)
Chapter 12, pages 55-58
 Why did the boys ask Stanley if he spit in his hole? (55)
 When Stanley got back to camp, X-Ray told him that the third hole is the hardest. Why
would he do that? (55)
 Do you think Mr. Pendanski is a good or bad guy? Explain.
 Why do the boys call Mr. Pendanski mom?
 Why does Mr. Pendanski want to the boys to make goals? (55-56)
 What made Zero finally laugh at camp? (56)
 What did Zero say he liked to do? Are you surprised? Explain.
Chapter 13, pages 59-63

 How is Stanley changing? (59)

 Why do you suppose Stanley loses count of how many holes he has dug? (59)
 “It was the first cloud he could remember seeing since coming to Camp Green Lake. He
and the other boys had been watching it all day, hoping it would move in front of the
sun. Occasionally it got close, but it was just teasing them.” What kind of figurative
language is that on page 60?
 Describe what Stanley finds while digging during his second week. (60-61)
 Why did Stanley show it to X-Ray? (62)
 What advice did Stanley give to X-Ray about the gold tube? (62-63)
 “Stanley moved up one place in line.” What does that mean? (63)
Chapter 14, pages 64-68

 How did X-Ray treat Stanley the next day? Why did he do that? (64-65)
 Describe the Warden. What does she look like? How does she treat Mr. Pendanski?
What does that say about her character? (66-67)
 Why was Stanley shocked that the Warden knew his name? (67)
Chapter 15, pages 69-71

 Why does the Warden ask the boys to partner up?

 Why do they need wheelbarrows? (70)
 Why do the boys not complain about digging a bigger hole? (71)
 How does Stanley know they won’t find anything?
 “One thing was for certain. They weren’t digging to build character. They were definitely
looking for something.” (71)
 Why did Stanley try to memorize his hole from yesterday? (71)
Chapter 16, pages 72-76

 Do you think there’s cameras at camp? Explain why or why not.

 The Warden met the boys during breakfast. What does that say about her? (72)
 Why does Stanley not put dirt in his previous hole? (72)
 What does Stanley think the tube could be? (72-73)
 Why do you think they lock up the shovels at night? (74)
 Why did X-Ray tell the boys that the letter to Stanley was probably from his girlfriend? (74)
 Who is the “little old lady who lived in a shoe”? (75)

Chapter 17, pages 77-79

 How and why did Stanley get hurt?

 After getting hurt, why did they make Stanley keep digging? Is that right or wrong? (78-79)
Chapter 18, pages 80-82
Vocabulary: penetrating (82)

 Why does Stanley not know what his injury looks like? (80-81)
 How does his injury impact him the next day? (80-81)
 What shocking discovery does Stanley learn about Zero? (81)

Chapter 19, pages 83-87

 Infer – What was Squid really doing in bed at night? (83)

 Why did Squid threaten to break Stanley’s jaw? (84)
 “Stanley was thankful that there were no racial problems. X-Ray, Armpit, and Zero were black.
He, Squid, and Zigzag were white. Magnet was Hispanic. On the lake, they were all the same
reddish brown color – the color of dirt.” Describe the significance of this selection. (84)
 What did Magnet steal from Mr. Sir? What happened to it? (84-85)
 How did Magnet get his nickname? (84-85)
 Why did Stanley say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time again? (85)
 Why did Stanley admit to the crime, even though he didn’t do it? (86)
 Why do you think the other boys didn’t speak up and tell the truth?
 Where is Mr. Sir taking Stanley? (87)

Chapter 20, pages 88-91

Vocabulary: condemned (88), writhed (91), agony (91)

 Why did Mr. Sir really take Stanley to the Warden? (88-89)
 What does the Warden ask Stanley to get? (89)
 Why was the Warden’s nail polish so red? (90)
 What did the Warden do to Mr. Sir? Why? (91)

Chapter 21, pages 92-94

Vocabulary: desolate (92)

 Why does walking through the desert remind him of his great-grandfather? (92-93)
 According to Stanley’s grandfather, how was he able to survive 17 days in the desert with no
food or water? (92-93)
 If Stanley always has BAD luck, why did the rattlesnake NOT bite him? (93)
 Why was Stanley’s hole almost finished when he returned? (94)
 Why did Stanley infer that Zero had dug it for him? (94)
 Why would Zero do that? Explain. (94)
Chapter 22, pages 95-100

 How do the other boys feel about Zero? What names do they call him? (95-96)
 Why did Zero dig Stanley’s hole? (96)
 How did Stanley repay Zero? (96)
 Why is English difficult for Stanley to teach? (97-98)
 How do we know that Zero is intelligent? (97-99)
 Do you think Zero and Stanley made a fair deal? Explain why or why not. (98-99)
 Why does Stanley consider X-Ray’s feelings about the deal? Why would it matter to X-
Ray? (99)
 While lying in bed, Stanley realizes what the gold tube could be. What is the gold tube?
Who does he think it belonged to? (99-100)

Chapter 23, pages 101-103

Vocabulary: fungus (102), incurable (102), afflict (102)

 What else do we learn about Camp Green Lake?

 “It was full of clear cool water, and it sparkled like a giant emerald in the sun.” What
kind of figurative language was that on page 101?
 “It was said that Green Lake was “heaven on earth” and that Miss Kathrine’s spiced
peaches were “food for the angels.” What kind of figurative language was that on page
102?
 Describe Katherine Barlow. What do we learn about her? (101-103)
 Who is Charles Trout Walker? (102-103)
 Why were many of the men in town uneducated? (103)
 Prior to Katherine Barlow, why do you suppose no one ever said no to Charles Trout
Walker?

Chapter 24, pages 104-106

Vocabulary: grotesque (105)

 How do the boys react to Mr. Sir’s face? (104-105)

 Why did Stanley not talk to the boys about Mr. Sir? (105)
 How did Mr. Sir treat Stanley? (105-106)
 Why did Mr. Sir not give Stanley any water? How long do you predict that will go on?
(106)
Chapter 25, pages (107-111)

 Why did the townspeople go visit the doctor AND Sam? (107-108)
 Why was Katherine upset that it was about to rain? (109)
 Why could Sam NOT go to night school or attend classes? (109)
 What were some things that Sam fixed for Katherine? (109-110)
 Why did Kathrine keep giving Sam things to fix? (110)
 Infer – Why was Hattie Parker bothered by Sam and Kate kissing?
Chapter 26, pages 112-115

 Why did Kate think it was Saturday? (112)

 Why did Trout call Kate a “Devil Woman?” (112)
 Why did Trout really destroy the school? (113)
 How would you describe the sheriff? (113)
 What happened to Sam and Mary Lou? (114-115)
 How did Kissin’ Kate get her nickname? (115)
Chapter 27, pages 116-119

 Why did Stanley have to learn to conserve water? (116-117)

 Why did Mr. Pendanski give Stanley extra water? (116-117)
 How did the other boys react to Stanley and Zero’ agreement? (117)
 Why did Stanley dump his canteen onto the ground? Do you think he was smart to do
that? Explain why or why not. (118-119)
 What is Zero’s real name? (119)
Chapter 28, pages 120-123

 Why did Kate go back to Camp Green Lake? (120)

 Who is Linda Miler? (121)
 Why did Linda Miller marry Trout Walker? (121-122)
 What clue led Linda to infer that Kate buried her treasure? (122)
 Why did Trout and Linda show up at Kate’s cabin? What do they want from Kate? (121-
123)
 “But I sure hope you like to dig. Cause you’re going to be digging for a long time. It’s a
big vast wasteland out there. You, and your children, and their children, can dig for the
next hundred years and you’ll never find it.” Explain the significance of this passage from
page 122.
 “I’m losing my patience.” What kind of figurative language is that on page 123?
 How did Kate die? (123)
 How could Kate die laughing? Explain. (123)
Part Two – The Last Hole
Chapter 29, pages 127-129
Vocabulary: refuge (128), delirious (128), stranded (128)

 Why does Stanley count the seconds between the lightning and thunder? (127)
 “The peak looked to him exactly like a giant fist, with the thumb sticking straight up.”
What kind of figurative language is that on page 128?
 “I found refuge on God’s thumb.” What do you suppose Stanley’s grandfather meant?
(128)
 Stanley thinks he sees the thumb of God. Is he going crazy? Explain why or why not.
(129)
Chapter 30, pages 130-140

 How long has Stanley been at camp? (130)

 Do you think it was really Zigzag’s birthday?
 Why were the boys surprised that Mr. Sir gave Zigzag an extra carton of juice? (131)
 What does Stanley do while Zero digs part of his hole? (131-132)
 How do the other boys treat Stanley in regards to digging his holes? (132-135)
 Do you think Mr. Pendanski handled the situation correctly? Explain why. (134-136)
 Why did Mr. Pendanski fire his gun? (135)
 Mr. Pendanski told the Warden that there was a riot. How did the Warden react? (136-
137)
 How does Mr. Pendanski and the Warden treat Zero and Stanley? (136-139)
 How did Zero react to Mr. Pendanski and the Warden? (139)
 Why did the Warden say Zero would come back? (139)
 What rules did the Warden issue to the counselors and group D?
Chapter 31, pages 141-144

 Why is Stanley angry? (141)

 Why is Stanley digging Zero’s hole?
 Why does Stanley dismiss his first plan to save Zero? (142)
 Why do the counselors think Stanley knows where Zero might be? (143-144)
 Why do they want to erase Zero’s files? (144)
 Why do the counselors think happened to Zero? (144)
Chapter 32, pages 145-148

 Describe Twitch. How did he get his nickname? (145)

 Why did Stanley steal Mr. Sir’s truck? (147)
 What two mistakes did Stanley make? (147-148)
Chapter 33, pages 149-151
  What’s Stanley’s plan for finding Zero? (149-150)
 How are the holes different the further away from camp you get? (150)
 Why did Stanley start being more cautious? (150-151)
 What did Stanley have for lunch? (151)
Chapter 34, pages 152-154

 Describe the mirage Stanley sees. Why does he see a mirage? (152-153)
 “But every time he looked at it, it seemed to encourage him, giving him the thumbs up.”
What kind of figurative language is that on page 153?
 “For all he knew, it was like chasing the moon.” What kind of figurative language is that
on page 153?
 Describe the strange object in the middle of the lake. Whose boat did Stanley discover?
(154) Infer- why would there be a boat in the middle of the desert? (154)
Chapter 35, pages 155-159
Vocabulary: sheepishly (155), ventilation (156)

 “Zero’s face looked like a jack-o’-lantern that had been left out too many days past
Halloween – half rotten, with sunken eyes and a drooping smile.” What kind of
figurative language is that on page 155?
 Why does Zero refuse to go back to camp?
 What is “sploosh?” (155-157)
 What do you learn about barf bag? (157-158)
 Why does Stanley force Zero to look at the side of the mountain? (159)
Chapter 36, pages 160-166
Vocabulary: frail (164)

 Why do you suppose Stanley made it a point to tell Zero that he was not lucky? (160)
 Why did Stanley NOT want Zero to stop and rest? (160—161)
 How did Stanley distract Zero from his stomach pains?
 Stanley wonders what the Warden will do for Stanley. Do you think she’ll send a search
party? Explain why or why not. (162-163)
 “It was as if they had been walking across the flat bottom of a giant frying pan, and now
they had to somehow climb up out of it.” What kind of figurative language is that on
page 164?
 Describe the mountain. What do they see when they get to the end of the lake? (164-
165)
 How did Zero get injured? How do you suppose Zero was able to help Stanley up? (165)
Chapter 37, pages 167-169
Vocabulary: altitude (167), increments (167)

 What clues led Stanley to believe that they are close to water? (166-167)
 Why did Stanley stop giving Zero words while traveling up the mountain? (166)
Chapter 38, pages 170-172
Vocabulary: gully (171), gloppier (171)
 “After focusing on Big Thumb for so long, it was as if the rock had absorbed his energy and now
acted like a kind of giant magnet pulling him toward it.” What kind of figurative language was
that on page 170?
 How was Stanley’s fall a good thing? (171-172)
 What was the foul odor Stanley was smelling? (172)
 Why did Stanley tell Zero the onion was a hot fudge sundae? (172)
Chapter 39, pages 173-176
Vocabulary: precipice (174), delirious (175), confession (175)
 Why do Stanley and Zero feel awful? (173-174)
 Why does Stanley want to go look for the shovel? (174)
 Why does Stanley NOT want to leave Zero’s side? (175)
 What was Zero’s confession to Stanley? (175)
 As Stanley drifted off to sleep, what did Stanley sing to Zero? (175-176)
Chapter 40, pages 177-181
Vocabulary: feebly (180)
 What kind of wild flowers are in the meadow? (177)
 On page 177, why does the author skip a line between Stanley and Sam’s sentence?
 Why are the townspeople snickering at Mrs. Tennyson? How did she respond?(178-179)
 Why did Mrs. Tennyson want to speak to Sam? (178-179)
 Why did Sam tell Mrs. Tennyson that he didn’t take charity? (179)
 Why does Stanley doubt that he had carried Zero all the way up the mountain?
Chapter 41, pages 182-184

 Why do you suppose Stanley likes eating the onions one layer at a time? (182)
 How did the boys wash their clothes? (182-183)
 Why did Zero ask someone to pretend to be his mom? (183)
 What’s a ward of the state? (183)
 Why did Zero like sleeping outside? What did it remind him of? (183)
 Why did Clyde Livingston steal the shoes? How did he get caught? (184)
Chapter 42, pages 185-188
  At camp, Zero said he was never digging another hole. So, why did he dig another hill on
the mountain? (185)
 Stanley and Zero have only eaten onions. Do you think that is possible? Explain. (185-
186)
 Why do they no longer smell the onions? (186)
 Why do think Stanley is finally happy with himself? (186)
 How does Zero remind Stanley of a cartoon? (187)
 Why or how could Stanley be happy to be hit with those sneakers? Is it really a
coincidence? Explain why or why not. (187)
 “When the shoes first fell from the sky, he remembered thinking that destiny had struck
him. Now he thought so again. It was more than a coincidence. It had to be destiny.”
Describe the significance of this passage. (187)
 Why does Stanley want Zero to dig one more hole? (188)
Chapter 43, pages 189-197
Vocabulary: inexplicable (190)

 What does Zero remember about his past? (189-190)

 Describe Stanley and Zero’s plan. (189-190)
 Why do you think Stanley loses his confidence and starts to feel scared? (190)
 “The onions had protected them, like Styrofoam packing material.” (192)
 Why do Stanley and Zero both lie about being thirsty? (192-193)
 “They climbed down into the frying pan.” What kind of figurative language is that on
page 192?
 “I’m a camel.” What kind of figurative language is that on page 193?
 On page 193, why did Stanley and Zero “clink” their jars?
 What other important details do we learn about Zero’s past and his mother? (194)
 Stanley and Zero realize that they may have met before. Why? What evidence from the
text supports that inference? (194-195)
 “There was this one mother who kept staring at me like I was some kind of monster?”
What kind of figurative language is that, and why do you suppose the other mother did
that? (195)
 What did Zero mean when he said “Jaffy” wasn’t real? (195)
 Stanley compares himself to Zero. How are they alike? Different?
 How did Zero prove to Stanley that he knew which way to go? (196)
 Stanley says that he feels like destiny is on his side. Give evidence from this chapter that
supports this statement.
 Where did the boys hide? (196-197)
Chapter 44, pages 198-203
Vocabulary: precarious (202)

 Infer: Why did Stanley fall asleep in the hole? (198)

 What’s Stanley’s plan for the hole? (199)
 Describe what Zero and Stanley find? (200-203)
 How were they able to get it out? (202-203)
 What happened as soon as they got the object free? (203)
Chapter 45, pages 204-206

 How are the counselors dressed? (204)

 Why did the Warden suddenly stop talking? (205)
 What was also in the hole? (205-206)
 Describe what we learn about the Warden’s past. (205-206)
 “Stanley could hear his heart beat. Each beat told him he was still alive, at least for one
more second.” Describe the significance of this passage. What is going on in the story?
(206)
Chapter 46, pages 207-210

 How do Stanley and Zero react to the yellow spotted lizards? How are the counselors’
reactions different? (207-208)
 What’s the Warden’s plans for the boys? (208)
 “The words meant nothing to Stanley, who was still in the snow.” What does that
mean? Why is Stanley imagining being in snow? (209)
 What important news did Mr. Sir share with Stanley?
 Why did the Warden send Mr. Pendanski back to camp? (209)
 Why does Zero give Stanley the thumbs up sign? (210)
 How could standing be more strenuous than walking? (210)
 Why would Stanley risk moving, even though the lizards are still surrounding him? (210)
Chapter 47, pages 211-216

 Zero said, “Satan.” Why?

 Why did the Warden tell Mr. Sir to get the suitcase, rather than getting it out herself?
(211)
 What happened to the first tarantula Stanley ever saw? (212)
 What is the Warden’s name? (213-214)
 What lie did she tell the visitors? (214)
 What did “AG” stand for? (214)
 Why did Zero ask Stanley about the spelling of his last name? (213-216)
Chapter 48, pages 217-222
  How did the Warden attempt to get the suitcase back? Why did she change her story?
(218)
 The attorney general told Stanley he could keep the jump suit as a souvenir. Do you
think he will? Explain why or why not. (218)
 Why did Stanley refuse to leave camp? (219)
 What favor did Squid ask of Stanley? (221)
 How was Ms. Morengo able to take Zero too? (219-222)
Chapter 49, pages 223-225
Vocabulary: eliminates (225)

 According to Sam, how could you keep yellow spotted lizards away? (223-224)
 What is lizard juice? (224)
 Why is Ms. Morengo helping the Yelnats family? (224)
 Why did Ms. Morengo turn around while driving? (225)
 Why do you suppose it finally rained again at Camp Green Lake? (225)

Part three
Chapter 50, pages 229-233
Vocabulary: tedious (229), subtle (230), promissory (230)

 What happened to Camp Green Lake? (229)

 What happened to Ms. Walker (Warden)? (229)
 What was inside the suitcase? (230)
 How much did the boys get for the contents of the suitcase? (230)
 On page 231, the author wrote, “You will have to fill in the holes yourself.” What does
he mean? Why is that line significant?
 Why is Clyde Livingston at Stanley’s house? (231-232)
 Who is the lady with leather-like skin on the couch? How do you know? (233)
 Describe your reaction to the end of the book. Explain why you did or didn’t like it.

Name: _______________________________________________________________ # _____

Directions: As you read Holes, take notes on each character in the chart below.

Character Illustration and Notes Character Traits and Evidence

Stanley

Mr. Sir

Mr.
Pendanski

The
Warden

Alan aka
Squid

Rex aka X-
Ray

Jose aka
Magnet
 Theodore
aka Armpit

Ricky aka
Zigzag

Zero

Clyde
“Sweet
Feet”
Livingston

Madame
Zeroni

Myra
Menke
 Sarah Miller

Katherine
Barlow

Charles
Trout
Walker

Sam

Mary Lou

Name: _____________________________________________ # _________

Examples of CONFLICT in Holes

Directions: List examples of each type of conflict in the chart below.

The main
Character vs. Self character
experiences some
sort of inner
conflict.
 The main
Character vs. Character character is having
a problem with
another character
in the story,
human or not.

Some force of
Character vs. Nature nature is causing a
problem for the
main character.

The main
Character vs. Society character has a
conflict with a
larger group: a
community,
culture, society,
etc.
Name: _____________________________________________ # ________

Connections
Directions: Make three connections to Holes. Respond in complete sentences.
Text to Self:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Text to Text:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Text to World:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_-
______________________________________________________________

Name: ___________________________________ # _______ Date: ______________________

Directions: List problems and solutions found in Holes in the chart below. Answer in complete
sentences and list the page number where you found each problem and solution. 

Problem Solution
Compare and Contrast two different characters from the story. List at least two ways they are
different and two ways they are alike in the Venn diagram below. Be sure to label each circle
with the character’s name. 
Describe one character, event, setting, or other significant detail from your story. Put the topic in
the middle and the six supporting details on the outside. This is called a web. It shows how the
ideas/details are connected.