A Holes-Inspired Homeschool Adventure
Reading aloud to my kids is an essential part of my homeschool curriculum. We recently started reading chapter books that also have a movie we can watch because seeing the movie at the end is highly motivating to one of my kids. It’s taken all school year, but we finally found a book that both kids were very engaged, excited, and interested in extending our learning. With each chapter book we read together, I have begun to find ways to bring the topics of the storyline to life!
The book Holes has a main character, Stanley Yelnats, who is wrongfully accused of a crime and sent to a correctional camp where he is required to dig holes in the hot sun every single day. The plot goes into the Yelnats’ family history and the history of the area where the boys’ camp is located. Throughout the boo,k Stanley is also trying to figure out if they are digging to find something or simply digging for character development like the warden of the camp tells them. The movie version of Holes can be found on Disney+.
We read the entire book, watched the movie and then we explored our community in unique ways to extend our learning! The hands-on activities and experiences around the Des Moines Metro can be done by you, even if you haven’t read the book or watched the movie.
Find a place to dig!
The very first thing we had to do was find a place to DIG! My boys were certainly excited to see who could dig the biggest hole. We went in search of sand because I figured it would be easier and quicker to dig in sand. A few local places to dig holes in the sand are Barrett Boesen Nature Playspace, Gray’s Lake Beach, and Raccoon River Beach.
Learn more about reptiles
The camp in the book is located in the desert in Texas, where rattlesnakes and “yellow spotted lizards” are a very real danger. The movie begins with an intense rattlesnake scene, and towards the end of the movie, there is a scene with a nest of yellow-spotted lizards. We learned that the yellow-spotted lizards used to film the movie were bearded dragons with yellow spots painted on their backs. So naturally, these reptiles were the next thing my boys were asking about, interested in, and wanting to see more of! Reptiles are available for viewing at the Science Center, Blue Zoo, and we found many bearded dragons at the Aqualand exotic pet store.
Make a visit to the Waukee Library
The book has a minor storyline about a famous baseball player. To explore this topic we went to the Waukee Library’s Manders Baseball Museum to learn about a local baseball player! The museum showcases the baseball career of Harold “Hal” Manders, a Waukee resident who played professional baseball in the 1930’s and 1940’s. You can see historic baseball paraphernalia on display as well as read numerous newspaper articles highlighting his career.
Attend a baseball game
I also recommend you bring baseball to life by scheduling a tour of Principal Park or attending an Iowa Cubs game to cheer on your local team!
Grab your copy of Holes at one of our amazing independent bookstores in the Des Moines metro!
