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Teachers’ Guides

Educators’ Guide for Torch

Includes a timeline of Czechoslovakia’s history from 1918 to 1989, discussion questions, literary elements and devices, classroom activities for middle and high school, and a map of Central and Eastern Europe. Torch_EducatorGuide

Discussion Guide for Torch

Questions for classroom and book club discussions that explore the characters’ experiences and motivations and the choices readers might make when faced with the same challenges. Torch_DiscussionGuide

Resource List for Torch

A music and film playlist of songs and movies that inspired scenes in Torch and served as research sources for the novel. Torch_ResourceList

Mr. Internet Activity for Rogue

Students play the role of Mr. Internet, offering advice for Kiara as she tries to make friends and navigate difficult or confusing social situations. You can read a description of this activity in a middle school here. PDF Format

A Teacher’s Guide to Gringolandia

Background information on Chile, discussion questions, standards-based activities in a variety of subject areas, and an extensive annotated bibliography. PDF Format

A Bundle of Letters

A letter-writing activity for Gringolandia that allows students to step inside the story and take the role of Daniel, his sister Tina, or his mother as they write to Marcelo in prison. PDF Format

Lesson Plans for Once Upon a Cuento

A playwriting activity that encourages students to identify and visualize scenes and a story writing activity that encourages English Language Learners to imagine their lives as a TV show. PDF Format