Holes Bio-Poem Strategy

Purpose: This strategy is designed to help students both think and write about characters in the novel Holes. Students will choose a character and write a Bio-poem about him/her. This will additionally help clarify the students' understanding of the characters and the storyline. This strategy will take approximately forty minutes to draft then another period to type up.

Directions: Explain how every person is different. Everyone has their individual personality and characteristics. Students will choose two characters from the novel Holes that they feel are complete opposites. Students will then use the Bio-poem structure to write a Bio-poem for each of the characters. We will then take our two poems each to the computer lab and type them up.

The directions are:

Line 1	First name
Line 2	Four traits that describe character
Line 3	Friend (other character) of _____
Line 4	Lover of _____ (list three things or people)
Line 5	Who feels _____ (three items)
Line 6	Who needs _____ (three items)
Line 7	Who fears _____ (three items)
Line 8	Who gives _____ (three items)
Line 9	Who would like to see _____ (three items)
Line 10	Resident of _____
Line 11	Last Name

Example:

Mr.
Always busy, spunky, goofy, and full of energy
Friend of students
Lover of wife, son, and learning
Who feels like avenging wrongs, conquering the world, and large and in charge
Who needs skating, frequent treats, and a good book
Who fears mean parents, the dark, and his wife's body pillow
Who gives knowledge, skating lessons, and many laughs
Who would like to see Harry Potter 5, all his students with A's, and no illiteracy
Resident of Utah Valley
Lawrence