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Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Consider the topic of immigration from a global and historical perspective.

• Reference 3-4 notable migrations of people from one place to another.
• What kinds of events in history prompt migration of groups from one place to another?
• What goals might immigrant groups have in common?
• What conflicts and challenges might they experience in their journey and settlement?

Teaching Suggestion: Guidance and suggestions may be necessary, depending on the ages and backgrounds represented in the class. Encourage students to reach for connections in all time periods; examples might include the Celts who emigrated to Britain in prehistoric times, the “barbarian” invasions of the Roman Empire, the colonization of early America, later waves of immigrants to America in the 19th and early 20th centuries, post-WWII migration, and Cuban refugees who came to America in the 1960s.

Guide students to note that sometimes “migration” as a term may refer to voluntary movement (i.e., immigrants seeking to escape oppression or find greater opportunity) or it may refer to forced movement (slavery, indentured servants, relocation of Native peoples). Connect to the novel by explaining that a main character (Mari) and her family are immigrants to the US from Mexico seeking employment, safety, and new and improved opportunities. Some questions above can introduce the novel’s Inclusion and Acceptance theme.

• This “Immigration and Relocation in US History” timeline from the Library of Congress marks facts, statistics, and notable events from 1786 to 2001.
• “A History of Migration” offers examples of major migration events in world history including slavery and indentured servitude.
• General introductory information on Mexican migration to the United States from the Library of Congress is a good place for students to begin contextualizing Mari’s family’s decisions and needs.

Short Activity

Rate each statement in terms of how strongly you agree (10) or disagree (0). If you are neutral on the topic or cannot decide, your rating might be in the middle (5).

1. If you find a significant amount of money on the ground, you should try to locate the owner.

2. Parents should be completely honest with their children about decisions that affect them.

3. Breaking the law is always a moral transgression as well as a legal one.

4. It is never all right to physically hurt someone unless it is self-defense.

5. If an elderly person becomes forgetful, their freedom to make decisions should be curtailed.

Teaching Suggestion: In the novel, main character Tyler battles with these questions of conscience based on plot events. The statements might spark discussion of what is “right” and “wrong” about personal choice, decision-making, and the impact of one’s actions on others. Connect the statements to the novel to hook readers’ interest and introduce the novel’s theme of Recognizing a Higher Justice.