Title: Boys without Names
Author: Kashmira Sheth
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright: 2010
Age Level: 8 - 12 years
Lexile Score: 670L
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud of Small Group
Words to describe this book: unforgettable, courageous, suspenseful, engaging, clever
Summary: After fleeing from their village, Gopal and his family head to Mumbai where they hope to have a new beginning. In their old home, times got tough, and Gopal's father, Baba, had to sell their farm to provide for the family. After borrowing money from the moneylender and going into debt, Baba decides the best thing for his family to do is run. However, Baba falls short for money again when trying to get his family to their uncle Jama's house, Baba has to venture on his own. Gopal hopes Baba returns with his uncle Jama, but after countless days with no sign of him, Gopal knows he has to fend for his family and make the right decisions for them. They fend a way to get money to take the bus to Jama's house. However, they find out that Baba has not made it there yet. Gopal realizes he has to make income for his family. Therefore when a man offers him a factory job, Gopal decides to take it to help his struggling family. However, this job is not what Gopal thought it was. He ends up being trapped in the factory, where he is not allowed to speak and only tend to the work that needs to get done. Gopal fears he won't be reunited with his family again.
Key Vocabulary:
Definitions found at http://merriam-webster.com
Before Reading Activity:
During Reading Activity:
After Reading Activity:
Electronic Resources:
http://www.indiavrtours.com/
This provides students with a virtual tour of India. Students can explore the different countries through photos, videos, and short paragraphs about each country. This can relate to Boys without Names because students can visualize where Gopal and his family are traveling while reading.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvgRDdEqzoE
An interview with a family who has worked in a sweatshop. Students can understand the working conditions and the thoughts/feelings of families who had to experienced these circumstances.
Writing Activity:
Author: Kashmira Sheth
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright: 2010
Age Level: 8 - 12 years
Lexile Score: 670L
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud of Small Group
Words to describe this book: unforgettable, courageous, suspenseful, engaging, clever
Summary: After fleeing from their village, Gopal and his family head to Mumbai where they hope to have a new beginning. In their old home, times got tough, and Gopal's father, Baba, had to sell their farm to provide for the family. After borrowing money from the moneylender and going into debt, Baba decides the best thing for his family to do is run. However, Baba falls short for money again when trying to get his family to their uncle Jama's house, Baba has to venture on his own. Gopal hopes Baba returns with his uncle Jama, but after countless days with no sign of him, Gopal knows he has to fend for his family and make the right decisions for them. They fend a way to get money to take the bus to Jama's house. However, they find out that Baba has not made it there yet. Gopal realizes he has to make income for his family. Therefore when a man offers him a factory job, Gopal decides to take it to help his struggling family. However, this job is not what Gopal thought it was. He ends up being trapped in the factory, where he is not allowed to speak and only tend to the work that needs to get done. Gopal fears he won't be reunited with his family again.
Key Vocabulary:
- monsoon - a wind in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia that brings heavy rains in the summer
- secrecy - the act of keeping information secret
- moneylender - a person who lends money as a business
- imprisonment - the state of being held captive
- sweatshop - a place where people work long hours for low pay in poor conditions
- isolation - the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others
Definitions found at http://merriam-webster.com
Before Reading Activity:
- Read the statement Baba says about his reasoning for the family to move without paying the moneylender back on page 6. Ask students to make a prediction of what will happen to Gopal and his family. Do you think Baba has a good enough reason to leave his village without paying his debt? Do you think the moneylender will find him? Explain your reasoning.
During Reading Activity:
- Throughout the novel, there are many different conflicts. Use the split-page note taking strategy. On the left hand side, have students record conflicts Gopal and his family face. On the right hand side, have students provide an explanation using understandings from the text.
After Reading Activity:
- Split students up into groups. Have them participate in book talks about Gopal's journey and working conditions in the factory. Have them answer questions such as: If Gopal was given another chance to escape, do you think he would? Why? Did you think the boys were going to get rescued? Why or why not? More questions can be found on http://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/images/9781936129195/StudyguideStudent/BoysWoutNames_SE_JLGuide.pdf
- To differentiate the lesson, have students take on different roles in the book talks. The roles can be summarizer, recorder, illustrator, predictor.
Electronic Resources:
http://www.indiavrtours.com/
This provides students with a virtual tour of India. Students can explore the different countries through photos, videos, and short paragraphs about each country. This can relate to Boys without Names because students can visualize where Gopal and his family are traveling while reading.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvgRDdEqzoE
An interview with a family who has worked in a sweatshop. Students can understand the working conditions and the thoughts/feelings of families who had to experienced these circumstances.
Writing Activity:
- Gopal has a chance to escape when he gets asked to run an errand, but he decides not to. If you were Gopal, would you try to escape or stay with your friends and hope to be rescued? Provide clear reasons of why you would or wouldn't. (Students can refer to Gopal's reasoning of not escaping)