From the first page of Neverhome by
Laird Hunt, I was mesmerized. Was my absorption due to
~the first line, “I was strong and he was not, so it was me went to war
to defend the republic”?
~ the knowledge that women masqueraded as men to fight in the Civil
War?
~ Laird Hunt’s ability to spin mere words into vivid and emotional word
pictures, such as, “…but there had been a bite of sorrows in that empty place
made me glad to think we had found another spot and weren’t going to return,”
(21)? As an avid reader, I give three solid, “Yes” votes to these questions.
As a teacher, I appreciate the societal/cultural links, as well as the reasons why this
243-page novel provides a rich cross-curriculum unit of study that secondary
school English and Social Studies teachers may share.
Societal/ Cultural Links
~ Constance Thompson, AKA Ash Thompson, is a woman who succeeds in a man’s
world, though she has to disguise herself as a man to do so. The two recent graduates of Ranger School, First Lieutenant Shaye
Haver, and Captain Kristen Griest also excelled in a – previously -men’s
only domain.
~ Some reasons
for the Civil War, from both Northern and Southern Points of View are
presented.
~ The interpretation of historical persons, places and things as well
as their symbolic meanings is timely.
Cross Curriculum Ideas
~English teachers can share elements of literature activities such as Character,
Plot/Conflict and Theme with social studies teachers.
~ Social Studies teachers may share activities that deepen students
understanding of the people and places of the Civil War, especially those that
are shown- with literary license- in this novel.
~ English and Social Studies teachers could “guest teach” in each
other’s classes.
What does this 103-page Unit
Plan: Neverhome offer teachers?
Here is a shortened version of the Table of Contents:
Objectives and Teacher
Notes
A Unit Activity Plan
(specifies the Common Core Anchor Standards and
Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs
for each activity)
Pre-Reading – What Do I
Know? How Do I Know It?
Research Project
Debate Project
Historical Footnotes
Vocabulary Activity
Section Analysis
Activity (3-pages; one set is designated for every reading division section
that I created- three
each for the author’s book divisions that he names, One, Two and Three.)
Group Activity –Ash’s
Journey 1862-1864
Character Activities (6)
Plot/Conflict Activities
(5)
Setting Activity -
Setting Up Ash(1)
Symbols Activities (2)
Theme Activities (2)
Tone Activity (1)
Figurative Language
Activity
Points to
Ponder/Discussion Topics (10)
Essay Topics (8)
Project Topics (9)
Assessments/Division
Quiz
Assessments Unit Test
Answer Keys: Historical
Footnotes, Vocabulary, Neverhome Unit
Test
This product, Unit Plan - Neverhome, provides a plethora of teacher notes, activities and
assessments that enable students to ~deepen their reading comprehension and
their understanding of the Civil War and its impact on contemporary society.
~grasp the fact that what happens in the past always impacts the future
~ strengthen their writing depth and their higher level thinking skills,
and, to
~ create lifelong readers and learners.
Enjoy a Teach it Now Day, Every Day
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