We hope you enjoyed the Booklist chat with R.J. Palaccio as much as we did. We have so many ideas for how you can teach Pony in your classroom. Let's dive right in!
Pre-Reading
1. Anticipation Guide
The Crazy Reading Ladies love a good anticipation guide. There's nothing better than engaging early adolescents in discussion about prompts that have no easy answers. It's super satisfying to watch the gears turn. You can almost hear those synapses firing! Here are a few anticipation guide prompts we brainstormed:
- I believe in ghosts.
- A person is either all good or all bad; there is no in-between.
- I could survive on my own in the woods for a week.
- Everyone deserves a second chance.
- Kids are smarter now than they were 200 years ago.
- Some secrets should never be told.
- Sometimes you have to be scared or in pain in order to grow.
- My family name is important to me.
- Children lie more than adults do.
- In order to be considered intelligent, one must complete formal schooling.
- Speaking with correct grammar indicates higher intelligence.
2. Pre-teaching literary references
Silas grew up reading the books that were available to him, reading stories like Arthurian legends and Greek mythology. When trying to find an appropriate name for Pony, Silas considers several characters. Students can do some quick online research about these characters and discuss the appropriateness of each name.
- Bucephalus
- Gringolet
- Perceval
- Aetheon
- Telemachus
3. Quick write
Provide students with copies of the black and white photos that begin each chapter and have them write short vignettes about the people they see. For a super quick write, go for 6 word stories.
4. Play the book trailer
Ask students to predict the conflict of the novel based on what they see.
During Reading
1. Discussion and writing prompts
- Is Martin Bird right to leave Silas alone? Why or why not?
- In what ways is your relationship to your parents similar to Silas' relationship with his father? How is it different?
- When Silas leaves, he takes his mother's violin. If you had to leave your home, what would you take?
- What happened in the Woods? What does Silas see?
- Have you ever had a special relationship with an animal? Or have you read about other special human/animal relationships (Augie/Daisy in Wonder, Mark and Beau in The Honest Truth)
- Silas had a teacher whose words wounded him. Has a teacher ever said anything to you -positive or negative - that you still think about?
2. Textual Evidence practice
Consider the following. Provide textual evidence from Pony to support the ideas presented.
Watch your thoughts, they become your words.
Watch your words, they become your actions.
Watch your actions, they become your habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Character is everything.
After Reading
1. Writing activity
The book begins and ends with an article from The Boneville Courier. Please write a Boneville Courier article for the beginning of each/select chapter(s).
2. Writing/discussion activity
Revisit your anticipation guide and choose a statement for which you have changed your mind. Write a paragraph explaining how Pony changed your thinking.
3. Textual evidence practice
After all of the secrets of the book are revealed (Mittenwool's identity, Marshal Farmer's history, Sheriff Chalfont's connection to Silas, the location of the gold, etc.) please go back to the text to identify moments of foreshadowing. (Hint! Start with page 3 and the description of Martin Bird's boots.)
We'd love to hear from you if use any of these!
Happy reading!
