Lesson
1
:
Learning Curiosity from Literature
Grade
Grade 7
UNIT
4
•
Curiosity
In Unit 4, Lesson 1, “Learning Curiosity from Literature,” students will learn examples of curiosity from a contemporary work of young adult literature, Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. Students will develop their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and writing skills by answering questions about the text. Additionally, students will develop their academic dialogue skills by participating in class discussions.
SUGGESTED TIME:
- 1 class period to introduce the text; 1 class period to discuss the text; if desired, additional class periods can be devoted to in-class silent reading of the text
- Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (paperback edition) is 384 pages.
- The suggested reading assignment is ~25 pages per session
- With this schedule, students will complete the book in 15 in-class reading sessions or 15 homework sessions.
- Students should complete the short-answer questions on the worksheet as they read the book.
- Allow at least 50 minutes for in-class discussion of the short-answer questions on the worksheet.
RELATED SUBJECT:
English Language Arts
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Read a contemporary work of young adult literature
- Identify and analyze the book’s genre, point of view, characters, setting, and plot
- Identify and analyze the book’s central ideas
- Write answers to questions about the book, demonstrating understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar
- Engage effectively in collaborative discussions about the book
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
- Book: Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool.
- Video: Immigration and the Rise of Nativism by NBC News Learn (~2 min)
- Video: The US in World War I by the History Channel (~3 min)
- Video: What Was It Like to Live during the Great Depression in the US? by Captivating History (~12 min)
- Prohuman Grade 7 Unit 4 Worksheet 1: Learning Curiosity from Literature
ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET
CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET
LESSON PROCEDURE
Step 1:
- Show students this image without providing any context: https://nyccivilrightshistory.org/gallery/high-tide-of-immigration/
- Ask students what they see.
- Ask students what they wonder.
- Explain that this is a political cartoon from 1903. Read the original caption: The High Tide of Immigration—A National Menace. Immigration statistics for the past yer show that the influx of foreigners was the greatest in our history, and also that the hard-working peasants are now being supplanted by the criminals and outlaws of all Europe.
Step 2:
- Introduce the book to the students by explaining that we will be reading a novel, Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, that takes place in two time periods: 1917-1918 and 1936.
- Tell students that there are three important pieces of historical context we need to understand this novel.
- The first is anti-immigrant sentiments during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Play this video: Immigration and the Rise of Nativism by NBC News Learn (~2 min)
- The second piece of historical context is America’s entry into WWI. Play this video: The US in World War I by the History Channel (~3 min)
- The third piece of historical context needed to understand this novel is the Great Depression. Ask students what they know about the Great Depression and write a list on the board.
- Play this video: What Was It Like to Live during the Great Depression in the US? by Captivating History (~12 min)
Step 3:
- Have students complete the book either through multiple in-class silent reading sessions or as homework.
- Students should complete the short-answer questions on the worksheet as they read the book.
Step 4:
- Allow at least 50 minutes for in-class discussion of the short-answer questions on the worksheet.
GRADE 7 UNIT 4 WORKSHEET 1: LEARNING CURIOSITY FROM LITERATURE
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER WHILE READING
- How did the author choose to structure this book? Explain two unique aspects of this novel’s structure.
- Who is the narrator of this novel, where does she live, and what is happening in America at the time of this novel?
- What were the living conditions like in Manifest, Kansas in 1936?
- Sister Redempta asks Abilene to write a story about her summer in
the town, and tells her a good place to start is with the definition of the word manifest. Why does Sister Redempta suggest this?
- How does Abilene show curiosity about her father, Gideon?
- How is anti-immigrant discrimination shown in this book?
- How does Miss Sadie unite the workers?
- What do we learn about WWI from Ned’s letters?
- What does Abilene learn about Junior’s murder?
- Abilene’s curiosity inspires her to investigate many secrets about the town of Manifest. What is the truth she finds out about her father? How does this truth change her view of Manifest?
- Gideon and Ned agree with the Herman Melville quote: “It is not down in any map. True places never are.” Does Abilene believe this is true in the end?
- What is a principle about curiosity that you learned from this book, and how can you show curiosity in your life?
Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.