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

1. What are some challenges teen mothers face?

Teaching Suggestion: One of the central themes of the novel is The Challenges Faced by Teen Mothers, so exploring this topic before reading can guide students to more fully access the novel. It could be beneficial to make a list of challenges prior to reading, then pause after each section of the novel to compare and update the list based on challenges Jolly faces. It might be important to discuss how every experience is different to avoid stereotypes. This question could expand to a research project continuing throughout the novel.

• The US Department of Health and Human Services Department offers statistical information including maps and graphs on “Trends in Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing.” Readers might compare this information to statistics that were accurate in the novel’s time of publication (1993).
• This resource from Nemours TeensHealth is written for a teenage audience, presents information about pregnancy and beyond, and includes English and Spanish versions in both print and audio forms.

2. How does having an income below the federal poverty threshold impact families?

Teaching Suggestion: In realistic fiction like Make Lemonade, socioeconomic levels impact many aspects of the characters’ lives, so increasing background understanding can be pivotal to understanding story elements. Incorporating information from areas in which the students are familiar might be important for this topic. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, a private, individual response may be best suited for the prompt; students might freewrite or journal about the impact of socioeconomic levels on family, utilizing these or similar resources if helpful. While some facts and statistics can help with background knowledge, this topic sometimes slips into stereotypes, so discussing complexities before reading might be important.

• This article from NBC examines programs designed to address low-income impacts, the effects of the pandemic, and the importance of society doing more.
• In “Effects of Poverty, Hunger and Homelessness on Children and Youth,” the American Psychological Association presents background information and statistics regarding the ways an income below the federal poverty threshold might affect families and young people and what people can do to help.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What motivates you? Explore possible causes and effects of your motivations.

Teaching Suggestion: The main characters face significant obstacles yet find the motivation to persevere. Reflecting on their own motivations can provide students with insights into the characters. Additional scientific background can provide students with information to ponder for their own lives and to apply later as they read the novel. This NPR interview offers ideas for adding beneficial habits into one’s day and ways to make them more impactful. Later, as students read, they might return to this article and discuss how the ideas could apply to the main characters.

• This interview from NPR examines an approach to incorporate goals into one’s life and accomplish them.

Differentiation Suggestion: For diverse learners, the listening option might be beneficial. For an excerpt in the audio option, consider minutes 3-7, which focus on the definition and some examples of tiny habits. Another option could be to read an excerpt of the article; the section starting with “What is a tiny habit exactly” could be a strong option for an excerpt. Alternatively, students might pair-read the article, stopping and discussing after each section.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who might benefit from a response that utilizes individual talents and learning styles, this topic lends itself to various types of products: songs, poems, paintings, sketches, skits, sports demonstrations, etc.