Thank you for selecting my book, The Marble Harvest, for a class discussion / assignment. I prepared a teacher’s guide to assist in talking about the book with young readers. Please use whatever parts of it are useful to you.
One thing I found while talking to children about my books at schools and libraries throughout California was that more children have experienced farm work than they should have today. Part of my reason for writing The Marble Harvest was to bring light to the experience of children who are pulled from school to work in the fields with their families. I not only wanted to show the hardship endured by child farmworkers, but I also wanted children to understand that there is nothing undignified or shameful about helping your family by working in the fields.
Some things that I have found helpful when talking about The Marble Harvest are encouraging children to talk about their own experience helping around the house. Have them talk about any chores or responsibilities that they have. Ask about summer vacations to see how children spend their summers. Ask them about whether they have a garden, potted plants in their homes, or fruit trees in their yard. A field trip to an orchard or a working farm is a great way to talk about this book, as is asking how many children know someone who has worked in the fields. A project such as growing their own plant from a seed is another important way to connect children to the topics in this book.
Teachers are asked an enormous and important task—that of educating our children. Teachers should know that they have resources to help them and should take advantage of the resources they have. One important resource, which I highlight in The Marble Harvest, is the school library and librarian.
Again, thank you for choosing The Marble Harvest for your class. I would love to know what worked for you and what did not. Please feel free to contact me
