The Barren Grounds

Throughout the novel, dangers lurk. What is the biggest danger Morgan, Eli, Ochek, and Arik face? What might the Council in Misawa advise about that threat? Consider these points as you formulate a response:

• What threats exist on Earth?
• Does Misewa have similar hazards?
• What new dangers do Morgan and Eli find on Askí?
• How do characters react to the threats they face?
• What do we know about the Council?

Teaching Suggestion: There are many physical dangers the characters encounter. In addition, they also face internal conflicts, which might not be as obvious to readers. Generating a list together as a class is one approach. Students might assign weights to the dangers or rank them from least to most dangerous. Since there are many answers (and no right or wrong answers), this discussion can be a chance for the class to practice building meaning together. To respond to peers’ ideas, students might use sentence stems like these: “I agree with ___ and want to add”; “Another example of that danger would be___”; and “That example connects to_____ because.” Extending the discussion to include advice the Council might offer provides a way to examine another aspect of Misewa. Students might discuss what the Council seems to value and apply those values to these topics.