The Indian in the Cupboard

Consider the historical and cultural differences between the characters in the novel. What conflicts and misunderstandings arise due to these differences? How do the various characters cope with these misunderstandings?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may find it beneficial to first review their chart from the pre-reading activity to analyze differences between 1700s colonial America, the late 1800s in the United States, and 1980s England before considering the impact of these historical and cultural perspectives. Asking students to list the misconceptions about the characters and analyze how and why these misconceptions came to be might give students a greater understanding of the impact of societal misconceptions and stereotypes.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who require additional assistance with abstract analysis may find it helpful to create a graphic organizer to categorize the interactions of characters based on the time period associated with that character. Students can then work in small groups to analyze the perspectives of the characters based on these categorizations.

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Construct a Home for Little Bear or Boone”

In this activity, students will research the background of either Boone or Little Bear to create a historically accurate structure and provisions for the figurines.