Barbara Kingsolver:
The Bean Trees
and
The Poisonwood Bible
Lesson plans and other teaching materials
| Biography and Background | | The Bean Trees | | The Poisonwood Bible |
Biography and Background
Barbara Kingsolver
Author biography.
Interview with Barbara Kingsolver
In this 2004 interview, Kingsolver discusses how her science background influences her writing. It is related to
Small Wonder
. This downloadable video clip is 3:41 long.
Quotations from Barbara Kingsolver
A collection of quotations.
The Bean Trees
The Bean Trees
: Changing Lives Through Literature
Scroll down to find several sets of questions for writing or discussion.
The Bean Trees
: Planning an Essay
Students are given 3 writing prompts and are guided through the steps to craft a response.
The Bean Trees
: Prereading Activity
Students answer questions based on the book's cover and consider issues related to adoption.
Study Guide for
The Bean Trees
Analysis and 17 writing or discussion questions.
Texas Canyon
Taylor Greer comments on Texas Canyon as she drives through. What does it look like? Photo and additional information.
The Poisonwood Bible
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
This unit plan focuses on dealing with different kinds of loss. Lesson plans for 30 days with learning activities that include bellwork, journaling, vocabulary, KWL chart, discussions, making predictions, close reading, more. Scroll down for bibliography, printable handouts. Designed for 10th grade. 56 pages; Adobe Reader required.
Creative Analysis Activities for
The Poisonwood Bible
Teacher's handout with activities for students to analyze character, setting, conflict, style, and theme. 2 pages; word processor required.
The Poisonwood Bible
New York Times book review. Includes a link to Barbara Kingsolver reading an excerpt.
The Poisonwood Bible
30 vocabulary words and definitions. Follow the link to a printable study sheet.
A Study Guide for
The Poisonwood Bible
Discussion questions and a model personal response essay. 15 pages; Adobe Reader required.
Stylistic Voice and Questions of Speaking for the Voiceless in
The Poisonwood Bible
This unit designed for high school seniors will examine how writers create voice, how voice creates character, and what the writer and the character are trying to convey through his or her choices in diction, syntax, detail, tone, and sensory language. The students will then examine how these stylistic techniques work together to create the larger meaning of the work as a whole, and how Kingsolver uses stylistic voice to raise larger questions about who is able or permitted to speak for themselves in society.