73 pages • 2 hours read
Gordon KormanSchooled
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2007A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
What traits do Zach Powers and Hugh Winkleman have in common? How do these traits lend themselves—or work against—the preservation of the social hierarchy a Claverage Middle School?
What does the novel reveal about Rain’s backstory and her founding of the farm? What details does it leave out, and how does this affect the reader’s understanding of the story?
What are some of the practices at Garland Farm that can be adapted by Mr. Kasigi to make Claverage better at serving the needs of individual students?
Why did Rain believe that Capricorn needed to leave Garland Farm? Were her fears founded? Use evidence from the text in your response.
What futures does the novel hint at for the characters who are middle school students? What factors contribute to their perceived success or failure in the real world?
Research real-world historical communes in the United States and discuss how they compare and contrast with Garland Farm. Is Garland Farm’s portrayal realistic? Why or why not?
How do themes of race and gender appear in Claverage Middle School? Does the novel provide any commentary on these topics?
How do the childhood experiences of Rain and Mrs. Donnelly affect their parenting styles as adults? What might the novel be implying about how one’s parents and educators shape one’s future?
Is Capricorn’s naiveté one of his strengths or a weakness? Provide examples from the text to support your response.
Choose another one of Korman’s novels to compare and contrast with Schooled. How do their themes, plots, and characters differ, and how are they the same? What elements of literary technique are common in both texts, and how do they enhance the narratives?
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