the kids from

nowhere 

Questions for Reflection 

The questions below provide places in the text to start classroom discussions.   

Look for other teacher resources on HBReads.org: 

• A Book Discussion Guide is at http://www.hbreads.org/kfndg.html and an Alaskan Bibliography is at http://www.hbreads.org/kfnah.html.
• The Akutaq recipe at http://www.hbreads.org/icecream.htm also inlcudes curriculum resources.

 

Part I 

p. 41 -- If students should take classes for job training (whale hunting, ivory carving, beadwork) suited to where they live, how many of these should each student be allowed to take as core classes and why? 

p. 42 -- Mr. Dan discussed curriculum offered with George. How did Mr. Dan persuade George to teach Future Problem Solving? 

p. 43 -- Is this statement true or false about writing: "those who can, do and those who can’t, teach." 

p. 45 -- Why did a teacher of gifted kids invent Future Problem Solving in the mid-1970’s? 

p. 47 -- Should the Guthridge children have been "sent South" ? 

p. 55 -- How did George’s daughter, Meredith’s comment, "don’t teach them, reach them," initiate a new direction for George, which he took first with Marshall in Geography Class? 

Part II 

p. 82 -- What do the kids do, like a hunter would do, to show they agree with Merle to be on the team of Future Problem Solvers? 

p. 83 -- How did George get Marshall, a student to teach George, a teacher, to play basketball? 

p. 103 -- How did George go from perceiving "familiarity breeds contempt" to "breeds contentment and commitment" because he saw the native Alaskans teaming to hunt in skin boats in the icy waters? 

p. 120  -- What does George experience that reinforced "to do as the natives do" ? 

p. 121  -- When does George phone in sick the first time? Is that okay? 

p. 123 -- Does a cashless society take people’s sense of community away if going to a bank is a place to connect with others and review transactions? 

p. 124 -- Why does Puffin hold back when it is time to pick up the trophy? 

p. 134 -- When Merle gets intolerant looks from people in Anchorage, how does George point him toward a way to "step on their preconceptions" about Eskimo kids? 

Part III 

p. 153 -- What does George find out about Londa that afterwards makes him reassess whether writing or teaching is more of an occupation? 

p. 157 -- How does Meredith use the "magic box" idea to explain how to turn common ideas into original ones? 

p. 163 -- How does Kasha get past her difficulty writing English? 

p. 166 -- What item does their teacher use to build brainstorming skills for Romie and Bess with Meredith? (rubber fly) 

p. 169 -- George calls "Learn Earn" a method he uses with soda pop, cookies and coloring activity as earned choices. What are some things a student could earn in our city as an inducement to learn? 

p. 195 -- Why does Meredith decide to write a short story for the Future Problem Solvers competition? 

p. 208 -- What was the most important source of income for the village? 

p. 216 -- What way did George suggest to assist the students who had writers block, to come up with a short story to submit for Future Problem Solvers? 

p. 222 -- What do Boone and Romie do to prepare their teams for the Future Problem Solvers competition? 

p. 223 -- What happens outside that makes the kids decide to call themselves "The Kids from Nowhere?" 

p. 229  -- What drives Boone to apply himself seriously to Future Problem Solving? 

p. 231 -- How does Meredith get the group to push study efforts last 3 days before leaving for Anchorage for the competition? 

p. 241 -- What is George’s private goal for the kids when they win at the state level and are qualified to go to the national competition? 

p. 244 -- Why do three of the teachers want to petition the administration to drop Future Problem Solving? 

p. 246 -- How does an article on "Mighty Mice," result in a new direction for the preparation for the national competition? 

p. 252 -- How does George borrow his cousin’s "Superlearning" concept to cram information for the competition? 

p. 260 -- How is George fooled into dancing? 

p. 264 -- What sabotages the study plans for the team? 

p. 274 -- How does Alvin’s question to the microbiologist change the direction of information they are receiving? 

p. 290 -- What way do the students agree to handle their data to save time during the competition? 

p. 294 -- What does Merle say about the mind that leads to Boone saying "genetic engineering is communication? 

p. 295 -- How does the team from Gambell illustrate their solution to the problem posed at Future Problem Solvers? 

p. 314 -- What did the Alaska Future Problem Solving office say about George Guthridge’s coaching?