On My Honor

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Consider the importance of friendship. How do friends benefit when they think similarly or share common interests and beliefs? What are some of the positive impacts of having friends who think differently or have different interests and beliefs?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question invites students to consider the novel’s theme of The Complexity of Friendship. Bauer’s protagonist, Joel, has very little in common with his childhood friend Tony; in fact, Joel wonders how they continue to be friends despite their different approaches to life. The two, however, are bonded by their shared past. Students might meet in small groups to share and discuss individual responses. To extend discussion in the large group setting, class members might contribute examples of friendships from previously read novels and evaluate whether the friends had much or little in common and the extent to which this impacted the quality of the friendship.

• Psychology Today explores the idea of friendship in “The 13 Essential Traits of Good Friends.”
• This curated list of “Middle Grade Books About Friendship” includes descriptions for connecting intertextual ideas about friendship and sparking interest in similar reads.

Short Activity

Author Marion Dane Bauer has written a variety of novels concerning important topics for children and young adults. Working in small groups, select and research another of Bauer’s works to present to the class. Consider the following questions to shape your research:

• Who is Bauer, and what is her background?
• Why did Bauer write the book your group selected? For example, was she influenced by a specific event or situation in her life? Explain.
• What is this work about? Briefly explain the story elements (plot, character, theme, point of view, and setting).
• Does Bauer seem to touch upon the themes of The Complexity of Friendship, Honor and Deception, or Questions on Life and Death in this novel? If so, how?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Activity invites students to use their research and oral presentation skills in a small group exercise. These and similar resources may be helpful in jumpstarting research. Students might create a poster-sized book cover for their selected novel to be displayed during their presentation; colors and images should convey plot, character, theme, and other story elements.

• Bauer’s website provides information on her background and writing process, including educational resources.
• This 2018 interview with Bauer explores her creative writing process and courage to create literature on poignant themes.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What does it mean to be honorable? Can an honorable person also tell lies? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to consider the theme of Honor and Deception from their own perspective. Joel struggles with going against his father’s wishes (breaking the code of honor with his father) from the outset of the novel. He worries not only for his friend’s safety but also about dishonoring his father through disobedience. Joel struggles with the concept of honor throughout the majority of the novel.

Differentiation Suggestion: For more advanced classes, this Personal Connection Prompt may be amended to the following question: Bauer’s narrative subtly alludes to the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Using the link below, read and analyze the story of Cain and Abel. How does this story approach the themes of Honor and Deception and The Complexity of Friendship?

• “Cain & Abel” from World History Encyclopedia