Projects
Holes Project Overview
Curses and Destiny
Drawing God’s Thumb
Forming God’s Thumb
Carving God’s Thumb
Presentation Outline
Final Draft: Urban Legend Presentation
Holes Project Overview
In the novel Holes, Stanley’s great-great-grandfather Elya Yelnats had to carry his pig up a tall
mountain called God’s Thumb. When he got there, he had to feed it water from a stream that
ran uphill according to Madame Zeroni. For this project, you are going to recreate the famous
mountain out of paper mache and give a presentation about how someone you know had
climbed up the mountain.
Curses and Fortune-Telling
● Elya did not carry Madame Zeroni up the mountain.
● Stanley’s family blames this event for their bad luck and misfortune.
● Connects to real-world issues: Do you think that people have the ability to jinx and curse
each other? Should people be expected to fulfill their past family members’ destiny?
Past vs. Present
● The novel goes back and forth in the past and present — it connects the characters’
ancestors to their current lives.
● This project blends geology (study of rocks, mountain structures, textures) with
storytelling (past versus present, moral, climax).
● You’ll take on the role of a history buff who will tell the tale of how your character was
able to climb up and down your mountain.
Project Elements
Paper Mountain
● Represents the famous and nearly impossible challenge of the novel.
● You’ll design a mountain with the following features:
○ Thumb-like Shape
○ Rock formations
○ A small stream lining up
● This mountain will show how much your character endured climbing up the mountain to
fulfill their destiny.
Presentation
● You will present your mountain with a story about:
○ How your mountain was shaped like a giant thumb.
○ Introduce a character and the reason why they had to climb it.
○ What destiny or curse they were trying to undo.
● This connects directly to Stanley’s story: survival, overcoming any obstacle, and
fixing past mistakes.
Curses and Destiny
In Holes, Stanley and his family blame their great-great-grandfather for being poor and not
having a big house. They believe that if he had just done what Madame Zeroni had told him to
do, they would have much better lives.
This week, we’ll think about curses and destiny, and whether or not they affect the future. Then
you’ll start sketching your Thumb mountain and paper mache.
Curse and Effect
Discuss these questions with your partner and write your ideas below.
1. What are some ways Koreans get their fortune told?
2. Why have Korean shamans become more popular lately?
3. If you met a fortune teller, what would you ask her?
4. Do you think Elya Yelnats deserved his fate? Why or why not?
5. Should people be responsible for their futures or go with the flow? Explain
Drawing God’s Thumb
Instructions: Think like a scientist in the Collective. What features would you give people if you wanted
them to look the same? Write your ideas below.
1. What are 3 natural features your mountain will have?
(Examples: sharp rocks, flat cliffs, a small stream with lilypads.)
2. What is waiting at the top of the mountain for someone to find?
3. How will you make these features on your paper mache mountain?
Face of the Future
Now it’s time to draw what your big “Thumb” will look like. Use your notes above to guide your design.
● Use descriptions from the novel: unusual rock formation, dark red, weeds and tall grasses.
● Label the features so that it looks like an unusual thumb shape.
● Be creative — think of how to form the mountain so that it can make a path for going up.
Sketch your head design here:
Forming God’s Thumb
Last week, you sketched your idea for God’s Thumb, a tall mountain Stanley’s great-great-
grandfather climbed up. This week, you’ll begin bringing that idea to life by making a paper
mache mountain.
Remember: these mountains represent how Elya didn’t fulfill his destiny, and how Stanley must
pick up where he left off. Your design should feel thumb-shaped, red rock-like, and grassy at
the top.
Class Activity: Making the Mountain
Step 1 - Build the Mountain Shape
● Crumple newspaper into balls and pile them on your base.
● Tape them together with masking tape until you have the basic shape of your mountain.
● If making God’s Thumb, shape one section at the top to look like a giant fist with a
thumb sticking up.
Step 2 - Add Structure
● Use rolled or folded newspaper to create ridges, slopes, or cliffs.
● Secure everything with tape so it won’t move.
Step 3 - Apply Paper Mâché Layers
● Dip newspaper strips into your paste, wipe off excess, and lay them smoothly over the
mountain form.
● Overlap strips slightly so they stick together.
● Cover the entire surface, leaving no gaps.
● Apply 2–3 layers for sturdiness, letting each layer dry (4–12 hours) before adding the
next.
Leave your mountain to dry until the next class.
Carving God’s Thumb
Your paper mache head is now dry and ready for paint. This week, you’ll bring it to life with
colors and details that make it look eerie, strange, and unnatural
Step 1 - Smooth and Strengthen
● Once dry, you can add another layer of smaller strips for a smoother look.
● If you want sharper rock edges, tape on extra newspaper ridges and cover with more
paper mâché.
Step 2 - Paint the Mountain
● Paint the base a rocky brown or gray.
● Add green on slopes for grass or plants.
● Dab darker colors into cracks for shadows.
● Add white at the top if you want a snowy peak.
Step 3 - Add Final Details
● Glue on moss, fake grass, or small twigs for trees.
● Use a sponge to dab on different shades for a more realistic look.
● For God’s Thumb, highlight the “thumb” at the top with a slightly different shade to make
it stand out.
Presentation Outline
Now that your paper mache mountain is complete, it’s time to prepare your urban legend.
You are telling a story to your future generation. Your job is to explain why your character
climbed up and down the mountain. Your presentation should be serious, powerful, and
entertaining.
Presentation Outline
1. Introduction (Hook the Audience!)
Start with a sentence that introduces your character and grabs attention.
Examples:
● “The Lee family has a story that goes back a hundred years.”
● “My grandfather’s story has been told for years, a tale of how he was cursed.”
● “This isn’t just a story - it’s a legend passed down every passing generation.”
Useful Phrases:
● “Long ago, in a small village in Latvia…”
● “Have you ever wondered how…?”
● “It begins with a man who….”
2. Introduce a Fortune/Misfortune
Examples:
● “Madame Zeroni told my father to climb up God’s Thumb to receive gold.”
● “The fortuneteller warned us that the mountain would bring fire onto us.”
● “Grandmother had a vision where she would find a garden at the peak.”
Useful Phrases:
● “To fulfill his/her destiny…”
● “Unwilling to be cursed,...”
● “Destined for greatness,...”
3. Description of the Mountain
Introduce your paper mache mountain and describe how your character had to climb it.
Examples:
● “El Lee had to climb up 300 meters of sharp, red pain.”
● “My grandfather’s boots would melt on the sunniest side of God’s Thumb.”
● “The bugs buzzed wildly, meaning that the stream was getting closer.”
Useful Phrases:
● “The cliffs were…”
● “The peak stood out against…”
● “The thumb seemed to point toward…”
4. Climax
Explain whether your character reached the top or not.
Examples:
● “ To break the curse, El had to drink from the stream.”
● “My grandfather forgot to say the magic words when he got to the top.”
● “Lightning struck the thumb, and she thought she saw God Himself.”
Useful Phrases:
● “He finally reached the top and…”
● “Wanting to fulfill her fortune…”
● “With all my grandfather’s hope at the top…
5. Conclusion (Leave a Strong Final Message)
End with a powerful warning or lesson.
Examples:
● “This is not just a wild tale — it’s a warning to us all.”
● “Some call it superstition, others call it fate, but I know the truth.”
● “The curse is real as gold, and it began with a man who had failed miserably.”
Useful Phrases:
● “To this day,...”
● “If you make a mistake like him/her,...”
● “This story is a reminder that,...”
Final Draft: Urban Legend Presentation
Write your full script below
