Wonderstruck

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

1. Think about life one hundred years ago. What new forms of entertainment appeared in the 1920s? What new industries developed during the 1920s? What was the economy of the 1920s like? How might film in the 1920s have been different from film today?

2. Now think about what you know about the 1970s. How did the role of women change in the 1970s? What inventions became commonplace alongside changes to the American family? How does entertainment in the 1970s compare to entertainment in the 1920s?

Teaching Suggestion: The two main characters, Rose and Ben, have parallel experiences though they are from two different time periods. Rose’s experiences predominantly take place in 1927, while Ben’s take place in 1977. The two cross paths near the novel’s conclusion. Once you introduce the general time periods, it may be beneficial to compare lifestyles in the 1920s and 1970s and discuss the ways in which people might have experienced the world differently during these time periods.

• This 9.5-minute video describes the historical context of the 1920s (includes discussion of Prohibition, the Great Depression, the Great Migration, the Harlem Renaissance, and gender roles).
• This 8-minute video describes the decade of the 1970s (includes discussion of the workforce, gender roles, entertainment, travel, and technological advances).

Short Activity

Explore the time periods and a few of the places in the novel you are about to read to get to know the settings of the novel’s characters: New York City in the 1920s and 1970s; Hoboken, New Jersey; Gunflint Lake, Minnesota; Museum of Natural History (New York City); Queens Museum of Art.

Teaching Suggestion: The two main characters in the novel, Rose and Ben, travel from their homes to New York City and have parallel experiences in different places in New York before meeting at Kincaid’s Bookshop. Students might explore these or similar links on their own or as a class.

• Silent footage of New York in the 1920s
• Photographic essay on New York in the 1970s
• Hoboken, New Jersey
• Museum of Natural History NYC
• Queens Museum of Art (Historical photos included)

Personal Connection Prompt

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

Describe a time when you felt lonely or felt like you didn’t belong somewhere. What prompted you to feel this way? What differences or changes in your environment contributed to these feelings? What strategies did you use to help you cope with feelings of loneliness or lack of belonging? How have these experiences prompted you to reach out to others who might also be experiencing similar feelings?

Teaching Suggestion: In Wonderstruck, because Ben’s mother dies, he is forced to share a room with his cousin in his aunt’s house. Ben doesn’t know who his father is and experiences feelings of loneliness and a loss of belonging. Consequently, it may be beneficial to discuss the notion of loneliness and belonging and reactions to those feelings that students might have.

Differentiation Suggestion: To offer an extra level of challenge, consider permitting students to explore feelings that might arise after a big change in life circumstances. Students may wish to research and explore common coping mechanisms that help people to deal with life changes. They might share the information with the class in a brief presentation or slideshow.