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. List five things you think are probably true about life in America during the Civil War Era. Label each one either “know for sure” or “just guessing.”

Teaching Suggestion: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg takes place during the American Civil War. Students do not need a great deal of background information regarding this time period to understand and appreciate the novel—but some basic prior knowledge is helpful. After students respond to this prompt, you will be able to gauge whether their prior knowledge is sufficient. If you judge that they need more information, you might use one or both of the resources below to fill in any gaps in their understanding.

• This 12-minute video from Captivating History explores the conditions that led to the Civil War and offers insight into how the war impacted ordinary people.
• This article is a detailed look at daily life in America during the Civil War.

2. What is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn about? What do critics mean when they call its hero, Huck Finn, a “rogue hero”?