A Land of Permanent Goodbyes

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“The  ‘Helpers’”

In this activity, students will promote and contribute to volunteer groups that are helpers based on details from the novel.

In response to scary things on the news, Mr. Roger’s mother advised him to “look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Alexia echoes this statement as Tareq continues his journey to Germany.

Consider organizations and volunteer programs that are considered “helpers.” Conduct research to ensure your organization is a helper and not a hunter, as defined by Annis.  Determine a role you would like to fulfill to become a helper in some way in the organization, and draw parallels to the novel’s definition of what it means to be a helper.

• Create a media presentation of an organization/volunteer group you are passionate about.
• Include details about the organization’s mission and purpose.
• Create visual representations of what the organization does. This could be a slideshow or a video.
• Explain how you would become a helper in the organization if given the opportunity; what role would you fulfill? How might your interests and talents be of service?
• Identify other helpers and what they do in the organization.
• Describe ways in which your peers can be helpers in the organization.

Present your media presentation to peers and provide the information you have found and describe ways peers can contribute to the organization. Draw parallels between the helpers in A Land of Permanent Goodbyes and the helpers in your organization.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may find it beneficial to explore the definition of a helper in the novel. Consider discussing the lime green coat that was donated, the description of those who hold the door open, and other examples. Students may wish to explore simple ways that they might contribute to an organization by becoming a helper. It may also be helpful to explore the idea of organizations that are hunters according to Annis’s definition in Part 2, Chapter 15 to help students identify people or organizations who exploit individual suffering and how to identify those organizations. Students can use this information to make wise decisions about the organizations they choose.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who struggle with having too many options, it could be helpful to list some organizations ahead of time and let students choose. For students with anxiety around public speaking, it could be helpful to allow them to have a partner and present together; optionally, utilize presentation stations in which small groups walk around the room and learn about the organizations. it might be beneficial to allow those students to present their work in written format or give an oral report.