Hoops

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Lonnie’s culture is a crucial aspect of his identity and figures heavily in the plot of the novel.

• What impact does Lonnie’s racial identity have on the plot? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Lonnie’s racial identity impacts his interactions with other people, his performance in basketball, and the plot of the novel.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain why racial identity is essential to the novel’s overall message.

2. When Lonnie first begins playing basketball with his team, they lack teamwork. As the novel progresses, the players become more adept at working as a team.

• What message does Myers send about teams and teamwork? (topic sentence)
• Provide three examples of teamwork and explain how each example supports Myer’s message on teamwork.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain how Myers views the interactions of young men as they play basketball in teams.

3. Lonnie knows that to achieve his goals, he must do well in basketball.

• Which basketball game in the novel is the most important for Lonnie’s future? (topic sentence)
• Describe the basketball game you have identified and provide three reasons from the novel to support your assertion that it is the most important one.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain how the game is pivotal to Lonnie’s character development and future opportunities.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. In the novel, Lonnie interacts with a variety of characters and reflects on his identity as a man. How do Lonnie’s interactions affect the way he views gender and the role of gender in his community? What impact does Cal have on Lonnie’s development in relation to his masculinity? How do Lonnie’s interactions change when he is with Aggie and Mary-Ann? How has Lonnie’s perception of masculinity changed at the conclusion of the novel?

2. Lonnie’s character in Hoops develops qualities of leadership over the course of the novel. Explain how Lonnie’s character evolves from the beginning of the novel to the end. What are the major plot points that develop Lonnie’s character? What decisions does Lonnie make to shift his mindset and develop leadership skills? Which other characters influence Lonnie to become a leader?

3. One of the most important relationships in Hoops is between Cal and Lonnie. Examine their relationship. How does it change over time, and why is this important to the novel’s plot? Is Cal someone Lonnie should look up to or someone he should be wary of? How does Cal change Lonnie for the better? How might some of his influences on Lonnie be negative?