Educational Benefits:

• library research
• demonstrates to students how outside knowledge can lend to understanding literature - they could still appreciate the story just fine without knowing this stuff, but doesn't it make it more fun to know?
• self-discovery vs. taking notes

Materials Needed:

• Library / Internet time
• Photocopies of handout

Activity:

Students should be able to answer the questions in a class period or less. I paired students up, so they'd talk about it, but it could be done individually. Both students' handwriting must be on the sheet. Once they've completed the worksheet, it's easy enough to have them fill the remainder of the time reading.

Simply cut and paste the lower part of this page.

Demosthenes

1. Where is Demosthenes from?
2. When did he live?
3. What was his profession?
4. What was his political reputation?
5. Philip of Macedonia II was Demosthenes' political target. Who was Philip II? What did he do? Who was his son? What did his son try to do? (Do you think Card chose the character's name on purpose?)
6. Why is Valentine as Demosthenes an unlikely choice?

Locke

1. Where is Locke from?
2. When did he live?
3. What is his profession?
4. What was his political reputation?
5. What did Locke think of monarchies and the "sovereign" rights of kings?
6. What three things did Locke think an individual was entitled to? (What does the answer remind you of?)
7. Why is Locke an unlikely choice for Peter?

Possible Resources to Use:

www.hatrack.com/research/questions/q0027.shtml
www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/constitution/locke-bio.html
www.macedonia.org/history/philip.html

Also use encyclopedias to look up Macedonia, John Locke, Demosthenes, Philip of Macedonia etc.