Merci Suárez Changes Gears

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.

“Train Merci’s Teachers”

In this activity, students will demonstrate their understanding of the thematic motif of class differences by creating a training document for teachers at Merci’s school.

For much of the story, the teachers at Seaward Pines Academy seem to mean well, but they don’t do a very good job helping students like Merci feel like they truly belong. In this activity, you will create a training document for Merci’s teachers to help them understand how to make Seaward Pines a more welcoming environment.

Identify Areas for Improvement

• Review the book and look for the things that make Merci feel as if she does not really belong at the school.
• Make notes about these problems, grouping them together so that you end up with no more than three or four main categories.

Research Solutions

• Conduct research into the best ways to create a welcoming and inclusive environment at school. You are looking for evidence-based suggestions for teachers and administrators that will help solve the specific problems that Merci faces in this story.
• Be sure to keep track of your sources, as you will need to