The Face on the Milk Carton

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. The “ideal” structure of the American family continually transformed throughout the 20th century. In particular, the typical nuclear family of the 1950s was no longer the lived reality of many families in the mid-20th century. What was the quintessential nuclear family of the 1950s? What are some examples in the media of this type of family? How did this family unit transform over time?

Teaching Suggestion: This question links with the sociohistorical context of What Constitutes a Family in the mid-20th century. Students may consider how the “ideal” American family transformed over time. At the novel’s beginning, Janie’s life somewhat fits into this mold; however, as her reality shifts, she grapples with the understanding of what a family means for her. Additionally, by Janie’s era, the concept of the nuclear family was a myth, as divorce rates increased and “non-traditional” families became more common. If students are not familiar with the content matter, this prompt may also work as a mini-research assignment. In addition to the links below, this question relates to the Paired Resource for Chapters 10-12 and serves as a segue to the Personal Connection Prompt.

• “Dinner With the Nuclear Family" from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is an instructional video from 1950 about proper mealtime etiquette.  
• “The American Family Today” from Pew Research Center offers statistics about modern family dynamics.

Short Activity

During the 1980s and 1990s, missing children reports, many of which were the result of kidnappings, were a growing concern in the United States. Working in small groups, research some of the measures introduced by federal and local US governments to combat these crimes beginning in the early 1980s. How has this system changed over time? If a child is kidnapped today, what system is used to raise awareness? Present your findings to the class.

Teaching Suggestion: This activity provides a sociohistorical context for the novel and establishes its serious subject matter. It can be completed either in a small group or as an individual research assignment. Examples of information that students should highlight in their findings include government commissions, the use of milk cartons for advertisements, and the introduction of the America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alert system. You may also wish to explain how the AMBER Alert system works, including the phone numbers to call in an emergency. In addition to the links below, the Paired Resource for Chapters 1-3 can also provide relevant information for this activity.

• “AMBER Alert- FAQ” - This resource from the U.S. Office of Justice Programs provides a list of frequently asked questions about the AMBER Alert system.
• “Missing Children”- This Encyclopedia.com entry defines “missing children,” differentiates between family and nonfamily abductions, and discusses prevention and recovery efforts.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Consider the word “family.” What does this word mean? What Constitutes a Family for you? How does this word change in meaning amongst different countries, cultures, and throughout history?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt can work as either a personal response in which volunteers share their work, or as a timed free-writing exercise.