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Novel Ideas

Below are ideas which can be used for responses to novels read individually or as a class. Try adding points to each of them (5, 10, 15, 20) and then setting a goal for the students to reach as their final project for the novel. This goal could be reached by combining the responses to meet the total points set for the goal. Many thanks to my colleagues from 5/6 grade Connection for their hard work gathering these ideas!


WRITING:

* Write about the most exciting part or the most boring part of the story.

* Rewrite your favorite part of the book using yourself as a character and a favorite place as a setting.

* Create another character for the story. Tell how things would change with this character's presence.

* Write a book review that might be published in the newspaper.

* Pretend you are a character in the book. Describe your experience in the story during a conflict.

* Write the same story plot, only use a different setting (time and place).

* Plan a party that your characters would want to attend from your book. Where would they enjoy going, what kind of food would they want to eat, what would they wear...

* If you had written this book, what part would you have written differently? Explain what would have happened if some major event did happen differently.

* Write a letter to the author giving reactions to the book.

* What object, person, or animal from this book would you most want to have at your house? Explain why.

Pretend you are a newspaper reporter whose job is to interview one of the characters. Write your interview.

* Create a newspaper page for your story. Summarize the plot in one of your articles. Cover the weather in another. Include an editorial and a collection of ads that would be pertinent to the story.

* Write a letter to the main character of the book asking questions or making complaints about the situations in the book.

* Write a letter from the character to the reader explaining his or her actions in the story.

* If you could change places with one of the characters, who would it be and why?

* Pretend you are a movie critic. Criticize the book as if it were a movie.

* Which character from the book would make a good friend? Why?

* Pretend you are a character in the book and write a diary throughout the chapters.

* Write about one problem in this story and how the character(s) solved it. Was it a good solution? Why or why not?

* Write a "Dear Abby" column for all of the characters in your story. Respond to their problems. Why did the author write this story? Express your opinions.

* Compare and contrast your story with another you have read for class this year or last. Remember to include how the novels are alike and how they are different.

* Describe the setting of the story, where and when it took place. Think about the setting of this story. Why about why you would or would not like to spend a week visiting this place.

* Choose one character in this story. Think about what the character was like at the beginning of the story. 

* Write about how the character has changed by the end of the story. What events led up to the changes of the character?

* Write a letter to a character in the story telling about your reaction to him or her in the book.

* Pretend that you have been chosen to write a sequel to this story. Write a brief summary of the sequel. Include information about the sequel's plot, setting and main characters.


DRAWING:

* Create a painting of a scene from the story. Explain.

* Summarize the plot of your story by creating a cartoon version of the story. Use about 6 to 8 frames.

* Pretend you are a character from your story. Think about where this character's favorite place would be and what that character would do in their favorite place. Draw a picture and write a brief explanation.

* Redesign the front and back cover of your novel. Include the pertinent information as well as the short summary on the back. Draw 1 picture to put on the inside of your novel. State where in the story your picture would go.

* Draw a picture of your favorite part of the story. Add a caption explaining what is happening in your picture.

* Draw a picture time line showing the important events in your story.

* Draw a movie poster advertising the story, and cast a real actor in each character's role. Explain it.

* Make a series of 5 drawings depicting the major events in the story. Describe them.

* Sketch a portrait of a character. Write everything about him or her. Make up a poem about your character.

* Make a travel poster inviting tourists to visit the setting in your book.

GRAPHS:

* Which character in the story is most unlike you and which is most like you? Make graphs showing how you are not alike and how you are alike!

* Graph student reactions to critical decisions in the book.

* Make a graph of the personalities of all of the characters in your book.

* Make a graph depicting your favorite parts and your least favorite parts in the book.


ARTS AND CRAFTS:

* Make a bookmark illustrating this story. On the back of the bookmark, write at least 5 words you would use to describe the story.

* What award would you nominate this story for? Most exciting? Most likely to make you laugh your head off? Design and make an award for this story!

* Make a display that would explain your story from beginning to almost the end. Make cards to explain the items in your display.

* Construct a mural about the book. Tell about it.

* Use a cereal box to tell about your book. Cover your box with paper. Write a new title, place that on the front of the box. Place an short explanation of the book on the back. Add catchy phrases about the book all over to get people to want to read the book. Include the author, copyright...

* Construct a scrapbook of your favorite character. Explain it.

* Design and make a sample of a magazine, (names of articles, title, authors...) that a character(s) would enjoy reading from your story.

* Put together a collage of the story from magazine pictures. Describe.

* Make a diorama of a scene from your story.

* Make a diorama of a scene from your story and another book, by splitting it in half.


DEMONSTRATION:

* Demonstrate how to make/do something learned from the story.

* Put together a bulletin board of the story.

* Put together a display of other books the author has written. Tell about them.

* Prepare a recipe from something mentioned in the book. Show the class how to make it and give them a taste!

* Invent something new that you could add to the story to make it more interesting. Your invention could help a character with a conflict, change the event in the story...

* Make a time capsule for one of the characters. Explain what is in the capsule.

* Make a dream house for one of the character's in your book. Share with the class.


MUSIC/DANCE/DRAMA:

* Create a dance that is set to music that explains the mood of your story.

* Rewrite a portion of your novel as a play. Perform the play in class.

* Write out and sing songs pertaining to the story.

* Make three or four simple puppets of the characters in the book. Write a puppet show about your favorite part of the book. Plan to perform your puppet show for the class.


COMMUNITY PROJECT:

* Do a community project that relates to the book. Explain it to the class.


VIDEOS/TAPES/PHOTOGRAPHY:

* Pretend you are a news reporter. Make up some stories, based on the book and report it using a video camera. Add a commercial in between stories. Sell something one or more of the characters in the story would want to buy.

* Write and record a radio advertisement that will make people want to read the story.

* Pretend you are a news reporter and two main characters in different stories meet. What type of news would take place from their meeting? Make a video with news stories of their meeting and what happens as a result. Write and perform a TV commercial, on video, to sell the book.

* Rewrite a chapter section of your story from another character's point of view. Record it on tape. Add sound effects to your recording. Play it in class.

* Take photographs to represent someone in your story and the changes that person goes through. For example, if a character is sad all of the time at the beginning of the book you could take a picture of something blue as a symbol to represent being sad. If an event changes the character to make him happy you might want to take a picture of a something that makes you think of happiness. Paste your pictures in a book and explain.


POETRY:

* Write a poem about your story. Include characters, setting, plot, and theme.

* Pretend you are a character in your story and write a poem from that person's point of view.

* Write a poem about a specific event that happened in your story.

* Choose a familiar melody, such as Mary Had a Little Lamb, and change the lyrics so they pertain to the story.

* Write a poem about the most important person in your story. Explain your reasoning for choosing that character.


RESEARCH:

* Research to find some additional facts that would relate to your book. Tell the facts and explain the relationship to the book.

* Study the life cycle of an animal mentioned in the story.

* Research and prepare a report on the author's life. Present it to the class.


FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS:

* Rewrite the story as a picture book. Read to a younger child.

* Rewrite the story as a puppet show for younger children. Put on the puppet show for them.


PUZZLES AND GAMES:

* Make a word search, crossword or other puzzle using at least ten vocabulary words from this story. Make an answer key. Give it to a friend to solve.

* Make a game using facts from your story.