Refresh your language arts curriculum with novel studies from Education.com! We have recently added 3 new novel study sets based on the most popular books read in middle and high school.
Check out our updated novel studies collection and get a head-start on lesson planning for your next class novel!
1. Esperanza Rising
Inspire your students with these novel study worksheets for Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising, the story of a young girl who flees from Mexico to California during the Great Depression and finds a way to rise above the difficult circumstances she faces.
This novel study set includes a Pre-Reading Activity, Discussion Guides, Post-Reading Activities, and Extension Activities. Students will have the chance to explore different perspectives in the story, and analyze themes by comparing and contrasting Esperanza’s two homes using a visual guide. Your budding authors will also get the opportunity to write a story of their own based on the novel.
2. The Outsiders
Use this novel study set to guide your teaching of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, a novel that tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong. Students will complete a Pre-Reading Activity, several Discussion Guides, and even a Poetry Analysis of Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” which plays an important role throughout S.E. Hinton’s novel. Also included in the set is a Mirror and Window Activity that helps learners explore themes of identity and belonging in the novel.
3. The Lightning Thief
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is one of the most beloved books among middle schoolers! Engage students in their reading with several Discussion Guides that lead them through reading comprehension, analyses, and personal connection to various passages throughout the book. Post-reading, they will have the opportunity to respond to thought-provoking Prompts, conduct Additional Research on Greek Mythology, design a Camp Half-Blood T-Shirt, and even Compare the Novel to the Film!
4. The One and Only Ivan
Is your class reading Katherine Applegate’s award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan this school year? Our colorful, creative worksheets will get students excited with Pre-Reading Activities, Discussion Guides, and Post-Reading Writing Prompts. Extension worksheets include a Visual Grid that helps students compare and contrast Ivan’s homes, as well as a Design a Zoo hands-on poster project.
5. The Hunger Games
Prepare your middle schoolers to read the dystopian story of Katniss Everdeen and Panem by first having them Identify their Opinions About Various Societal Topics, such as “rules are important and should always be followed” and “some things are worth dying for.” Then, while reading the novel as a class, pause to re-evaluate these opinions using a total of six different Discussion Guides tailored to the different chapters of the book.
After finishing the book, reflect with print-and-cut Character Archetype Trading Cards and a Costume Symbolism worksheet. Finally, students will have a chance to explore the mindsets of the different districts by writing Journal Entries based on their perspectives.
6. The Giver
Teach your students about this impactful novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry. Designed for seventh- and eighth-grade students, these worksheets feature comprehension and analysis questions that get students thinking deeply about the plot, literary devices, symbolism, and the deeper meaning of the novel.
Unique to this set, we feature a Before and After Colors worksheet where students can draw scenes from Jonas’s life before and after he could see colors. Readers will also have a chance to conduct a Memories Interview with a family member and craft a Memories Multimedia Project.
7. A Wrinkle in Time
Introduce your students to Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time! First, use a Pre-Reading Activity worksheet to anticipate students’ prior knowledge of the novel’s themes and build curiosity about what they will read. Then, incorporate a series of Discussion Guides during check-in points throughout the book to help students analyze Meg’s extraordinary adventure with Charles, Calvin, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which.
After completing the book, students will get to go on their own make-believe adventure and write a Greeting Card from the Universe, as well as Analyze Mrs Who’s Quotes from the story.
8. A Long Walk to Water
Engage your students with these novel study worksheets for Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water. For this impactful story, told from two in alternating sections, it is helpful to have a guide to make sense of the two different points of view. This novel study set features Pre-Reading Discussion Prompts, three Discussion Guides, Post-Reading Response Prompts, and three bonus worksheets: The Five Senses of the Akobo, Community Project, and Letter from Nya.
9. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Guide your students through reading the classic novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. This novel is an important part of many language arts curriculums as it teaches students about the racism experienced by a Black family in Mississippi in the 1930s, as well as the survival of the human spirit. This novel study set features an Exploring Symbols grid, a historical analysis worksheet focusing on Boycotts in History, and a Mock Debate Worksheet based on the trial of T.J. Avery.
10. Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery is a heartwarming coming-of-age story that is beloved by generations of students. Plan out your class’s reading of the novel with a Pre-Reading Worksheet, five Discussion Guides, and Post-Reading Prompts. Additionally, kids will have fun renaming people and places in their lives using playful language, just like Anne did, with The Name Game worksheet! They will also have a chance to conduct a Movie Study and practice their writing with a Story Club worksheet.
We also are developing a series of non-fiction book studies. Our first complete book study, Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl, is available now. Keep an eye out for more book studies to come in our Learning Library!
