Novel Ideas and Activities

This year, my class did 'Kensuke's Kingdom' as their novel. It was a real hit and here are some ideas that could be used for any class novel.

Design a book cover

Usually I get the children to do this after finishing the novel. It is a nice art activity to do. I download a book cover template on card for them and we discuss the elements of an effective book cover.

Letter to author

Rather than a book review, it can be nicer to use the medium of letter writing to show the author what you liked/disliked about the book. If you do decide to post them, you might be lucky and get a response!

Diary entry

Choose a specific part of the book and a character and ask the children to write a diary entry about what is happening. For Kensuke's Kingdom we used cold teabags to give them an old appearance.

Questions for main character

This can be a fun activity as we are usually the ones asking the questions rather than the children.
   

It can lead on nicely to the next idea:

Hot seat character

Choose a student to assume the role of a character. The other children then question them on various topics that arise in the novel.

News Report

In this, the children could create a news report for a main event in the novel. For example, in Kensuke's Kingdom we created a news report announcing that Michael was missing. The children can also record the news reports incorporating ICT.

Debate

We were doing persuasive writing this term so debating (either written or oral) is a great activity to do with novels. We choose specific points of the novel and debated the various pros and cons.

Chapter Activity Sheets

I designed some activity sheets that I used for some chapters. It includes the strategies of prediction, visualisation, summarising as well as vocabulary and character study.

Create a model/diorama of favourite scene

Another art idea where the children could select a scene from the novel and create a 3D representation or a clay model.

Design a comic strip of favourite scene

Again, a nice art activity. I choose a scene in the book and asked the children to illustrate what each character might be thinking or saying at that particular time.

Create a quiz

A fun way to assess their knowledge of the novel is to get the children to create a quiz. It is also a nice way to peer assess. Why not get the children to use ICT (maybe Powerpoint) to create an interactive quiz?

   



Alter the Ending

The children could write an alternative ending to the story or continue on the story to show what might happen next.

Letter to a character in the future

Imagine the book fasts forwards 10 or 20 years. Write a letter as if you are a character in the book writing to another character.

Create a wordsearch/crossword based on story

This is a nice way to summarise keys words and vocabulary from the novel. A wordsearch may be easier for younger classes or challenge them to create a crossword for their partner.

Character Profile

I gave the children a blank template to draw a character as they imagine them to look like. They also add some adjectives to describe the character and explain why they chose those specific ones.

 

Dramatise/mime a scene

Put the class in groups and assign a part of the novel to each group. They can dramatise it or mime the part while the rest of the class try to figure it out.

Create Movie Music

I asked my children to imagine the novel is being made into a movie. Using instruments or body percussion they create music for a particular scene.

Sense Response

Using a chapter in the book the children created a senses page and listed all the senses that the chapter appealed to. For example the waves crashing may appeal to the sense of hearing and sight.

I hope this gives you some ideas for studying novels. Feel free to comment with some other ideas below.


Here are a few that relate directly to Kensuke's Kingdom:

This was an art lesson inspired by Michael in the cave. The children used oil pastels and black paper for the cave.

  

 The children designed a map of the island based on what they imagined it to be like.

Missing Posters

1916 Easter Rising Book Review

I just received this book from Poolbeg, which I plan on using this academic year for the 100th Anniversary of the Easter Rising.  It is a nice way to extend their knowledge of the Rising in Ireland at the time through the diary of a twelve year old girl living in Dublin.  It is a well written book with many snippets of humour to engage the students and the topic will probably engage even the most reluctant reader! It is certainly worth investing in a few copies for your class library or doing collectively as a class novel.

I would recommend the book for a good 5th class or 6th Class as the vocabulary is quite challenging. It could also be used with 1st years in Secondary School. Included in the book are a list of useful links and resources to explore the Easter Rising further.  It also has a useful glossary of groups and individuals involved in the Rising.

It has huge scope for integration with many subjects areas. I have listed a few ideas below.

English: 

-Diary Entries from the perspective of other characters in the story
-Create newspaper articles during the week of the Rising.
-Book Review of the Novel
-Persuasive Writing (E.g. The Irish were right to fight for their independence)

Drama:

-Create improvisations based on the characters in the book
-Use of conscience alleys to help the characters make difficult decisions
-Hot seat characters from the book and ask them a variety of questions
-Thought track characters from the story at different times throughout novel

History:

-1916 Rising
-World War I in Europe
-Historical Figures (Pearse, Connolly etc.)
-Compare Dublin now and then
-Create a timeline of the events of the Easter Rising

Geography:

-Mapwork based on landmarks mentioned in the story
-Scoilnet maps to identify landmarks from story
-Dublin City (Ireland)

Art:

-Design a new front cover for the book

-Choose your favourite scene from the book and draw it

-create a movie reel of the main scenes from the book

Science:

-Inventor Thomas Edison (is mentioned in the story)

Music:

-learn words to Amhrán na bhFiann
-learn tin whistle tune to Amhrán na bhFiann

Project Work

-Assign a specific aspect of the Rising for the children to research
Examples include:
*Research a person involved in the 1916 Rising
*Research the landmarks involved in the 1916 Rising
*Write a different ending to the story
*Write a review of the book
*Write a letter to the author outlining your recommendations (likes/dislikes of the story)

All things Irish.... (September Thematic Planning)

Each month I choose a theme to teach the children. I find that it really helps me with time management, learning becomes more meaningful and connected for the children and it gives you time to explore a topic in depth.

For September, I usually choose a theme relating to Ireland. This year is fits in even better as the Rugby World Cup is on!

I have uploaded an outline of my thematic planning for free here is you want to download it. 

Here is a brief outline of ways to integrate 'All Things Irish' (or choose another suitable heading) for your class.

English

• Study an Irish poet (e.g. The Lake Isle of Inisfree by W.B. Yeats)
• Read an excerpt from 'Under the Hawthorn Tree' by Marita Conlon McKenna (It has excerpts in the Wonderland series if anyone uses these text books)
• Write a set of interview questions for an Irish author/sportsperson

Gaeilge

• Mé Féin
• learn words to Amhrán na bhFiann
• Caitheamh Aimsire (a perfect time to do more about All-Ireland Final & Rugby World Cup)

History

• Irish Myths & Legends (Poolbeg has some lovely versions available here)

• History of the GAA (Download a useful booklet here)
• History of your locality

Geography

• Learn about Irish counties, rivers, lakes & mountains (Ask About Ireland Website)
• Learn about your locality

Science

• Learn about my Skeleton

Music

• Learn Amhrán na bhFiann
• Learn tin whistle notes to Amhrán na bhFiann
• Learn Ireland's Call

Drama

Depending on the SESE you do, it could be linked to

• Irish myths & Legends
• GAA match commentary

Art

• Draw your impression of the Lake Isle of Inisfree using pastels
• Self Portrait (could use Picasso as stimulus although not Irish!)
• Design a Class or County Jersey (Download the template here)
• Make a clay model of an Irish landmark/symbol (e.g. Dublin Spire)
• Create a wall frieze of an Irish Legend 

PE

Now would be a great time to introduce the children to Touch Rugby or develop their hurling/Gaelic Football skills

Project Work

• Research an Irish County
• All Ireland Final Project Work
• Research an inspirational Irish player (hurling/football/rugby etc.)
• World Cup Project by A Crucial Week

Feel free to comment more ideas below!