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The Assignment Hardcover – August 25, 2020

• Reading age 12 years and up
• Print length 336 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 7 - 9
• Lexile measure HL720L
• Dimensions 5.88 x 1.1 x 8.56 inches
• Publisher Delacorte Press
• Publication date August 25, 2020
• ISBN-10 0593123166
• ISBN-13 978-0593123164
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

About the author, excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved..

Are we supposed to pretend we’re Nazis? The second Mr. Bartley turns his back to our class, I lean over to my best friend, Cade, and whisper, “What do you think?” I tap the assignment on my desk. 

He lifts his hands, palms up, mirroring my confusion. “Weird, right?” He says it a little too loudly, drawing Mr. Bartley’s attention. 

I nod, face forward, and refocus on the assignment. I read it one more time, hoping that somehow I’ve misunderstood the instructions. 

TOP-SECRET 

MEMO TO: Senior Members of the Nazi Party 

FROM: SS General Reinhard Heydrich, Chief of the Reich Main Security Office 

SUBJECT: A FINAL SOLUTION OF THE JEWISH QUESTION: Your attendance is required for this critical meeting scheduled for 20 January 1942 at the Wannsee Villa in Berlin, Germany. 

PURPOSE: As members of Hitler’s elite Nazi leadership, our purpose is to debate a Final Solution of the Jewish Question and to share perspectives on how to resolve the storage problem of Europe’s eleven million Jews. 

POSITIONS: 

Pro: Extermination 

Con: Sterilization, ghettos, work camps 

WHAT TO PREPARE FOR THE MEETING: As a Nazi, you must thoroughly research and analyze five reasons supporting your position of a Final Solution of the Jewish Question. 

a. The Nuremberg Laws 

b. Attitudes on religion and race 

c. Our policies on education, including who may attend or teach at primary and secondary schools and universities 

d. Economics, including our perspective on who has the right to own businesses and property 

e. Our leader’s stance on Darwin and survival of the fittest 

f. How to increase our superior Aryan race by exploring key ideas such as emigration expulsion, evacuation, and eradication to be judenrein (Jew-free) 

Note from Mr. Bartley: 

The Wannsee Conference was one of the most pivotal historical moments that had a destructive force on humanity in the twentieth century, one that continues to leave a profound mark on society today. As you complete the research for this assignment, it is important for you to know that the goal is not to garner support or elicit sympathy for the Nazi perspective. It is, however, imperative for you to understand the Nazi mentality, even if it makes you uncomfortable and is diametrically against your moral, ethical, and philosophical beliefs. Researching this historical meeting and your side of the debate allows you to broaden your points of view and develop critical thinking skills.

I flip the page, read through the requirements for our papers and how we’re going to be graded on the debate. My stomach somersaults. Get an A by successfully debating reasons to put Jews in gas chambers versus torture them, starve them, force them to be slave laborers for profit until they’re dead. Either way, Mr. Bartley is asking us to advocate for murder. 

Everything in my body screams, This is so wrong! But do I say it to Mr. Bartley? Looking at the other sixteen seniors in our class, I don’t see anyone other than Cade who seems uncomfortable with this assignment. 

“One more minute,” Mr. Bartley calls out. “Then I’ll answer questions.” 

I have a question. Is this a sick joke? I can’t bring myself to ask it out loud. Mr. Bartley isn’t any teacher. He’s a great teacher, my favorite teacher. 

He must have a reason why he wants us to be pretend we’re Nazis. I reread his note. It makes me more than uncomfortable. For the first time ever, I’m tempted to get out of class by asking to go to the girls’ bathroom or the nurse’s office. I could say I have a pounding headache. Thanks to this assignment, I do. 

Mr. Bartley leans against his desk, and when he notices me staring at him, his warm smile fades. I pick up my pen and trace the blood-red “TOP-SECRET” that’s stamped on top of the memo. I don’t get it. Why would Mr. Bartley want us to keep this a secret? History of World Governments is the fourth class I’ve taken with him, and we’ve never had any assignment like this. 

Soon after Mr. Bartley started teaching at Riviere High School my sophomore year, he became our most popular teacher. He has the kind of smile that makes you know you’ve been seen, that you matter. During lunch and his free periods, his room is always filled with students. I’ve liked him for bringing in guest speakers, for taking us on field trips, showing movies, and letting us decorate his papered walls with quotes, facts, and pictures for every new unit. I love to contribute quotes. He makes history exciting, interesting, and challenging. 

I run my thumbpad over the silver bracelet my cousin Blair gave me for my seventeenth birthday and wonder what she would think of this assignment. I’m tempted to take a photo and text it to her, but I don’t want to get caught with my phone and have it taken away. 

Cade’s bouncing knee catches my attention. He writes in his notebook, then flashes it at me. He’s drawn an X over “Nazi” and written, “No. Freaking. Way!”

The Allies defeated Nazi Germany during World War II. Why would I want to pretend I’m a Nazi? Mr. Bartley wants us to broaden our points of view. Really? How is it possible anyone would think murdering millions of people was okay? It’s simple. Killing is wrong. Debate over. This is ridiculous. 

Despise barely describes how I feel about this class and I have no one to blame but myself. I let Logan rope me into taking it instead of Advanced Web Design so we could spend more time together before we graduate. I look at my best friend and know it’s worth it. She’s worth it.

But this assignment? 

It fills me with dread. My grandparents grew up in Poland and lived through World War II. Grandpa was fifteen at the end of the war. Nana was fourteen. They immigrated to the United States in the late 1960s. The one time I asked Nana about her family, she smiled and said, “I have you right here.” Then she pulled me into her arms and squeezed me tight. 

A memory returns to me. I was twelve. Nana and my parents were at church, and Grandpa and I were in his workshop. The smells of linseed oil and sawdust filled the air. We were elves, making puzzles for Santa to give to children on Christmas. As we sanded the pieces we’d cut from old drawers, I asked Grandpa what his life was like when he was my age. I remember Grandpa said he didn’t like to talk about it, that lots of bad things happened in Poland during the war. His expression grew solemn. His tone was firm. “Promise me you won’t ask Nana about her childhood, either. It will only upset her,” he said. 

We kept working, but then a little while later he said, “Other than your grandma, I haven’t told another soul about my life in Poland. Not even your mom. But you’re old enough to understand, and I’m growing old.” He paused. “The story might frighten you.” 

I said I didn’t care.  

I can’t quite remember. Something about watching his Jewish neighbors being rounded up by Nazis? I buried those stories when we buried Grandpa two months later. 

Mr. Bartley plants himself in front of Logan’s center row. A murmur goes through the room as if Mr. Bartley broke a silencing spell. He holds up a palm like he’s a crossing guard halting traffic, and it’s quiet again. “Questions?” he asks. 

Logan’s hand shoots up, but then she lowers it when Mr. Bartley aims his clicker at the Smart Board and brings up the assignment. 

Kerrianne Nelson gets called on. “I’m confused. The Final Solution of the Jewish Question. Do you mean the Holocaust?” 

Mr. Bartley says, “Exactly. The Final Solution was the plan and implementation of the Holocaust.” 

“Ah, okay. I thought so.” She smiles at her boyfriend, Mason Hayes, but he’s too busy picking at a thread on his hockey jersey to notice. When she sees me looking at her, she frowns. Like most of the people at our school, I’ve known Kerrianne since kindergarten. We always got along, but for some reason when Logan moved to Riviere and joined us in eighth grade, Kerrianne stopped sitting with us at lunch and started hanging out with the hockey players. 

“Question, Spencer?” This is a surprise. Like me, Spencer Davis never raises his hand in class. If Spencer talks, it’s to his hockey teammates or to the girls he deems worthy of his time and attention. He claims to have hooked up with at least a dozen. As if. Thank everything holy Logan isn’t one of them. 

“Can we get extra credit for dressing up for the debate?” 

I turn around to see if he’s serious. Oh yeah. Dead serious. 

Mr. Bartley says, “Although I appreciate your desire for authenticity, Spencer, that does not extend to dress. No uniforms for this debate.” 

Someone whispers, “Damn.” I glance around, but I can’t figure out who it was. 

“Excuse me, Mr. Bartley--” Logan breaks off when Mr. Bartley calls on someone else. 

He answers a question about citing sources, then another on the structure of our papers that are due the same day as the debate. Moving over to his desk, Mr. Bartley grabs a paper bag and shakes it. He says, “Each of you will draw a number--either a one or two. Call it out after you pick. Mason, you start.” 

When it’s my turn, I mumble, “One.” Logan says, “Two.” 

“All the ones will take the pro side. Twos will take con,” Mr. Bartley says. “You may work together to create your platform, but your paper must be your own. Your arguments should be based on the Wannsee Conference held on January 20, 1942. A week from this coming Monday we’ll transform our room into the Wannsee Villa and hold our own top-secret Nazi conference to debate how to handle the biggest threat to the Aryan race--the Jew.” 

The Jew. The way he said it makes my skin crawl. 

Mr. Bartley advances to the next PowerPoint slide. “These were the fifteen Nazi men who came together to address how to handle the storage problem of Europe’s eleven million Jews. Adolf Eichmann is in the center because he was instrumental in implementing the Final Solution. He oversaw the deportation of Jews from their homes to ghettos to death camps. Tomorrow, we’ll watch the movie Conspiracy, which reenacts the meeting with these men.” 

Men? More like monsters, I think. 

“The movie will be a good resource, but I highly recommend you get a jump start tonight on your research to support your arguments.” 

“But they--they’re . . . Nazis,” Logan stammers without raising her hand. 

Mr. Bartley’s stern expression cautions her not to speak out of turn again. “Yes, and your job is to understand their mentality. I know re-creating this debate is a challenge, but history is filled with many horrors and this is an impactful way to learn. Experience is always a great teacher.” Mr. Bartley smiles. “Unless you’d rather memorize dates and facts and take multiple-choice tests like I had to in my boring high school history classes.” 

The room erupts with groans and “No thank yous.” 

Once again, Mr. Bartley raises a hand to quiet us down. “All right then. Back to the Wannsee Conference.” He goes through several more slides. My eyes meet Logan’s, and then hers dart over my shoulder. 

She gasps. I twist in my seat to see why Logan’s freaked out and my mouth drops open.

Jesse Elton stands and snaps his feet together. He lifts his right arm and salutes like a Nazi. “Heil Hitler,” he calls out. 

Several people laugh, and Jesse gives them an appreciative grin. Cade’s stunned expression matches mine. Does everyone else find that funny? I look around. Revulsion flashes across Daniel Riggs’s face, but it disappears so quickly that I question whether it was there to begin with. 

Spencer holds out his fist to Jesse, then mimics the salute and says, “Seig Heil. Hail victory.” 

This can’t be happening here, in my favorite class with my favorite teacher. 

And just as I wonder if Mr. Bartley is going to do something, he walks over to Spencer and Jesse. His tone is sharp as a blade cutting through metal. “Those actions are inappropriate. This isn’t a joke and you are never to make light of the Nazi salute and the hate it represents. I expect you to take this assignment seriously.” 

Jesse drops his gaze, but not his smirk. Spencer shrugs his shoulders and looks at Mason, the RHS varsity hockey team captain and my biggest rival for valedictorian. Jesse and Spencer are his guys, his teammates, and for one second I hold out hope that maybe Mason will be the leader he’s supposed to be, to say something, do something--even a look of disapproval. But he’s not looking at them. He’s not looking at anyone. He’s picking at a stupid thread on his jersey. 

Another teammate, Reginald Ashford, however, shoots daggers from across the room at Spencer and Jesse. The muscle in his jaw tics. He’s pissed. Good. There’s always been a bit of a rivalry between Mason and Reg, and now I can’t help but think Reg should have been team captain instead of the coach’s son. 

And then there’s Spencer. He shrugs his shoulders when he sees me glaring at him. Disgusted, I turn back in my seat. It hardly matters that Mr. Bartley reprimanded them. This assignment is a green light for these guys to act like Nazis. I don’t know if I’m more disappointed with Mr. Bartley or with Spencer and Jesse. Definitely Mr. Bartley. I don’t get why he thinks it’s a good idea to promote fascism by having us do an immoral debate. 

Mr. Bartley says, “Let me be clear. I am not asking you to be sympathetic to the Nazis. Quite the opposite. This is a serious examination of a historical event. Let’s learn from this moment and remember to be respectful.” He looks pointedly at Jesse and Spencer. 

“By examining these perspectives, this assignment gives you the opportunity to discuss and present a topic that will force you out of your comfort zone. Why is this important? It’s important because there will be plenty of times in your life when you’ll be in a situation where people will express ideas existentially and philosophically opposed to your own. It happens every day on the internet. You’ll face it on your college campuses.” Mr. Bartley looks at me. “The point is to understand all sides and be prepared to debate. I promise, after you complete this work, you’ll have a better grasp on how to create and present compelling arguments.” 

“But, Mr. Bartley--” 

He goes all traffic cop on me and I close my mouth. “Let me finish, Logan.”

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Delacorte Press (August 25, 2020)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593123166
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593123164
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 years and up
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ HL720L
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.65 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.88 x 1.1 x 8.56 inches
• #273 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Values & Virtues (Books)
• #637 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Prejudice & Racism
• #3,434 in Teen & Young Adult Social Issues

About the author

Liza m. wiemer.

Liza Wiemer is an award-winning educator. She is the author of two adult non-fiction books and has contributed four short stories to the NYTBS Small Miracles Series. Her debut YA novel, HELLO?, was named a Goodreads Best YA Book of the Month. THE ASSIGNMENT has received 11 honors, including being named a Sydney Taylor Notable Book.

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THE ASSIGNMENT

by Liza Wiemer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 25, 2020

An important plot-driven story about two teens who stand up for what’s right in the face of adversity.

High school seniors and best friends Logan and Cade are asked to defend the indefensible as part of a history assignment; they refuse.

Logan and Cade are not Jewish, but when their history teacher, Mr. Bartley, gives them an assignment in which they are to take on the role of Nazis and reenact the Wannsee Conference of 1942, each taking a side of the “debate” about the Final Solution, they protest. This is not a debate at all but a dehumanizing discussion about the extermination of the Jewish people. Narrated from the perspectives of several different characters, the novel tells a fictionalized story based on the actions of two New York state teens who stood against their teacher, principal, and, eventually, their school district with the help of their families and community. Despite abrupt, sometimes confusing point-of-view switches and somewhat wordy prose, this fast-paced novel will keep readers thoroughly engaged and eager to learn the resolution, rooting for Logan and Cade the whole way. The book contains a small element of romance as well as some references to sexual assault and physical abuse. The book also depicts anti-Semitic actions and related hate crimes. Main characters are assumed to be cisgender, white, and straight. There is diversity among the secondary characters, including one queer character.

Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-593-12316-4

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Delacorte

Review Posted Online: May 31, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SCHOOL & FRIENDSHIP

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More by Liza Wiemer

BOOK REVIEW

by Liza Wiemer ; illustrated by Margeaux Lucas

IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME

by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2013

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.

The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.

Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.

Pub Date: April 1, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

More by Laura Nowlin

by Laura Nowlin

More About This Book

SEEN & HEARD

IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me , three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Page Count: 416

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

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Liza Wiemer

Award-winning author, educator, and public speaker.

• The Story Behind THE ASSIGNMENT
• THE ASSIGNMENT – Curriculum Guides and Teacher Info
• Out and About: A Tale of Giving
• Life Imitates Art
• Visit HELLO? Sites
• Contributor to Small Miracles from Beyond
• Contributor to Small Miracles of the Holocaust
• Waiting for Peace
• Extraordinary Guidance
• Author Visits
• Curriculum Guides

The Assignment

OPTIONED FOR FILM: Screenplay Completed

In the vein of the classic the wave and inspired by a real-life incident, this riveting novel explores discrimination and antisemitism and reveals their dangerous impact., 2024 lincoln award nominee 2022/2023 georgia book award nominee free little library “read in color” recommended read tayshas recommended read (texas library association) state of illinois “read for a lifetime” book a bank street college of education best book of the year 2022 sakura medal award nominee sydney taylor book award notable for young adults wisconsin state reading association recommended young adult novel nerdy book club best ya fiction novel yalsa/ala best fiction for young adults nominee milwaukee county teen honor book, on sale now.

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Available to speak for book clubs, schools, organizations, TV, and radio.

SENIOR YEAR. When an assignment given by a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution, a euphemism used to describe the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people, Logan March and Cade Crawford are horrified. Their teacher cannot seriously expect anyone to complete an assignment that fuels intolerance and discrimination. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand.

As the school administration addresses the teens’ refusal to participate in the appalling debate, the student body, their parents, and the larger community are forced to face the issue as well. The situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail?

Based on a true incident.

The Assignment has been compared to classics such as The Wave and The Hate U Give .

The Assignment hardcover (Delacorte Press, a division of Penguin Random House) and the all-star cast audiobook (Listening Library) were published on August 25, 2020. The paperback edition was published by Ember on August 31, 2021.

To date, foreign rights have sold in Italian, Russian, Polish, and Korean.

Praise for The Assignment

Social Justice Books

Critically reviewed selection of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators.

The Assignment

Interview by alaina leary.

Book description: SENIOR YEAR. When an assignment given by a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution, a euphemism used to describe the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people, Logan March and Cade Crawford are horrified. Their teacher cannot seriously expect anyone to complete an assignment that fuels intolerance and discrimination. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand. As the school administration addressed the teens’ refusal to participate in the appalling debate, the student body, their parents, and the larger community are forced to face the issue, as well. The situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail?

Instead of a review, we are posting an interview with the author of The Assignment , Liza Wiemer, by Alaina Leary at Diverse Books.org.

What did you learn from the research you did about racist and anti-Semitic school assignments? 

School assignments exploring important, complicated issues are a crucial part of education. They foster critical thinking and discussion. However, damaging, misguided, and thoughtless assignments dealing with those tough issues can be presented in racist or anti-Semitic ways and are much more common than people would think. Once news got out that I was writing this novel, people messaged me or told me directly about similar harmful assignments — some successfully challenged, some that were not. Those who remained silent did so for several reasons: fear of confrontation, retaliation, or being ostracized. They didn’t want to cause trouble or get a teacher in trouble. Students didn’t want to be seen as tattletales or complainers. But no one should ever have to defend the indefensible. No one should have to justify the unjustifiable. Speaking up is  hard. I heard from many who didn’t confront the issue that they regretted staying silent. We need to foster environments where upstanders are respected and feel safe to confront hatred and injustice. That’s why I feel having a novel like this is critical. It promotes discussion. It allows readers to contemplate what they would do if they found themselves in a similar situation and shows that courage comes from within. Continue reading.

Publisher's Synopsis: A SYDNEY TAYLOR NOTABLE BOOK Inspired by a real-life incident, this riveting novel explores discrimination and antisemitism and reveals their dangerous impact. Would you defend the indefensible? That's what seniors Logan March and Cade Crawford are asked to do when a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution — the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand, and soon their actions draw the attention of the student body, the administration, and the community at large. But not everyone feels as Logan and Cade do — after all, isn't a school debate just a school debate? It's not long before the situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. Based on true events, The Assignment asks: What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail? "An important look at a critical moment in history through a modern lens showcasing the power of student activism." — SLJ

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The Assignment

• By Liza Wiemer
• Delacorte Press
• Reviewed by Caroline Bock
• October 9, 2020

Would you emulate a Nazi if the teacher told you to? Would your friends?

This is your assignment: Read The Assignment by Liza Wiemer. More importantly, have your teenagers and their teachers read it.

This YA novel was inspired by a real-life high school class in which students were made to roleplay Nazis and others at the 1942 Wannsee Conference, the infamous WWII meeting where the Final Solution was debated and agreed upon. Wiemer takes this jumping-off point and develops it into a gripping tale full of characters who spring to life.

The novel is set at Riviere High School in an upper-middle-class, fictional New York town with few or no Jewish families or people of color. Hockey, the prom, and grades are what matter to these kids, most of whom have been in class together since kindergarten.

Mr. Bartley, a beloved teacher who likes to bring the past alive, assigns students in his History of World Governments class to argue either for the extermination of the Jews or for the implementation of sterilization, ghettos, and work camps. Students assigned to be Nazis must “research and analyze five reasons supporting your position of a Final Solution of the Jewish Question.”

While The Assignment is narrated from multiple points of view, Cade’s voice takes center stage. His grandparents are immigrants from Poland, and he remembers stories of how they witnessed atrocities against the Jews in their hometown, and of how his grandfather hid his Jewish friend, Yankel, on his farm. Not surprisingly, he struggles with the assignment.

Cade and his peers are bright students who know of the Muslim Uighurs in China held in concentration camps and the Charlottesville march by white supremacists. They are aware of Confederate flags and decals displayed on some of their all-American neighbors’ houses and pickup trucks. Yet not all of them balk at the task they’re given.

Still, after one teen jokingly raises his hand in a Nazi salute and calls out “Heil Hitler,” Mr. Bartley admonishes him:

“Let me be clear. I am not asking you to be sympathetic to the Nazis. Quite the opposite. This is a serious examination of a historical event. Let’s learn from this moment and be respectful.”

But Cade and his best friend, Logan, are extremely uncomfortable with the assignment. Will they be able to take a stand against their teacher and peers?

The cinematic scene in which they push back against classroom authority and refuse to participate is one that left this reader cheering. In it, Mr. Bartley insists that, in role-playing Nazis, students are simply like actors in a movie. These lines, which end the short chapter, are from Cade’s point of view and illustrate that he and Logan feel differently:

“Logan’s lips part, but no sounds come out. I press my arm against hers. She’s trembling. I look at Mr. Bartley. ‘Fine,’ I say. ‘I’ll take an F.’ And I follow Logan out the door.”

Some other students also push back, but not all. An alternative assignment is offered, although the original still stands. Word soon gets out, the media becomes involved, and the community’s emotions run high. Swastikas appear. Tempers flare.

And at home, longstanding, closely held family secrets are shared that raise the stakes even higher for Cade. Long-ago revelations expressed by his grandmother add an authentic, heartbreaking element to the story.

But it’s the voices and actions of the students who take a stand for what they believe in that truly make The Assignment a must-read.

Caroline Bock’s debut short-story collection, Carry Her Home , was winner of the 2018 Fiction Award from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. It is now available on Audible and iTunes. She is also the author of the young-adult novels LIE and Before My Eyes .

Support the Independent by purchasing this title via our affliate links: Amazon.com Or through Bookshop.org

Book Review in Fiction More

Bonfire: A Novel

By krysten ritter.

A 21st-century corporate scandal meets a small-town cover-up in this somewhat flawed debut.

13 Fun Reading Activities for Any Book

Whether you walk into a classroom in Asia, North America or Europe, you will almost certainly see teachers and students building their understanding of the world through a dedicated daily reading session full of great reading activities.

Books allow students an opportunity to be informed, entertained or escape as they comprehend fiction and non-fiction texts against their understanding of the world, their personal insights, and opinions and finally compare those texts to others.

Whilst you may have a wealth of books in your school library, developing fresh and engaging ways to study literature can often be challenging.  So today, we will explore 25 proven activities that can be applied to any book and at any age level.

These reading activities to improve reading comprehension are easy to follow and suitable for most age groups within an elementary/junior high school level.

125 Text Response ACTIVITIES, Games, Projects for ANY BOOK

This massive collection of ☀️ READING ACTIVITIES☀️ covers all essential reading skills for elementary/primary students. NO PREP REQUIRED! Works with all text and media types.

Thousands of teachers have adopted this as a GO-TO RESOURCE for independent and group tasks.

A COLLECTION OF FUN READING ACTIVITIES

A lifetime tale in pictures reading task.

Draw the main character from a book you have recently read.  Show them as a baby, middle-aged and an older person.

Underneath each picture, write what you think they might be doing at that point in their life, and explain why they may be doing so.

For example, if you drew Harry Potter as a baby, he might cast spells on his mum to feed him lots of yummy food.

Post-reading activities like this are accessible for all age groups to adapt their skill level and text style.

If you want to learn more about characters, read our complete guide here.

TEXT TO SELF-READING TASK

Based upon a book you have just read, share a  story about yourself related to an event or character in the book.

It is probably best done in the form of a written recount. Link your experience to no more than four situations that occurred within the text.

Text to self is an excellent opportunity for students to become introspective about the content they read and compare it to their own life experiences. 

This activity is appealing to teenagers more so than juniors .

IT’S IN THE INSTRUCTIONS READING TASK

From a book you have just read, select either a critical object or creature and create a user manual or a guide explaining how to care for it.

Ensure you use any vital information learnt from the book and any other information you consider essential.

If you are writing a user manual for an object, remember to focus on using it correctly and taking care of it.

If you are writing a user guide for an animal or creature, focus on keeping it alive and healthy as well as information that explains how to keep it happy and under control if necessary.

Dear Diary, READING TASK

Place yourself in the shoes of one of the characters you have just read about and write a diary entry of a critical moment from the story.

Try to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

Your diary entry should be around a page long and contain information you learned from the book when the character was in that specific place and time.

Remember, when writing a diary entry, you are writing it from a first-person perspective. It is usually but not always written in the present tense.

Diary writing has been a very popular activity throughout time, but social media tools such as Facebook and blogging have in some ways changed this.

Mapping it all out, READING TASK

How do you make reading lessons fun? This reading activity answers that question confidently.

Have a go at drawing a map of one of the places from the text you have just read. See how much detail you can include, and be sure to discuss your map with another reader so you can compare and add more if necessary.

Take some time and effort to ensure your map appeals to the same audience the book aims at.

All good maps should contain the following BOLTS elements.

B – Bolts

O – Orientation

L – Legend

S – Scale

Express Yourself READING TASK

Using an iPad or a digital camera, make faces of the emotions the main characters would have gone through in your book and take photos of them. 

Put them together in a document on your computer or device and explain the emotion below the image and when the character would have felt this way.

This is an excellent opportunity to use some creative direction for this task.

Be sure to play around with the images, filters and graphical styling available.

Travel Agent READING TASK

Think of yourselves as a group of travel assistants whose job is to promote a  city of your choice from the text you have been reading.

As a group, you need to develop a concept map of all the exciting things that happen in your city and then present it to the class.

Don’t forget all of the exciting things such as theatres, restaurants, sports, adventure activities, entertainment and much more…

If you are a little short on details of the location of your story, do some research if it was an actual location or just get creative and make up some locations and tourist attractions based on what you read.

You’re Hired READING TASK

Select a character from a book and consider what might be an excellent job for them. You can choose something entirely suitable such as a security guard job for Superman or a more oddball approach, such as a pastry chef.

Either way, you will have to write a letter from this character’s perspective and apply for a position.

Be sure to explain why your character would be a great employee and what special skills they would possess to make them ideal for the role. Sell your character by explaining all the great attributes they possess.

What’s the Status? READING TASK

Create a Facebook page for your character with some status updates about what they have been up to.

Include some pictures and ensure your status updates are relevant to the character and the story.

Around 3 – 4 status updates with mages should give an overall picture of the character.

Use your status updates to explore what your character does for a job, leisure time, places they might go on vacation and the like.

Bubbles and Clouds READING TASK

Using speech bubbles and pictures of the characters, draw a conversation between two characters from the story you have read.

Remember, thought is drawn as a cloud, and a spoken statement is drawn as a  bubble.

Be sure to look at some comics or graphic novels for inspiration and insights.

This activity is usually best done on pen and paper, but numerous digital apps and tools will allow you to make this a reality through technology.

Amazing Artifacts READING TASK

An artifact is an object that has some significance or meaning behind it. Sometimes, an artefact might even have a very important story behind it.  I am sure you have a favorite toy, or your parents have a particular item in the house that they would consider an important artifact.

For today’s task, you will select five artifacts from the text you have been reading and explain what makes them significant or essential.

They don’t all have to be super important to the story, but I am sure that at least a couple played a significant role.

Be sure to draw a picture of the artifact and if necessary, label it.

FREE READING ACTIVITIES RESOURCE TO DOWNLOAD

Thinking Differently READING TASK

Choose three important events from the text and explain how you would have handled them differently from the characters in the story.

Explain how it may have changed the story’s outcome in either a minor or significant way.

Be insightful here and think of the cause and effect.  Sometimes your smallest action can have a significant impact on others.

Popplet Mind Mapping Task

Popplet is a mind mapping tool that allows you to connect ideas together using images, text and drawings.

From a text, you have recently read, create a family tree or network diagram that explains the relationship the characters have with each other.

Some may be father and son, husband and wife or even arch enemies.

Try and lay it out so it is easy to follow.

You Have Three Wishes READING TASK

A genie lands at the midpoint of the story you have just read and grants the two main characters three wishes.

What do they wish for and why?

Finally, would their wishes have changed anything about the story?  How so?

Again think about the cause and effect relationship and how this may have altered the path of the book you have been reading.

A COMPLETE DIGITAL READING UNIT FOR STUDENTS

Over 30 engaging activities for students to complete BEFORE, DURING and AFTER reading ANY BOOK

• Compatible with all devices and digital platforms, including GOOGLE CLASSROOM.
• Fun, Engaging, Open-Ended INDEPENDENT tasks.
• 20+ 5-Star Ratings ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

MORE GREAT ARTICLES WITH READING ACTIVITIES

Top 7 Reading Comprehension Strategies for Students and Teachers

How to teach Guided Reading: Teaching Strategies and Activities

Identifying the main idea of the story: A Guide for Students and Teachers

Teaching Cause and Effect in Reading and Writing

Graphic Organizers for Writing and Reading

Top 7 Tips for Teaching Guided Reading in Large Classes

5 Reasons You Need a Digital Reading Diary In 2023

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Assignments

• View history

Assignments are the occupations of the inhabitants of the Community . Assignments are designated when a member of the Community goes through their respective Ceremony of Twelve .

All Assignments can be found here .

• 1.1 The Giver

History [ ]

The giver [ ].

Claire is given the Assignment of Birthmother at the Ceremony of Twelve.

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• Assignments are made by the Elders may be appealed by contacting them, who form a committee to discuss it. Committees typically take a large amount of time to decide so an appeal is considered to be impractical.

The Assignment (Paperback)

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About the author, praise for….

• Young Adult Fiction / School & Education
• Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Prejudice & Racism
• Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Values & Virtues
• Kobo eBook (August 24th, 2020): $10.99
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Assignments Matter: Making the Connections That Help Students Meet Standards

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What exactly is an "assignment" and why does it matter? How can educators ensure that their teaching meets the rigorous demands of the Common Core State Standards, so that all students are well prepared for college or careers?

Table of contents

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The Educators' Spin On It

Learning Games and Activities

The Ultimate List of Book Activities for Kids

The ultimate collection of activities to use with popular children’s books! These picture book activities for Kindergarten and Preschool are fun and easy to do!

Grab your favorite children’s book and let’s READ!

At The Educators’ Spin On It, we’ve been sharing with you fun and easy Book Activities with our Virtual Book Club Weekly Plans for many years! These have made quite a collection of popular children’s books and book extensions to do with them.

They are now all available in one spot in this ultimate list of book activities for kids .

These books and activities are perfect to use for these popular book events:

• World Read Aloud Day (first Wednesday of February)
• Read Across America (March 2)
• World Book Day (March 7)
• National Reading Month (March)
• International Children’s Book Day (April 2)
• Drop Everything and Read – D.E.A.R. (April 12)
• Multicultural Children’s Book Day (January 26)
• Children’s Book Week ( August -AUS , Nov and May- UK )

You’ll find a variety of popular children’s books and many of your favorite children’s authors including Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, Julia Donaldson, Laura Numeroff, Mo Willems, Mem Fox, and more.

100+ Picture Book Activities for Kids

This collection of popular picture books for children shares our top picks for books and book activities to go along with them. Individually this guide shares with you 100+ books as well as several themed book lists for you to explore and read with your child.

We’re not alone in our love for these children’s books, you can find many of them on lists like 100 Children’s Books to Read in a Lifetime from Amazon Editors or 100 Favorite Books For Young Readers from NPR.

These featured books were my children’s favorite in our home with my 3 children as well as in my Kindergarten classroom year after year. We put together fun book activities to go along with these popular books for tons of un and learning inspired by BOOKS!

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood

• Alphabetical Order Pencil Craft
• Pencil Craft and Game

The Apple Pie Tree  by Zoe Hall

• Apple Tree Craft with Marble Painting
• DIY Apple Marble Game
• Apple Pie Recipe for Kids

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

• Bear Counting Activity and Printable

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson

• Magnetic Thankful Tree Craft

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr

• Sidewalk Chalk Coconut Game with Printables
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities
• Letter Stamp Fun with Coconut Tree Craft

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type   by Doreen Cronin

• Shape Activity

Chrysanthemum  by Kevin Henkes

• Name Activities

Corduroy  by Don Freeman 

• Teddy Bear Shaped Rice Krispie Snack
• Button STEM Challenge for Kids

The Day It Rained Hearts  by Felicia Bond

• Heart Shaped Pancakes

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

• Sensory Bottle Math Game with Crayons
• Sink or Float Science with Crayons

The Dot  by Peter H. Reynolds  

• Kid-Made Dot Art Frame

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus  by Mo Willems

• Alphabet Bus Game and Craft
• Learning to Draw with Mo Willems
• Storybook Pigeon Themed Pumpkin

Dragons Love Tacos  by Adam Rubin

• Dragon Themed Positional Words Game and Dragon Craft

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

• Duckling Headband Craft

The Easter Egg  by Jan Brett

• Paper Easter Egg Wreath Craft
• Easter Egg STEM Activities
• Decorating Ukrainian Easter Eggs with Kids
• Easter Egg Shaped Snack Idea

Five Little Pumpkins   by Dan Yaccarino

• Pumpkin STEM Activity with Straws
• Pumpkin Sensory Play with Water

Fish Eyes by Lois Ehlert

• Open Ended Fish Art Project

Freight Train by Donald Crews

• Fingerprint Train Ornament
• Name Train Craft
• Train Shaped Snack Idea
• Paper Train Craft for Kids
• Train Math Games for Kids
• Exploring Science with Trains
• Learn to Read with Trains

Go Away, Big Green Monster!  by Ed Emberley

• Monster Themed Necklace with Recycled Cardboad Tubes
• Monster Activities

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs  by Mo Willems

• Dinosaur Shapes with Playdough  

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site  by Sherri Duskey Rinker

• Magnetic Construction Theme Sensory Bin

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Brown Wise

• Storytelling Necklace

Good Night, Gorilla  by Peggy Rathmann

• Zoo Animal Counting Activity

The Grouchy Ladybug  by Eric Carle

• Painted Ladybug Craft with Printables
• Ladybug Science Activities
• Ladybug Activities

The Gruffalo by Julie Donaldson

• Mouse Headband
• Gruffalo Apron
• Gruffalo Themed Finger Puppets
• 20+ Gruffalo Themed Activities   

A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle

• Hermit Crab Puppet and Printable Movement Activity

Hopper by Marcus Pfister

• Bunny Themed Snack Idea

How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

• DIY Star Shaped Stamp
• Roll at Star Literacy Game

How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow  by Monica Sweeney

• Rainbow Activities
• Rainbow Seashells Science

If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff

• Orange Strawberry Jam Muffin Recipe for Kids
• Salted Caramel Muffin Recipe for Kids
• Kid Friendly Raspberry Coconut Muffins
• Activities for If You Give a Moose a Muffin
• 30+ Easy Muffin Recipes for Kids

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie  by Laura Numeroff

• Sidewalk Chalk Alphabet Cookie Game with Printable

If You Give a Pig a Pancake  by Laura Numeroff

• Pancake Math Activity
• Shape Pancakes

It’s Mine by Leo Lionni

• Frog Activities
• Frog Fine Moter Game

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale  by Mo Willems

• Sidewalk Chalk Bunny Alphbat Game with Printable
• Knuffle Bunny Headband Craft
• DIY Bunny Math Games

Leaf Man  by Lois Ehlert 

• Number Leaf Scavenger Hunt
• STEM Leaf Challenge for Kids

Leaves, Leaves, Leaves  by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

• Chalk Numbers Leaf Activity
• Fall Leaf Craft with Washi Tape

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle

• Little Blue Truck Craft and Story Retelling
• Little Blue Truck Dot Marker Printables
• Magnetic Farm STEM activity

Little Hoot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

• Handprint Owl Craft
• Owl Headband Craft
• Owl Shaped Pizza Recipe

Llama Llama Red Pajama  by Anna Dewdney

• Alphabet Quilt Activity
• Sensory Playdough Pattern Quilt

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

• Flower Math Game with Paper Flowers Craft

Maggie’s Chopsticks  by Alan Woo

• Chinese New Year Sensory Bins
• Chinese New Year Activities

The Mitten by Jan Brett

• Mitten Sight Word Game

Mouse Count by Ellen Stohl Walsh 

• Mouse Lacing Craft
• Mouse Counting Activity with Lids
• Mouse Count Game with Printable
• Mouse Headband Tutorial

Mouse Paint  by Ellen Stoll Walsh

• Paint Resist Craft

No David by David Shannon 

• Using Toys to Model Appropriate Behaviors

Owl Babies  by Martin Waddell and Patrick Benson

• Owl Themed Alphabet Game with Printable
• Owl Themed Name Game with Printable

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

• Pete the Cat DIY Costume
• Pete the Cat Movement Game with Sidewalk Chalk
• Pete the Cat Headband Craft
• Button STEM Activity Challenge

A Rainbow of My Own  by Don Freeman

• Drip Painting Rainbow Names
• Rainbow Math Games with Painted Counters

Penguin and Pinecone  by Salina Yoon

• Penguin Alphabet Game with Printable
• Penguin Math Counters
• Penguin Craft and ABC Game
• Penguin Activities

Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins  by James Dean

• Stacking Pumpkins STEM Challenge

Pinkalicious  by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann

• Alphabet Sensory Game
• Pinkalicious Themed Storybook Pumpkin

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf  by Lois Ehlert

• Fall Leaf Movement Activity with Sidewalk Chalk

Room on the Broom  by Julia Donaldson

• Witch Themed Alphabet Game with Printable

Scaredy Squirrel  by Melanie Watt

• Acorn Alphabet Sensory Jar

Should I Share My Ice Cream?  by Mo Willems

• Kid Friendly Ice Cream Recipe

Shubh Diwali! by Chitra Soundar and Charlene Chua

• Diwali Crafts for Kids

Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

• Spoon Themed Activities

Stellaluna  by Janell Cannon

• Flying Bats STEM Activity
• Bat Themed Sensory Jar Sight Words

The Tale of Peter Rabbit  by Beatrix Potter

• Bunny Stamp Art Project
• Name Tracing Bunny Activity
• Bunny Shaped Bread Recipes

Ten Little Rabbits  by Virginia Grossman and Sylvia Long

• Weaving Projects for Kids

Ten Red Apples  by Pat Hutchins

• Apple STEM Challenge
• Stacking Apple STEM Game
• Magnetic Apple Math Game

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

• Recycled Flower Craft
• Kid Friendly Paper Flower Craft
• Ten Flowers to Grow with Kids

The Snowy Day  by Ezra Jack Keats

• Pretend Snow Recipe and ABC Sensory Bin Activity
• Snowflake Stamping Art
• Snowflake Science Lab
• Snowy Day Science Activities

Time for Bed  by Mem Fox

• Watercolor Star Garland Art Project

Time to Sleep  by Denise Fleming

• Hide and Seek Bear Number Game and Printable

Touch the Art: Make Van Gogh’s Bed  by Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo

• Starry Night Apple Star Prints Art Project

Toy Boat  by Randall de Seve

• Paint Resist Toy Boat Art

The Very Busy Spider  by Eric Carle

• Fine Motor Spider Sensory Jar
• Spider Activities

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

• LEGO Story Retelling
• Caterpillar to Butterfly Balloon Science
• Lacing Letters with the Hungry Caterpillar
• Butterly Activities

The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle

• Sequencing and Vocabulary Activity with Printables

The Wide-Mouthed Frog (A Pop-Up Book)  by Keith Faulkner

• Frog Theme Toss Game for Kids

Waiting for Wings  by Lois Ehlert

• Butterfly Art with Recycled Items
• Making a Butterfly Garden with Kids

Weezer Changes the World  by David M. McPhail

• Act of Kindness Activity with Printable

Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough

• Teddy Bear Picnic Writing Fun
• Teddy Bear Biscuits
• Teddy Bear Tea Party

  Where the Wild Things Are  by Maurice Sendak

• Where the Wild Things Are Color Game

The Wooden Camel by Wanuri Kahiu

• Camel Race STEAM Activity

Christmas Themed Book Activities

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

• Reindeer Fingerprint Ornament
• Reindeer Gift Wrap Craft
• Handprint Reindeer Craft Frame
• Reindeer Activities

Gingerbread Baby  by Jan Brett

• Fingerprint Gingerbread Ornament
• DIY Stained Glass Gingerbread House Ornament
• Candy-Free Gingerbread House Ideas

The Gingerbread Man  by Jim Aylesworth  

• Handsewn Gingerbread Ornament
• Gingerbread Man Giftwrap Craft
• Lifesized Gingerbread House
• Giant Gingerbread Writing
• Gingerbread Activities

Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht

• Easy Alphabet Christmas Tree Activities
• Math Games with Christmas Trees
• Playdough Christmas Tree
• Christmas Tree Chromatography
• Christmas Tree Sensory Craft
• Evergreen Science for Kids

Polar Express  by Chris Van Allsburg

• STEM Recycled Train Craft
• Snowflake Number Train Game

Merry Christmas, Mouse!   by Laura Numeroff

• Mouse Thumbprint Ornament

Themed Children’s Book Lists

• Acorn Books
• Alphabet Books
• Apple Books
• Bedtime Books
• Black History Month Books
• Blueberry Books
• Board Books for Babies
• Butterfly Books
• Carrot Books
• Chinese New Year Books
• Christmas Books
• Diverse Books
• Diwali Books
• Earth Day Books
• Easter Books
• Election Day Books
• Farm Animal Books
• First Day of School Books
• Flower Books
• Garden Books
• Gingerbread Man Books
• Groundhog Day Books
• Ladybug Books
• India Books
• Kindness Books
• Martin Luther King Jr. Books
• Muhammad Ali Books
• Navrati Books
• New Baby Books for Siblings
• Nursery Rhyme Books
• Penguin Books
• Polar Bear Books
• Pumpkin Books
• Rainbow Books
• Russia Books
• Read Your World Books
• Shape Books
• Shark Books
• Spring Books
• Summer Books
• Train Books
• Thanksgiving Books
• Ukraine Books
• Valentine Books for Kids
• Veteran’s Day Books
• Washington D.C. Books
• Water Books
• Winter Books
• Winter Olympics Books
• Witch Books

Books by Month

• January Books
• February Books
• March Books
• April Books
• August Books
• September Books
• October Books
• November Books
• December Books

Take these book extension activities to create your preschool lesson plans and picture book activities for kindergarten. Many of these stories we included as part of our after school activities at home.

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About Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing developmentally appropriate activities.

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Engage your students as soon as they walk into your classroom with my best-selling, full-year bell-ringer set. Each day includes a unique and creative task. Topics include grammar, vocabulary, writing, and figurative language.  

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7 Creative Activities to Teach The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

S.E. Hinton was only 15 when she started writing her classic novel,  The Outsiders. Now, over 50 years after its publication, Hinton’s coming of age novel continues to provide an impactful commentary on society. Year after year, many English teachers return to this story, each time glimpsing something new through the eyes of its memorable protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis. This has long been a favorite in the ELA classroom. Its dramatic and emotional plotline lends itself incredibly well to creative activities that make teaching The Outsiders  engaging year after year. Below are my 7 favorite activities for teaching S.E. Hinton’s classic.

1. Identity Activity

This first activity gets students to dig deeper into themes of identity in the novel. It challenges students to think about how identity is represented in The Outsiders  by teaching them to make connections to the way they view their own identities.

How this activity works:

On the day after students have read chapters 1-2 from  The Outsiders , I like to initiate this activity by putting up an identity-related poster on the classroom door. This gets students thinking about the idea of “identity” before they even sit down.

At the start of class, I explain that Ponyboy identifies himself as a greaser. Then, in small groups or as a whole class, I get students to discuss the important elements of identifying with this group (i.e. appearance, interests, actions, personality, etc.). Students should develop a list that may include such things as having long greased hair, fighting, committing crimes, being tough, carrying a switchblade, and showing loyalty, for example.

Students then get the chance to analyze their own identities. I have them consider what kind of group they associate with. I hang identity cards on the wall all around the room (football player, musician, academic etc.). Then, I explain that students should look around and have them choose one that they identify with the most. I always offer the option for students to create their own identity card as well as some may not feel connected to the pre-selected options.  It’s important to tell them that it doesn’t matter if they are alone in a group since perhaps the other people who identify with this group are simply not in this class!

To close the activity off, I like to start a whole class discussion using questions like…

• Which group in the class do you think your group has the least in common with? Why?
• Can you identify with more than one group? What other groups in this class activity do you identify with?
• What did you learn about identity through this activity?

2. Stereotypes

The second activity I use for teaching The Outsiders  will prompt students to dig deeper and empathize with the characters. This time, however, it is by deconstructing the stereotypes at the center of the novel. I usually do this activity after students have finished reading chapters 3 and 4.

I start this activity by putting up 5 pictures of strangers around the classroom. Then, in small groups, I get them to discuss assumptions they have about what their personalities would be like, what job they would have, etc. After they’re done this first part of the activity, I like to pause and provide students with the definition of stereotype: a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. I have students discuss with their groups whether or not they stereotyped during this activity.

Then, I explain that in The Outsiders , the Socs and Greasers cannot get along with each other because they hold stereotypes. The Socs think the greasers are low-life thugs while the greasers think the Socs are rich snobs. I also explain that in these chapters, Cherry and Ponyboy, two people from completely different groups, are able to break down stereotypes and find common ground with one another.

As a second part of the activity, I have students try to find examples of Ponyboy’s shift in perspective. Below are a few possible responses that students might share:

• “It seemed funny to me that Socs – if these girls were any example – were just like us” (37).
• “I don’t know why I could talk to her; maybe for the same reason she could talk to me” (39).
• “It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset” (41).

I like to conclude this activity by starting a class discussion with questions such as “How do you think it feels to be stereotyped” and “What are the negative consequences of believing stereotypes?”

 3. Nothing Gold Can Stay

In chapter 5 of  The Outsiders , Ponyboy recites Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” The poem is referenced again later on in the novel when Johnny Cade says to Ponyboy, “Stay gold.” After students have read chapters 5 and 6, I get them to complete an activity centered around Frost’s poem to prepare them for the impact of Johnny’s memorable line.

For this activity, I put students into groups of 3 or 4. I hand out printed copies of Frost’s  “Nothing Gold Can Stay”  to each group, and I project a video of Ponyboy reciting the poem from The Outsiders movie, getting students to follow along.

I then go through the poem line by line, and I ask them questions that invite them to dig deeper into the poem’s meaning. For example, for the first line, I ask “What does nature’s first green mean” and “Why is it gold? Do you think Frost means the color gold? What else could gold symbolize/represent?” Students record their answers on a  brainstorming sheet,  and then once we’ve gone through each line, we discuss possible interpretations and lingering questions about the poem as a whole and its significance to the novel so far.

The idea of impermanence is central to Robert Frost’s poem—and to The Outsiders. As a final question, I ask students to reflect on things in their lives that will eventually change. I get them to consider how will they cope with these changes.

4. The Interview Activity

This activity is designed to be used for after students have read chapters 7-8 of The Outsiders . In these chapters, Ponyboy tells the reader about being interviewed by reporters while in the hospital visiting Johnny and Dally. Not much detail is provided on who is interviewed and what questions are asked, but the reader gets more insight into this in chapter 8 when Ponyboy says what information was included in the article.

I start this interview activity by putting students into pairs. Students will be using the information we have from the newspaper article for this activity, so I have them read the long quotation in the novel where Ponyboy describes the information included in the articles. Then, I get them to choose one of the characters listed below to be interviewed:

• Cherry Valance
• Darry & Sodapop
• Randy Adderson
• The School Principal

From the long quotation , they will infer what questions a local reporter might ask the character they’ve selected. Their questions should also be informed by their reading, and they must include responses from the interviewee. I encourage students to try and make this as realistic and professional as possible. I usually give each group some time to practice their written interview before performing it out loud in front of the class.

This activity is not only entertaining, but it will also force students to further invest themselves in the characters and the details of the novel!

5. Socs vs. Greasers Rumble

The Socs vs. Greasers rumble activity can be done after chapters 9-10 to get students thinking critically about the idea of the rivalry between Socs (East) and Greasers (West). In these chapters, the hostile relationship between the Socs and the Greasers comes to a climax with the planned rumble. Students will be exploring this rivalry using information from the whole novel.

For this activity , I put students into groups of four and label their table Greasers or Socs. I then tell the students that they are now looking at their new gang! Sometimes, I’ll even pit them against another specific group from the opposing gang for a little added fun.

Next, I have the groups complete an “East vs. West Rumble Assignment” where they answer distinguishing questions according to their assigned gang (Soc or Greaser). Students should be encouraged to “get into the character’s brain” and really pretend that they are a member of that gang to answer questions like “What are some things you dislike about the Socs / Greasers?” and “How would you react if a Soc / Greaser was insulting a member of your gang?” After they’re done, I get each group to share what they wrote with the rest of the class from the perspective of a Greaser or Soc. The answers are always mostly very negative towards the other gang as they are biased towards their own.

After students have shared, I tell them that they will now look at each gang objectively—not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. They will share the biggest differences and similarities between the gangs and the gang members. Through this activity, it is always my goal for the students to realize that the gangs actually have a lot in common.

6. Wanted Poster

When I’m teaching The Outsiders,  I like to separate the last two chapters of the novel into two fun activities. The first is this wanted poster assignment.  Earlier in the novel, Ponyboy is involved in an altercation where his friend Johnny ends up killing someone, and Dally instructs them to get away and hide in an abandoned church until he comes for them. For the wanted poster activity, students will create a “Wanted Poster” for one of these two characters who were on the run. This is a fun activity that will allow students to show their understanding of key details surrounding these characters.

Using a graphic organizer,  students plan out their poster before they begin working on a good copy. I get students to focus on the following information:

• the full name of the character
• their nickname
• a physical description
• specific acts committed
• personality traits
• known hangouts/associates
• what to do if found
• a reward amount.

I also get them to include an image (either drawn or found), and I encourage them to be as creative as possible!

7. Outsiders Tattoos

This final activity for teaching The Outsiders  is one that students tend to really enjoy! Tattoos are not only something that is sure to spark your students’ interest, but they also lend themselves well to teaching about symbolism in  The Outsiders. 

I start this activity by asking my students to imagine that a character from  The Outsiders  decides to get two tattoos on his or her arm. Then, I get them to consider what they would choose based on what they know about the character. The character, the tattoo designs, and the explanation behind them are up to the students. However, the choices should be grounded by concrete details in the novel. Students get to draw the tattoos. I like to give them a tattoo worksheet for this with a bare arm graphic as a canvas.

To make this even more fun, I suggest putting the artwork up on the walls and turning the class into a full-on  Outsiders Tattoo Expo . Get students to go around and look at all the tattoos. Then, wrap up with a discussion on which tattoos each student liked and why!

I hope you found these 7 creative activities for teaching The Outsiders  helpful! If you are interested in more tips and resources for developing students’ reading skills in ELA, click here.

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42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

8. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions .

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels , and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach , this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a “wanted” poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the most popular kids’ books in every grade..

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