No Prep Whole-Class Novel Study Final Project

Are you tired of the same old paper and pencil tests at the end of a text? Are your students struggling with remembering the details from a novel or play that you've studied in class? Are you searching for a fun, collaborative alternative? Look no further, I have the solution for you - whole-class novel study! 

While this project is quite informal in its presentation, the final outcome is very fulfilling. Below, you will find a detailed analysis of the project. I have recently posted this project to my store, so if you are looking for a no-prep project with all of the necessary and editable documents, you can click HERE. The information below, will give you an in-depth look into the project.

What is the whole-class novel study project?
The entire class will create a comic book-like outline of the text, so that anyone that has not yet read it, could read through it and gain an understanding of what took place in less than a few minutes.

The Process

1. Assign Teams: Assign your students into group or have them choose their own groups. I have found that 5-6 students per group has been an effective number, but it can definitely be done with more or less (there may just be more or less responsibilities for the team). In my classroom, I have found it to be helpful to create the groups myself; this helps to ensure that productive students are a part of each group, while giving everyone an opportunity to work together in a fun, creative way. 

2. Create Sections: If you are using this for a whole-class novel study, divide your book into sections. I have found that 5 sections has been an efficient number. For example, when I have used this project for a Shakespearean play, I've divided the sections into the number of acts within the play. 

3. Prioritize Scenes: Once students are with their assigned teams and the sections are in order, students are then to review their specific sections (or chapters) and identify the key scenes. Their goal is to choose the scenes with the greatest importance (including those that lead up to it). 

Once they have their list of most importance scenes, they will organize them in consecutive order from least important to most important. I have found that a list of 6 scenes has been a sufficient number, but that can definitely be changed to suit the needs of the class size and/or age of the students. 

4. Pick Lines: Once the scenes are in order, the group members will come up with two or three lines that best illustrate that scene. Students may need to review a page or two, in order to fully grasp what they are wanting to capture. 

5. Paraphrase: This is where the students will truly need to understand what they are reading! If they are using a play by Shakespeare, students will need to identify the meaning of the original text and put it into "modern language". 

6. Create Scenes: Once students have a good idea of what they have read and want to capture for their scenes, then the real fun can begin!

• First, students need to brainstorm ideas on how they want to physically capture the scene.
• Next, they can plan out where they might like to take their pictures. If you have the flexibility of extra supervision for the whole-class novel study groups, you can send along someone to monitor the students, while they take their photos.   
• Finally, take the photos! Cameras will be required to take the photos, which will capture a variety of characters, emotions and thoughts.  

7. Incorporate Text: Once the students have taken their photos, students can use a variety of editing apps and software to enhance their images (although, this is really not necessary). I suppose it depends on how much time you have and the availability of the technology, but I honestly prefer when students incorporate a few of their own props with images that have not been enhanced. It adds to the authenticity of the final product. Students can add their descriptions that they brainstormed (Step 4) and their respective speech and thought bubbles. 

Example from Act 4 of Macbeth: 

 Example from Act 3 of A Midsummer Night's Dream: 

Why this whole-class novel study project works:

This whole-class novel study project is successful because students are held responsible for knowing and understanding the facts and information from a text that they just studied. 

In addition, they have an opportunity to work collaboratively with their classmates, they get to use technology to re-create the scenes and they will likely develop a better understanding of the text through this group process. 

Lastly, I print out colored images on their group scenes for each student to include in their final portfolio at the end of the semester!

What alternative final assignments have you tried?

Want even more great whole-class novel study activities? 

Try Contact a Character or the Board Game Project!