1984 Teaching and Reading Guide with Activities

Literature Circle Packets

Novel Discussion Questions

Literature Creative Projects

Plot analysis - have students create a mountain model (progression of a story) of the plot on a
poster.

Found poems - have students write short phrases from the novel on strips of paper (they all
have to find phrases that have something to do with a certain theme). Then, have students
place their strips on the floor to create a found poem from the novel. Discuss the meaning of the
text and what the author is trying to tell us about the theme.

Drawn Character analysis - have students use butcher paper to trace one of the students
bodies on the paper. Then, have the students fill out what is going on in the characters brain,
heart, coming out of their mouth with a speech bubble, etc.

Character role play - have students pretend to be one of the characters and then other students
will get to ask them questions, and the students have to guess who each student is pretending
to be

Teaching annotation
Create an annotations key or system that you will model and expect students to use
Color-code sticky notes or post-it flags (for novels that belong to the school and you
cant write in them)
Yellow = passages that show a large, thematic ideas, authors purpose/meaning
Blue = questions/want to inquire further about
Pink = connection to another text/topic/class/discipline
Annotations key for things that you can write on (smaller articles, etc.)
Underline important passages that show large, thematic ideas, authors
purpose/meaning
Star the main idea
Circle confusing, provocative, or important vocabulary that is pertinent to the
understanding of the piece
Writing in the margins
Write a question mark and then write your question when you have
question
Write conn and write the connection to yourself, the world, or another
text next to it
Draw a delta (a triangle) next to a passage or quote that
Calls or inspires to action
 Addresses the desire to make some sort of change