Classroom activities

Through class or group discussion, students classify the books into possible genres - fantasy, historical, science fiction, etc.
If books or authors are unknown to students, make use of textual features such as titles, blurbs, index pages, front covers, all of which can help to predict or suggest appropriate genres.
Classify into genres familiar to children, using known terms or accepting students' ideas for categories.
Discuss whether some books appear to fit into more than one genre - why is it so?

Create an AUTHOR-FILE box containing manilla folders each labelled with an author's name. Store relevant information in the files as students discover, share and discuss it.
Collect information on the author from a variety of sources:
- Write to the publisher or an author fan club if one exists
- Utilise reference books
- Search the Internet
- Compile notes on author's books from the blurbs
- Collect and write responses from classmates or adults who have read the books
- Check newspaper or magazine reviews for quotes (teacher may need to assist with this)
- Add a map of the authors hometown or facts about where/how/why they like to write
- List any awards the author has won or for which the author has been nominated.

Students gather information to present in time line form about when the author has published each of his/her books.
The time line may commence with details of the author's life and when he/she began writing.
The time line may contain a brief synopsis of each book or simply the title and publication details.

Summarise in written or illustrated form the main events of the story - this could be in the form of a time line, cartoon illustrations, point form notes, a graphical representation with key words or phrases annotated, small pieces of paper 'concertina-ed' which unfold to show main events.

Create a BOOK-FILE box, with book titles on Manila folders. If students design activities such as Word Finds, Question and Answer Quizzes, Crosswords or illustration outlines for colouring-in, keep photocopies in the files and other students can utilised them in spare time, as extra literature activities or out of interest when a book has been finished.

Students may role play a main character by presenting a short talk about their role in the story or having the audience ask questions which they will answer 'in character'.
Students can work in small groups to present a main event or a chapter from the story.
Students can take on the role of 'author', directing characters or answering audience questions.
A serialised book may be stopped at certain points or just prior to the end and students prepare performances in small groups to predict what may happen next or what is the conclusion of the story.