Looking for an engaging novel study for 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade? Hank Zipzer: Niagara Falls, or Does It? by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver is a funny, relatable chapter book that gives students plenty to talk about while opening the door to meaningful conversations about learning differences, friendship, perseverance, and self-confidence.
And if you’re looking for a Hank Zipzer novel study that makes teaching the book easier, I’ve created a complete, no-prep Hank Zipzer: Niagara Falls, or Does It? book unit with printable and digital resources.
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About Hank Zipzer: Niagara Falls, or Does It?
Niagara Falls, or Does It? is the first book in the popular Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver. The series was inspired in part by Winkler’s own experiences growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia.
Hank is bright, creative, funny—and frequently finds himself in trouble at school. His learning challenges affect the way he approaches assignments and schoolwork, but they don’t define his intelligence or his potential.
That makes Hank an especially relatable character for many elementary students.
As students read about Hank’s adventures, they can laugh at his mishaps while also thinking about what it feels like to struggle with something that seems easy for everyone else.
Why Teach Niagara Falls, or Does It? in Your Classroom?
This entertaining novel provides much more than a fun story. It gives students opportunities to practice important reading comprehension and literary analysis skills while discussing meaningful themes.
1. A Relatable Main Character
Hank isn’t a perfect student—and that’s part of what makes him so appealing.
Students can connect with his frustrations, mistakes, friendships, and determination. His experiences can also help open classroom conversations about the fact that people learn and solve problems in different ways.
2. Opportunities to Discuss Perseverance
Hank encounters plenty of challenges throughout the story. Rather than giving up, he keeps trying to figure things out.
This makes the novel a natural fit for discussions about perseverance, resilience, problem-solving, and learning from mistakes.
3. Meaningful Conversations About Learning Differences
Because Hank’s character is connected to Henry Winkler’s experiences with dyslexia, the book can provide an accessible way to discuss learning differences and individual strengths.
Students can consider questions such as:
Why might something be easy for one person but difficult for another?
How can the way we respond to mistakes affect us?
What strengths can people have that aren’t always reflected in schoolwork?
How can classmates support one another?
4. Strong Connections to ELA Skills
Niagara Falls, or Does It? provides plenty of opportunities for students to practice reading comprehension, vocabulary, character analysis, writing, and critical thinking.
Students can examine Hank’s decisions, identify important events, make predictions, support their thinking with evidence from the text, and explore how the characters change throughout the story.
Use a Complete Hank Zipzer Novel Study
If you want to teach Niagara Falls, or Does It? without spending hours creating comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, assessments, and writing assignments, my Hank Zipzer: Niagara Falls, or Does It? Novel Study is ready to use.
The unit is designed for Grades 3-5 and can be used for whole-class instruction, small groups, literature circles, independent reading, or homeschool.
This novel study includes:
Chapter-by-chapter comprehension activities
Vocabulary and spelling activities
Writing and extension activities
Assessments
Teacher lesson plans and pacing information
Answer keys
Common Core alignment
Printable resources
Google Drive™ resources
The goal is simple: give you a complete Hank Zipzer book unit so you can spend less time planning and more time teaching.
Want to see what the Hank Zipzer novel study looks like before you purchase?
A Great Choice for a 3rd-5th Grade Novel Study
Whether you’re planning a 3rd-grade novel study, 4th-grade novel study, or 5th-grade novel study, Hank Zipzer: Niagara Falls, or Does It? can be an engaging addition to your reading curriculum.
The humor keeps students interested in the story, while Hank’s experiences provide opportunities for deeper conversations about friendship, perseverance, empathy, confidence, and learning differences.
And once students finish the first Hank Zipzer book, there are plenty more adventures waiting for them in the series!
Ready to Teach Hank Zipzer?
If you’re looking for a Hank Zipzer novel study, Niagara Falls or Does It? book unit, reading comprehension activities, or a no-prep ELA resource for Grades 3-5, take a look at the complete novel study.
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Looking for a meaningful The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane novel study to use with your upper elementary or middle school students? Kate DiCamillo’s The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a beautiful choice for exploring love, loss, compassion, resilience, empathy, and personal growth while giving students plenty of opportunities to practice important ELA skills.
Edward Tulane begins his journey as a vain and self-centered china rabbit who believes he is far more important than the people around him. As he is separated from one owner after another, Edward experiences love, loss, loneliness, friendship, and heartbreak. His remarkable journey gradually changes the way he sees himself and the people around him.
That makes this novel much more than a story about a rabbit. It allows students to think deeply about character development, theme, perspective, relationships, and what it means to love and be loved.
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Why Teach The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane?
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo is especially valuable for classroom discussion because the story naturally lends itself to deeper reading and thoughtful conversations.
Explore Themes of Love, Loss, and Compassion
Edward’s experiences provide a natural starting point for discussing difficult but important themes. Students can examine how loss affects Edward and the people he encounters and consider how relationships can change us.
The novel encourages students to think about questions such as:
What does it mean to truly love someone?
How can loss change a person?
Why are compassion and kindness important?
Can people change?
What makes a relationship meaningful?
How do our experiences shape who we become?
These questions can lead to rich reading comprehension and literary analysis discussions throughout the novel.
Analyze Edward Tulane’s Character Development
Edward undergoes one of the most important transformations in the story.
At the beginning, Edward is proud, selfish, and primarily concerned with his own appearance and comfort. As he experiences life with different people, his understanding of love, friendship, suffering, and connection changes.
This makes The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane an excellent novel for teaching character traits and character development.
Students can track Edward’s changes throughout the story and use evidence from the text to explain how his experiences influence him.
Build Empathy Through Literature
One of the greatest strengths of this novel is its ability to encourage students to look beyond their own experiences.
As Edward encounters people from very different backgrounds and circumstances, students have opportunities to consider different perspectives and discuss how people respond to love, loneliness, hardship, and loss.
A novel like this can create meaningful classroom conversations while helping students practice supporting their ideas with evidence from the text.
Practice Critical Thinking and Close Reading
Although the story is accessible to younger readers, its themes provide plenty of opportunities for deeper thinking.
Students can analyze:
Character motivation
Theme
Setting
Point of view
Character relationships
Cause and effect
Symbolism
Inferences
Text evidence
Author’s message
Instead of simply reading to find out what happens next, students can learn to read closely and think critically about why the characters behave the way they do and how their experiences shape the story.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane Classroom Activities
A strong Edward Tulane novel unit can turn students’ reading into meaningful ELA practice.
Consider activities that ask students to:
Track Edward’s character development
Identify important themes
Make inferences about characters
Use text evidence to support their thinking
Explore vocabulary from the novel
Respond to comprehension questions
Write about important events and themes
Examine relationships between characters
Reflect on Edward’s transformation
Connect the novel’s themes to their own lives
Because the story contains so many emotionally significant moments, it also provides excellent opportunities for reading response and writing activities.
Make Teaching Edward Tulane Easier
If you want to teach The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane without spending hours creating comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing assignments, and assessments, a ready-to-use Edward Tulane novel study can save you valuable planning time.
Not sure if it’s right for your classroom? Try the free sample to see the format and types of activities included in the full novel study.
A Novel Students Won’t Easily Forget
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is the kind of book that can stay with students long after they finish the final chapter.
Edward’s journey gives readers a chance to explore what happens when we open ourselves to other people—and how love, loss, and connection can change us.
For teachers, it’s also a wonderful opportunity to combine reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, literary analysis, and meaningful classroom discussion around a memorable piece of children’s literature.
If you’re planning an Edward Tulane novel unit, this ready-to-use novel study can help you spend less time preparing materials and more time engaging your students in the story.
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Are you teaching The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane this school year?
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Looking for an engaging On My Honor novel study to help your students dig deeper into Marion Dane Bauer’s powerful novel? On My Honor is an excellent choice for upper elementary and middle school readers, offering meaningful opportunities to explore friendship, responsibility, peer pressure, difficult choices, guilt, grief, and consequences.
A complete On My Honor book unit can help turn those themes into meaningful reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, and critical-thinking activities.
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About On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
In On My Honor, Joel and Tony set out on a bike ride that takes an unexpected and tragic turn. As Joel faces the consequences of what happens, readers are challenged to think about friendship, honesty, responsibility, fear, guilt, and the choices people make.
The novel provides plenty of opportunities for classroom discussion and literary analysis. Students can examine the characters’ decisions, consider how those decisions affect the plot, and explore the larger themes that develop throughout the story.
Because of its emotional depth and relatively short length, On My Honor can be a particularly effective novel for a 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grade ELA novel study.
Why Teach On My Honor?
There are many reasons On My Honor works well as a classroom novel.
Friendship and Responsibility
Joel and Tony’s friendship allows students to discuss what it means to be a good friend—and what can happen when friends make choices without fully considering the consequences.
Choices and Consequences
The novel naturally lends itself to conversations about decision-making. Students can examine the choices made by the characters and consider how those choices influence the events that follow.
Guilt, Grief, and Emotional Responses
On My Honor gives students opportunities to explore complex emotions and consider how different characters respond to difficult circumstances.
Peer Pressure and Risk-Taking
Students can discuss how friendships and peer pressure can influence decisions and how young people respond when they find themselves in difficult situations.
Character Development
Joel provides rich opportunities for character analysis. Students can examine his thoughts, actions, relationships, and reactions throughout the novel and use textual evidence to support their ideas.
Critical Thinking and Literary Analysis
The story provides opportunities to teach important ELA skills, including plot, characterization, theme, conflict, point of view, author’s purpose, inference, and supporting answers with text evidence.
On My Honor Novel Study Activities
If you’re looking for ready-to-use On My Honor activities, a comprehensive novel study can save hours of planning while keeping students actively engaged with the book.
A complete On My Honor book unit can include:
Chapter-by-chapter comprehension questions
Reading comprehension activities
Vocabulary activities
Grammar practice
Writing activities
Character analysis
Literary analysis
Discussion questions
Reading assessments
Extended writing
End-of-book activities
Answer keys
Teacher resources
Common Core ELA standards alignment
These activities allow you to use the novel as more than simply a reading assignment. Students can practice a variety of ELA skills while thinking critically about the story.
A No-Prep On My Honor Novel Unit
Planning a novel study from scratch can take a tremendous amount of time. You need comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing assignments, assessments, answer keys, and additional activities—and then you have to organize everything into a workable unit.
The unit is designed for Grades 5–8 and includes both printable PDF materials and digital Google Drive™ resources, giving you the flexibility to use the materials in a traditional classroom, paperless classroom, Google Classroom, homeschool setting, or for independent reading.
What’s Included?
The On My Honor Novel Study includes:
Teacher lesson plans and resources
Reading comprehension questions
Vocabulary and grammar activities
Writing activities
Spelling activities
Assessments
Answer keys
Common Core standards alignment
End-of-book activities
Printable student materials
Digital Google Drive™ materials
The goal is simple: give you ready-to-use resources so you can spend less time planning and more time teaching.
Whether you’re looking for On My Honor comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing prompts, or a complete novel unit, having all of the materials together makes teaching the book much easier.
Try the Free Preview
Want to see what is included before purchasing?
Download the free preview of the On My Honor Novel Study to see examples of the student activities and teacher resources included in the complete unit.
Make On My Honor More Than Just a Reading Assignment
On My Honor gives students an opportunity to think about friendship, responsibility, choices, and consequences while developing important reading and ELA skills.
With a complete On My Honor novel study, you can turn those opportunities into structured lessons, meaningful discussions, writing activities, and assessments—without spending hours creating everything yourself.
Ready to teach On My Honor?
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching On My Honor this school year?
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Looking for a meaningful novel to teach during Black History Month or a book that can help your students explore Black history, social justice, identity, family, and activism? One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia is an engaging choice for upper elementary and middle school readers.
Set in Oakland, California, during the summer of 1968, One Crazy Summer follows three sisters—Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern—who travel from Brooklyn to California to spend the summer with their mother, a poet and activist they barely know.
As the girls experience a very different world from the one they know in New York, they encounter new ideas about family, identity, race, community, activism, and social change.
For teachers, that makes One Crazy Summer much more than an entertaining historical novel. It provides countless opportunities for students to develop reading comprehension and critical-thinking skills while learning about an important period in American history.
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Why Teach One Crazy Summer in Your Classroom?
1. Introduce Students to Black History Through Literature
One of the greatest strengths of One Crazy Summer is the way it introduces young readers to an important period in Black history through the experiences of three relatable children.
The novel is set during a pivotal moment in American history when the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement were influencing communities across the country.
Students encounter historical events and organizations through the eyes of Delphine and her sisters, allowing them to consider how major historical events affected children and families.
Rather than simply memorizing names and dates, students can explore history through a compelling story and the experiences of memorable characters.
2. Explore the Black Panther Party
One Crazy Summer provides a natural starting point for teaching students about the Black Panther Party and its role in the Oakland community.
The novel introduces students to the organization’s community programs and activism, including the Free Breakfast Program, which provided meals to children in the community.
This aspect of the novel creates an excellent opportunity to connect fiction and informational text.
Students can read the novel while also researching the historical events, people, and organizations referenced throughout the story.
This is especially valuable for teachers looking for ways to integrate English language arts and social studies.
3. Encourage Critical Thinking and Meaningful Discussion
One Crazy Summer gives students plenty to think about and discuss.
The novel explores themes including:
Family and relationships
Identity
Racism
Community
Activism
Resilience
Belonging
Poverty
Social justice
Historical change
These themes can lead to thoughtful classroom conversations and writing assignments.
Instead of simply asking students what happened in a chapter, you can ask them to consider why characters make certain choices, how their experiences shape their beliefs, and how the historical setting influences the story.
Those types of questions help students move beyond basic recall and practice deeper reading comprehension and literary analysis.
4. Help Students Develop Empathy
One of the most powerful benefits of teaching historical fiction is that it allows students to experience history through the perspective of individual characters.
In One Crazy Summer, students see the world through Delphine’s eyes as she navigates an unfamiliar city, an unfamiliar political environment, and a complicated relationship with her mother.
Students can consider how the characters’ experiences influence the way they see themselves, their families, and the world around them.
These conversations can help students develop empathy, perspective-taking, and an understanding of experiences different from their own.
5. Connect Historical Events to the Story
The historical setting of One Crazy Summer makes it an excellent choice for an interdisciplinary novel unit.
Teachers can use the novel as a springboard for researching:
The Civil Rights Movement
The Black Power Movement
The Black Panther Party
The Free Breakfast Program
Oakland in the 1960s
Race and inequality
Community activism
Social justice movements
These connections allow students to see how historical context influences literature.
They also provide natural opportunities to practice research, informational reading, writing, and discussion skills.
Use One Crazy Summer to Teach More Than Reading
A strong novel study should do more than give students a list of comprehension questions.
One Crazy Summer can be used to teach a variety of reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, and critical-thinking skills while students become invested in the story.
Students can:
Analyze characters
Identify and analyze themes
Make inferences
Determine important ideas
Examine historical context
Learn new vocabulary
Practice grammar and language skills
Respond to reading through writing
Research historical topics
Participate in meaningful discussions
Make connections between literature and history
That combination makes the novel especially useful for teachers looking for a complete upper elementary or middle school novel unit.
Make Teaching One Crazy Summer Easier
If you’ve ever taught a novel, you know how much time it can take to create all of the materials that go along with it.
√ You need comprehension questions.
√ Then vocabulary.
√ Then writing activities.
√ Then assessments.
√ Then answer keys.
√ Then standards alignment.
√ And if you want to incorporate historical research, you’re creating even more materials.
That’s why I created a complete One Crazy Summer Novel Study that brings these resources together in one ready-to-use unit.
What’s Included in the One Crazy Summer Novel Study?
The unit includes materials for both teachers and students, including:
Detailed lesson plans
Reading comprehension questions
Vocabulary activities
Grammar activities
Writing activities
Assessments
Answer keys
Common Core standards alignment
A nonfiction WebQuest
Information about the Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast Program
Printable student materials
Google Drive™ materials
Digital self-grading quizzes
The unit can be used for whole-class instruction, small groups, literature circles, independent reading, homeschool, or digital learning.
A Ready-to-Use One Crazy Summer Book Unit
If you’re planning a Black History Month unit, a historical fiction study, or simply looking for a powerful novel for your upper elementary or middle school students, One Crazy Summer is a book worth considering.
Its combination of engaging characters, family relationships, historical events, and thought-provoking themes gives students plenty to discuss while providing opportunities to practice essential ELA skills.
And with a complete One Crazy Summer novel study, you don’t have to spend your evenings creating all of those materials yourself.
Try the Free Sample!
Want to see what’s included before you purchase?
Download the free sample of my One Crazy Summer novel study to see examples of the student activities and resources included in the complete unit.
[Get the One Crazy Summer Novel Study →]
Whether you’re teaching One Crazy Summer during Black History Month, incorporating historical fiction into your ELA curriculum, or looking for a novel that encourages students to think deeply about history, identity, family, and social justice, this unit can help you turn the book into a complete, engaging learning experience.
Give yourself less prep and your students more opportunities to read, think, discuss, and learn.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching One Crazy Summer this school year?
Join our free community, Book Talk with The Teaching Bank, to share ideas, grab freebies, and connect with 3rd–8th grade teachers using novels in the classroom!
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Looking for a fun way to teach James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl in your elementary classroom? This classic children’s novel is packed with adventure, humor, memorable characters, and plenty of opportunities for meaningful reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, and critical thinking activities.
A James and the Giant Peach novel study can turn this beloved story into a complete ELA learning experience while giving students a reason to get excited about reading.
Whether you’re planning a whole-class novel unit, literature circles, small-group instruction, or a homeschool reading unit, James and the Giant Peach provides plenty of opportunities for students to practice important reading skills while getting lost in a wonderfully imaginative story.
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Why Teach James and the Giant Peach?
Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach is more than an entertaining adventure. The novel gives teachers a rich text for exploring important ELA skills and themes with students.
James begins the story as an unhappy and lonely boy living with two cruel aunts. After a mysterious encounter leads to an enormous magical peach, James discovers an extraordinary group of friends and embarks on an unforgettable adventure.
Along the way, students can explore themes such as:
Friendship
Courage
Resilience
Family
Kindness
Overcoming adversity
Imagination
Personal growth
The fantastical elements of the story also make it easy to spark classroom conversations and creative thinking.
James and the Giant Peach Reading Comprehension
One of the biggest benefits of using a James and the Giant Peach novel study is the opportunity to work on reading comprehension throughout the entire book.
Rather than simply reading the novel and taking a test at the end, students can stop regularly to think about what they have read.
A chapter-by-chapter approach allows students to practice skills such as:
Identifying important details
Making inferences
Determining the meaning of unfamiliar words
Describing characters
Identifying story elements
Making predictions
Summarizing
Making connections
Supporting answers with evidence
Analyzing themes
These skills can be reinforced through discussion, written responses, vocabulary activities, and assessments.
Vocabulary Activities for James and the Giant Peach
Roald Dahl’s writing is full of interesting vocabulary, making this novel an excellent opportunity for vocabulary instruction.
Students can encounter unfamiliar words in context, discuss their meanings, and use them in a variety of activities.
Explicit vocabulary instruction can help students:
Expand their vocabulary
Use context clues
Understand new words in context
Practice dictionary skills
Improve reading comprehension
Incorporate new words into their own writing
A vocabulary component is especially helpful when students are reading a novel independently because it gives them tools for becoming more confident readers.
Extend Learning Beyond the Novel
One of the things I love about using novels in the classroom is that the learning doesn’t have to stop when students finish the last chapter.
James and the Giant Peach provides opportunities for creative and cross-curricular activities, too.
Students can investigate topics connected to the story, explore insects and other science concepts, map James’s journey, write creatively from the perspective of a character, or complete activities focused on the novel’s story elements.
These kinds of extension activities help students see that reading isn’t just about answering questions. Books can become the starting point for writing, discussion, research, creativity, and exploration.
A Complete James and the Giant Peach Novel Study
If you want to teach James and the Giant Peach but don’t want to spend hours creating all of the activities yourself, I’ve created a complete James and the Giant Peach Novel Study Book Unit to make planning easier.
This ready-to-use unit is designed for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade and includes both printable and Google Drive™ formats.
The unit provides a complete framework for teaching the novel, including:
Teacher lesson plans
Reading comprehension activities
Chapter-by-chapter questions
Vocabulary activities
Writing activities
Story elements activities
Assessments
Answer keys
Extension activities
Common Core standards alignment
Printable resources
Digital Google Drive™ resources
The goal is simple: take the work out of planning a James and the Giant Peach novel unit so you can focus on teaching and your students can focus on reading.
You can preview the James and the Giant Peach novel study to see examples of the activities and resources included in the complete unit.
Get the Complete James and the Giant Peach Novel Study
Ready to turn James and the Giant Peach into a complete ELA unit?
This comprehensive novel study is perfect for:
3rd grade reading
4th grade reading
5th grade reading
Elementary ELA
Whole-class novel studies
Literature circles
Small-group instruction
Independent reading
Homeschool
Reading intervention
With ready-to-use activities, assessments, vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, writing activities, and teacher resources, you’ll have everything you need to make James and the Giant Peach an engaging and meaningful part of your ELA curriculum.
Bring James and the Giant Peach to Life in Your Classroom
A great novel can do much more than entertain students. It can encourage them to think deeply, ask questions, make connections, and discover the joy of reading.
James and the Giant Peach is an especially fun choice for elementary readers because its combination of adventure, humor, imagination, and memorable characters keeps students engaged while giving teachers plenty of opportunities to teach important reading and writing skills.
If you’re looking for a James and the Giant Peach novel study that saves planning time while providing meaningful ELA practice, this complete unit is ready to help.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching James and the Giant Peach this school year?
Join our free community, Book Talk with The Teaching Bank, to share ideas, grab freebies, and connect with 3rd–8th grade teachers using novels in the classroom!
*The Teaching Bank participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
Looking for a Bud, Not Buddy novel study that will save you hours of planning while giving your students meaningful opportunities to practice reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, and critical thinking?
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis is an engaging historical fiction novel that gives upper-elementary and middle school students plenty to discuss. Through Bud Caldwell’s journey during the Great Depression, students explore important ideas about family, belonging, perseverance, identity, racism, economic hardship, community, and trust.
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If you’re planning to teach Bud, Not Buddy in your 4th, 5th, or 6th grade classroom, a well-designed Bud, Not Buddy book unit can help you turn those rich discussions into focused ELA instruction.
And if you don’t want to spend your evenings creating comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing assignments, and assessments, I’ve got you covered!
Why Teach Bud, Not Buddy?
Bud, Not Buddy follows ten-year-old Bud Caldwell, an orphan living in Michigan during the Great Depression. After another difficult experience in foster care, Bud sets out on his own in search of Herman E. Calloway, a man he believes may be his father.
What begins as a search for a father becomes a much bigger journey.
As Bud travels from Flint toward Grand Rapids, he encounters people who challenge his assumptions about adults, family, friendship, and what it means to belong. Along the way, students get a glimpse into life during the Great Depression, including poverty, homelessness, racial inequality, and the ways communities supported one another during difficult times.
The novel also provides plenty of opportunities to examine Bud’s growth. At the beginning of the story, Bud relies heavily on his own rules and instincts because adults have repeatedly disappointed him. As the story progresses, he begins to discover that accepting help and trusting others doesn’t make him weak.
These themes make Bud, Not Buddy an especially valuable choice for a middle-grade novel study.
Bud, Not Buddy Themes Students Can Explore
One of the biggest strengths of this novel is the number of meaningful themes students can discuss and support with evidence from the text.
Family and Belonging
Bud spends much of the novel searching for the family he has lost and wondering where he belongs.
This creates excellent opportunities for students to consider questions such as:
What makes someone a family?
Can people who aren’t related by blood become family?
Why is belonging so important to Bud?
How does Bud’s idea of family change throughout the novel?
The novel ultimately challenges students to think about family as something that can be created through love, trust, support, and community.
Perseverance and Resilience
Bud experiences disappointment after disappointment, but he continues moving forward.
Students can analyze the ways Bud responds to obstacles and identify moments when he demonstrates:
perseverance
resourcefulness
courage
independence
determination
Bud isn’t simply a character who experiences problems. He continually makes choices in response to those problems, making his journey especially useful for character analysis.
Identity
Even the title Bud, Not Buddy introduces the importance of identity.
Bud is determined to be called by the name he believes is his. Throughout the novel, he also tries to understand who he is, where he came from, and where he belongs.
This makes the novel a natural springboard for conversations about identity, family history, names, and self-discovery.
Racism and Inequality
Because the novel takes place in 1936, students encounter the realities of racial discrimination and inequality during the Great Depression.
Curtis incorporates these issues into Bud’s journey without making the novel solely about racism. Instead, students see how race affects Bud’s experiences as he travels through Michigan.
This provides an opportunity to connect literature and social studies while helping students examine how historical context influences a character’s experiences.
The Great Depression
The historical setting is another reason Bud, Not Buddy works so well as a classroom novel.
The story takes place during the Great Depression, when unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and economic hardship affected millions of Americans. Students encounter this history through Bud’s experiences rather than simply reading about it in a textbook.
The novel’s setting can lead to meaningful discussions about:
the Great Depression
unemployment
poverty
homelessness
Hoovervilles
migration
economic inequality
community support
The historical setting is an important part of the story, with the novel taking place in Michigan in 1936.
Bud, Not Buddy Is Perfect for Character Analysis
Bud is an especially interesting character for students to analyze because he changes significantly throughout the story.
At first, Bud believes he has to depend primarily on himself. His collection of rules helps him navigate a world where he doesn’t always trust the adults around him.
As students follow Bud’s journey, they can examine how his experiences affect his:
thoughts
feelings
actions
relationships
beliefs
understanding of family
understanding of himself
Students can also analyze how secondary characters influence Bud’s development.
Characters such as Miss Thomas, Herman E. Calloway, Lefty Lewis, Bugs, Deza Malone, and the Amos family all contribute to Bud’s journey in different ways.
This makes Bud, Not Buddy an excellent choice for teaching character traits, character development, relationships, and textual evidence.
Bud Caldwell’s Rules Make Great Classroom Discussions
One of the most memorable features of the novel is Bud’s collection of rules for surviving the world around him.
His rules are funny, clever, and sometimes surprisingly insightful. They also reveal a great deal about Bud’s experiences and his understanding of adults.
Instead of simply asking students to identify character traits, you can have them analyze what Bud’s rules reveal about his character.
For example:
What does a particular rule tell us about Bud?
What experience may have caused Bud to create the rule?
Is the rule helpful or harmful?
Does Bud continue to believe the rule later in the story?
What does the rule reveal about his relationships with adults?
These questions push students beyond simple recall and toward deeper character analysis.
Reading Comprehension Skills to Teach with Bud, Not Buddy
A Bud, Not Buddy novel study is an excellent way to incorporate reading comprehension instruction into authentic literature.
As students read, you can target skills such as:
Character Analysis
Students examine Bud’s traits, motivations, relationships, and development.
Making Inferences
Students use clues from the text to draw conclusions about characters, events, and relationships.
Textual Evidence
Students support their thinking with specific evidence from the novel.
Theme
Students identify themes and explain how those themes develop throughout the story.
Summarizing
Students distinguish important events from minor details and summarize sections of the novel.
Point of View
Students examine how experiencing the story through Bud’s perspective affects the reader’s understanding.
Vocabulary in Context
Students determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues and then apply those words in meaningful activities.
Critical Thinking
Students analyze decisions, relationships, conflicts, and historical circumstances rather than simply recalling what happened.
Add Vocabulary Instruction to Your Bud, Not Buddy Unit
Bud, Not Buddy provides plenty of opportunities for vocabulary instruction.
Instead of handing students a list of definitions, use vocabulary activities that require students to interact with the words in multiple ways.
Students can:
determine definitions using context clues
use words in original sentences
explore parts of speech
complete grammar activities
practice spelling
solve vocabulary puzzles
participate in word searches
use vocabulary word walls
revisit important words throughout the novel
Repeated exposure helps students move vocabulary from simply recognizing a word to actually understanding and using it.
Use Bud, Not Buddy to Teach Writing
A strong novel study shouldn’t stop when students answer comprehension questions.
Bud, Not Buddy provides numerous opportunities for reading response and writing instruction.
Students can write about:
Bud’s character development
the importance of family
perseverance and resilience
historical context
Bud’s relationships with other characters
important decisions Bud makes
themes in the novel
how Bud changes throughout the story
connections between the novel and their own lives
evidence from the text to support an argument
These activities allow students to practice writing while remaining connected to a book they are already reading and discussing.
Connect Bud, Not Buddy to Social Studies
One of the best features of teaching historical fiction is the opportunity to combine ELA and social studies.
Because Bud, Not Buddy takes place during the Great Depression, students can investigate the historical context surrounding the novel.
Consider pairing the novel with lessons about:
the Great Depression
the stock market crash
unemployment
Hoovervilles
segregation
racial discrimination
migration
African American history
jazz during the 1930s
Students can then return to the novel and consider how the historical setting affects Bud’s experiences.
This creates a much richer reading experience than treating the novel as a stand-alone story.
A No-Prep Bud, Not Buddy Novel Study for Grades 4–6
If you’re looking for Bud, Not Buddy worksheets, comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing prompts, assessments, and lesson plans, creating everything from scratch can quickly become overwhelming.
That’s why I created a complete Bud, Not Buddy Novel Study Book Unit designed to make teaching the novel easier.
This resource is designed for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade ELA classrooms and includes both printable and digital resources.
What’s Included in the Bud, Not Buddy Novel Study?
The complete unit includes everything you need to teach Bud, Not Buddy from beginning to end.
Teacher Resources
You’ll receive:
detailed lesson plans
a pacing guide
standards alignment
answer keys
vocabulary resources
a parent letter
reading guides
teacher planning materials
Student Activities
Students will have access to:
chapter-by-chapter comprehension questions
vocabulary activities
grammar activities
spelling activities
writing prompts
reading responses
story elements activities
extension activities
printable worksheets
Assessment Resources
The unit also includes assessments to help you evaluate student learning throughout the novel.
Students can demonstrate their understanding through:
reading comprehension questions
vocabulary questions
short-answer responses
essay questions
quizzes
Printable AND Digital Resources
You don’t have to choose between paper and digital learning.
This Bud, Not Buddy novel study includes printable PDF resources as well as Google Drive™ digital activities, giving you the flexibility to use the materials in the way that works best for your classroom.
Use the printable version for traditional novel study activities or assign the digital resources for paperless learning, centers, homework, or independent work.
Why Teachers Love a Complete Novel Study
Teaching a novel shouldn’t require you to spend hours searching for separate resources.
When your comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing assignments, assessments, lesson plans, and answer keys are all in one place, you can spend less time planning and more time teaching.
A complete novel study also helps provide consistency.
Instead of jumping between unrelated worksheets, students work through activities that are intentionally connected to the novel and the skills you’re teaching.
Not sure if this Bud, Not Buddy book study is right for your classroom?
You can download a free sample and see the types of activities included before purchasing the complete unit.
It’s a great way to preview the resource and see how it can fit into your Bud, Not Buddy reading unit.
Ready to Teach Bud, Not Buddy?
If Bud, Not Buddy is on your reading list this year, you don’t have to create your entire novel unit from scratch.
This Bud, Not Buddy Novel Study Book Unit gives you a ready-to-use collection of ELA activities designed to help students understand the novel while strengthening their reading, vocabulary, writing, and critical-thinking skills.
It’s no prep, printable, and digital—and designed specifically for grades 4–6.
You’ll have everything you need to turn Bud, Not Buddy into a meaningful, engaging, and manageable ELA novel study.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching Bud, Not Buddy this school year?
Join our free community, Book Talk with The Teaching Bank, to share ideas, grab freebies, and connect with 3rd–8th grade teachers using novels in the classroom!
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