“I am Ivan. I am a gorilla. It’s not as easy as it looks.”
Few stories capture the hearts of upper elementary students quite like Katherine Applegate’s Newbery Medal-winning masterpiece, The One and Only Ivan.
Inspired by the true story of a real shopping mall gorilla named Ivan who spent 27 years in a glass enclosure, this powerful novel explores themes of friendship, empathy, animal welfare, and keeping promises. Written in accessible, poetic verse with short, fast-paced entries, it is one of the most effective ELA anchor texts for 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade classrooms.
Whether you are hosting a whole-class read-aloud, running literature circles, or facilitating independent book clubs, here is how you can teach The One and Only Ivan with zero prep time while building critical ELA and cross-curricular reading skills!
🌟 Why The One and Only Ivan Belongs in Your Reading Curriculum
1. Sparks High-Interest Nonfiction Connections
Unlike purely fictional stories, Ivan serves as a perfect launchpad for cross-curricular reading. Students naturally become curious about the real Ivan, gorilla and elephant behavior, and the moral debate surrounding animal captivity vs. wildlife sanctuaries.
2. Teaches Point of View & Literary Devices
Written from Ivan’s first-person perspective, the novel provides a masterclass in voice, sensory details, figurative language, and character development—making deep literary analysis approachable for reluctant readers.
3. Fosters Deep Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
As Ivan forms an unbreakable bond with Stella the elephant and Ruby the baby elephant, students reflect on empathy, compassion, standing up for others, and what it truly means to be a good friend.
I offer a novel study for The One and Only Ivan that not only incorporates comprehension and vocabulary activities, but also non-fiction aspects for students to learn about Silverback Gorillas, elephants, animals living in captivity vs. the wild, and, of course, the story of the real-life Ivan!
📦 What’s Included in the Complete Ivan Unit (Print + Google Apps™)
Creating chapter questions, vocabulary lists, and assessments for a 300+ page book can take dozens of hours. This all-in-one novel study unit delivers everything you need from start to finish—offered in both printable PDF and interactive Google Drive™ (Google Slides & self-grading Google Forms) formats.
👩🏫 1. Teacher Planning & Management Packet
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Detailed Daily Lesson Plans & Pacing Guide: Step-by-step roadmap for your daily reading schedule.
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Vocabulary Word Wall Cards: Printable cards and Google Slides to reinforce academic vocabulary.
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Proactive Parent Letter: Pre-written communication explaining the themes of the book.
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Complete Answer Keys: Hassle-free grading for every student task.
📝 2. Student Practice & Skill Workbooks
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Vocabulary Context Practice: Targeted practice covering 59 essential vocabulary words across the book.
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Section-by-Section Comprehension Questions: Short-answer questions designed to push students into deeper critical thinking and inferencing.
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In-Depth Character Studies: Graphic organizers focusing on Ivan, Stella, Ruby, and Bob.
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Book vs. Movie Comparison: Engaging analysis tools comparing the novel to the Disney film adaptation.
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★ 4 Exclusive Post-Reading Analysis Tasks: Deep-dive extension projects available only in this complete unit bundle!
🌍 3. Paired Nonfiction Informational Reading Guides
Bring real-world science and reading comprehension together with three dedicated nonfiction activity guides:
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🦍 The Real Ivan Informational Article & Activity
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🐘 The Elephant Informational Article & Activity
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🌿 Living in Captivity vs. The Wild Informational Article & Activity
✏️ 4. Self-Grading Quizzes & Bonus Assessments
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Mid-Book & End-of-Book Quizzes (Print & Self-Grading Google Forms™): Easily monitor comprehension after Chapter 66 and at the conclusion of the novel.
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Bonus Extension Packets: Includes a Story Elements Interactive Notebook Packet and End-of-the-Book Projects usable with any novel!
See what people are saying about The One and Only Ivan Novel Study by The Teaching Bank!
Please check out the completed The One and Only Ivan Novel Study that contains both a printable and Google Drive™ compatible format available in my store.
🎁 Download a FREE Sample & Start Teaching Today!
Want to test out the unit before committing? Download a Free Sample that includes all student activities and teacher plans for Chapter 1!
You can purchase this novel study at the following locations:
💬 Join the Conversation!
Have you taught The One and Only Ivan or its companions (The One and Only Bob and The One and Only Ruby) in your classroom?
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