Number the Stars Novel Study: Teaching Lois Lowry’s Historical Fiction Novel
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is a powerful historical fiction novel that gives upper-elementary and middle-grade students an opportunity to explore courage, friendship, resistance, empathy, and standing up against injustice.
Set in Denmark during World War II, the novel follows Annemarie Johansen and her family as they help their Jewish friends escape the Nazi occupation. Through Annemarie’s eyes, students encounter a difficult period in history while experiencing a story that is accessible, engaging, and filled with opportunities for meaningful discussion.
If you’re planning a Number the Stars novel study for your 4th, 5th, or 6th grade students, this guide will give you ideas for connecting the novel to reading comprehension, vocabulary, critical thinking, history, and social-emotional learning.
Why Teach Number the Stars?
One of the greatest strengths of Number the Stars is that it allows students to encounter history through the experiences of a child.
Rather than simply reading facts about World War II, students follow Annemarie as she begins to understand what is happening around her. This creates natural opportunities to discuss questions such as:
- What does it mean to be courageous?
- Why do people sometimes have to make difficult choices?
- How can ordinary people respond when others are being treated unfairly?
- What makes someone a good friend?
- How do fear and courage influence the decisions people make?
- Why is it important to learn about difficult moments in history?
These questions can move students beyond simple recall and toward deeper reading comprehension and critical thinking.
Teaching Historical Fiction Through Number the Stars
Number the Stars works particularly well as a historical fiction novel because students can examine both the story and the historical context surrounding it.
As students read, encourage them to distinguish between what is happening in the fictional story and what they can learn about the real historical events that inspired it.
You can explore:
- World War II
- Nazi-occupied Denmark
- The Danish Resistance
- The rescue of Danish Jews
- The Holocaust
- Geography of Denmark and Sweden
- Courage and resistance
- Friendship and loyalty
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Human rights
This makes Number the Stars an excellent choice for connecting ELA and social studies.
Number the Stars Reading Comprehension
A novel study shouldn’t turn a great book into a stack of worksheets.
The goal is to help students think more deeply about what they’re reading while still allowing them to become immersed in the story.
When teaching Number the Stars, comprehension questions can focus on:
- Character motivations
- Making inferences
- Cause and effect
- Predicting
- Making connections
- Identifying themes
- Using text evidence
- Analyzing character development
- Understanding historical context
I recommend using a small number of thoughtful questions rather than overwhelming students with questions after every few pages.
The questions should encourage students to explain why they think something happened—not simply identify what happened.
Vocabulary and Grammar in Context
Number the Stars also provides an excellent opportunity to teach vocabulary in context.
Instead of giving students a long list of unrelated vocabulary words, have them encounter words as they appear within the story.
Students can:
- Determine meaning from context
- Identify parts of speech
- Use new words in sentences
- Practice spelling
- Explore synonyms and related words
- Apply vocabulary through writing
This approach allows vocabulary instruction to become part of the reading experience rather than something completely separate from the novel.
My Number the Stars Novel Study
I’ve created a complete Number the Stars novel study designed for students in approximately 4th–6th grade.
The unit can be used with a whole class, small reading group, homeschool student, or independent reader. It includes both printable materials and digital resources for Google Drive.
What’s Included?
The complete Number the Stars Novel Study includes:
Teacher Resources
- Detailed daily lesson plans
- Pacing and Standards Guide
- Chapter/Section Guide
- Vocabulary Word Wall Cards
- Answer Keys
- Parent Letter
Student Resources
- Spelling list
- Vocabulary activities
- Grammar activities
- Chapter-by-chapter comprehension questions
- Short-answer questions designed to encourage deeper thinking
- Book-related extension activities
- End-of-book activities
- Story Elements Interactive Notebook activities
Assessment Resources
- Part 1 assessment covering Chapters 1–6
- Part 2 assessment covering Chapters 7–end
- Vocabulary questions
- Comprehension questions
- Essay questions
- Digital assessment options
The unit also includes Common Core Standards alignment for grades 4–6.
Print or Digital? You Get Both!
Today’s classrooms aren’t one-size-fits-all, so this novel study includes both printable and Google Drive-compatible formats.
Use the printable version for traditional instruction, or assign the digital activities through your classroom platform.
The digital format can be especially helpful for:
- 1:1 classrooms
- Paperless classrooms
- Students working from home
- Absent students
- Small-group instruction
- Independent work
The assessments also include digital options, with multiple-choice Google Forms quizzes available for self-grading.
Save Time With a Ready-to-Teach Novel Unit
Teaching an entire novel is rewarding, but the planning can be time-consuming.
This Number the Stars novel unit was created to give you a complete framework so you don’t have to create every comprehension question, vocabulary activity, lesson plan, and assessment yourself.
It is designed to be low-prep and ready to teach, while still giving you flexibility to adjust the pacing and activities for your students.
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