“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!
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
🌟 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
Detailed Daily Lesson Plans & Pacing Guide: Step-by-step roadmap for your daily reading schedule.
Vocabulary Word Wall Cards: Printable cards and Google Slides to reinforce academic vocabulary.
Proactive Parent Letter: Pre-written communication explaining the themes of the book.
Complete Answer Keys: Hassle-free grading for every student task.
📝 2. Student Practice & Skill Workbooks
Vocabulary Context Practice: Targeted practice covering 59 essential vocabulary words across the book.
Section-by-Section Comprehension Questions: Short-answer questions designed to push students into deeper critical thinking and inferencing.
In-Depth Character Studies: Graphic organizers focusing on Ivan, Stella, Ruby, and Bob.
Book vs. Movie Comparison: Engaging analysis tools comparing the novel to the Disney film adaptation.
★ 4 Exclusive Post-Reading Analysis Tasks: Deep-dive extension projects available only in this complete unit bundle!
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?
Join our free teacher community, Book Talk with The Teaching Bank, to share ideas, grab freebies, and connect with upper elementary and middle school educators!
*The Teaching Bank participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
Looking for an engaging Al Capone Does My Shirts novel study that will keep your students reading, thinking, and discussing? Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko is an excellent choice for a whole-class novel, small-group book study, literature circle, or independent reading unit.
Set on Alcatraz Island in 1935, this historical fiction novel combines humor, mystery, friendship, family, and important themes of acceptance and inclusion. It gives students plenty to discuss while also providing rich opportunities for reading comprehension, vocabulary, character analysis, critical thinking, and writing.
And if you’re looking for a way to teach the novel without spending hours creating materials, I have a complete Al Capone Does My Shirts novel unit ready to go!
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Why Teach Al Capone Does My Shirts?
There are so many reasons this novel works well with upper elementary and middle school readers.
🏝️ Explore Alcatraz Island
Students get a fascinating look at Alcatraz Island when it was a working federal prison. The unusual setting immediately gives students something interesting to investigate and provides a natural opportunity to connect literature with history.
📚 Connect Literature and History
The novel takes place during the Great Depression in the 1930s, allowing students to explore historical context while reading a story they can connect with emotionally.
Students can investigate topics such as:
Life during the Great Depression
Alcatraz Island
The history of Alcatraz prison
Al Capone
Life in the 1930s
Historical fiction
How historical events influence a story
❤️ Discuss Family, Friendship, and Acceptance
At the center of the story is Moose Flanagan and his family. Moose is adjusting to life on Alcatraz while also dealing with the challenges surrounding his sister Natalie.
The novel provides meaningful opportunities to discuss family relationships, friendship, empathy, acceptance, inclusion, responsibility, and perseverance.
Because these themes are presented through the experiences of the characters, students can have thoughtful conversations without the topics feeling disconnected from the story.
🔎 Analyze Characters and Themes
Al Capone Does My Shirts is also an excellent book for teaching literary analysis.
Students can explore:
Character development
Character traits
Conflict
Setting
Point of view
Theme
Plot development
Relationships between characters
Cause and effect
Making inferences
Supporting ideas with text evidence
These skills make the novel especially useful for an ELA novel study or reading unit for grades 5–8.
Al Capone Does My Shirts Novel Study
If you’re ready to turn the novel into a complete classroom unit, my Al Capone Does My Shirts Novel Study provides the materials you need to teach the book from beginning to end.
The resource includes printable and digital Google Drive activities, making it easy to use whether you’re teaching in a traditional classroom, a paperless classroom, or through Google Classroom.
What’s Included?
The complete novel study includes:
Teacher lesson plans
Reading comprehension activities
Chapter-by-chapter questions
Vocabulary activities
Grammar practice
Writing activities
Reading assessments
Critical-thinking questions
Answer keys
Pre-reading activities
Nonfiction WebQuests
Story elements activities
Interactive notebook activities
Common Core standards alignment
Printable materials
Google Drive digital materials
Everything is designed to save you time and give your students meaningful work to complete as they read.
Whether you’re planning an entire Al Capone Does My Shirts unit or simply need high-quality activities to accompany the novel, this resource gives you a ready-to-use collection of materials.
Try a Free Sample
Not sure if this Al Capone Does My Shirts book unit is right for your students?
You can try a free sample before purchasing to see the types of activities included in the complete novel study.
Get the Al Capone Does My Shirts Novel Study
If you’re planning to read Al Capone Does My Shirts with your students, you don’t have to create all of the comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, assessments, and writing assignments yourself.
The Al Capone Does My Shirts Novel Study gives you a complete set of ready-to-use materials so you can spend less time planning and more time helping your students engage with the book.
Ready to Teach Al Capone Does My Shirts?
Bring this engaging historical fiction novel to life with a complete Al Capone Does My Shirts novel study designed to make teaching easier and reading more meaningful.
Grab the complete novel unit and start teaching your Al Capone Does My Shirts unit today!
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching Al Capone Does My Shirts 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.
f you’re looking for a high-interest novel that will engage upper elementary readers while providing meaningful opportunities for reading comprehension, discussion, writing, and critical thinking, add The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate to your classroom reading list.
As the final book in the beloved One and Only trilogy, The One and Only Ruby allows students to reconnect with familiar characters while learning more about Ruby, the young elephant whose story began in The One and Only Ivan.
Ruby’s journey is filled with friendship, courage, family, belonging, and resilience. It also gives teachers plenty of opportunities to spark thoughtful conversations and connect literature to real-world topics such as animal welfare, conservation, empathy, and human responsibility.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Why Teach The One and Only Ruby?
Katherine Applegate has created a story that is both accessible to young readers and rich enough to support deeper literary analysis. Students can enjoy Ruby’s story while exploring important themes and practicing essential ELA skills.
Here are just a few reasons The One and Only Ruby makes an excellent classroom novel.
1. It Builds Empathy and Compassion
One of the greatest strengths of The One and Only Ruby is its ability to help students see the world from another perspective.
Ruby’s experiences encourage readers to think about what it means to be separated from home, experience change, form relationships, and find a place where you belong.
These experiences create natural opportunities to discuss empathy, compassion, kindness, and caring for others.
Try asking your students:
How do Ruby’s experiences shape the way she sees the world?
How do other characters demonstrate compassion?
What does it mean to understand someone else’s feelings?
How can we show empathy in our own classroom?
These conversations can extend beyond the novel and help students make meaningful connections to their own lives.
2. The Themes Encourage Meaningful Discussion
The One and Only Ruby is much more than an entertaining animal story. It provides opportunities to explore several universal themes that students can connect to.
Some important themes include:
Friendship
Belonging
Courage
Facing your fears
Family
Growing up
Change
Empathy
Resilience
Finding your place
These themes make the novel especially effective for whole-class novel studies, literature circles, reading groups, and independent reading.
Students can support their ideas with evidence from the text while learning that a story can have multiple meaningful interpretations.
3. It Encourages Critical Thinking
A great novel study should do more than ask students to remember what happened in each chapter.
The One and Only Ruby provides opportunities for students to infer, analyze, predict, explain, compare, and support their thinking with text evidence.
Instead of simply asking, “What happened?” encourage students to ask:
Why did this happen?
How did this event affect the character?
What does this reveal about the character?
What evidence from the text supports your thinking?
How might the story have been different if a character had made a different choice?
These types of questions turn reading into an active process and help students develop stronger comprehension and critical-thinking skills.
4. It Opens the Door to Environmental and Animal Conservation Topics
Because Ruby is an elephant, the novel also provides a natural bridge between fiction and nonfiction learning.
Students can investigate topics such as:
Elephant habitats
African elephants
Animal conservation
Wildlife sanctuaries
Animal behavior
Human impact on wildlife
Captivity versus life in the wild
Protecting endangered animals
This creates an excellent opportunity for cross-curricular learning.
After reading about Ruby’s experiences, students can research a related topic and use information from nonfiction sources to expand their understanding.
You can even have students compare what they learn from informational texts with Ruby’s fictional experiences.
5. It Supports Strong ELA Instruction
One of the biggest advantages of using a high-interest novel in the classroom is that you can teach a wide variety of ELA skills within an authentic reading experience.
The One and Only Ruby novel study can support instruction in:
Reading comprehension
Making inferences
Summarizing
Character analysis
Theme
Story elements
Vocabulary
Grammar
Text evidence
Reading response
Opinion writing
Essay writing
Critical thinking
Nonfiction reading
Literary analysis
Instead of teaching these skills in isolation, students practice them while reading a story they actually care about.
The One and Only Ruby Novel Study Ideas
If you’re planning to teach The One and Only Ruby, consider incorporating a combination of comprehension, vocabulary, writing, and discussion activities.
Character Analysis
Have students track Ruby’s development throughout the story.
Students can identify:
Ruby’s character traits
Challenges she faces
Important decisions she makes
How she changes
Relationships that influence her
Evidence that supports their thinking
A character development chart can be especially useful for helping students see how a character changes over the course of a novel.
Vocabulary Activities
Create a vocabulary list from the novel and have students use context clues to determine word meanings.
Students can then:
Define words in their own words
Identify synonyms and antonyms
Use words in original sentences
Illustrate vocabulary
Find examples of words used in context
Reading Comprehension Questions
Instead of relying only on basic recall questions, include a mixture of literal, inferential, and analytical questions.
For example:
Literal: What happened?
Inferential: Why do you think the character made that choice?
Analytical: How does this event contribute to one of the novel’s themes?
This progression helps students move from understanding the text to thinking deeply about it.
Opinion and Essay Writing
The novel also provides excellent opportunities for text-based writing.
Students can respond to questions related to animals, conservation, friendship, belonging, or decisions made by characters.
Require students to support their opinions with specific evidence from the novel.
This is a great way to combine reading comprehension and writing instruction.
Teaching The One and Only Ruby With a Complete Novel Study
If you don’t want to spend hours creating The One and Only Ruby worksheets, comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, assessments, and writing assignments, a ready-to-use novel study can save you valuable planning time.
What’s Included in the The One and Only Ruby Novel Study?
Chapter-by-chapter comprehension questions
Vocabulary activities
Grammar activities
Reading responses
Writing activities
Nonfiction reading
Opinion writing
Character and story element activities
Assessments
Answer keys
Teacher lesson plans
Common Core standards alignment
Printable PDF resources
Digital Google Slides activities
Digital Google Forms assessments
It’s designed to give you the structure of a complete novel unit without requiring you to create everything from scratch.
Try a Free Sample
Want to see what the novel study looks like before purchasing?
Download the free sample and preview the activities included in the complete unit.
Bring The One and Only Ruby Into Your Classroom
The best classroom novels are the ones that make students want to keep reading while giving teachers opportunities to teach important skills.
The One and Only Ruby does both.
Ruby’s story can lead your students into conversations about empathy, friendship, courage, belonging, conservation, and what it means to find your place in the world.
Pair the novel with thoughtful comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing assignments, nonfiction connections, and discussion, and you have the foundation for a rich and engaging upper elementary novel study.
If you’re ready to make teaching The One and Only Ruby easier, check out the complete The One and Only Ruby Novel Study for grades 4–6.
Less prep. More meaningful reading. More opportunities for your students to think, discuss, write, and connect.
Is The One and Only Ruby a Good Book for a Novel Study?
Absolutely!
If your students enjoyed The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob, The One and Only Ruby is a natural addition to your classroom library and novel study plans.
Even students who haven’t read the earlier books can find plenty to appreciate in Ruby’s story. The novel’s themes of friendship, courage, belonging, empathy, and resilience give students opportunities to connect personally with the characters while developing important reading and writing skills.
And because the story connects naturally to animal conservation and nonfiction research, it can become the starting point for much more than a traditional book unit.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching The One and Only Ruby 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.
In today’s classrooms, fostering empathy, promoting inclusivity, and celebrating differences are more vital than ever. Literature has always been our most effective tool to build these connections—and few books do it as masterfully as Cece Bell’s Newbery Honor-winning graphic novel, El Deafo.
Whether you are looking to engage reluctant readers, deepen your Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, or build genuine disability awareness, El Deafo provides an unforgettable lens into the real-world experiences of growing up with hearing loss.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
A Personal Perspective: Why El Deafo Touches My Heart
As someone who has lived with hearing loss for over 25 years, I know firsthand the daily friction of trying to communicate in a world built for the hearing. Hearing loss has affected almost every area of my life—it even led to the end of my classroom teaching career.
A while back, I participated in an online discussion with fellow educators about the factuality of the novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio. While I love Wonder and believe it holds a valuable spot in the classroom, I’ve always been concerned about how it portrays hearing loss and hearing aids. (In fact, when I created my Wonder Novel Study, I included a non-fiction article to help students understand the real-world science behind hearing loss so they could spot the story’s inaccuracies.)
During that discussion, an educator asked me:
“Shelley, have you read El Deafo by Cece Bell? How realistic is it to someone who actually walks in those shoes?”
I immediately ordered a copy. From the moment I opened it, I was nodding my head in complete agreement.
Cece Bell’s autobiographical journey captured feelings I’ve carried for decades—isolation, self-consciousness, social fatigue, and the exhaustion of putting up with awkward interactions out of fear or embarrassment.
Most importantly, the book highlights a critical truth the hearing world often overlooks: Volume does not equal clarity.
Shouting, talking unnaturally slow, or exaggerating mouth movements does not help someone with hearing loss. In fact, it ruins lip-reading and makes communication much harder! Cece’s story shows how she took these everyday struggles and transformed them into her superhero alter ego, “El Deafo.”
You don’t need to have hearing loss to fall in love with Cece’s journey—but reading it will make anyone a more compassionate, understanding human being.
6 Key Benefits of Teaching El Deafo in Grades 4–6
1. 🤟 Promotes Real Disability Awareness & Deaf Culture
El Deafo offers an authentic, first-hand look at what it’s like to navigate school and friendships with a hearing impairment. It strips away misconceptions and gives students an accurate understanding of assistive technology and accessibility.
2. ❤️ Builds Deep Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Empathy
By following Cece’s internal monologues and social triumphs, students learn to recognize the feelings of others, reflect on their own behaviors, and navigate complex friendship dynamics with kindness.
Cece’s creation of “El Deafo” teaches young readers that the things that make us different aren’t weaknesses—they can become our greatest strengths. It encourages students to embrace their unique traits with confidence.
4. 📖 Hooks Reluctant & Visual Readers
As a graphic novel, El Deafo pairs rich visual context with accessible text. It is an extraordinary format for striving readers, ESL/ELL students, and visual learners to practice high-level literary analysis without feeling overwhelmed.
5. 🗣️ Sparks Meaningful Classroom Discussions
Cece’s story naturally opens the door for class discussions on tough topics: standing up to bullies, overcoming social anxiety, effective communication strategies, and true inclusion.
6. 🌐 Blends Fiction with Non-Fiction Learning
Pairing Cece’s memoir with non-fiction research on audiology, ear anatomy, and famous figures with hearing loss allows teachers to connect ELA standards directly with Science and Health topics.
Take Your El Deafo Unit Further (Zero Prep Required!)
Teaching a graphic novel comes with unique opportunities—and unique challenges! To help you deliver a comprehensive, standards-aligned unit without spending your weekends planning, I created the El Deafo Complete Novel Study.
Designed specifically for Grades 4–6, this 147+ page resource combines deep ELA reading comprehension with interactive non-fiction research.
🌟 What’s Included in the Unit?
3-Week Pacing & Daily Lesson Plans: Structured, step-by-step teacher guides aligned to Common Core Standards.
Chapter-by-Chapter Comprehension: Short-answer questions that analyze both textual content and visual graphic panel cues.
6 Non-Fiction WebQuest Foldables: Interactive research activities covering ear anatomy, audiology, assistive technology, communication strategies, and deaf history.
End-of-Book Assessment Packet: Comprehensive final test available in printable format and self-grading Google Forms™.
Printable PDF & Google Drive™ Formats: Ready for traditional paper workbooks or paperless 1:1 Chromebook classrooms.
Give your students a reading unit they will talk about for the rest of the school year while saving yourself hours of prep time!
You can purchase this novel study at the following locations:
💬 Join the Conversation!
Have you taught graphic novels in your upper elementary or middle school classroom? How do your students react to Cece’s journey in El Deafo?
Come share your ideas, lesson tips, and book recommendations with hundreds of passionate educators in our free Facebook community: Book Talk with The Teaching Bank!
*The Teaching Bank participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars is a great coming-of-age novel to use in your classroom or homeschool for a whole class novel study, in small book groups, or with individual book studies to explore the character’s path to self-acceptance and the growth to understand what is really important in her heart.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Benefits of Using The Summer of the Swans in Your Classroom:
Offers Themes of Identity and Adolescence: At its core, The Summer of the Swans delves into the universal themes of identity and adolescence. Set against the backdrop of a small town, the novel follows the journey of Sara, a teenage girl grappling with feelings of insecurity and self-doubt. Her struggles with her own identity, coupled with her desire for acceptance, resonate deeply with young readers navigating similar challenges. By exploring Sara’s journey, students can engage in meaningful discussions about self-discovery, empathy, and the importance of embracing one’s true self.
Contains Rich Character Development: Betsy Byars has masterfully crafted a diverse cast of characters in The Summer of the Swans, each with their own unique struggles and complexities. From Sara’s protective older sister Wanda to the enigmatic Charlie, the characters in the novel are richly developed and multi-dimensional. By analyzing and discussing these characters, students can gain valuable insights into human nature, empathy, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships.
Explorations of Family Dynamics: Family dynamics play a central role in The Summer of the Swans, providing ample opportunities for classroom discussions. From Sara’s strained relationship with her older sister to her deep bond with her mentally challenged brother, the novel offers a nuanced portrayal of familial love and conflict. By examining these dynamics, students can explore themes of empathy, forgiveness, and the importance of family support systems.
Connection to Nature: Nature serves as a powerful backdrop in The Summer of the Swans, with the tranquil setting of the lake and the majestic swans playing a symbolic role throughout the novel. By immersing students in the natural world depicted in the story, teachers can encourage a deeper appreciation for the environment and foster a sense of wonder and curiosity. Additionally, the novel provides opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, with themes of ecology, conservation, and environmental stewardship woven throughout the narrative.
Provides Literary Merit and Cross-Curricular Connections: The Summer of the Swans has received critical acclaim since its publication, earning numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal. Its literary merit makes it an ideal choice for classroom use, providing students with exposure to high-quality literature and opportunities for literary analysis and interpretation. Furthermore, the novel lends itself to cross-curricular connections, with potential tie-ins to history, social studies, and art, allowing teachers to integrate multiple subject areas seamlessly.
Incorporating The Summer of the Swansby Betsy Byars into the classroom offers myriad benefits for both teachers and students alike. From its exploration of universal themes to its rich character development and literary merit, the novel provides ample opportunities for engagement, discussion, and learning. By harnessing the power of literature, teachers can inspire a lifelong love of reading and foster empathy, critical thinking, and creativity in their students.
I offer a complete novel study to accompany The Summer of the Swans for use in the classroom or homeschool. The unit includes both a printable format and a Google Drive™ format for use in a paperless classroom or with Google Classroom.
Try a free sample of the novel study for The Summer of the Swans
You can purchase this novel study at the following locations:
Are you interested in reading about and sharing ideas with other educators on using children’s literature in your classroom? My goal is to bring together teachers and homeschoolers who teach grades 3-8 and use novels with their students. I’d love for you to join me to learn, share, and grow together!
Connect with Fellow Educators!
