Looking for an engaging holiday novel for upper elementary and middle school students? The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements is a wonderful choice for a 4th, 5th, or 6th grade novel study, especially during the holiday season.
This entertaining middle-grade novel gives students plenty to discuss while providing meaningful opportunities to explore leadership, responsibility, teamwork, friendship, creativity, problem-solving, and perseverance.
And if you’re looking for a ready-to-use The Last Holiday Concert novel study, I’ve created a complete book unit with reading comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, lesson plans, assessments, writing activities, and more!
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
📚 Why Teach The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements?
Andrew Clements is well known for creating books that connect with young readers, and The Last Holiday Concert is no exception.
The story centers on Hart Evans, a middle school student who unexpectedly finds himself responsible for directing his school’s holiday concert after his teacher leaves.
What initially seems like an impossible task becomes an opportunity for Hart and his classmates to work together, solve problems, take responsibility, and discover what they are capable of accomplishing.
That makes The Last Holiday Concert much more than a holiday-themed book. It’s a story that naturally lends itself to meaningful ELA discussions and classroom activities.
🎄 A Perfect Holiday Novel for Your Classroom
If you want to incorporate a Christmas or holiday novel study into your reading curriculum, The Last Holiday Concert is a great option.
The holiday concert provides a seasonal setting without making the book feel like a simple Christmas story. Instead, students encounter relatable characters and situations involving:
Leadership
Responsibility
Teamwork
Friendship
Communication
Creativity
Problem-solving
Perseverance
Conflict
Self-confidence
Making difficult decisions
These themes give you plenty of opportunities to move beyond basic reading comprehension and encourage students to think critically about the characters and their choices.
🎭 Explore Leadership and Responsibility
One of the strongest themes to explore in The Last Holiday Concert is leadership.
Hart is placed in a situation where he must step up and take responsibility. Students can examine what makes someone an effective leader and consider whether leadership is something you’re born with or something you can develop.
This creates excellent opportunities for classroom discussion and writing prompts such as:
What qualities make someone a good leader?
How does Hart change throughout the story?
What challenges does Hart face as a leader?
How do the other students contribute to the success of the concert?
What can we learn from Hart’s experiences?
These questions can help students connect the events of the novel to their own experiences with leadership and responsibility.
🤝 Teach Teamwork and Collaboration
Putting on a concert requires people to work together—and the novel provides a natural way to discuss teamwork and collaboration.
Students can examine how characters communicate, handle disagreements, contribute their strengths, and work toward a shared goal.
This makes The Last Holiday Concert a particularly useful book for connecting literature with social-emotional learning.
Students can discuss what happens when a team doesn’t communicate effectively and what individuals can do to help a group succeed.
💡 Encourage Creativity and Problem-Solving
The characters encounter obstacles throughout the story, giving students opportunities to think about creative problem-solving.
Ask students:
What would you do if you were in Hart’s position?
Questions like this encourage students to put themselves into the story and consider multiple solutions to a problem rather than simply identifying what happened in the text.
You can also extend the novel into creative writing, music, drama, or art activities.
❤️ Discuss Friendship, Empathy, and Belonging
Another strength of The Last Holiday Concert is its focus on relationships.
Students can examine the ways characters interact with one another and discuss topics such as friendship, empathy, communication, conflict, and belonging.
These conversations can be especially valuable in upper elementary and middle school classrooms because students are often navigating many of these same social challenges themselves.
The novel gives teachers a natural way to ask students to consider different perspectives and think about how their actions affect others.
📖 Build Reading Comprehension With a Novel Study
Of course, reading a novel in class is only part of the process. A well-designed novel study helps students actively engage with the text as they read.
With The Last Holiday Concert, students can practice important reading skills such as:
Making inferences
Citing evidence from the text
Analyzing characters
Identifying themes
Summarizing
Understanding vocabulary in context
Analyzing plot and conflict
Making connections
Supporting written responses with evidence
Instead of simply asking students to remember what happened, a novel study can encourage them to analyze why events happened and what they reveal about the characters and themes.
✏️ The Last Holiday Concert Novel Study
If you’re looking for a no-prep The Last Holiday Concert novel study, I’ve done the planning for you!
My The Last Holiday Concert Novel Study is designed for grades 4–6 and can be used for a whole-class novel study, literature circles, book clubs, small groups, or independent reading.
The resource includes both printable and digital activities, so you can choose the format that works best for your classroom.
What’s Included?
The complete The Last Holiday Concert book unit includes:
Detailed lesson plans
Reading comprehension questions
Vocabulary activities
Grammar activities
Spelling activities
Writing activities
Reading response activities
Assessments
Vocabulary assessment
Comprehension assessment
Answer keys
Standards alignment
Digital Google Drive™ resources
Printable PDF resources
The unit is designed to provide approximately three weeks of instruction, giving you a complete reading unit without having to spend hours creating materials yourself.
💻 Printable AND Digital
Teaching in a traditional classroom? Print the resources and go.
Teaching digitally? Use the included Google Drive™ resources.
You can also use different components of the unit for whole-class instruction, small groups, literature circles, independent reading, or homework.
You can preview The Last Holiday Concert novel study and see the types of reading comprehension, vocabulary, and other activities included in the complete unit.
🛒 Get the Complete The Last Holiday Concert Book Unit
If you’re planning a holiday novel study for grades 4–6, this ready-to-use resource can save you hours of preparation.
Instead of searching for individual The Last Holiday Concert worksheets, comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, lesson plans, and assessments, you can have everything organized in one complete novel study.
It’s a great option for teachers who want to combine an engaging holiday story with meaningful ELA instruction and reading comprehension practice.
🎄 Make Your Holiday Reading Unit Easy!
The weeks leading up to winter break can be challenging for teachers. Students are excited, schedules are disrupted, and finding engaging academic activities can be difficult.
A great holiday novel gives students something meaningful to look forward to while keeping them actively engaged in reading.
The Last Holiday Concert provides an engaging story while opening the door to conversations about leadership, teamwork, friendship, responsibility, creativity, and perseverance.
Pair the novel with a ready-to-use novel study, and you have a complete holiday ELA unit that requires minimal preparation.
If you’re looking for an engaging Andrew Clements novel study for grades 4–6, The Last Holiday Concert is definitely one to consider!
💬 Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching The Last Holiday Concert this school year? How do you celebrate kindness in your classroom?
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.
About From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg is a wonderful choice for a middle school or upper elementary novel study.
The story follows Claudia Kincaid and her younger brother Jamie as they decide to run away from home—but not just anywhere. They choose the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City as their temporary home.
Claudia carefully plans their escape, while Jamie focuses on saving money. Once they arrive at the museum, however, their adventure becomes much more complicated when they discover a mysterious statue that may have been created by the famous artist Michelangelo.
As students follow Claudia and Jamie’s adventure, they encounter themes of independence, family, identity, money, mystery, responsibility, and belonging.
These themes provide excellent opportunities for meaningful classroom discussions and deeper literary analysis.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Looking for a From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler novel study that makes teaching this classic E. L. Konigsburg novel easier?
This complete From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler book unit provides everything you need to guide students through the novel while building reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, grammar, literary analysis, and critical-thinking skills.
Designed for grades 5–8, this no-prep novel study is perfect for whole-class instruction, small groups, literature circles, independent reading, or homeschool ELA.
And because both printable and Google Drive™ formats are included, you can use the resource in whatever format works best for your students.
Why Teach From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler?
This classic children’s novel offers much more than an entertaining story.
Students can explore:
Character development
Setting
Plot and conflict
Theme
Point of view
Making inferences
Drawing conclusions
Supporting ideas with text evidence
Vocabulary in context
Author’s craft
Critical thinking
Written responses
The novel also lends itself naturally to discussions about independence and family relationships, making it a great way to connect reading skills with deeper conversations.
A Complete From the Mixed-Up Files Novel Study
If you don’t want to spend hours searching for individual worksheets, comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing prompts, and assessments, a complete novel unit can save you significant planning time.
Instead of piecing together separate activities, you have a ready-to-use collection of resources designed to take students from the beginning of the novel through assessment and written reflection.
What’s Included?
This complete novel study includes:
Teacher lesson plans and pacing support
Chapter-by-chapter comprehension activities
Vocabulary and grammar activities
Writing activities
Assessments
Answer keys
Additional reading and writing activities
Common Core standards alignment
Printable student resources
Google Drive™ versions for digital learning
The unit is designed to give you the flexibility to use the entire resource or select the activities that best fit your students and your schedule.
One of the biggest challenges of teaching a novel is finding the time to create meaningful activities to go along with it.
This no-prep novel study is designed to take much of that work off your plate.
Use the included resources for:
Whole-Class Novel Studies Guide your entire class through the novel with structured reading activities, comprehension questions, vocabulary, writing, and assessments.
Small-Group Instruction Use selected activities to support students who need additional reading practice or targeted instruction.
Literature Circles & Book Clubs Give students meaningful questions and activities to guide discussion and encourage deeper thinking about the novel.
Independent Reading Students can work through comprehension, vocabulary, and writing activities as they read independently.
Homeschool ELA The complete unit provides a convenient framework for teaching the novel at home without having to create every activity yourself.
Printable + Digital Novel Study
Today’s classrooms often require flexibility, which is why this From the Mixed-Up Files novel unit includes both printable and Google Drive™ formats.
Use the printable materials for traditional classroom instruction, or assign the digital resources through your preferred online learning platform.
Having both formats gives you the flexibility to adapt the unit to your classroom, students, and teaching style.
Build More Than Reading Comprehension
A strong novel study should do more than ask students what happened in each chapter.
This unit gives students opportunities to practice a variety of ELA and reading skills while engaging with the novel.
Students work on:
Reading comprehension
Vocabulary development
Grammar
Character analysis
Literary elements
Written response
Critical thinking
Text-based analysis
Writing skills
The goal is to help students become more thoughtful readers while giving you practical, ready-to-use teaching materials.
Looking for a From the Mixed-Up Files Novel Study?
If you’re planning to teach From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and want a complete resource that saves you planning time, this novel study is designed to give you everything you need in one place.
Whether you’re teaching 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, this flexible ELA unit can be adapted for whole-class reading, small groups, literature circles, independent work, or homeschool.
Try a free sample of the novel study for From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Get the Complete From the Mixed-Up Files Novel Unit
Ready to make your next novel study easier?
This From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Novel Study Book Unit includes printable and digital resources covering comprehension, vocabulary, writing, grammar, assessment, and more.
Save time planning and spend more time helping your students become stronger, more thoughtful readers.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler 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.
Therapy animals are increasingly recognized for their immense contribution to healing and learning across all age groups. Click here to explore recent news stories showcasing the remarkable impact these animals bring into our lives.
I adore animals and have had several pets over time. When my son turned three, we started worrying about his speech development. He wasn’t very vocal, but he had a knack for communicating his needs through other means. His non-verbal cues reminded me of the rabbit in the Frosty the Snowman special—he found different ways to express himself and didn’t feel the urge to speak. Around that period, we introduced a new golden retriever puppy named Katy. To Katy, Sam seemed like another playful puppy. As Katy grew, she could get a bit rowdy with Sam, occasionally causing him to tumble over.
Naturally, we dedicated time to training Katy, and she became a certified graduate of the Canine Good Citizenship program. However, a crucial aspect was teaching Sam to assertively use commands like sit, off, and down. Sam swiftly grasped that vocalizing served a significant purpose, and he began using his voice more frequently—not just with Katy but with everyone around. Many mornings, I’d wake up to find Sam beside Katy’s bed, engaged in animated conversations, sharing his adventures, hopes, and dreams. It was truly heartwarming to witness.
Katy was incredibly patient and adored everyone she met! We believed she had the perfect temperament to become a therapy dog, so we started training her with that goal in mind. Sadly, the program we were involved in discontinued their classes. Later on, Katy faced a series of knee surgeries to address joint problems in both legs and battled osteosarcoma, ultimately leading to the amputation of one of her front legs. As a result, her dream of becoming a therapy dog never came to fruition.
At home, Katy offered us endless unconditional love and her own form of “therapy.” One of her greatest joys was curling up with us and listening to stories! She patiently listened through the entire Harry Potter series not just once, but twice!
The impact of a pet’s love and care on the mental well-being of those around them is truly remarkable. They work wonders! I’m a strong advocate for expanding the presence of reading dogs in schools.
Within my Wonder Novel Study, I developed an informational reading activity centered around therapy dogs. I provide it as a free download in my store, separate from the novel study. It’s a fantastic resource to delve into the significance and advantages of therapy animals. This activity serves as a wonderful tribute to all the animal heroes in our lives, especially fitting for National Therapy Animal Day!
Sadly, Katy’s osteosarcoma resurfaced, spreading to her lungs and spine. Regrettably, we had to say goodbye to relieve her from pain. Katy held a special place in our family, becoming an integral part of my children’s childhood. Her absence leaves a profound void, and she will always be cherished and dearly missed.
Katy 1/24/08-2/5/19
In honor of Katy, and all the wonderful therapy animals out there, Happy National Therapy Animal Day!
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
C.S. Lewis’s beloved series, “The Chronicles of Narnia,” includes “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” often mistakenly assumed to be the first book, when in fact, it’s the second installment. The true opener is “The Magician’s Nephew,” followed by #3 “The Horse and His Boy,” #4 “Prince Caspian,” #5 “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” #6 “The Silver Chair,” and concluding with “The Last Battle.”
Within Narnia’s enchanting realm, brimming with magic, mythical creatures, and talking animals, each book centers on children and their pivotal roles in shaping Narnia’s history. These children are magically transported from the real world to Narnia, collaborating with the Narnian lion, Aslan, in safeguarding the land from malevolent forces.
C.S. Lewis artfully intertwines his childhood experiences during World War II and theological insights throughout the series. While a subtle Christian undertone runs through the narrative, it’s not overt, rendering the books suitable for Christian and public educational settings. The foundational theme of the eternal struggle between good and evil offers a compelling narrative ripe for analysis and interpretation across diverse audiences.
Try a free sample of the novel study for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Movies, including some high-budget releases by Disney, have been brought to life based on select books from the series. There’s buzz circulating that Netflix plans to develop a streaming series covering the entire Chronicles of Narnia collection.
For decades, enthusiasts of the fantasy genre have been captivated by the Chronicles of Narnia. Often serving as a gateway, these books ignite a passion for the genre, leading readers to explore more mature works like The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. J.K. Rowling, renowned for the Harry Potter series, has acknowledged the profound impact the Chronicles had on her as a child, shaping her imaginative world and influencing her writing. Expect your students to join the ranks of countless others who have fallen in love with Narnia’s enchanting realm over the past seven decades.
I provide comprehensive novel studies tailored for each book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, designed for classroom or homeschool use. Each unit offers both printable and Google Drive™ formats, accommodating traditional and paperless classroom settings, including compatibility with Google Classroom. The structure of these units mirrors the format demonstrated in the video for The Magician’s Nephew.
You can purchase these novel studies at the following locations:
Are you teaching The Chronicles of Narnia 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.
While having your students physically present offers the best means to gauge their comprehension of a subject and identify the necessity for tailored instruction, circumstances may arise where this isn’t feasible. Increasingly, students equipped with laptops and various devices are transforming traditional “free” snow days into E-Learning days. This shift aims to prevent extending the school year by leveraging technology for remote learning when in-person classes are impractical.
Periodic closures of schools due to natural disasters have been evident in various regions. For instance, in Nebraska, schools grappled with flooding issues both, in the spring and fall, resulting in chaotic interruptions to regular schedules. Additionally, student absences can range from short-term illnesses to prolonged health issues, leading to extended periods away from the classroom.
Furthermore, homeschooling communities often utilize e-learning within their cooperative groups or classes. The diverse array of reasons preventing direct in-person interaction with students underscores the significance of technology. It enables educators to virtually engage with their students during such challenging times, bridging the physical gap through digital platforms.
In my role as a curriculum writer, I prioritize flexibility by integrating numerous choices and options into my educational materials. Having been a teacher myself, I understand the constant influx of various challenges and unforeseen circumstances that a standard textbook isn’t equipped to handle. My educational philosophy revolves around the idea that a student ideally engages with the material using all their senses, transforming learning into solid knowledge. Therefore, all my resources feature a hands-on component—printable and tactile—encouraging collaborative engagement between students and teachers.
Recognizing the limitations of this ideal scenario, I’ve supplemented almost all my products with a Google Drive format, providing educators with alternative options. The Google Drive version encompasses the same content areas but allows for a paperless approach, utilizing Google Drive tools like Slides and Forms.
My portfolio predominantly includes a blend of printable and Google format materials, ranging from novel studies, social studies, to financial literacy resources. Additionally, I offer ELA and Math centers that are interactive on Google Drive while still being available in printable formats. Each download includes complete printable content and instructions on accessing and integrating the Google format files into your Google Drive, facilitating ease of use for educators.
After clicking on the provided link, your file will be visible in your Google Drive account under the name “Copy of File Name.” You can conveniently modify this title to your preference by clicking on the name box. Subsequently, you can assign these files to your students through Google Classroom.
How to use Novel Studies in an E-Learning Format?
In utilizing novel studies, your students will require a copy of the novel to accompany either the printable or Google Drive format provided. With the book in hand, they can seamlessly navigate through the study, engaging with comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, and extended writing tasks on Google Slides, mirroring the functionality available in the printable version. Teachers can track their progress through Google Classroom and I recommend conducting check-ins with small groups via platforms like Google Talk (or Google Hangouts/Google Chat) or Zoom. These sessions allow for discussions about the material read, ensuring comprehension and encouraging deeper exploration of the novel. It’s akin to the class discussions held in person, bridging the gap using technology.
All my novel studies feature assessments that can be completed through Google Forms. The multiple-choice assessments for comprehension and vocabulary are self-grading, significantly reducing grading time for teachers. However, the writing assessments, being more open-ended, cannot be self-graded. Typically consisting of one to two questions per assessment, these tasks can be submitted via Google Classroom for review and grading by the teacher.
How to use Social Studies and Financial Literacy Activities in an E-Learning Format?
My social studies and financial literacy resources are structured similarly to the novel studies in Google format, but they don’t require any specific books or textbooks. These materials feature Webquest links that offer learning content and include slideshow presentations in all social studies resources to facilitate students’ understanding and completion of activities.
Just like with the novel studies, Google Slides serve as the platform for both the presentations and activity completion. Additionally, in certain financial literacy activities such as the Escape Room exercises, Google Forms are integrated to delve deeper into the content alongside the use of Google Slides.
How to use ELA and Math Centers in an E-Learning Format?
The interactive ELA and Math Centers are designed to be completed using Google Slides. Students engage with the components to practice various skills, and teachers can oversee their progress through Google Classroom.
What can I do if my student doesn’t have access to equipment or the internet?
Many of us assume ready access to computers, laptops, and internet connectivity at home, yet some students lack this accessibility. In public schools, it’s our responsibility to ensure equity among our students. If your school lacks one-to-one capability or if a student doesn’t have home internet access, all my materials are provided in printable formats within the same product download. These activities are identical, just presented on paper rather than on a computer. You can distribute these packets to students for home use. To stay connected, consider communicating via phone calls, Facetime, or Skype for those with access via a parent’s cell phone. The content remains the same, only the format differs.
Technology offers various avenues to engage with students. While I advocate for a multisensory approach to learning—incorporating reading, writing, manipulation, and discussion—I recognize that there are instances where this isn’t feasible. In such cases, I hope my materials offer diverse options for utilization during e-learning scenarios.
Explore these free samples offered in my store, featuring both printable and Google Drive™ formats. They provide an opportunity for you to familiarize yourself with the functionalities of these resources.
Sample from my Wonder Novel Study
Sample Social Studies Activity
In this post titled “Tips for Using Google Drive in Your Classroom,” you’ll discover helpful suggestions on customizing Google Drive products to suit your specific requirements more effortlessly.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Naturally, we dedicated time to training Katy, and she became a certified graduate of the Canine Good Citizenship program. However, a crucial aspect was teaching Sam to assertively use commands like sit, off, and down. Sam swiftly grasped that vocalizing served a significant purpose, and he began using his voice more frequently—not just with Katy but with everyone around. Many mornings, I’d wake up to find Sam beside Katy’s bed, engaged in animated conversations, sharing his adventures, hopes, and dreams. It was truly heartwarming to witness.
At home, Katy offered us endless unconditional love and her own form of “therapy.” One of her greatest joys was curling up with us and listening to stories! She patiently listened through the entire Harry Potter series not just once, but twice!
\
