Are you looking for an engaging Stargirl novel study that will help your students develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, and critical-thinking skills while exploring meaningful themes?
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli is an excellent novel for middle school and upper elementary readers. Its memorable characters and thought-provoking themes give students plenty to discuss, analyze, and write about. From individuality and conformity to friendship, kindness, and popularity, Stargirl provides countless opportunities for meaningful ELA instruction.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
If you’re planning a Stargirl novel unit, this high-interest book can become so much more than an assigned reading. With the right activities and discussion questions, students can connect the story to their own experiences while strengthening essential reading and writing skills.
Why Teach Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli?
Stargirl follows Susan “Stargirl” Caraway, an unconventional new student whose individuality challenges the social norms of her high school. Through Leo Borlock’s narration, students see how Stargirl’s unusual personality and genuine kindness affect the people around her.
The novel naturally lends itself to classroom conversations about:
Individuality and self-expression
Conformity and peer pressure
Popularity and social expectations
Friendship and relationships
Kindness and empathy
Acceptance and inclusion
Identity and belonging
These themes make Stargirl especially useful for encouraging students to move beyond simply understanding what happened in the story and begin thinking about why characters make certain choices and what those choices reveal about people and society.
Stargirl Novel Study Activities
A well-designed Stargirl novel study can help you turn each chapter into an opportunity for meaningful reading instruction.
Students can work on skills such as:
Reading Comprehension
Chapter-by-chapter comprehension questions help students monitor their understanding of the novel while encouraging them to think more deeply about characters, events, and important details.
Rather than simply asking students to recall facts, thoughtful Stargirl reading comprehension questions can encourage them to make inferences, explain their thinking, and support their responses with evidence from the text.
Character Analysis
Stargirl and Leo provide excellent opportunities for studying characterization and character development.
Students can examine how characters change throughout the novel, how their relationships influence their decisions, and how their actions reveal their personalities and values.
Theme
What does it really mean to be yourself?
What happens when we care too much about what other people think?
How does the desire to fit in affect our choices?
These are the kinds of questions that make Stargirl such a valuable novel for classroom discussion. Students can identify themes and then support their ideas with evidence from the text.
Vocabulary
Stargirl also provides opportunities for vocabulary development within the context of authentic reading.
Instead of teaching vocabulary as isolated words, students can examine how words are used in the novel and apply them through activities that reinforce both vocabulary and language skills.
Writing
The themes in Stargirl naturally lead to meaningful writing.
Students can respond to the novel through personal connections, character analysis, theme-based writing, and other extended responses. These activities give students opportunities to practice organizing their thoughts, explaining ideas, and supporting their responses.
Make Teaching Stargirl Easier
While Stargirl is an engaging novel, creating an entire unit from scratch can take hours.
You need comprehension questions.
Vocabulary activities.
Writing prompts.
Lesson plans.
Assessments.
Answer keys.
And activities that actually help students think about the book rather than simply fill in worksheets.
That’s where a ready-to-use Stargirl novel unit can save you time.
Complete Stargirl Novel Study
I created a complete Stargirl Novel Study designed for grades 5–8 to give teachers a ready-to-use instructional framework for teaching the novel.
The unit includes both printable and Google Drive™ formats, making it flexible enough for traditional, blended, or digital classrooms. It can be used with a whole class, small group, literature circle, homeschool student, or independent reader.
What’s Included?
The complete Stargirl novel study includes:
Detailed daily lesson plans
Pacing and standards guide
Chapter/section guide
Vocabulary and grammar activities
Vocabulary Word Wall cards
Chapter-by-chapter comprehension questions
Extension activities
Writing activities
Vocabulary assessment
Reading comprehension assessment
Writing assessment
Answer keys
End-of-book activities
Story Elements Interactive Notebook activities
Common Core standards alignment
Printable resources
Google Drive™ resources
Self-grading digital multiple-choice quizzes
The unit is designed to require little to no preparation, so you can spend your time teaching instead of creating materials.
A Stargirl Novel Unit for the Whole Class, Small Groups, or Independent Reading
One of the advantages of Stargirl is its flexibility.
Use this Stargirl novel study as a whole-class novel unit, assign activities during independent reading, use it with a small reading group, or incorporate selected activities into a literature circle.
The materials can also be used for homeschooling or one-on-one instruction.
Because the activities are available in both printable and digital formats, you can choose the format that works best for your students and classroom.
Try a FREE Stargirl Novel Study Sample
Not sure if this Stargirl novel study is right for your classroom?
You can download a FREE sample that includes the Chapter 1 activities from the complete unit. It’s an easy way to see the format, types of activities, and level of instruction before purchasing.
Teach Stargirl with Less Prep and More Purpose
Stargirl gives students much more than an entertaining story. It opens the door to conversations about individuality, conformity, friendship, kindness, acceptance, identity, and the pressure to fit in.
With a complete Stargirl novel study, you can use those themes to build stronger reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, literary analysis, and critical-thinking skills—all while saving yourself the time and effort of creating an entire novel unit from scratch.
If you’re getting ready to teach Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, a ready-to-use novel study can give you the structure and resources you need to make the most of this engaging book.
[SHOP THE STARGIRL NOVEL STUDY]
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching Stargirl 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 fun, engaging novel to add to your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade ELA curriculum? Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger by Louis Sachar is a fantastic choice for teachers who want to combine laughter and creativity with meaningful reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, and critical-thinking activities.
The third book in the hilarious Wayside School series takes students on another wildly imaginative adventure filled with unusual characters, unexpected situations, and plenty of opportunities for discussion and deeper thinking.
If your students already love Sideways Stories from Wayside School and Wayside School Is Falling Down, they will have plenty to enjoy in Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger.
And for teachers? This quirky novel provides an excellent opportunity to teach important reading and literary skills without sacrificing student engagement.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Why Teach Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger?
One of the best things about using a humorous children’s novel in the classroom is that students often don’t realize how much learning is happening while they’re having fun.
Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger gives students plenty to laugh about while providing opportunities to practice important upper elementary reading skills.
1. Keep Students Engaged With Humor and Imagination
Let’s face it: getting students excited about reading isn’t always easy.
Fortunately, Louis Sachar’s Wayside School books are anything but ordinary.
The strange situations, memorable characters, humor, and unexpected events throughout Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger can help keep students turning the pages and wondering what will happen next.
That natural curiosity makes the novel an excellent choice for a whole-class novel study, small-group reading unit, literature circles, or independent reading.
Instead of trying to convince students that reading is fun, give them a book that does much of the convincing for you!
2. Build Reading Comprehension Skills
A novel study allows students to practice comprehension skills repeatedly and in context.
As students read Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger, they can work on skills such as:
Identifying important details
Making inferences
Determining character traits
Understanding character motivations
Summarizing chapters
Making predictions
Making text-to-self and text-to-text connections
Identifying story elements
Understanding the sequence of events
Supporting answers with evidence from the text
Because the story is humorous and unusual, it can also encourage students to think beyond simply recalling what happened.
Why did a character behave that way? What can we infer from the situation? What would you have done differently?
Questions like these turn reading into a conversation rather than simply an assignment.
3. Expand Students’ Vocabulary
Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger is also a great opportunity to incorporate vocabulary instruction into your novel study.
Rather than teaching vocabulary words in isolation, students can encounter unfamiliar words within the context of a story they are already invested in.
You can have students:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues
Identify synonyms and antonyms
Use new vocabulary in their own writing
Discuss interesting or unusual word choices
Explore how word choice contributes to the humor of the story
This makes vocabulary instruction more meaningful because students can immediately connect new words to the events and characters in the novel.
4. Encourage Critical Thinking
The unusual world of Wayside School naturally lends itself to critical-thinking activities.
Students can discuss characters’ decisions, consider different solutions to problems, make predictions, and explain their thinking using evidence from the text.
Try asking questions such as:
What would you have done in this situation?
Why do you think the character made that choice?
What evidence from the story supports your thinking?
How might the situation have turned out differently?
What does this event tell us about the character?
Which character would you most want to have as a friend? Why?
These questions encourage students to move beyond simple recall and develop the habit of explaining and defending their ideas.
5. Use the Novel to Inspire Writing
A funny, imaginative book can be an excellent springboard for creative writing.
After reading Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger, students could:
Write about what it would be like to attend Wayside School
Create a new character
Write an additional chapter
Create their own unusual classroom
Retell an event from another character’s point of view
Write a sequel
Describe what they would do if they were one of the characters
Create their own humorous school story
You can also connect the novel to more formal literary responses by asking students to write about character traits, themes, story elements, or lessons learned.
6. Discuss Themes and Life Lessons
Although Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger is primarily a humorous and entertaining read, it can also open the door to meaningful classroom conversations.
Students can discuss ideas such as:
Friendship
Teamwork
Individuality
Acceptance
Problem-solving
Being yourself
Respecting differences
The importance of working together
These conversations can help students connect the events in the novel to their own experiences and the world around them.
Ways to Use Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger in Your Classroom
There are many ways to incorporate this novel into your ELA instruction.
📚 Whole-Class Novel Study
Read the novel together and use chapter questions, vocabulary, writing activities, and discussions to guide students through the book.
👥 Small-Group Reading
Use the novel with a small group while other students work independently or in literacy centers.
💬 Literature Circles
Have students discuss chapters, characters, predictions, and important events with their peers.
✏️ Independent Reading
The engaging storyline makes the book a great choice for independent reading followed by written responses or discussion.
🏠 Homeschool
The novel can also be incorporated into a homeschool reading or language arts curriculum.
Make Your Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger Novel Study Easy
If you want to use this book in your classroom but don’t want to spend hours creating comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, assessments, writing prompts, and lesson plans, I’ve done the prep work for you.
✔️ Detailed daily lesson plans ✔️ Pacing and standards guide ✔️ Vocabulary activities ✔️ Vocabulary word wall cards ✔️ Spelling ✔️ Chapter-by-chapter comprehension questions ✔️ Short-answer questions ✔️ Extension activities ✔️ Complete answer keys ✔️ Parent letter ✔️ Vocabulary assessment ✔️ Reading comprehension assessment ✔️ Writing assessment ✔️ Self-grading digital quiz ✔️ End-of-book activities ✔️ Story Elements Interactive Notebook activities ✔️ Common Core State Standards alignment
The resource includes 130+ pages, giving you the flexibility to use the materials in a traditional classroom or a paperless/digital learning environment.
The unit is designed for approximately two weeks of instruction and is appropriate for grades 3-5.
Printable + Digital Formats
You don’t have to choose between paper and digital instruction.
The novel study includes:
Printable PDF materials for traditional classroom instruction and Google Drive™ materials for digital assignments, Google Classroom, paperless classrooms, small-group instruction, or students who need additional flexibility.
Try a free sample of the novel study for Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger
Ready to Make This Novel Easy to Teach?
Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger is a fun way to bring humor, imagination, and enthusiasm into your reading instruction—but you don’t have to create all of the supporting materials yourself.
My complete Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger Novel Study gives you ready-to-use resources for reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, writing, critical thinking, assessments, and more.
More Wayside School Resources
Looking for more resources to accompany the Wayside School series?
Explore the other Wayside School novel studies from The Teaching Bank and give your students a complete reading experience with Louis Sachar’s hilarious and unforgettable books.
And if you’re teaching the entire series, you can save even more with the Wayside School Novel Study Bundle, which includes all four novel studies at a discounted price.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger 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.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
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!
*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 funny, engaging novel that will keep your students reading while strengthening their ELA skills?Wayside School Is Falling Down by Louis Sachar is an excellent choice for an upper elementary novel study or book unit.
With its outrageous characters, unexpected plot twists, absurd situations, and clever humor, Wayside School Is Falling Down gives students plenty to laugh about—and plenty to think about.
But this quirky novel can do much more than entertain your students. It can also be a wonderful tool for teaching reading comprehension, vocabulary, critical thinking, creativity, writing, inference, and literary analysis.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Why Teach Wayside School Is Falling Down?
Published by Louis Sachar, Wayside School Is Falling Down takes readers back to the wonderfully strange Wayside School, where almost anything can happen.
The school was accidentally built 30 stories high with one classroom on each floor, and the students and teachers who inhabit it are just as unusual as the building itself.
From bizarre classroom situations to characters who don’t behave the way students expect, the novel constantly surprises readers.
That makes Wayside School Is Falling Down especially useful for classroom discussion.
Instead of simply asking students to remember what happened, you can encourage them to ask:
Why did that character behave that way?
What clues does the author give us?
What would you have done in that situation?
Is the situation meant to be taken literally?
Why is this scene funny?
What makes the characters memorable?
What can we learn from the characters’ choices?
Those conversations turn an entertaining children’s book into a rich ELA learning experience.
1. Build Reading Comprehension Skills
A Wayside School Is Falling Down novel study gives students numerous opportunities to practice important reading comprehension skills.
As students read, they can work on:
Making predictions: What do you think will happen next?
Making inferences: What can you figure out even though the author doesn’t directly tell you?
Making connections: How does a character’s experience connect to your own life or another text?
Analyzing characters: What do a character’s words, actions, and choices tell us about them?
Analyzing plot: How do individual events contribute to the overall story?
Evaluating the text: What do you think about a character’s decision or the author’s choice?
The unusual events in Wayside School Is Falling Down make these skills particularly engaging because students can’t always rely on conventional storytelling patterns.
2. Use Humor to Teach Deeper Thinking
One of the reasons students love Louis Sachar’s books is the humor.
But the humor in Wayside School Is Falling Down can also provide an excellent opportunity to teach students about how authors use language and unexpected situations to create humor.
The book frequently uses absurdity, exaggeration, irony, unexpected events, and unusual character behavior.
Ask students questions such as:
What makes this situation funny?
What did you expect to happen?
What actually happened?
Why is the difference between the two funny?
How does the author’s word choice contribute to the humor?
Would the scene be as funny if it happened in a realistic school?
These questions encourage students to move beyond simply saying, “That’s funny!” and begin thinking about why something is funny.
That’s an important reading skill—and a great way to introduce literary analysis in an accessible way.
3. Encourage Creativity and Imagination
Wayside School Is Falling Down is anything but ordinary.
A teacher can turn into an apple. A student can float away with balloons. A school can have classrooms stacked 30 stories high.
These wonderfully strange events give students permission to think creatively.
After reading a chapter, challenge students to imagine their own version of Wayside School.
What would happen if there were a 31st floor?
What would the strangest classroom in the school look like?
What unusual rule would the teacher have?
What completely unexpected event could happen during the school day?
These questions can easily become creative writing activities, narrative writing prompts, or classroom art projects.
The book gives students a model for thinking outside the box—and then invites them to create something of their own.
4. Develop Critical Thinking Skills
The absurd situations in Wayside School Is Falling Down also make excellent opportunities for critical thinking.
Students can examine characters’ decisions, question assumptions, consider alternative explanations, and defend their opinions with evidence from the text.
For example, students can discuss:
Was the character’s decision a good one? Why or why not?
What could the character have done differently?
What evidence supports your opinion?
How might another character view the same situation?
What assumptions did the characters make?
What would happen if one event in the story changed?
Because the novel doesn’t always behave the way students expect, it naturally encourages them to question, analyze, and reconsider.
5. Teach Vocabulary in Context
A novel study is also a natural way to build vocabulary.
Instead of teaching vocabulary words in isolation, students can encounter new words within the context of an engaging story.
With Wayside School Is Falling Down, students can:
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues
Examine how word choice affects meaning
Use new vocabulary in their own writing
Practice spelling and word study
Discuss interesting or unusual language from the novel
Vocabulary instruction becomes much more meaningful when students encounter words while reading a story they actually want to understand.
6. Connect Reading to Writing
Wayside School Is Falling Down provides countless opportunities for writing.
Students can respond to the chapters, analyze characters, explain their thinking, make predictions, write creatively, or defend an opinion.
Some possible writing prompts include:
What would it be like to attend Wayside School?
Which character would you most want as your teacher? Explain why.
What would happen if Wayside School had a 31st floor?
Which event in the novel is the most surprising? Support your answer with evidence.
Choose a character and explain what you have learned about that character from their actions and choices.
These activities help students practice writing while keeping the writing connected to a book they are already reading.
A Complete Wayside School Is Falling Down Novel Study
If you want to teach Wayside School Is Falling Down but don’t want to spend hours creating comprehension questions, vocabulary activities, writing assignments, assessments, and lesson plans, I’ve done the work for you.
My Wayside School Is Falling Down Novel Study is a complete, no-prep novel unit for grades 3–5 designed to make teaching this hilarious Louis Sachar novel easier.
The resource includes 135+ pages of printable materials plus digital resources, giving you everything you need to turn the novel into a complete ELA unit.
What’s Included?
Teacher Materials
Daily lesson plans
Pacing and standards guide
Vocabulary word wall cards
Answer keys
Parent letter
Student Activities
Vocabulary activities
Chapter-by-chapter comprehension questions
Short-answer questions
Extension activities
Writing activities
Printable and digital resources
Assessments
Vocabulary quiz
Reading comprehension quiz
Short-answer assessment
Multiple-choice assessment
Writing assessment
Self-grading digital quizzes
Additional Literacy Activities
Story Elements interactive notebook activities
End-of-book activities
Additional writing activities
Activities that can be used with other novels
The unit is designed for 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-grade classrooms and can be used for whole-class instruction, small-group reading, literature circles, independent work, or homeschool settings.
Make Your Wayside School Is Falling Down Unit Easy
Teaching a novel shouldn’t require you to spend your evenings searching for chapter questions, creating vocabulary worksheets, and putting together assessments.
A complete novel study gives you the structure and resources you need while allowing your students to focus on what matters most: reading, thinking, discussing, and enjoying the book.
And Wayside School Is Falling Down is an especially fun choice because students can laugh at the outrageous situations while simultaneously practicing important reading and thinking skills.
Try a free sample of the novel study for Wayside School is Falling Down
Ready to Start Your Wayside School Is Falling Down Novel Study?
If you’re planning a Louis Sachar novel study, upper elementary ELA unit, reading comprehension unit, or book study, this resource can save you valuable planning time.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching Wayside School is Falling Down 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!
Looking for a fun, engaging novel to read with your elementary students? Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar is an excellent choice for a 3rd-, 4th-, or 5th-grade novel study.
With its short chapters, outrageous characters, unexpected situations, and laugh-out-loud humor, this classic chapter book has a way of getting even reluctant readers interested in what happens next. But beneath all the silliness are plenty of opportunities to teach reading comprehension, vocabulary, character analysis, story elements, critical thinking, and writing.
If you’re looking for a novel that will keep students laughing while giving you meaningful opportunities to teach ELA skills, Sideways Stories from Wayside School deserves a place in your classroom library.
What Is Sideways Stories from Wayside School About?
Written by Louis Sachar, Sideways Stories from Wayside School takes readers to the wonderfully strange Wayside School, a school that was accidentally built thirty stories high—with one classroom on each floor.
The students and teachers at Wayside are anything but ordinary.
Each chapter introduces another bizarre situation, unusual character, or completely unexpected twist. The short, episodic chapters make the book especially accessible for elementary readers and provide natural stopping points for classroom discussions, reading responses, and comprehension activities.
And because the stories are so unpredictable, students are constantly wondering what could possibly happen next.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
5 Reasons to Teach Sideways Stories from Wayside School
1. It Gets Kids Excited About Reading
One of the biggest advantages of Sideways Stories from Wayside School is simply that kids have fun reading it.
The humor and absurd situations make the novel highly engaging, while the short chapters can feel much more manageable to students who may be intimidated by longer chapter books.
For reluctant readers, that can make a huge difference.
Instead of seeing reading as a chore, students become invested in the characters and curious about the next ridiculous thing that will happen at Wayside School.
2. The Short Chapters Are Perfect for a Novel Study
The structure of the book makes it easy to incorporate into a whole-class novel study, small-group reading, literature circle, or independent reading unit.
The short chapters give teachers natural opportunities to:
Stop and check for understanding
Ask comprehension questions
Make predictions
Discuss characters
Identify important details
Practice vocabulary
Make text-to-self and text-to-world connections
Write about what they have read
Because the chapters are relatively short, you can also adjust the pacing to meet the needs of your students.
3. It Builds Reading Comprehension Skills
Don’t let the humor fool you—there are plenty of opportunities for serious reading comprehension instruction.
As students read Sideways Stories from Wayside School, they can practice identifying important details, making inferences, summarizing, analyzing characters, determining themes, and supporting their thinking with evidence from the text.
The unusual events also provide excellent opportunities for students to think critically about what they are reading.
Ask questions such as:
Why did the character make that choice?
What evidence supports your thinking?
How would you have handled the situation?
What can we infer from what the character says or does?
Questions like these turn an entertaining chapter book into a meaningful ELA learning experience.
4. It Provides Great Opportunities for Vocabulary Instruction
The book also provides opportunities to develop students’ vocabulary in context.
Rather than simply memorizing a list of definitions, students can encounter unfamiliar words while reading and use the surrounding text to determine meaning.
A Sideways Stories from Wayside School novel study can incorporate vocabulary practice alongside reading comprehension, helping students strengthen both their word knowledge and their ability to use context clues.
5. It Creates a Shared Classroom Experience
Few things build classroom community like a book that makes everyone laugh.
Reading Sideways Stories from Wayside School together gives students a shared experience they can discuss, debate, and enjoy.
The unusual characters and ridiculous situations naturally lead to classroom conversations:
Which character is your favorite?
Which story was the funniest?
What would you do if you attended Wayside School?
Which situation would you least want to experience yourself?
Those conversations can turn a simple read-aloud into a memorable classroom experience while encouraging students to communicate their ideas and listen to the perspectives of their classmates.
Sideways Stories from Wayside School Is Great for Reluctant Readers
If you have students who aren’t naturally enthusiastic about reading, this is a book worth considering.
The short chapters, humor, fast-moving stories, and unpredictable plot can make reading feel less overwhelming. Students don’t have to wait through hundreds of pages to reach an exciting event—the book delivers something new and unexpected throughout.
That makes Sideways Stories from Wayside School a particularly useful choice for upper elementary reading instruction.
How to Use Sideways Stories from Wayside School in Your Classroom
There are several ways you can incorporate this novel into your ELA instruction.
Whole-Class Novel Study
Read the book together and pause throughout the novel for comprehension questions, vocabulary instruction, discussion, and written responses.
Small-Group Reading
Use the book with a small reading group while other students work independently or at literacy centers.
Literature Circles
Have students read and discuss the book with classmates while practicing comprehension and communication skills.
Independent Reading
Students can read the novel independently and complete reading responses, vocabulary activities, or comprehension assignments as they progress through the book.
Read-Aloud
The humor makes this book especially fun to read aloud. Even students who struggle with reading independently can participate in discussions and enjoy the story.
Turn the Book Into a Complete ELA Novel Study
While Sideways Stories from Wayside School is entertaining enough to read simply for fun, pairing it with a structured novel study allows you to get much more instructional value from the book.
A complete novel unit can help you teach:
Reading comprehension
Vocabulary
Character analysis
Story elements
Critical thinking
Reading responses
Writing
Literary analysis
Text connections
Assessment
And the best part?
You don’t have to create all of those materials yourself.
📚 Save Time With a Ready-to-Use Sideways Stories from Wayside School Novel Study
If you’re planning to teach Sideways Stories from Wayside School, my Sideways Stories from Wayside School Novel Study provides a complete, ready-to-use unit for 3rd–5th grade ELA.
The resource includes printable and digital materials, so you can choose what works best for your classroom.
You’ll get:
✔ Detailed lesson plans ✔ Reading comprehension questions ✔ Vocabulary activities ✔ Writing activities ✔ Story elements activities ✔ Extension activities ✔ Assessments ✔ Answer keys ✔ Standards alignment ✔ Printable PDF materials ✔ Google Drive™ resources
It’s designed to give you the instructional materials you need without spending hours creating worksheets, questions, assessments, and answer keys from scratch.
Download the FREE preview to take a closer look at the Sideways Stories from Wayside School novel study and see how it can fit into your ELA instruction.
Whether you use this book for the whole class, small group, or individual instruction, you will find your students laughing and truly enjoying reading. They are so much fun and really open up the reading world for those reluctant readers!
You can purchase this novel study at the following locations:
Whether you use it as a whole-class novel study, small-group reading unit, literature circle, or independent reading activity, Sideways Stories from Wayside School is a book that can make reading instruction more engaging—and a whole lot more fun.
Final Thoughts
The best classroom novels are the ones that students remember long after they’ve finished reading them.
Sideways Stories from Wayside School is funny, imaginative, unpredictable, and accessible, making it an excellent choice for elementary students and upper elementary ELA instruction.
More importantly, it gives teachers countless opportunities to combine engaging children’s literature with meaningful reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, and critical-thinking instruction.
If you’re searching for a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade novel study that will keep students engaged while helping you teach important ELA skills, give Sideways Stories from Wayside School a place in your reading plans.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
Are you teaching Sideways Stories From Wayside School 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.
Connect with Fellow Educators!
