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.