June 27, 2022

7 Projects to End a Unit or Novel Study (That Students Will Actually Get Excited About)

These 7 fresh ideas for creative projects that students will want to complete are perfect for the end of any novel or unit.

In English Language Arts we do a lot of reading and writing, so while I often wrap up a unit or novel with a major writing assignment, I also like to offer students' an opportunity to let their other talents and interests shine. Read on for 7 fresh ideas for projects that students will want to complete.

Songs and Novel Scenes Paired

During my novel unit for Pax by Sara Pennypacker, students complete an assignment that ask them to compare the relationships between fathers and sons in a variety of songs with the relationship of the main character, Peter, and his father. This assignment sets students up to make their own connections between important scenes from the book and songs of their choosing. Music lovers will love this chance to share their favorite songs and artists in the classroom. As a bonus, students could come up with a soundtrack title for their pairings and design cover art. You can find the resources for this project here.

These 7 fresh ideas for creative projects that students will want to complete are perfect for the end of any novel or unit.


Figurative Language Brought to Life

During my novel unit for Pax, we also study figurative language, specifically similes, metaphors, personification, and idioms. We practice identifying different types and analyzing their meanings. At the end of the novel, we return to those concepts with a project that asks students to take photographs that are visual interpretations, either literal or abstract, of examples of figurative language. As a support for struggling students, I provide definitions and examples of figurative language as well as a few examples from our novel to help them get started. You can find the resources for this project here.

These 7 fresh ideas for creative projects that students will want to complete are perfect for the end of any novel or unit.


One Book in Just One Minute

Some students thrive on structure and a clear process when completing a project, while others are in their element with an assignment that is more open ended and allows them to showcase their creativity. While some of my other project options like creating a novel soundtrack or creating visual representations of figurative language have a format for the final product, this summarizing project can be in the form of a skit (live or recorded), a puppet show (live or recorded), or an animated video. I tell students upfront that I can help them upload a video to their Google Drive and attach it to their assignment, but nothing beyond that technology wise. If they want to create an animated video, students are responsible for finding a program and learning how to use it. The real challenge of this project is narrowing down the important parts of the novel to just 60 seconds and how to represent those parts in a skit, puppet show, or animation. While there is no one structure for the final product, I do provide a brainstorming organizer to help students through the process of the project. You can find the resources for this project here.

These 7 fresh ideas for creative projects that students will want to complete are perfect for the end of any novel or unit.

A Difference of Opinions

Hosting a debate is a great way to synthesize texts at the end of a unit. At the end of my "animal intelligence" unit, students debate whether or not animals can think just like humans. They rely on the reading from the unit for evidence to support their argument. After reading Life As We Knew It and The Dead and The Gone, parallel novels about the impact on life on Earth when an asteroid hits the moon, students debate which disaster is worse: tornado versus hurricane, blizzard versus flood, or volcanic eruption versus earthquake. They combine examples from the novel with factual research to make their case. You can find the resources for this project here.

These 7 fresh ideas for creative projects that students will want to complete are perfect for the end of any novel or unit.



Visually Appealing Facts

A great way to connect fiction and nonfiction at the end of a novel unit is to have students create an infographic on a topic of choice. For a book like Tight by Torrey Maldonado, students might choose truancy or toxic masculinity. For a book like Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee, students might choose the positive impacts of music or the effects of sexual harassment on teens. After researching their topics, students decide how to organize their information with headings and subheadings and how to reinforce that information with graphics so that all of it conveys a clear message about their topic. You can find the resources for this project here.

These 7 fresh ideas for creative projects that students will want to complete are perfect for the end of any novel or unit.

Games That Won't Leave Students "Board"

So much of ELA is reading and writing, so I am always looking for ways to incorporate hands on activities like having students create a board game based on a novel. Students come up with a unique concept that incorporates the setting, characters, conflicts, and plot of the novel into a game. I like to save this project for the end of the year or just before a break, because once students have finished their projects, they can spend a day or two playing each others' games and reviewing them. This project can be completed based on a story or novel that students recently read or allow students to choose their favorite text of the year. You can find the resources for this project here.

These 7 fresh ideas for creative projects that students will want to complete are perfect for the end of any novel or unit.

An Amusement Park with a Literary Theme

Similar to the board game project, this is another one that is great for the end of the year. Students can focus on a recently finished text (I've used it with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) or their favorite from the year. This project very intentionally reviews literary terms. For example, students create rides connected to each part of the plot and design souvenir shops and concession stands that sell items to symbolize the characters. Students can present their literary theme parks or participate in a gallery walk to review each others' projects. You can find the resources for this project here.

These 7 fresh ideas for creative projects that students will want to complete are perfect for the end of any novel or unit.


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