Assign students a book to read by a certain due date. When the deadline arrives test how well students understand character analysis by instituting this classroom game. Split up the class into teams, and assign each student on the team a character from the book. Instruct the students to "become that character." Have students in each group start out sitting in a circle. Call out one of the character's names from the book and have that student stand in the center of the circle and pretend to be the character. Explain that the student should try to the tone of the character and demonstrate some of the character's personality traits. Then call out another character's name and have that student replace the previous student. This game teaches students about paying attention to character studies in the books they read.
The story line plotting game is one that teaches students how to identify parts of a story line so that they can become familiar with how stories are developed. Give each student a worksheet with a story line diagram left blank. Then read aloud an excerpt from a recently read book. Tell students to mark a number "1" for the first excerpt on the diagram where the excerpt belongs. For instance, if you read an excerpt from the conclusion, the student puts a "1" at the last point on the diagram. By the end of the activity, students should have a story line diagram with marks that flow from introduction to conclusion.
Part of developing reading comprehension skills has to do with expanding students' vocabulary. Have students read William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," and tell them that to look up unfamiliar vocabulary words along the way. When students are finished reading the play, put students into pairs and provide each pair with a set of flash cards that contain vocabulary words from "Romeo and Juliet." Have students take turns quizzing each other. This game reinforces students' understanding of vocabulary words that they came across in their reading.
Students need to be able to identify parts of speech, such as adjectives, nouns, and verbs, as well as synonyms and antonyms. Provide students with word puzzle games to play so that they develop a sense of how to identify such words and concepts. Crossword puzzles, word scrambles, word searches and hangman are game ideas students will enjoy.