Have the kids analyze a writer's distinctive style. For example, if they are reading Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea," get them to focus on the spare language and tight writing. Then ask them to mimic Hemingway's style and get them to write about an outdoor adventure. Alternatively, ask the kids to continue the novel for a few pages or write an alternative ending. The topic of the piece is not as important as the style. Get the kids to read out their Hemingway attempts. The students can vote for who they believe achieved the best Hemingway style.
If a piece of literature has been made into a movie then watch it in class and get the kids to read the book. You might choose to do this the other way round. Have the kids focus on the differences between the plot, characters and dialogue. Some movies are quite faithful to the book's dialogue and plot while other movies take more liberties. Discuss as a class if this matters. Get the kids to write a paper comparing the film adaptation of a well-known book or play with the original text.
Have the kids read a book from the 19th century and then write some up-to-date dialogue for one of the chapters. The children's task is to bring the text into the 21st century without sacrificing the plot or original character traits. The new dialogue should be realistic but faithful to the book's plot. Have the children act out their dialogue in pairs or groups. Discuss what the kids learned from the exercise.
Ask the children to re-read one of their favorite books and then prepare the marketing materials for that book. For example, they could write the blurb on the back of a book, write a press release for the book's launch and prepare a speech for the author of the book. They could also design posters and advertisements to entice readers to buy the book.
Mind maps incorporate both words and pictures in a visual "map" to help plan essays or projects. You start with the title or theme in a circle in the middle of the page and write the main ideas or keywords on lines coming off from the center circle. Images and color help make the maps distinctive. Kids can draw mind maps about the literature they are reading. They can focus just on the characters or the plot. Alternatively, the kids can use mind maps to explore an author's life. This project can strengthen kids' research skills and improve their essay-planning techniques.