Give each student in your classroom a handout that explains the proper format for book reports in your class. Split students into groups of two and ask each student to create a simple list of questions for getting to know their partner. Once the questionnaire is complete, students should write a short book report about their partner, in the correct written format. This exercise helps you target students that need additional help with writing early on, in addition to getting classmates acquainted.
Explain to your students that the way they see themselves is just one possible interpretation, and learning to analyze yourself is an important part of both writing and reading literature. Ask each student to write an autobiographical one-page summary from the perspective of a family member or pet. This activity challenges your students to examine themselves from a different perspective than usual. Once writing is complete, each student can read his or her essay to the class.
To begin, ask each student to write his or her greatest fear on a small slip of paper. Spiders, snakes, heights or enclosed spaces; it does not really matter what the fear is. Once students finish writing, collect each of the slips of paper and place them all in a hat. Randomly draw one slip and ask your students to address the fear by talking about its possible sources and how someone could get over it. Try to keep the conversation positive – the goal here is encouraging students to engage with one another.
Building and sustaining a narrative is a core component of strong literature. Introduce your students to this concept with a simple exercise. Starting at the front of the room, ask a student to start a sentence with one word. The student sitting behind him will continue the sentence, also adding one word. Continue around the classroom, adding one word at a time to your sentence until the class has created a short narrative together. You can then talk about how each person brings his or her own perspective and tastes to both writing and reading, and how those personal traits impact interpretation.