When kids read a book that especially touches their hearts and minds, they often enjoy acting out specific scenes from the book afterward. Choose a book for your class to read with an eye toward the dramatic. Split the class into several groups, and assign scenes from the book for them to act out in front of the class. Allow them to improvise their lines and permit them their own interpretation. Alternatively, instruct your students to write a play that picks up where the book left off. Allow them to work individually or in groups, and let them act out their creations or read them to the class when they're finished.
No matter what book they read, children develop mental pictures to accompany the action that takes place in the story. Smaller children also enjoy the illustrations found in picture books. Invite your students to form their own artistic creations based on a story they've recently read. Distribute pieces of poster board, paint and drawing materials and ask the students to illustrate a climactic moment from the story. If you'd rather, distribute sheets of drawing paper, pencils and erasers, and instruct your students to create a sketch of their favorite character from the story and what they believe he or she looks like.
The ability to choose their own book that specifically appeals to them often engenders a love of reading in children. Take your class on a trip to a nearby public library and allow them to wander the aisles and select books that interest them. A large public library often provides substantially more reading choices than does a school library. If possible, hold a fundraiser to raise money to buy books for the class. Take the children and the money they've raised to a local bookstore, set a spending limit and allow children to purchase a book of their own to keep. Ensure that the children choose reading material appropriate to their age and abilities.
Writing activities centered around books your class has read helps them make the jump to reading critically. Create worksheets that ask specific questions about the books they read. Create questions that test their reading comprehension and those that require the children to express what they liked or didn't like about the story. Ask them what the author could have done to improve the book from their perspective. For a writing project that involves creativity, instruct your students to choose a minor character from the book. Have them create a story of a specific length about this character and his life outside the pages of the book. Ask them to create interesting adventures for the character and a new set of friends not found in the original story.