Reading literature silently can be daunting and boring, especially classic literature in which language patterns and word usage is quite different from the contemporary American English. For example, the word "charity" in language used during the era of the King James Bible is now translated "love" while the word "charity" refers to giving or helping those in need. Bring text to life by choosing portions of the work and turning it into a dramatic reading. Show the students, reading to them, how reading out loud using dramatic gestures and voice turns dull reading into emotionally-charged drama. Assign students partners and have them read portions aloud to one another, being as dramatic as they choose.
After reading a piece of literature, group students into teams and ask each team to write and act out a short skit illustrating a key element of the book or piece of literature. Provide a collection of props for the teams to use. Ask each to team to focus on a different element, or if the piece is short, to use a different point of view or way of approaching the material. Perform the skits in front of the class, asking the students to list ways each skit helps them "see" the piece of literature in a different way.
When studying classic literature, sometimes the era is so foreign to the students, comprehension as well as interest wanes. A lesson plan strategy to motivate students is to have the students translate the literature for a contemporary audience. The assignment is to read the piece, discover the key elements and acquaint themselves with the primary characters. Use the basic plot points for a short play, but bring the setting forward, along with the characters into today's environment. Students learn basic human character motivation remains the same in every era.
Split the class into two groups and set up a competition. Each student writes down three questions about the literature that the class is studying. They can be about characters, setting, conflict or other plot elements. Questions might include some of the following: "Describe the main character?";"How old was the character when the book began and at the end?" "Where did this take place?" "The piece is told from what or whose point of view?" and "What is the main conflict of the piece?" Each group asks the other group one question at a time. If the team correctly guesses the answer, they receive a point and get asked one more question. Even if they answer correctly, play goes to the other team. The team with the most points at the end of the game, wins. Use the questions to spark discussion about the literature read.