Activities

 for  a  Reading  Journal  

 
       
    Use  the  dictionary  to    
Pick  a  character  or  two   Construct  a  timeline  of   look  up  6  words  that    
from  the  story  and   events  in  the  story.   you  do  not  know  and   Write  a  blurb  for  the  
draw  them.   (Storyboard)   write  them  down  in   story.  
your  journal.  
 
       
  Compare  two   Design  a  new  eye    
Make  a  cartoon  strip   characters  from  the   catching  front  cover  for   Write  an  alternative  
showing  part  of  the   story.  How  are  they   the  book.   ending  for  the  story.  
story.   similar?  Different?  
 
       
Write  about  your     Choose  a  page  and   Design  a  poster  to  
favourite  part  of  the   Make  a  fact  file  about   write  a  list  of  all  the   advertise  the  book.  Tell  
story  and  explain  why   one  of  the  characters.   adjectives.   the  buyers  why  they  
you  like  it.   should  buy  the  book.  
 
       
Which  character  did   Choose  a  page  and  pick   Write  a  letter  to  the   Draw  a  picture  of  
you  like  the  most?   a  descriptive  word.  Use   author  telling  them  why   where  the  story  is  set  
Explain  why.   a  thesaurus  to  find  5   you  did  or  didn’t  like   as  you  imagine  it  to  be  
alternatives.   their  book.   from  the  description  in  
  the  book.  
 
       
Read  a  passage  and  list     Design  a  wanted  poster   Choose  a  page  and  
the  words  and  phrases   Write  a  new  opening   for  a  character  in  the   write  down  all  the  
used  to  create  an   paragraph  for  the  book.   story.  Remember  to   verbs  on  the  page.  
atmosphere.   describe  them  well.  
 
       
Choose  a  page  and   Rewrite  a  chapter  of  the   Pick  a  paragraph  and   Which  character  would  
write  down  all  the   book  as  a  playscript.   rewrite  it  in  the  future   you  like  to  be?  Why?  
nouns  on  the  page.   tense.  
 
        
Draw  a  picture  of  your   Make  a  wordsearch     Choose  a  page/book  
favourite  part  of  the   based  on  important   Write  a  quiz  about  the   and  write  down  any  
book  and  write  about   words  related  to  the   book  for  one  of  your   new  vocabulary  that  
what  is  happening.   book.   peers.   you  will  try  to  use  in  
  your  own  writing.  
 
       
    Choose  a  description  or   How  does  the  story  
Find  5  similes  or     a  character  in  the  book   hook  you  in  at  the  
metaphors  in  the  story,   Choose  a  description  in   that  you  could  turn  into   beginning?  Make  a  list  
write  them  down  and   the  book  that  you  could   a  simile  or  metaphor.   of  words  and  phrases  
draw  a  picture.  E.g  the   uplevel.   E.g.  he  is  as  busy  as  a   that  you  feel  are  
girl  was  as  quick  as   bee.   affective  in  making  you  
lightning.   want  to  read  on.  
 
       
Choose  a  key  moment   Think  of  5  questions   Think  of  5  questions   Write  a  feelings  map  for  
in  the  book  and  change   you  would  like  to  ask   you  would  like  to  ask   a  character  in  the  story.  
the  event.   one  of  the  characters.   the  author.    
 
       
Write  about  how  a        
character  might  be   Stop  reading  a  story   Write  a  bout  a  memory    
feeling  at  different   half  way  through.  Draw   or  an  experience  of   Make  a  list  of  questions  
stages  in  the  story.  You   or  write  your   your  own  that  is  similar   you  ask  yourself  as  you  
could  write  it  in  the   prediction  for  the  rest   to  something  you’ve   read.  
first  person,  or  in  a   of  the  story.   read  in  the  book.  
speech  bubble.  
 
       
Before  the  last  few        
pages  of  the  book  write   Which  characters  in  the   Which  character  in  the   Finish  this  idea:  “I  love  
or  draw  your   book  are  you  most  like?   book  would  you  like  to   the  way  the  author…”  
prediction.  Once   Why?   be?  Why?   Give  examples  to  
finished,  read  on  to   support  your  opinion.  
check.    
 
       
How  did  the  book  make   Who  else  should  read   Write  a  letter  to   Write  a  telephone  
you  feel?  Explain.   this  book?  Why?  Who   someone  who  you  think   answering  machine  
shouldn’t  read  this   would  like  the  book,   message  for  a  character  
book?  Why?   telling  him  or  her  why   in  your  book.  
  he  or  she  should  read  it.  
 
        
  Compare  the  book  to     Pretend  something  in  
Draw  a  storyboard  for   another  one  that  you   Design  a  book  cover  for   the  story  really  
the  story.   have  read.  How  were   a  short  story.   happened,  write  a  
they  similar?  Different?   newspaper  article  for  
  tomorrow’s  newspaper.  
 
       
  Give  advice  to  a   Rewrite  a  paragraph   Write  a  telephone  
Write  a  diary  extract   character:  problem   from  the  point  of  view   conversation  between  
written  by  a  character.   page  letter  &  response.   of  a  different  character.   you  and  a  character  
  from  the  book.    
 
       
    Pick  a  character.  How   Pick  a  character  in  the  
Write  5  questions  the   What  kind  of  person  is   does  this  character   story.  How  do  they  
answers  to  which   the  main  character?   treat  other  people?   change  throughout  the  
would  check  if  your   Would  you  like  to  be   Explain  using  the   story?  Explain  and  use  
friend  has  read  the   friends  with  him  or   phrases  from  the  text  to   words/phrases  from  
book.   her?  Why?  Why  not?   support  your  ideas.   the  text  to  support  your  
  ideas.  
 
       
When  was  the  book   Create  a  glossary  of   Draw  and  label  a   Make  a  list  of  facts  you  
set?  Explain  and  use   technical  words  that   diagram  using  factual   have  learned  from  your  
words/phrases  from   relate  to  the  topic  of   information.   non-­‐fiction  book.  
the  book  to  support   your  book.  
your  ideas.  
 
       
Plan  a  one-­‐minute  talk     Create  a  title  page  for   Find  a  part  of  your  
about  a  key   What  are  the  properties   your  guided  reading   story  that  doesn’t  have  
point/character/fact   of  this  Non-­‐fiction   book.  Include  a  picture,   a  picture.  Draw  a  new  
from  the  book.   book?   the  title,  the  author  and   picture  to  show  what  
  the  illustrator.   happens.  
 
       
  Choose  a  character  and     Write  a  play  for  part  of  
Make  a  puppet  for  a   write  an  acrostic  poem   Write  a  poem  about  the   the  story.  Practise  
character  in  your  story.   about  them.  Read  it  to   setting  of  the  book.   acting  it  out.  Perform  in  
someone.   front  of  your  friends  or  
  family.  
 
        
Make  up  a  song  or  a  rap   Choose  a  part  of  the   Describe  where  and   Write  down  5  true  
about  your  guided   story  and  mime  it  to  a   when  the  story  took   things  and  5  lies  about  
reading  book.   friend.  Can  they  guess   place.  Explain  why  you   your  book.  Give  them  to  
what  part  of  the  story  it   would/wouldn’t  like  to   your  friends.  Can  you  
was?   have  a  holiday  there.   trick  them?  
 
       
    Copy  a  sentence  from    
    your  book  and  answer    
  Make  brief  notes  about   these  questions;  What   Pick  10  wow  
Write  a  sentence  to   the  story  under  these   tense  is  it  written  in?   words/nouns/verbs  
summarise  each   headings:  opening,   (past/present/  future).   and  put  them  into  
chapter.   build-­‐up,  dilemma,   Is  it  written  in  1  or  3  
st rd alphabetical  order.  
resolution   person?  Does  it  contain  
any  direct  or  indirect  
speech?  What  is  the  
sentence  about?  
 
       
  Find  3  words  that  you   Create  a  board  game  
Pick  a  chapter  and  find   don’t  know,  look  them   with  events  from  the  
all  the  words  you  can   up  in  a  dictionary  and   book  moving  you  
that  end  with  –ed/-­‐ing.   try  to  make  your  own   forward/backwards.  
sentences  with  them.