Reading Response Questions - Independent Reading Activities for Any Book

These Reading Response Questions ask your students to think critically and creatively about their independent reading, literature circles, or class novels. You can use these independent reading activities as writing prompts, discussion topics for pairs or small groups, or even a focus activity for quiet reflection. 

Critical Thinking and Creative Questions

These reading response cards help students approach their independent reading and class novels in a CREATIVE way, asking questions like…

• Imagine two characters who don't meet in the novel meeting for the first time. What would it be like?
• Imagine a new location in which the novel could take place. How would the story change?

❤️ Understanding Author's Purpose: This lays a foundation for understanding why the author made the choices they did. By imagining choices the author DIDN'T make, we can better analyze the choices they did.

Each reading response card asks students to imagine or create something new based on the plot, characters, conflicts, themes, and setting of a novel. Includes blank cards for you to add your own.

Use these reading task cards with:

✅ Independent Reading

✅ Class Novel

✅ Literature Circles

These reading response questions provide an excellent independent reading activity that allows two students reading different independent novels to be able to come together and have a conversation about their books.

Find more ideas for using these Creative Reading Task Cards on my blog!

This independent reading activity includes:

1. 40 reading response question cards for any book  based on Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme, and Setting
2. Blank reading response cards editable in PowerPoint
3. Teacher's Guide

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Version español

Here’s what teachers are saying about these independent reading activities:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This is a great way to get students engaged in their novels. I use it for book clubs and so far students are having a great time discussing the novel using these cards.” -Dayanara B.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ “These have helped to vary my students' journal entries and helped me to stay flexible with their independent reading books!” -Cortney K.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “These are a MUST HAVE!  I usually hang these around the room and have students answer a certain amount of each question type.  I love that they need to think outside the box and they love that they are completing "typical ELA" work.” - Eileen L.

About Your Resource:

Your download is a .zip file containing ready-to-use files (.pdf) and editable versions (.ppt). You do not need to download any extra fonts to be able to edit these reading response cards. Instructions for use and copyright information are included in this resource. Feel free to email me at nouvelle.ela@gmail.com if you have any questions. :)

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-Danielle @ Nouvelle ELA