Stargirl: Novel Study and Book Activities

I hope you will enjoy this 52 page package full of a variety of engaging activities.

My first and foremost objective as an educator, when reading a class read aloud, or sharing novels for group study is to encourage a love of reading. I aim to make the pages of the stories come alive, and to provoke thoughtful and meaningful discussion. For this reason, you will not find chapter by chapter questions and answers that can at times make reading seem like a chore. I do however include activities that ask students to make connections, think deeper, compare and contrast, imagine… and start discussions. I have incorporated activities that compliment the different reading comprehension strategies: making predictions, making inferences, visualizing, asking good questions, summarizing…

This is what you will receive:

1. Reading Comprehension Strategies Handout: A handout displaying the different reading comprehension strategies that will be used throughout the following activities.

2. Reading is Thinking Graphic Organizer: Use this organizer wherever you might find it useful. I use it several times throughout a reading as a way to stop and reflect on what we are reading. Categories include: “I predict”, “I like/ dislike”, “I wonder”, and “This reminds me of… because”.

3. Hashtag Chapter Summaries: After reading each chapter, students will use this graphic organizer to write hash tags that summarize what happened in each chapter. Students have a lot of fun with this and enjoy sharing what they have come up with.

4. Word Work Graphic Organizer: I have not included a list of vocabulary for you to use, rather I encourage students to write down words that are interesting and challenging to them. Students might choose to keep a post-it note on their desk to jot down words as they go. This graphic organizer can be used to develop a greater understanding of new words.

5. Pre-reading- “What do YOU Think?”: Before starting the novel, have students rate their opinions on topics and themes that you will find present in the novel. 1 means strongly disagree and 5 means strongly agree. Take the time to have students share and debate their answers as a class or with a partner.

6. Pre-reading- Making Predictions/ Inferences and Personal Connections with Images: Have students look at the images presented (either on individual handouts or projected on the screen) and discuss what they think they might represent. All images are related to the novel. Do they have any predictions? Do they know what the objects are? Do they have any personal connections? You might want to return to this handout at the end of the novel and confirm if their predictions were correct.

7. Quote #1 (Porcupine Tie): Throughout the package, students will be asked to make sense of selected quotes. You might want to display these quotes around the classroom for students to refer back to. Use these quotes as a way to start conversations, and to make connections.

8. Stargirl- In and Out Character Sketch: Throughout the novel, students write down characteristics that describe Stargirl’s personality inside the figure, and words that describe her physical appearance on the outside of the figure.

9. Leo- In and Out Character Sketch: Throughout the novel, students write down characteristics that describe Leo’s personality inside the figure, and words that describe his physical appearance on the outside of the figure.

10. Quote #2 (Chapter 2)

11. What is Conformity Word Study and Questions: Students discuss what it means to conform. They determine what it is and are asked to provide specific examples. Students roll a dice to determine what question they need to answer with a partner.

12. Quote # 3 (Chapter 3)

13. Hillari- In and Out Character Sketch: Throughout the novel, students write down characteristics that describe Hillari’s personality inside the figure, and words that describe her physical appearance on the outside of the figure.

14. Quote #4 (Chapter 5)

15. Quote #5 (Chapter 7)

16. MAHS STUDENTS ASTIR INDIVIDUALITY ERUPTS (Chapter 9): Using the newspaper format of the school newspaper, students are asked to list the ways in which Stargirl has effected the student body and school. Some changes include: students smiling at each other, celebrating each other’s As, feeling each other’s pain, starting new clubs…

17. Hot Seat Questions (Chapter 10): Students are asked to create their own set of questions that they would use to interview Stargirl on the show, “Hot Seat”. Along the theme of “Hot Seat” there is a fun game I play where I invite a student to sit at the front of the class in a chair facing the class, with the whiteboard behind him/her. Write a word or character from the novel Stargirl and the class has to get the person in the hot seat to guess what it is without actually saying the word or name. For example, write Stargirl on the board and through giving descriptions of her character and appearance the hot seat volunteer needs to guess who the class is talking about.

18. Quote #6 (Chapter 11): Partners discuss questions related to the quote.

19. Action and Consequence Graphic Organizer (Chapter 11 and ongoing): In this chapter, Stargirl cheers for the other team at the basketball team and as a result the whole school turns against her. She even gets a tomato thrown at her. Use this graphic organizer to document the actions and consequences of events in the novel. Remind students that consequences are not only negative.

20. Discussion Questions (Chapter 13): Based on the events in Chapter 13, students are given discussion questions to answer.

21: Names (Chapter 13): Names play a significant role in this novel. Stargirl changes her name depending on her mood. Students are asked to consider the significance of their own name and how it contributes to their own identities.

22. Love Idioms Matching Activity (Chapter 16): Over the last few chapters, Leo expresses his “love” for Stargirl, and at times it can be cheesy! Here are three pages of love idioms to be cut out and paired with their corresponding meaning. After completed students apply these idioms to the events and characters in the novel.

23. Enchanted Places (Chapter 17): In this chapter, Stargirl shares with Leo that in Iceland there are actual sites that are designated enchanted places. More information on these enchanted places are included and students answer some questions.

24. Put Yourself in Leo’s Shoes (Chapter 18): This chapter has Leo experiencing many different emotions. He is interested in Stargirl but is feeling judged by others. After reading this chapter students are asked to fill Leo’s shoes with words that reflect all the different emotions he is feeling.

25. Quotes #7 and #8 (Chapter 19)

26. Introvert/ Extrovert Word Study (Chapter 20): Students determine the meaning of these words and apply them to their own understanding of themselves.

27. Happy Wagon (Chapter 22): Students fill in the stones for Stargirl’s “happy wagon” with two examples of things that make Stargirl happy and two things that are making her unhappy.

28. Quote #8 (Chapter 24)

29. You’ve Changed (Chapter 26): Students complete this organizer to compare Stargirl to her new persona “Evelyn Everybody”.

30. Expectations vs. Reality (Chapters 27, 28, and 29): Students are asked to document what Stargirl thought would happen at the “talk off”, what they predict will happen and what really does happen.

31. Hot or Not!? (Chapter 30): Throughout the novel, Stargirl and Leo are an on again and off again couple. But are they even a good couple? Students are asked to give, and support their opinions with examples.

32. Quote Me (anytime): Major themes in the novel are conformity and being an individual. Students choose a quote and discuss what it means to them.

33. Mica High Yearbook- Octivia Ball (Chapter 31): After reading all about the Octivia ball, students complete this yearbook page, with the most memorable moments, fashion details, and even a musical playlist. Why was it significant that Stargirl went to the ball? What kind of person is she for going, despite the way her peers have treated her in the past? Why is it significant that Leo didn’t go? What does this say about him?

34. The End: Students are left with many unanswered questions at the end of the novel and are asked to write some of these questions down.

35. Final Thoughts- Find Someone to Spill it!: Similar to other “find someone who” activities, students must walk around the classroom and ask different reflection questions. Once a student has answered a question, they can initial the question. Each student tries to get each question initialed.

36. Important Themes: Students choose from one, or come up with their own important theme for the novel (individuality, bullying, friendship…) and describe it in more detail, giving examples.

37. Casting Call: Stargirl is being turned into a movie. This fun activity has students cast the actors that they would have play the roles of the main characters.

38. Summative Activities Ideas: I have included a list of possible summative/ culminating activities you might want to try with your class.

I hope you enjoy the novel, and that this package is enjoyable and useful. Thank you!

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