The Last Cuentista Novel Study Unit and Literature Guide

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera is a high interest low prep novel study in the popular dystopian book genre. This literature guide has it all! Chapter by chapter questions, vocabulary, character charts, ongoing graphic organizers for various literary elements, and many unique activities that help students relate to the text more effectively.

The science fiction book earned the 2022 Newbery Award and tackles themes like coming of age, independence, and the value of storytelling. Supplement the book study with a writing project about folklore. Use the folktales in the book as a foundation to help students write their own story in a folktale style.

The common core aligned literature guide works well for literature circles, book clubs, read aloud, or whole novel study. Pick and choose from various reading comprehension and writing activities depending on your class time and student needs.

Product Includes:

CCSS 6th grade

Sample pacing chart to organize and plan daily activities

Chapter vocabulary

Reading comprehension questions (grouped every two chapters)

Character chart(s)

Halley's Comet non-fiction reading passage with Venn diagram

Flashback literary device and character memories activity page

Draw and label a diagram of the interstellar colonization ship

List traits of folklore and summarize folktales used in the story

Similes and Metaphors figurative language handouts

Mini ghost shrimp research activity

Draw a picture of the "subliminal ceiling" incorporating the Collective's vocabulary

Compare settings (Earth, the ship, Sagan)

Pros and Cons of "sameness" and persuasive paragraph

Foreshadowing

Symbols in the story

Hero's journey graphic organizer

Write a folktale story creative writing assignment

Story Map

Themes

Dystopian novel traits

End of book test

**Teacher notes, sample, or answer keys provided for all handouts except the vocabulary lists**

There are so many layers to this story, and it can be overwhelming to tackle all the different elements in the novel. This resource will help you identify the literature activities that work for your classroom with the time you have available.

This is a zipped file with two secure PDF files and is not editable. The download includes a student PDF with all activity pages that teachers can print as a novel study packet. The second PDF has teacher notes, answer keys, book test, student samples, and the link to the Google Drive file. **Page count includes digital notebook pages.

Google Drive file does NOT include the book test.

I have more dystopian novel studies...

- The Giver by Lois Lowry

- Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

- The White Mountains by John Christopher (this is my favorite dystopian novel of all time that I discovered when I was a 6th grader many years ago!)

If you need all three novel units, I have a Dystopian Literature Bundle!

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