Literary Response Ideas:
After reading, I wonder…
Are the characters realistic (do they seem like they could be read people)? Why or why not?
Create a plot diagram.
Create a timeline of events from what you have read so far.
Create a ‘WANTED’ poster for the antagonist (person causing the conflict in the story).
Describe a character that you would like to meet (which doesn’t mean that you think you would like the character, but that you think the character would be interesting). List 4 questions that you would ask.
Describe something you have read that is similar to this.
Describe the main characters.
Describe the major conflict. What side are you on?
Describe the most important event so far. Give at least three reasons why you think it is the most important event.
Describe the setting – when and where what you are reading takes place.
Describe the setting’s time and place. Create a new setting that you think would be better for the story and describe it.
Describe the setting’s time and place. Draw it.
Describe the setting’s time and place. List the clues that helped you identify the setting.
Describe what was either believable or unbelievable about your reading. Defend your opinion.
Describe the similarities and differences between the main character and you.
Describe the theme (central meaning/message) of your reading.
Describe your least favorite character and explain why. Describe your most favorite character and explain why.
Do any of the characters feeling change as you’ve read? Explain why or why not.
Do you like what you’re reading? Why or why not?
Does the title fit the story? Why or why not?
Draw a comic strip or graphic novel page for what you just read.
Draw a line down the center of your paper. Write a cause (why did it happen?) on the left and its effect (what happened?) on the right. Do this until you have three cause and effects listed.
Draw a picture for what you just read. • Draw an interpretation of the passage – may be a picture, symbols, graphic organizer.
Draw 4 objects of important words that represent your reading. Write a sentence for each, telling what each item says about what you’ve been reading.
Draw the line down the center of your paper. One the left, list what you like about what you read and why. On the left, list what you didn’t like and why.
Explain how you have been surprised by what you are reading.
How did the reading make you feel? Why?
How do authors characterize their actors? (Dialogue, direct commentary, actions…) Explain.
How have your feelings changed as you’ve been reading?
If the author were here, what would you say and ask him/her?
If you could change what you’re reading, how would you change it?
If you could talk to the author, what questions would you ask? Why?
If you could talk to the author, what would you want to tell them about yourself? Why? How does that relate to what you’ve been reading?
If you were a character in this book, who would you be? Why?
If you were the author, how would this end?
If you were the author, what would you change? Why?
If you were the author, what would you have happening next?
In 4-6 sentences, describe several insights you’ve gained from your reading.
In few sentences, summarize what you read today.
Is what you are reading believable? Why or why not?
Is the setting described well enough that can put a picture of it in your mind? Why or why not?
List at least three problems the characters faced? Which was the most life changing? Explain
List five major events in order from which happened first to last.
List the personality characteristics of the main character (feelings, interests, behaviors, etc.)
List the physical characteristics of the main character (clothing, physical features, etc.)
List three new vocabulary words from your reading. What can you tell about them from their structure? What can you tell about them from their context?
List three questions you have about what you read.
Make a timeline of the events that have occurred in your book so far…
Predict what will happen next.
Pretend you are a talk show host and two characters are the guests on your show. Which characters would you chose and why? List two questions that you, the host, would ask each character.
Pretend you are famous reporter on TV. Write a story about what you’ve read for the evening news.
Pretend you are the friend of one of the characters. Write him or her a letter.
Pretend you get to create the music soundtrack for what you’ve been reading. What five songs would you include? Write an explanation for each song: why would you include it, how does the song connect to events.
Pretend you have special powers and could put yourself in your reading. Where would you put yourself and why? How would you being there change the story?
Pretend your job is to write magazine ads. Create an ad for what you’ve been reading.
Select a quote from your reading that you liked. What made you pick it? How does it make you pause and think?
Quote a passage & respond to it. How did it make you feel?
Thinking about what you just read, draw the picture that appears in your mind. • This connects to my life…
This text relates to my life because…
Use pictures/graphic organizer/web to represent your reading (so far) in the story.
What are some things you don’t understand in what you’re reading?
What are the two most important ideas from what you’ve been reading?
What are two emotions the main character has felt? What made the main character feel that way?
What character is like you? Describe how is he or she like you?
What emotions did you feel while you read? Give details from your reading that made you feel that way.
What event could have happened in real life? What would be similar in real life? What would be different in real life?
What has been the most important part of what you’ve been reading?
What has been the most interesting part of your reading?
What have you found boring about what you’ve been reading? What made it boring? If you were the author, what would you do to make it more interesting?
What have you learned about life from what you’re reading?
What ideas do you have about what is going to happen? What clues have you read to give you those ideas?
What is something you’ve learned from your reading?
What is the author trying to tell you about life in this story? Defend this moral.
What is the mood of what you’re reading (happy, sad, funny, serious, etc.)? Defend your idea.
What is the title of what you are reading? How does it fit the story? If you don’t know yet how it fits the story, what is your best guess?
What is your favorite part of the book you’re reading? Why?
What questions would you like answered about your reading? Would you like the book/article better if you knew those answers now? Why?
What surprises you in this story? Explain why.
What you are reading is going to be made into a movie. Create the movie poster.
What you are reading is going to be made into a movie. Make a list of 3-5 characters, what famous actor will play each character and what about the character makes that actor the best choice for the part.
Which character do you like best? Why?
Which character do you like least? Why?
Why did you choose this to read? Give at least 3 reasons.
Why do you think the author wrote this?
Without using complete sentences or paragraphs, reflect on today’s reading.
Would you be friends with the main character? Why or why not? Support with evidence from your reading.
Would you recommend this book to friends? Why or Why not?
Write a journal entry as if you were a certain character from your reading.
Write a quote from what you are reading that has meaning for you. Explain why you chose this quote.
Write about a situation a character experiences. Write about a similar situation you experienced.
Write about how one character feels. Write about a time you felt that way, too. • Write down one word from your reading that you didn’t know. What is your guess about what it means? How did you make that guess?
Write an editorial, an opinion essay, about an event from your reading.
Informational Prompts
Draw a line down the center of your paper. On the left, write facts from what you read. On the right, write your personal opinions about what you read.
Draw 4 objects of important words that represent your reading. Write a sentence for each, telling what each item says about what you’ve been reading.
In few sentences, summarize what you read today.
List three new vocabulary words from your reading. What can you tell about them from their structure? What can you tell about them from their context?
List three questions you have about what you read.
What are some things you don’t understand in what you’re reading?
What has been the most important part of what you’ve been reading?
What has been the most interesting part of your reading?
What is something you’ve learned from your reading?
What questions would you like answered about your reading? Would you like the book/article better if you knew those answers now? Why?
Why do you think the author wrote this?
What is main idea of what you read today? Defend your answer with details that support the main idea.
What text features did the author include to help you understand the information? Give an example of the feature and how it helped you.
What questions do have that were not answered in your reading so far?
What opinions did the author share about the information you read?