8th Grade Novel Studies Resources

Use this discussion guide to encourage thoughtful discussions about chapters 1–4 of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. 

Encourage creativity and critical thinking about the characters in The Hunger Games with this artistic extension activity!

Use this discussion guide to support students’ comprehension and analysis of chapters 1–4 of S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders.

This discussion guide helps readers reflect on chapters 1–5 of Lois Lowry’s The Giver. 

Prepare students for reading Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl by building background knowledge about the rise of Hitler in Germany after World War I.

Use these questions to encourage critical thinking and support literacy development as students read the first few diary entries of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.

After reading Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, have students reflect on the novel and record their responses to these post-reading writing prompts!

Prepare students for reading Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games by having them complete this pre-reading activity!

Before reading S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, use this pre-reading activity to get readers thinking about one of the major themes in the novel: stereotypes.

Use this discussion guide to encourage thoughtful discussions about chapters 5–9 of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! 

This pre-reading activity is a great way to prepare students for reading The Giver by Lois Lowry.

Use this pre-reading discussion guide to prepare students for reading The Giver by Lois Lowry.

After completing The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, have students reflect on the significant themes and events of the story with these response prompts.

After reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, challenge students to think about the symbolism of the costumes in the novel and get creative!

Prepare students for reading Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by having them complete this anticipation guide as a pre-reading activity!

Prepare students for reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind with these research and reflection prompts!

Before reading Linda Sue Park’s novel A Long Walk to Water, use these pre-reading prompts to engage students in a discussion about key story elements.

Use this guide to promote in-depth discussion after students have finished reading chapters 10–13 of Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games.

Build background knowledge about social classes in the early 1900s as students prepare to read A Night to Remember by Walter Lord.

These post-reading writing prompts ask students to reflect on the major themes and events from The Giver.

After reading Lois Lowry’s The Giver, watch the movie adaptation in order to compare the written and visual forms of the story!

Use this discussion guide to help readers reflect on chapters 6–11 of Lois Lowry’s The Giver. 

Use this discussion guide to support readers’ comprehension of chapters 1–8 of Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water.

After completing S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, allow students to connect to the theme of identity with this engaging reflection activity! 

After reading S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, students dig deeper into the poem referenced throughout the novel: Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”

Support students’ comprehension and analysis of S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders with these discussion questions for chapters 9-12.

After reading Linda Sue Park's novel A Long Walk to Water, students demonstrate their understanding of the novel with these post-reading response prompts.

Use this discussion guide to engage learners in meaningful dialogue after they've read chapters 14–18 of Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. 

Use this discussion guide to support students’ comprehension and analysis of chapters 5–8 of S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders.

Encourage thoughtful discussion after students read chapters 19–23 of Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games with this helpful discussion guide!