Holes Novel Study Engaging Activities for 4th Graders

Are you looking for engaging activities to make your 4th graders love reading the novel Holes? Look no further! This post will give you a comprehensive list of Holes novel study activities that your young readers will love. 

Holes, written by Louis Sachar, is a  children’s novel that intertwines mystery, adventure, and friendship. It tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, a boy who is wrongfully accused of a crime and sent to a juvenile detention camp, Camp Green Lake. As Stanley navigates through the challenges of camp life and unravels the mysteries of the past, students will learn valuable lessons about perseverance, resilience, and the power of friendship. 

These Holes novel study activities are designed to enhance comprehension, critical thinking skills, and creativity. From character analysis and plot summaries to hands-on projects and group discussions, each activity engages students in a meaningful way. In this post, I will share many activities you can do with the novel, but if you want the entire study head here! 

Engaging Holes Novel Study Activities for Pre-Reading

Before delving into the novel, it’s important to set the stage and build anticipation for the story. Here are some engaging activities to prepare your 4th graders for their Holes adventure:

• You can watch this book trailer or one of the movie trailers.
• Have students do a book walk. Here they take a few minutes to look through the book, read the back, etc. Then, discuss what questions they have, any predictions, etc.
• Making detailed predictions- have students read the first few chapters and then make very detailed predictions. They keep these predictions in their folders so that they can check their predictions at the end of the novel.

Engaging Holes Novel Study Activities for During Reading

As students dive into the world of Holes, it’s important to keep their engagement and comprehension levels high. Here are some activities to enhance their reading experience:

• Writing Reflections- After reading part 1 of Holes, have students write a response answering the question below. You could do these responses for every part of the novel.
  • How can awful situations change a person’s life? Why does it change some people’s lives for the better and others for the worse?
• Reading SKill Work- Every few chapters pick a different skill to focus on. Look at the characters and analyze their personalities, do visualizations of the camp and what it looks like, and look at the point of view of each character during a tricky situation. 
• STEM Project- give students some treasure and have them hide it properly. Tell them to think about the story when they are creating their hideout. They have to explain why and how Kate Barlow would hide the treasure here.

Engaging Holes Novel Study Activities for Post-Reading

After completing the novel, it’s time to reflect on the story and reinforce comprehension. Here are some activities to wrap up the Holes novel study:

1. News Report– Students will create a news report that will come out once Camp Green Lake is investigated.

2. Make a Quiz Game Show- Students will take questions from the novel to make a quiz-type game show!

3. Write the Next Book– Can you predict what will happen next? If so, then write it out! With this project, you will write a children’s book that takes place after the end of this novel.

4. Book Commercial- Plan, film, and create a commercial to advertise Holes.

5. Act it Out- Students choose a scene from the novel and act it out. They plan their scene and their lines and then act in front of the class.

Conclusion: Enhancing the reading experience with engaging activities in the “Holes” novel study

In conclusion, incorporating engaging activities into your Holes novel study can make a world of difference in your 4th graders’ reading experience. 

If you want the entire study planned out for you, including discussion questions, vocabulary, and reading skills work for each chapter head below!