DIARY OF A WIMPY KID
LITERACY ACTIVITY KITS
Consistency is Key
WITS has always understood that consistency is key when it comes to empowering readers. WITS staff, mentors, and students show up every week to share in the joy of reading. Because we are not always able to read in person together, WITS is here to continue to provide the joy of reading to anyone who needs it. We are excited to share these literacy activities for students reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. WITS has broken down the book into six themes to be studied in six weeks. Each week you will learn something new as you read your copy of the book.
Week one
CharactersThis week you will be reading pages 1-35 of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. Before you get started, take a look at the Reading Guide linked at the top of the page. You’ll be moving through this organizer section by section, as you read through the book. Completing the guide as you go will help you remember what’s going on in the story week to week.
Today, you will focus on the first activity—identifying characters! As you read, be sure to list any characters that are mentioned in the story. Put a star next to the main character or characters (that’s who the book is primarily about) and a check mark next to supporting characters (they interact with your main character, but aren’t the central focus). Characters drive the action of a story, so it’s very important to understand who is involved in the plot as you begin reading!
Week two
SettingThis week you will be reading pages 36-74 of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. Today, you will focus on the second activity—identifying settings! As you read think about the settings you visit in this book. The setting is when and where the story takes place. Remember, a novel may include multiple settings, so think about where you’ve been so far, and where you might visit in your reading today.
Week tHREE
VocabularyThis week you will be reading pages 74-89 of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. Today, you will focus on our third activity—building vocabulary! As you read jot down five new or unfamiliar words, and search for their definitions by clicking on this link. Learning new words and phrases is one of the most exciting parts of reading! If you’re struggling to find any new words, you can always revisit earlier parts of the story.
Week FOUR
Making ConnectionsThis week you will be reading pages 90-141 of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. Today, you will focus on the fourth activity—making connections! As you read, be sure to practice this skill. You have space in your Reading Guide to make a Text to Self connection (connecting the story to your own life experiences), a Text to Text connection (connecting the characters, setting, or events from one story to another), and a Text to World connection (connecting the story to real-world events, your school, or community). This is a great skill to practice, as it helps make the story more personally meaningful.
Week FIVE
VisualizationThis week you will be reading pages 142-179 of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. Today, we will focus on our fifth activity—visualization! As you read, exercise your creativity! You can choose your two favorite scenes (either from our section today, or from previous weeks) and draw them on your Reading Guide. If you’re not a fan of drawing, don’t worry! You can always write a few descriptive sentences of your favorite scenes, using lots of adjectives to paint a picture with your words.
Week SIX
SummarizationThis week you will be finishing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, reading pages 180-217! Today, you will focus on your final activity—summarization! The last section of your Reading Guide gives you space to summarize the book in three sentences. Remember, when giving a summary, only include the most important, essential details to the story. When you’re done with your summary, you have a big decision to make! Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not? Think about how the book made you feel, and if you enjoyed it overall.
