Are you ready for reading lessons filled with words, wit, and wonder? If so these activities inspired by Frindle by Andrew Clements is just what you need. I’ve collected some of my favorite fun and creative ideas to accompany Frindle that I know will ignite the imaginations of your students and help them connect with the book.
Just in case Frindle is a new-to-you book, here’s a brief summary:
Frindle tells the tale of fifth-grader Nick Allen, a natural born leader among his peers. He’s a mischievous and inventive kid without fear when it comes to pushing back against adults. When Nick decides to create a new word—”frindle”—as a playful rebellion against his strict language arts teacher, Mrs. Granger, he sets off a chain of events that pulls his classmates, his school, and eventually the entire country into his prank. While he might have set out to teach his teacher a lesson, Nick ends up being the one to learn a thing or two about leadership, friendship, and the power of words.
One way to make any book more exciting for your students is to accompany the reading with some fun and creative extension activities. Here are my favorites for Frindle:
Frindle Yearbook Pages:
Encourage students to create a Frindle yearbook page featuring character traits for all the main characters. Students can analyze each character by examining what the author tells us, what other characters say about them, what they say about themselves, and their actions throughout the book. This activity promotes character analysis and critical thinking skills.
Exploring New Words:
Explore the fascinating world of word creation by discussing how words are added to the dictionary. Take a look at lists of new words from recent years, such as “rizz” (short for charisma) and “porch pirate” (someone who steals delivery packages from the front door of the intended recipient). Engage students in a discussion about the evolution of language and how new words enter our lexicon.
Our Class Dictionary:
Start an “Our Class Dictionary” filled with words made up by your students. Encourage students to create and define their own words, fostering a sense of ownership and community within the classroom. This collaborative project celebrates creativity and individuality while promoting vocabulary development.
Commercial Creations:
Divide students into small groups and challenge them to create commercials advertising frindles for sale. How persuasive can your copywriters be? Who has a knack for sales? Is there a natural pitchman in your midst? Kids are sure to have fun writing and filming commercials, then enjoy the laughter as groups share the commercials with the class.
The Power of Handwritten Letters:
Discuss the significance of handwritten letters in today’s digital age, particularly in light of Mrs. Granger’s meaningful letter to Nick toward the end of the book. Reflect on the impact of receiving a handwritten letter and the personal connection it fosters. Then, have students write letters to the author, Andrew Clements, sharing their favorite aspects of Frindle. Send the letters to the publisher, who can forward them to Mr. Clements. This activity not only promotes literacy and writing skills but also allows students to express their appreciation for the author’s work.
Amid the Frindle fun, don’t forget to follow through with reading comprehension, literary analysis, and writing activities using a high-quality novel study like this one:
Frindle is more than just a book—it’s a celebration of language, imagination, and the power of words to shape our world…and like any celebration it’s meant to be tons of fun! Try one or two of these Frindle activities and let me know how it goes.