Killing Mr. Griffin Lois Duncan novel study full lessons, CLICK HERE for lesson on TpT.

The suspense novel Killing Mr. Griffin Lois Duncan is a compelling story about high school students who attempt to kidnap their teacher, only to have things spiral out of control. It is an exciting work of fiction that can be used to engage students and encourage meaningful classroom conversations about important topics like peer pressure, morality, and consequences. Here are some tips on how to effectively use this novel in the classroom setting.

Create Discussion Questions
The key to teaching this novel is to create discussion questions that will get your students thinking more deeply about the book’s themes and characters. Ask questions like “How do you think the students felt when they realized they had gone too far?” or “What did each character learn from their experience?” Encourage your students to consider the motivations behind different characters’ actions and how those decisions had lasting consequences for everyone involved.

Encourage Creative Writing Projects
This novel lends itself well to creative writing projects that explore characters’ perspectives or provide alternate endings. Have your students write stories from different points of view or create dramatic monologues for each character that explore their feelings before, during, and after the events of the novel. These projects will help your students gain a better understanding of the book while also honing their creative writing skills.

Allow Time for Reflection
At the end of your unit on this novel, make sure you provide time for reflection so that your students can discuss what they learned from it as well as any moral lessons that stood out most strongly for them. This reflective activity will allow them to think critically about what happened in the book and connect it with real-life situations they may have experienced themselves or observed among their peers.

Identify Common Themes and Motifs
Killing Mr. Griffin is full of common themes that students can easily relate to, such as friendship, loyalty, guilt, revenge, and justice. As you read aloud from the book or assign individual chapters to student groups, have them identify themes and motifs that appear throughout the story. This will help them gain an understanding of how these themes contribute to the overall plot—and how they may be relevant in their own lives as well.

Incorporate Group Activities
Group activities are an effective way to bring life to any novel study, including Killing Mr. Griffin. Have students explore specific aspects of the book together by assigning them tasks such as creating character sketches or creating timelines charting the actions of each character throughout the story. You can also ask students to create their own alternate endings using digital media tools like Adobe Spark or Flipgrid. These activities will help engage their creativity while also allowing them to explore different elements of the novel in greater depth than they would otherwise have access to on their own.

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Discuss Moral Implications
The events that unfold during Killing Mr. Griffin Lois Duncan are dramatic and often morally ambiguous—which makes it an ideal text for exploring ethical dilemmas with your class! After completing group activities related to specific characters or scenes from the novel, encourage your students to discuss what they think happened—and why—from both a moral and legal standpoint. This type of discussion will get your students thinking critically about difficult topics in ways that are both meaningful and relevant to their lives outside of school walls as well!

Pre-Reading Activities
Before diving into Killing Mr. Griffin Lois Duncan, it’s important to give students some background information about the book and its context. Discussing the author’s life, her other works, and what was happening in society at the time of publication can all help put this book into perspective. Additionally, you could ask your students questions such as: Why do you think it’s important to talk about stories like this one? What questions do you have? How do they think different characters will react in various situations? Getting your students to think critically before they start reading will help them better understand and engage with the text once they begin reading it.

In-Class Reading & Discussion
As your class progresses through the text, be sure to stop frequently for discussion breaks. Speaking openly about each character’s motivations and mistakes can open up interesting conversations about morality, peer pressure, and responsibility. You could also ask your students questions such as: How would you handle each situation differently from the characters? What do you think should happen next? How does this story relate to our lives today? Allowing your students to share their opinions and thoughts is key to creating an engaging environment where everyone feels comfortable participating actively in lessons.

Group Work & Creative Projects
Killing Mr Griffin Lois Duncan lends itself well to small group work or creative projects, giving students an opportunity for self-expression while still learning valuable lessons from the text. For example, you could divide your class into groups and have them create skits or videos showing different scenarios between characters or ask them create artwork that illustrates certain scenes or themes from the novel; either way, these activities will keep your student engaged while helping them learn more deeply about the book’s content as well as how their own decisions may affect those around them.

Teaching Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan can be both engaging and educational for your class! Through thoughtful discussion questions, creative writing projects, and time for reflection at the end of your unit, you can help your students understand how one momentary bad decision can have far-reaching consequences on everyone involved—and ultimately lead them toward making better choices in life! By using this suspense novel as an opportunity for learning and growth, you can ensure that these valuable lessons stick with your class long after they leave the classroom!