Having students choose a favorite quote or dialogue from the book allows them to express which parts of the story resonated with them on a personal level. In this way, students are making a text-to-self connection that demonstrates their understanding of the characters and their development or the themes of the novel. Students can share their storyboards afterwards and have a short discussion about what the quote or dialogue means to them and why they chose it.
Some students may end up choosing the same quote or dialogue, but have different perspectives. This is always interesting for students to see and can open up a discussion as to how not everyone can read the same lines in the same way based on their own perspectives and personal experiences.
“Amil is only being all he knows how to be. But I guess Papa is, too. I guess we all are. It’s just that some people are better and being than others.”
“‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.’ Papa had used those words before. They were Gandhiji’s words.”
“Maybe if Papa finds out and her parents find out, they will see that we’re just two lonely girls who want to be friends. How could a friendship be dangerous?”
“It feels scary to talk, because once the words are out, you can’t put them back in. But if you write words and they don’t come out the way you want them to, you can erase them and start over.”
“Sometimes the world as you know it just decides to become something else.”
“Kazi tells me stories about you once in a while. I hardly ask him to tell me about you, though, because I’m afraid that the stories might run out. I want to save them, like a treat.”
“I had never wondered about being safe before. I just thought I was.”
“Were we just at the mercy of leaders who couldn't agree?”
“All that suffering, all that death, for nothing. I will never understand, as long as I live, how a country could change overnight from a line drawn.”
“I took in Kazi’s words, let them dance and twirl in my head, replayed them over and over like a beautiful piece of music.”
“Sometimes the world as you know it just decides to become something else. This is our destiny now.”
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies your favorite quote or dialogue in The Night Diary. Illustrate your quote and write what it means to you.
Student Instructions:
Inspire students to keep a dedicated journal for collecting, analyzing, and reflecting on their favorite quotes from The Night Diary throughout the reading unit. This ongoing activity builds critical thinking and helps students track their personal growth and shifting perspectives as the story unfolds.
Ask each student (or small groups) to keep a notebook or digital document for recording quotes that stand out to them. Encourage ownership by letting them decorate the cover or choose a format that excites them.
Demonstrate choosing a quote that connects to a theme, character, or personal experience. Explain why that quote resonates and how it relates to the story or your own life.
After recording a quote, have students write a few sentences about what it means to them or how it connects to the novel’s themes. Prompt them to consider character motivations, conflicts, or their own feelings.
Host quick quote circles weekly where students share a favorite entry. Celebrate diverse perspectives and encourage respectful discussion about the different meanings students find in the text.
A favorite quote activity for The Night Diary involves students choosing a meaningful quote or dialogue from the novel, illustrating it, and explaining its personal significance. This helps students connect to the story and express their understanding of its themes.
Encourage students to select a quote or dialogue that resonates with them, illustrate it, and discuss its meaning. This process fosters text-to-self connections and deeper comprehension of the characters and themes.
Sharing favorite quotes lets students see different perspectives and interpretations, promoting empathy and richer classroom discussions about the novel’s themes and character development.
Examples include: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” and “Sometimes the world as you know it just decides to become something else.” Such quotes highlight the novel’s key themes and emotional moments.
The best approach is to have students choose a quote, create an illustration, and write about its meaning. This sequence encourages creative thinking and personal reflection on the text.