Miss Nelson Is Missing, the beloved children’s book by Harry Allard and James Marshall, tells the story of a kind teacher who is taken for granted by her students. When Miss Nelson goes missing and her strict substitute, Miss Viola Swamp takes over, students quickly learn to appreciate their former teacher. The following 17 activity ideas can help students engage with the story and develop their creativity, critical thinking, and social skills.
1. Character Comparison: Have students create Venn diagrams comparing the characters of Miss Nelson and Miss Viola Swamp. Students can discuss their findings in pairs or small groups.
2. Write a News Report: Encourage students to write a news report about the mysterious disappearance of Miss Nelson. They can brainstorm lead stories and interview quotes from classmates about how they feel about her absence.
3. Classroom Roleplay: Students can role-play as Miss Nelson, Miss Viola Swamp, or other characters in the story and reenact key scenes from the book.
4. Create Missing Posters: Ask students to design ‘Missing’ posters for Miss Nelson, using descriptive words to encourage her return.
5. Write Letters to Miss Nelson: Encourage students to write apology letters to Miss Nelson for their behavior before she went missing.
6. Solve A Mystery: Transform your classroom into a detective agency where students investigate clues to find out what happened to Miss Nelson.
7. Costume Design: Let your class design costumes for the characters in the story to create a class fashion show or play based on the book.
8. Story Sequencing: Students can practice sequencing events from the story in chronological order using sentence strips or storyboard illustrations.
9. Write Alternate Endings: Encourage creative writing by having students imagine different outcomes for the story if things had gone differently.
10. Book Review Podcast: Have students create a podcast episode reviewing “Miss Nelson Is Missing” and discussing their favorite parts of the book.
11. Discuss Classroom Rules: After reading the story, have a classroom discussion about what rules students would like to have in place and why they are important.
12. Create New Adventures for Miss Nelson: Ask students to write stories featuring Miss Nelson in new adventures or scenarios.
13. Compare Other Books: Students can compare “Miss Nelson Is Missing” with similar children’s stories about teachers and schools, such as “My Teacher is a Monster” by Peter Brown or “The Magic School Bus” series by Joanna Cole.
14. Learn About Author & Illustrator: Assign students to research the author Harry Allard and the illustrator James Marshall, then present their findings to the class.
15. Classroom Bulletin Board: Design a classroom bulletin board based on the theme of “Miss Nelson Is Missing,” showcasing student work, such as illustrations, writing samples, or photographs of class activities.
16. Vocabulary Building: Develop vocabulary skills by having students identify challenging words from the story and putting them into sentences or creating vocabulary flashcards.
17. Reader’s Theater: Organize a Reader’s Theater performance, where students take on roles from the story and read from script adaptations of the book.
These ideas provide a variety of ways for students to connect with “Miss Nelson Is Missing,” fostering their curiosity, creativity, and love for literature while enhancing their educational experience.
