A Long Walk to Water Novel Study | Two Kinds of Survival|Survival Evidence Board

A Long Walk to Water Novel Study | Two Kinds of Survival | Survival Evidence Board | Grades 6–8

Help students explore the theme of survival in A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park with this engaging no-prep literary analysis lesson. Students investigate how survival means something genuinely different within Salva’s and Nya’s storylines and use textual evidence to examine the specific demands each character faces.
Rather than simply concluding that both characters are “survivors,” students examine the difference between immediate physical danger and quieter, sustained hardship and consider why both experiences represent significant forms of survival.

Designed for Grades 6–8 and approximately 1–2 class periods, this lesson combines close reading, research, textual evidence, collaboration, comparison, and thematic analysis.

Students Will
- Examine what survival specifically requires from Salva and Nya
- Analyze immediate physical danger vs. ongoing endurance
- Identify the physical, emotional, and long-term demands of survival
- Gather and evaluate textual evidence
- Consider sacrifice, uncertainty, repetition, and opportunity cost
- Connect individual pieces of evidence to larger patterns
- Compare two different experiences without treating them as identical
- Move from evidence → pattern → idea → theme
- Develop a more nuanced understanding of survival as a literary theme

What’s Included
- Teacher Directions & Lesson Overview
- Mini Research Questions
- Survival Evidence Board Group Activity
- 3 Student Research, Planning & Analysis Pages
- Text Evidence & Thematic Analysis Activities
- Final Reflection
- Color + Ink-Friendly Black-and-White Versions

Group Activity: Survival Evidence Board
Students become thematic researchers tasked with creating a Survival Evidence Board. Groups choose to focus on physical danger, ongoing endurance, or both equally; gather specific textual evidence; organize their findings; and explain what their evidence reveals about the different meanings survival can take.

Perfect For
- A Long Walk to Water Novel Studies
- Middle School ELA
- Grades 6–8
- Theme Analysis
- Character Analysis
- Close Reading
- Text Evidence Practice
- Sub Plans
- Independent Work
- Extension Activities

Why Teachers Love It
- No prep — print and teach
- Designed for 1–2 class periods
- Moves students beyond basic plot comprehension
- Makes abstract theme analysis concrete and accessible
- Encourages students to use specific evidence rather than generalizations
- Helps students recognize that survival can take very different forms
- Builds a clear progression from understanding → evidence → analysis → theme
- Encourages thoughtful comparison without oversimplifying the characters’ experiences
- Combines independent thinking with collaborative learning
- Includes both color and printer-friendly black-and-white versions

Important Novel Disclaimer
This is an independently created educational resource designed to support teaching and learning about A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or sponsored by Linda Sue Park, her publisher, or any related rights holder.
A Long Walk to Water and its characters, storylines, settings, and other elements originating from the novel remain the intellectual property of their respective rights holders. The novel itself is not included with this resource, and no part of the novel is reproduced as a substitute for the book.
Students and teachers will need access to a legally obtained copy of A Long Walk to Water for activities requiring them to read or reference the text. Purchase of this resource does not include a copy of the novel or permission to reproduce, distribute, scan, upload, or otherwise share the novel.