A Long Walk to Water Novel Study | Two Communities in Need | Community Challenge

A Long Walk to Water Novel Study | Two Communities in Need | Community Challenges Investigation | Grades 6–8

Help students zoom out from Salva’s and Nya’s individual experiences to investigate the larger community challenges represented in A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. In this no-prep lesson, students examine how Salva’s storyline connects to civil war and displacement, while Nya’s storyline reveals the broader effects of water scarcity on an entire community.

Designed for Grades 6–8 and approximately 1–2 class periods, this lesson combines close reading, research, textual evidence, historical and contemporary context, collaboration, and deeper literary analysis.

Students Will
- Move from individual experiences to community-level challenges
- Examine the broader effects of civil war and displacement
- Investigate the community impact of water scarcity
- Gather and analyze textual evidence
- Research authoritative historical and contemporary context
- Connect novel evidence to real-world information
- Trace how challenges can affect individuals, families, and entire communities
- Distinguish between an individual experience and a shared challenge
- Analyze how Salva’s and Nya’s experiences reflect larger realities
- Consider the importance—and limitations—of using one person’s story to understand a broader issue

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

Group Activity: Community Challenges Investigation
Students become social researchers tasked with building a Community Challenges Investigation. Groups investigate the community impact of civil war, water scarcity, or both; gather textual evidence and authoritative outside research; and connect the characters’ individual experiences to larger historical and contemporary realities.
Students then explain why understanding this broader context helps readers develop a fuller understanding of the novel.

Perfect For
- A Long Walk to Water Novel Studies
- Middle School ELA
- Grades 6–8
- Historical & Social Context
- Close Reading
- Text Evidence Practice
- Research Skills
- Compare & Contrast
- Literary Analysis
- Sub Plans
- Independent Work

Why Teachers Love It
- No prep — print and teach
- Designed for 1–2 class periods
- Moves students beyond basic plot and character comprehension
- Connects literature to larger historical and contemporary realities
- Helps students distinguish between individual experiences and shared community challenges
- Integrates research naturally into a novel study
- Builds a clear progression from character → community → broader context
- Encourages students to connect textual and research evidence rather than study them separately
- Promotes thoughtful analysis without assuming one character represents every person’s experience
- 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.