Number the Stars: Secrets, Silence & What Is Unsaid Hidden Information Evidence

Number the Stars: Secrets, Silence & What Is UnsaidHidden Information Evidence Wall | Grades 5–8

Help students investigate one of the most important patterns in Number the Stars: what characters choose not to say. In this no-prep lesson, students examine how Lois Lowry uses secrets, deliberate silence, and withheld information to develop characters, create tension, and explore courage and maturity.

Students investigate adult-to-child secrets, secrets within the Danish resistance, and information temporarily withheld from the reader. They trace specific moments from the novel, analyze who knows what and why information is hidden, examine the timing of an important reveal, and connect this pattern of secrecy to Annemarie’s growth and increasing responsibility. Students then organize their findings into a collaborative Hidden Information Evidence Wall.

Included
- Teacher Directions & Student Overview
- Mini Research Questions & Online Resources
- 5-Step Group Activity
- 3 Research, Analysis & Planning Pages
- Color + Black-and-White Student Pages

Why Teachers Love This
- No prep and ready to use
- Designed for 1–2 class periods of 45–60 minutes
- Encourages students to read between the lines
- Strengthens inference and textual-evidence skills
- Moves beyond plot summary into literary analysis
- Explores secrecy from multiple perspectives
- Connects author’s craft with character development and theme
- Combines individual analysis with collaborative learning

Perfect For
- Number the Stars novel studies
- Author’s craft
- Inference & implied meaning
- Collaborative ELA projects

Important Disclaimer
This is an independently created educational resource designed to accompany the novel Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or sponsored by Lois Lowry, the publisher of Number the Stars, or any related rights holder.

Number the Stars and its characters, storylines, settings, and other elements originating from the novel remain the intellectual property of their respective copyright holders. References to the novel, its characters, events, themes, and literary techniques are included solely for educational instruction, literary analysis, discussion, and classroom activities.

No text from the novel is reproduced or included in this resource. This product is not intended to replace the novel. Students and teachers must have access to legally obtained copies of Number the Stars to complete activities requiring reading, textual evidence, or reference to the text.

Purchase of this resource does not include a copy of the novel and does not grant permission to reproduce, distribute, scan, upload, or otherwise share the novel. All original worksheets, organizers, questions, activities, and instructional materials included in this resource are © 2026 GR Creative Creations and licensed for single-classroom use only.