Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Notes from the Midnight Driver employs specific songs to convey meaning and reflect growth.

• What songs are used in the novel to convey meaning and show growth in the characters? (topic sentence)
• Describe the songs used in the novel and explain why each song is significant to the characters. Then, describe how each song reflects the personal growth of one or more characters.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why the author used music to connect the characters in the novel.

2. Alex refers to several mistakes he makes throughout text, starting with the drunk driving accident.

• What are Alex’s major mistakes, and why does he keep returning to them? (topic sentence)
• Describe at least three mistakes Alex mentions in the novel, why he made the mistakes, and how he grows as a result of each one.