Great Expectations Differentiated Novel Study | ELA Literature | Dickens Lit Set for High School

Problem: Many teachers want to teach Great Expectations, but the original text length and classic diction can turn a powerful novel into a pacing struggle—especially in mixed-level classrooms where some students are ready for the full challenge and others shut down early. Planning two separate tracks usually doubles prep time, fractures discussion, and makes assessment feel inconsistent.

Here’s the solution: This differentiated novel study is a complete digital lit-set that solves that problem with one unified instructional path. It includes the complete original text and a five-part adapted version that preserves the story’s core events, character dynamics, and themes while reducing cognitive load for developing readers.

Every discussion question, multiple-choice exit quiz, short-answer item, and challenge question works for both tracks, so students reading different versions can still participate in the same lesson flow, the same conversations, and the same assessments without “watered down” expectations.

Perfect for Grades 9–10 classrooms focused on evidence-based discussion, character and theme analysis, craft moves (tone, setting, symbolism, structure), and writing that defends interpretive claims using text support.

Quick Guide for Teachers:

Adapted-Only Track (Fastest: 5-Day Model)

• Best for Grades 9–10 classes that need a manageable, one-week novel experience.
• Day 1–5: Students read one adapted part per day and use the matching Main Ideas & Themes Discussion Questions and self-grading multiple-choice quiz.
• End the week with the Final Worksheet (Vocabulary Words, Short Answer Questions, and Challenge Questions).
• This track keeps lessons tight, predictable, and complete in five days.

Original-Only Track (Longer: Multi-Day Per Section)

• Ideal for stronger readers or classes ready for original language and sentence structure.
• Students read the original chapters aligned to each adapted Part
• Use the same Discussion Questions, MC exit quizzes, and Final Worksheet; all items are text-accurate for both versions.
• Vocabulary Words (10) are usable for both tracks, because each word appears in both the adapted text and the corresponding original chapters.
• This track preserves the full descriptive style and classic voice while giving you ready-made, age-appropriate assessments.

Dual-Track Differentiation (Mixed Readers, Flexible Timelines)

• Lets your entire class study the same plot, scenes, and themes at the same time—even when some students need the adapted text and others handle the full novel.
• Assign adapted Part 1 to students who need a shorter, clearer text and original corresponding chapters to students reading the full text; repeat this pattern through Parts 2–5 (timing will depend on your classroom's reading level)
• Give original-text students multiple days per section while adapted-text students reread key scenes, complete vocabulary tasks, and tackle discussion questions in pairs or small groups.
• All assessments are usable for both tracks: Discussion Questions, MC Exit Quizzes for each Part, and the Final Worksheet (Vocabulary, Short Answer, and Challenge Questions). 

What’s the Tradeoff of Using the Adapted Version?

Pros:

• Reduces the novel to a fraction of its original length, fitting neatly into a one-week unit.
• Well suited for shorter attention spans and developing readers in Grades 9-10
• Preserves core narrative elements, characters, and themes
• Far better than skipping the book entirely due to time limits or reading-level concerns.
• Works for whole-class read-alouds, small-group novel studies, independent reading, or focused close-reading lessons.

Cons:

• Omits some original language, side scenes, and descriptive passages for brevity, so students do not see every nuance of the original author's style.
• Leaves fewer opportunities for deep line-by-line stylistic analysis than a full-length, multi-week novel study.

Bottom Line:

If you have the time and budget, nothing beats the feel of a real paperback in every student’s hands. But when time, copies, and reading levels are real constraints, a digital literature set like this—adapted text + original text mapping + shared assessments—lets you bring this classic novel into your classroom instead of leaving it on the “maybe someday” shelf. If you were to buy traditional paperbacks at about $7 per book for 30 students, that is a $210 investment. This digital lit-set gives you a reusable, print-friendly alternative you can adapt for many years and multiple groups.

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[FREE DOWNLOAD] The Great Gatsby Differentiated Novel Study | Lit Set

This product includes a zip file consisting of:

NOTE: All files are editable and include (PDF, DOCX, PPTX, Google Docs/Slides/Forms)

Full Original Text: ~184,000 words | 7.5 Flesch-Kincaid GL

• Lexile Ranges: ~1000L - 1370L | CEFR ~B2
• Great for advanced readers (or 8–10 graders), extension groups, longer-term novel studies.

Adapted Version Text: ~15,000 words | 5.0 Flesch-Kincaid GL

• Lexile Ranges: ~830L - 1070L | CEFR ~A2+ / B1
• On-level Grade 6 readers
• Supported Grade 8-10 readers
• *Both versions tell the same story, allowing students to participate in shared discussions even when reading different texts.

Student Final Worksheet/Quizzes (PPTX, Google Slides/Forms)

• 10 Vocabulary Words
• 10 Short Answer Recall/Comprehension
• 5 Challenge Questions (synthesis, analysis, themes, real life connection)
• 5 Multiple Choice Quizzes (20 Questions) (1 per part)

Teacher’s Guide & Answer Key

• 5 Sets of Daily Discussion Questions (1 per part)
• 5 Sets of Self-Graded Exit Quizzes (1 per part, 20Qs each)
• Answer Keys for Vocab, Short Answer, and Challenge Questions
• Key Figures & Places reference sheets to help students track characters and settings

Adapted Version Summary

Part 1 – Marsh Fear and First Shame Adapted from: Chapters I–XI of the original novel. Pip is terrorized by an escaped convict and pressured into stealing, which plants guilt and secrecy at the root of his childhood. At Satis House, Miss Havisham’s decayed world and Estella’s contempt teach Pip to see himself through class shame. He begins to confuse worth with appearance, and humiliation becomes fuel for ambition. The Part ends with Pip longing to escape the identity he was born into.

Part 2 – Apprenticeship and Hidden Violence Adapted from: Chapters XII–XIX of the original novel. Pip’s apprenticeship binds him to the forge even as his mind stays trapped in the spell of Satis House. Biddy offers real learning and honest perspective, while resentment and tension grow around the edges of Pip’s life. A violent attack shatters the household and exposes how fragile “normal” can be. Jaggers’s announcement gives Pip a path out, but it also tests his loyalty and character.

Part 3 – London Lessons and Quiet Betrayals Adapted from: Chapters XX–XXVIII of the original novel. London overwhelms Pip, and he learns that power often looks like professional control rather than open brutality. Herbert becomes Pip’s closest friend and guide, helping him understand manners while also warning him about self-deception. Pip begins spending to keep up appearances, turning insecurity into waste and distance. Joe’s visit reveals how reinvention can become a quiet betrayal of the people who loved him first.

Part 4 – Broken Assumptions and the Return of the Past Adapted from: Chapters XXIX–XXXIX of the original novel. Pip witnesses how Wemmick divides office coldness from private warmth, exposing what London’s systems can demand from a person’s emotions. Estella’s social future sharpens Pip’s jealousy and confusion, while debt reveals the fragility behind “expectations.” After a return home marked by grief and reflection, Pip confronts the limits of his own certainty about who made him. The Part turns when the past arrives in person and claims ownership of Pip’s rise.

Part 5 – Consequences, Illness, and Repair Adapted from: Chapters XL–LIX of the original novel. Pip chooses obligation over reputation by trying to protect the man tied to his fortune, even as his social identity collapses. Estella’s marriage and Miss Havisham’s unraveling force Pip to face the damage caused by manipulation and by his own fantasies. The escape attempt fails, the law closes in, and Pip discovers what consequences look like when money cannot protect anyone. After loss, illness, and forgiveness, Pip’s final outlook is steadier because it is no longer built on illusion.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Adapted Great Expectations Novel Study

Can I use the adapted text for reluctant or below-level readers without lowering the rigor of the unit? Yes. The adapted version is approximately 15,000 words at a Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of 5.0, written for clarity while preserving the novel’s essential events, character dynamics, and themes. Students can access the story’s complexity through the same Grade 9 discussions, quizzes, short answers, and Challenge Questions because every task is designed to remain answerable on either track.

Is this aligned to high school ELA standards for the listed grade band? Yes, the tasks and discussions are built around defensible RL.9–10 standards (evidence, theme, character development, word meaning, structure), SL.9–10 standards (collaborative discussion and presentation), and L.9–10 standards (academic vocabulary and word meaning) in a way that matches Grades 9–10 expectations for text-dependent analysis.

How does the differentiation work if half my class reads the original and half reads the adapted version? Both tracks follow the same five-part pacing and chapter mapping, so you teach one lesson sequence while students read at different levels. Students complete the same discussions and assessments because prompts target shared plot events, decisions, and themes present in both versions. This keeps whole-class conversations coherent while reducing prep, grading complexity, and pacing conflicts.

This is a complete, no-prep Great Expectations unit that lets you run one set of rigorous assessments and discussions while students read either the full original or the adapted five-part version.

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CCSS Standards

Reading Literature: CCSS RL.9-10.1, CCSS RL.9-10.2, CCSS RL.9-10.3, CCSS RL.9-10.4, CCSS RL.9-10.5, CCSS RL.9-10.6, CCSS RL.11-12.1, CCSS RL.11-12.2, CCSS RL.11-12.3, CCSS RL.11-12.4, CCSS RL.11-12.5, CCSS RL.11-12.6

Speaking & Listening: CCSS SL.9-10.1, CCSS SL.11-12.1

Language: CCSS L.9-10.4, CCSS L.11-12.4

Anchor Standards: CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.3, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.5, CCRA.R.6, CCRA.W.1, CCRA.W.2, CCRA.W.9, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2, CCRA.L.4