ESL Novel Study - Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir - Science Fiction

Ten new vocabulary words and their meanings are logged before students rate and review Andy Weir's 'Project Hail Mary' and write three diary entries as one of its characters.
Year levels
Years 8–11
Pages
2
File type
PDF
Preparation
Print ready

Updated Sep 27, 2026

Subject
Formal Writing, Creative Writing, ESL, Vocabulary, Writing, Language Development, English
Topic
ESL, English Second Language
Resource types
Novel Studies, Writing Prompts, Worksheets
Preparation
Print ready
Australian Curriculum content descriptions
AC9E10LE08 — create

From the author

About this resource

Respond to Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary with two ESL novel-study worksheets. Students record book information, log ten new words and meanings, place events on a timeline, describe a favourite chapter, and write a rating and review.

A creative task asks for three diary pages from a chosen character’s viewpoint, using three scenes. Supply the novel and separate writing paper; the worksheets provide the prompts and recording spaces.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Students record basic bibliographic information about the novel (author, genre, publishing date) in complete written responses.

  • Students build vocabulary by recording ten new words encountered in 'Project Hail Mary' alongside their meanings.

  • Students evaluate the novel by identifying a favourite chapter, explaining their reasoning, and writing a personal review with a rating.

  • Students compose three first-person diary entries from the point of view of a chosen character, describing distinct scenes from the novel.

Teaching tips

  • Assign the two vocabulary lists as an ongoing log while students read, rather than all at once after finishing the novel.

  • Use the favourite-chapter and review sections as a comprehension check before moving to the creative diary-writing task.

  • Walk through the diary assignment together before writing, since each of the three entries should revisit a different chapter from the chosen character's viewpoint.

  • Assign this novel study as a post-reading or end-of-unit activity once students have finished 'Project Hail Mary.'

Skills covered

  • Vocabulary building — students record ten new words from the novel and define their meanings in a matching list.

  • Reading comprehension and evaluation — students identify a favourite chapter, explain their reasoning, and rate and review the novel.

  • Narrative/diary writing — students write three first-person diary entries describing a chosen character's thoughts and experiences.

  • Bibliographic identification — students record the novel's author, genre and publication date.

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Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0)

Australian Curriculum content descriptions

Australian Curriculum content descriptions

  • AC9E10LE08 — create and edit literary texts with a sustained “voice”, selecting and adapting text structures, literary devices, and language, auditory and visual features for purposes and audiences

Core concepts

  • Vocabulary building

  • Reading comprehension

  • Character perspective

  • Novel review/rating

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