1. Word Association: Give students a word related to literature and have them quickly write down as many words as they can think of that are associated with it. For example, if the word is “book,” students might write down words like “reading,” “story,” “author,” etc. This activity gets students thinking about literature and activates their prior knowledge.

2. Quote Analysis: Provide students with a famous quote from a literary work and ask them to analyze its meaning and significance. They can discuss the quote in pairs or small groups and then share their interpretations with the class. This activity encourages critical thinking and discussion about literature.

3. Character Charades: Write the names of famous literary characters on slips of paper and have students take turns acting out the character without speaking while their classmates guess who they are. This activity not only gets students moving and energized, but also helps them recall and engage with different literary characters.

4. Literary Trivia: Create a trivia game with questions about famous authors, books, and literary terms. Divide the class into teams and have them compete to answer the questions. This activity tests students’ knowledge of literature and can spark interesting discussions about different works.

5. Book Pass: Have students bring in a book they have recently read or are currently reading. Start a timer and have students pass their books around the room, stopping the timer at random intervals. When the timer stops, students must read a page or paragraph from the book they are holding. This activity exposes students to different books and can generate curiosity and interest in literature.

6. Literary Would You Rather: Present students with a series of “Would You Rather” scenarios related to literature. For example, “Would you rather be able to visit any fictional world or have the ability to talk to any literary character?” Students can discuss their choices and explain their reasoning, fostering critical thinking and creativity.

7. Literary Pictionary: Divide the class into teams and give each team a whiteboard or large sheet of paper. Provide a list of literary terms, book titles, or famous quotes and have one student from each team draw the word or phrase while their teammates try to guess what it is. This activity encourages teamwork, creativity, and familiarity with literary concepts.

Remember, the key to a successful warm-up activity is to make it engaging, interactive, and relevant to the literature class.