Better Book Reports:
25 Ideas
1. MAKE A BOOK REPORT
In a recent posting to the TeachTalk
Mailing List, one teacher shared an idea that incorporates some of
the basic ingredients of a good book report and sandwiches in a lot more fun!
Her idea: book report sandwiches!
The teacher commissioned a friend to draw slices of
ham, tomato, and Swiss cheese; lettuce leaves; a layer of mayonnaise, and a
couple of slices of bread. Then she photocopied the drawings onto appropriately
colored sheets of paper -- ham on pink, tomato on red, Swiss cheese on yellow,
etc. The sheets served as the ingredients for her students' book report
sandwiches.
- On
the top slice of bread, each student wrote the title and the author of the
book the student had just finished reading.
- On
the lettuce, the student wrote a brief summary of the book.
- The
student wrote about the main character on the tomato slice.
- On
the mayonnaise, the student described the book's setting.
- The
student shared the book's climax on the Swiss cheese.
- On
the ham slice, the student described the plot.
- On
the bottom piece of bread, the student drew a favorite scene from the
story.
Students stapled together their sandwich layers, then
slapped their concoctions up on a bulletin board headlined "We're Hungry
for Good Books!"
The project made fun out of what can be a pretty
hum-drum activity. Even better, the bulletin board served as a menu for
students who were ravenous for a good read. All they had to do was grab a
sandwich to learn whether a particular book might satisfy their appetites!
2. BOOK IN A BAG, AN ENVELOPE, AN OATMEAL BOX …
Laura Hayden was looking for something to liven up
book report writing for her students at
After choosing and reading a book, each student
selected a book report container. The container could be a plastic bag, a
manila envelope, a can, or anything else that might be appropriate for a book.
Students decorated their containers to convey some of the major details,
elements, or themes found in the books.
When the containers were complete, students went to
work on the contents of their containers. They were instructed to include the
following:
- Questions Write ten
questions based on the book. Five of the questions can be about general
content, but the other five must require more thinking.
- Vocabulary Create a
ten-word glossary of unfamiliar words from the book.
- Things Include five
things that have a connection to the story.
The third and final part of the project was the
student presentation. Each student presented a "Book in a…" project
to the class. In the presentation, the student explained the connection of the
container to the story, conducted a show and tell about the five things, and
then shared information about three of the book's literary elements -- setting,
characters, conflicts, climax, or resolution.
If you've been working on other
literary elements with your students -- foreshadowing, personification, or
flashbacks, for example -- you might give extra credit to students for pointing
out those elements in their books.
"I'm amazed at students' creativity in choosing a
container and the 3-D objects they place inside," Hayden told Education
World.
Why not challenge your students' creativity? Adapt
Hayden's idea to fit your students' needs and skills!
23 MORE IDEAS!
Are you worried that some of the ideas that follow
will be too much fun? that there will be too little
emphasis on writing? Take a look!
- The
ideas appeal to many different learning styles.
- Many
of the ideas involve making choices, organizing information -- and
writing!
- Most
of the ideas will provide teachers with a clear idea about whether
students actually read the book.
- And
all the ideas will engage students, help make books come alive for
them, and challenge them to think in different ways about the books they
read!
If an idea doesn't include enough writing, creative
(sneaky!) teachers will usually find a way to work it in use the idea to
supplement or replace parts of favorite book report formats.
On with the ideas!
3. Descriptive writing. (Use this activity to supplement a class lesson in
descriptive prose writing.) Have each student read aloud the best example of
descriptive prose found in the book he or she is currently reading. The student
should write a paragraph explaining why the excerpt is a particularly good
example of descriptive prose. The paragraph might include some of the
adjectives the author used to set the scene.
4. Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down! Each student writes a review of the book he or she
just finished reading -- in the style of a movie review. The student concludes
by awarding a thumbs up or thumbs down on the book.
This activity could be even more fun if two students read the same book. They
could plan a lively interaction, a la and Ebert and Roeper,
about the book, which could be videotaped for all to see!
5. Character Trait Diagram. Each student creates a Venn diagram to illustrate
similarities and differences in the traits of two of the main characters in a
book just completed. (A student might elect to create a Venn diagram showing
similarities and differences between the book's main character and the
student!)
6. Surfing the Net. Where did the story take place? When did it take place? Each student
surfs the Net to find five Internet sites that others might check out before
they read the book so they will know more about the book's setting or time
period.
7. Write a Letter to the Author. After reading a book, each student shares reactions
to the book in a letter written to its author. If a student writes to an author
who is still alive, you might actually mail the letter.
8. Sell It!
Each student pretends to be a publicist for the book that's just been read. The
student writes and then delivers a 60-second speech that will persuade other
students that they should read the book. Writing and speaking persuasively will
be especially difficult if the student didn't like the book. If that's the
case, the student can share that fact after completing the speech.
9. Create a Card Catalog. After reading a book, a student completes an index
card with information about the book. The front of the card includes details
such as title, author, and date published along with a two- to three-sentence
synopsis of the book. On the back of the card, the student writes a paragraph
critiquing the book. Students might even rate the book using a teacher-created
five-star rating system. Example: A five-star book is "highly recommended;
a book you can't put down." Completed cards are kept in a card file near
the classroom bookshelf or in the school library.
10. Interview a Character. Each student composes six to eight questions to ask a
main character in a book just completed. The student also writes the
character's response to each question. The questions and answers should provide
information that shows the student read the book without giving away the most
significant details.
11. Ten Facts.
Each student creates a "Ten Facts About [book title]" sheet that
lists ten facts he or she learned from reading the book. The facts, written in
complete sentences, must include details the student didn't know before reading
the book.
12. Script It!
Each student writes a movie script for a favorite scene in a book just read. At
the top of the script, the student can assign real-life TV or movie stars to
play each role. The student might also work with classmates to perform the favorite
scene.
13. Concentration. Each student will need 30 index cards to create a Concentration-style
game related to a book just finished. The student chooses 14 things,
characters, or events that played a part in the book and creates two cards that
have identical pictures of each of those things. The two remaining cards are
marked Wild Card! Then the student turns all 30 cards facedown and mixes them
up. Each student can choose a partner with whom to play according to the rules
of Concentration.
14. What Did You Learn? Each student writes a summary of what he or she
learned from a book just completed. The summary might include factual
information, something learned about people in general, or something the
student learned about himself or herself.
15. Glossary and Word Search. Each student creates a glossary of ten or more words
that are specific to a book's tone, setting, or characters. The student defines
each word and writes a sentence from the book that includes that word. Then the
student creates a word search puzzle that includes the glossary words. Students
can exchange their glossaries and word searches with others in the class.
16. In the News! Each student creates the front page of a newspaper
that tells about events and characters in a book just read. The newspaper page
might include weather reports, an editorial or editorial cartoon, ads, etc. The
title of the newspaper should be something appropriate to the book.
17. Create a Comic Book. Each student can turn a book, or part of it, into a
comic book, complete with comic-style illustrations and dialogue bubbles.
18. Characters Come to Life! Each student creates life-size "portraits"
of one of the characters from a book just read. The portrait should include a
written piece that tells about the character. The piece might also include
information about events, traits, or conflicts in the book that involve that
character. Hang the students' portraits in a class gallery.
19. Prove It in Five Minutes! Each student gives a 150-second (2½-minute) oral
presentation in which he or she shares information about a book's plot and
characters. The student closes the presentation by offering an opinion and
recommendation about the book. Then students in the audience have 150 seconds
to question the presenter about the book. If the presenter is able to prove in
five minutes that he or she read the book, the student is excused from filing a
written report about it.
20. Picture Books. After reading a book, each student creates a picture book version of
the story that would appeal to younger students. The students can then share
the picture books with a group of young students.
21. Resume Writing. As a tie-in to your career education program, challenge each student
to create a resume for a book character. The student should include in the
resume a statement of the applicant's goals and a detailed account of his or
her experience and outside interests.
22. Character Trait Chart. Each student creates a chart with three columns. Each
column is headed with the name of one of the book's characters. As the student
reads the book, he or she can keep a record of the traits each character
possesses and include an incident that supports each trait.
23. Theme Report. Challenge each student to select a concept or a thing from the book
just finished and to use library or Internet resources to explore it further.
The student then writes a two-page report that shares information about the
topic.
24. Setting.
To learn more about the setting of a book, each student writes a one-page
report explaining how that setting was important to the story.
25. "Dear Diary." Invite each student to create a diary or journal and
write at least five entries that might have been written by a character in a
book just read. The entries should share details about the story that will
prove the student read the book.
Better Book Reports:
25 More Ideas!
26. CHARACTER COMPARISON
Students select one character from the
book they're reporting on and then answer the following questions:
- What
traits does this character have that I do not have?
- What
traits do I have that the character does not have?
- What
traits do the two of us share?
Encourage students to
consider all kinds of traits -- physical appearance, personality, character,
outlook on life, and so on. Students will use a Venn diagram to organize their
thinking about their personal traits and those of the character they selected.
If you do not have a Venn
diagram work sheet, students can use one of these sheets to complete the
activity: Venn diagram work sheet 1, 2, or 3.
If your students are unfamiliar with the
Venn diagram as a graphic organizer, or if they could benefit from a quick
refresher course before using it in this activity, draw a sample Venn diagram
on the chalkboard. Write the word "Dog” under Circle A. Write the word
"Cat” under Circle B. Then ask students to list on chart paper some
characteristics of dogs and/or cats. Discuss which characteristics are specific
to each animal and which characteristics the two animals share. Write the
characteristics specific to dogs in Circle A. Write the characteristics
specific to cats in Circle B. Write those characteristics that both animals
share (e.g, they make good pets, they have fur…) in
the area where the two circles connect.
For this character sketch comparison,
students will write characteristics that apply only to the book
character in Circle A and characteristics that apply only to themselves
in Circle B. They will write characteristics that apply to both the character
and themselves in the area where the two circles intersect.
27. MINI BOOK REPORT
Students create a mini book report.
Provide each student with a sheet of drawing paper. (Younger students might use
11- x 17-inch paper; older students might prefer 8-1/2- x 11-inch paper.) Have
students fold the drawing paper in half, then in half again. When they unfold
the paper, they will have four boxes of equal size. Then ask students to cut
the paper in half along one of the folds, slip one piece of the paper inside
the other, and staple the fold to create an eight-page book. Decide in advance
what should appear on each page of the students’ mini book reports. For
example, you might assign the pages as follows:
- Cover
-- a new cover design for the book.
- Inside
cover -- blank, no text.
- Page
opposite the inside cover -- title, author, and other important
information about the book.
- Center
spread -- a picture of a favorite part of the book along with an
explanation of why that is a favorite part.
- Next
page -- five vocabulary words (and their definitions) that are important
in the book; the words might offer other students an indication of the
reading level/difficulty of the book.
- Inside
back cover -- blank, no text.
- Back
cover -- a teaser written to entice others to read the book.
28. SCAVENGER HUNT BOOK REPORT
Students search the book read for words
and/or sentences that match the scavenger hunt criteria, which focuses on
grammar and phonics skills. The following are examples of the kinds of words
students might be looking for; the last few items on the list might require
writing two sentences from the book:
- a
three-syllable word
- a
contraction
- a
compound word
- a
word with a silent e at the end
- a
word with a suffix that required doubling the final consonant before
adding the suffix
- a
word with a suffix that required dropping a silent e before adding
the suffix
- the
longest word in the book
- a
word that includes the letters tion
- a
four-syllable word
- a
word that includes a silent letter other than e
- an
adjective
- a
word with a prefix
- a
sentence that includes a simile
- rhyming
words (students might write two sentences, highlighting the rhyming words)
- synonyms
(students might write two sentences, highlighting the synonyms)
- antonyms/opposites
(students might write two sentences, highlighting the opposites)
29. BOOK REPORT BINGO
Students play
book report bingo. To encourage students to read books of different genres,
create a simple bingo sheet. Have students read five books over two months that
match the genres in any row or column on the bingo sheet. Following is a sample
sheet:
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30. Ready, Setting, Go!
Students use a Venn diagram (See Character Comparison activity above.) to
compare the setting in a book with local settings (in your community). How are
the two settings alike? different?
31. Now You’re
Cooking!
Students appeal to their classmates’ stomachs by making an edible book report!
They will locate a recipe for a food dish that plays a role in a book or one
that represents the setting of the book. When they share the food with their
classmates, students will explain how the dish relates to the book read.
32. Before-and-After Book Reports
Students write a brief report about what they think a book will be about
-- based on the book's cover -- before they actually read it. After reading the
book, students write a brief explanation of the book as it actually is. For
additional details that flesh out this book report idea, see The Psychic Book Report.
33. Videotape Book Report
Students create a "commercial" for a book they read. Set up a video
camera in the back of the classroom, provide brief instruction on how to use it
(Post a sheet of simple instructions for reinforcement.), and have each child
videotape himself or herself presenting a 30-second "commercial” for the
book read. In the first 30 seconds of the commercial, students should tell what
is good about the book. The next 2 minutes will feature the student reading a
favorite passage from the book -- a passage that might motivate others to want
to read the book. You might make a few copies of the video and send it home
with a different student each night so parents can view the children's work and
gather ideas for books to give as gifts!
34. Reporting "Live” from the
Scene
Students write a script presenting one of the major events in a book as a real
event. Have them create a simple background or use a local setting as the
backdrop for a "Live at 11” news report. Student-reporters present their
on-the-scene reports in front of the video camera.
35. Share a Book Report.
Students share book reports with students in the same grade in a neighboring
school or school district. Pair up with another class in the community and
encourage students to share book reports throughout the year. Plan to have
students read some of the same books and some different ones. It would be nice
if one or two of the book reports students shared during the course of the year
were video book reports -- so students could get to know one another better.
Better yet, arrange for a meeting of the students for the purpose of book
sharing either as a culminating event at the end of the year, or both at the
start and end of the school year.
36. Book Report Recipe
Students write a "recipe" for a good book. Provide students with a
"recipe card” format for their book reports. Each book report should
include 1 cup of plot, 2 teaspoons of characters, 2 tablespoons of excitement,
1/2 cup of opinion… See the complete Book Report Recipe lesson idea online at
The Teacher’s Desk.
37. Birth Sign Book Report
Students explore characters and the signs of the Zodiac. Provide students with
a simple explanation of some of the personality characteristics of the Zodiac/Horoscope Signs or the 12 animal
birth signs of the Chinese Zodiac. Then have students select a
character from the book read. As they read the character traits of the birth
signs, they should consider under which sign the selected character was born.
Their book report will explain why they came to that conclusion.
38. Five-Dollar-Words Book Report
Students learn about tools that can help them improve their writing and,
therefore, make a more powerful statement about the book they just read. This
activity combines the book report with an exercise using a dictionary or
thesaurus. Students start by writing a paragraph to describe why they liked or
did not like about the book read. Before they hand in the brief book critique,
however, they take one final look to be sure they have used the best words to
describe the book. Challenge students to use a dictionary or thesaurus to find
in their critique five "50-cent words” (small, unexpressive words) and replace
those words with "5-dollar words” (words that convey their thoughts more
specifically, descriptively, or dramatically).
39. Test Time
Students create a quiz to check their peers’ comprehension of a particular
book. The quiz should include fill-in-the-blank, true or false, or
multiple-choice questions. Correct the student-created quizzes and keep a file
of the quizzes. Each time a student completes a book, he or she can take a quiz
created by a peer!
40. Folded Book Reports.
Students create an accordion-folded book reports or quadraramas
-- Not Your Same Old Book Report.
41. Mapping a Book
Students create a map highlighting places described in the story. Many of the
map’s features should be based on information provided by the book’s author.
The map might show the immediate neighborhood or community in which the book
takes place; if the author offers ample description of the home or another
place as the central setting for the book, then the students’ maps might detail
that place. In most cases, the completed maps will involve some conjecture on
the part of the mapmaker. The student will explain his or her reasoning in
writing or orally.
42. Adjective-ly
Speaking
Students focus their attention on the author’s descriptive writing talents and
learn more about adjectives. The activity will drive home that good writing --
their own included -- benefits from excellent descriptions. Have students locate five or ten (depending on grade level) sentences in
the book that include excellent adjectives/descriptions.
43. Once Upon a Timeline
Students create a timeline showing a chain of important events from a book
read.
44. Trading Spaces
Students answer the question, Would you want
to trade places with a character in the book? Explain that their essays
must provide solid information supporting their responses to the question. The
information they use will help demonstrate how closely they read the book.
45. Acrostic Poem Book Report
Students write acrostic poems demonstrating their understanding of the sequence
of events in a book. See the lesson, Acrostic Book Report.
Teacher Marci McGowan shared
the lesson plan above with Education World. McGowan received $50 for
contributing her lesson to our Teacher-Submitted Lesson Plan archive. Go
to the archive for more lessons as well as information about how you can earn
money by sharing some of your favorite lessons!
46. Story Maps and Boxes
In another lesson from Education World’s Teacher-Submitted Lessons archive,
students use a story-mapping template to review parts of a story and
information about a book they have read. They share their story boxes as an
alternative to book reports. See Patricia Fry's complete Story Maps and Boxes lesson.
47. Thumbnail
Outline
Students explore the value of the outline format book report and practice
picking out the important details and characteristics of a book that might
belong in an outline. Provide them with a work sheet based on the simple
outline form below, or adapt the format by adding the elements you like to
emphasize.
Book Title:
______________________________
Author:
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
II. Setting and Time Period
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
III. The Plot: A Timeline
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
IV. Best Parts of the Book
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
V. Criticism of the Book
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
VI. Overall Opinion of the
Book (and Details to Support Your Opinion)
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
- ______________________________________________
48. Books Reports Go Hi-Tech
Introduce technology as a tool for creating book reports. See the following
book report lessons that make use of a variety of popular software products:
Creating a Book Review Using a Multimedia Stack
Students might use the Multimedia Book Report Rubric
49.Big Books
for Little Kids
Students in grades 4 and up work as a class or in small groups to retell a
story for younger students in simple words and pictures. The students might
examine a few of the big books that younger students have been exposed to and
use them as models as they create their own big-book versions of stories worth
telling. When the big books are completed, schedule a special event so the
"authors” can share their work with the young children!
50. Even more WAYS TO SHARE about BOOKS
1. Make a book
jacket.
2. Prepare a one-page
newspaper based on the book.
3. Make a diorama.
4. Do a pantomime or
modern dance that tells part of the story.
5. Write a letter to
the author, telling him how enjoyable his book was.
6. Dress up as a
character from the book and dramatize a scene from it.
7. Create a “to tell
the truth” panel.
8. Give an oral
reading, with expression, of selections from the book.
9. Make a poster.
10. Pretend to b a
salesman and “sell” the book.
11. Draw a picture
illustrating part of the book.
12. Read a series of
descriptive passages from the book.
13. Write a letter to
a friend recommending the book.
14. Prepare a TV or
radio broadcast of the story.
15. Write a business
letter to a librarian stating why the book should be
purchased.
16. Keep a diary for
a character from the book.
17. Make a comic
strip telling the story.
18. Write a ballad or
folk song telling the story.
19. Make a puppet of the main character in the story.
20. Make a mobile showing scenes
about the story.