[LM_NET] HIT: Book Reports (revisited)

[Nina Jackson <NJackson@LBUSD.K12.CA.US>]

I received some more responses AFTER my HIT:

We used the 91 ways to respond to a book, which is linked to from this
site:

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/bookreports.html 

Others:

http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/reading/bookrepts1.html 

http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/foldedbkrpts071599.html 

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/~shamrock/reading/book%20report%20ideas.html



*****

Hi,
I didn't have time to respond before but here are some ideas I used:

1. Create a class "Biographical Dictionary of Fictional Characters -- 

provide a template for format of entries including elements of physical

description and behavioral characteristics.  Each student created an 
entry and they were put together into a class reference to stimulate 
reading.  (Can make a database if technology is available.)

2. Use elements of story grammar (story structure) as basis of book 
report: characters, setting, character's goal, action to reach goal, 
conflict/problem, action to solve problem and resolution.  Facilitates

comparing and contrasting narrative works.  (Which books have similar 
characters, setting, problems etc.)  Can't just copy from dust jacket 
blurb but requires analysis while reading.

3.  Genre specific book report formats: Part one is story structure 
elements and Part 2 specifics follow:

        Fantasy: identify elements that are fantasy and elements that
could 
happen
                (Charlotte's Web - fantasy talking animals, spelling
spiders, etc.  
Real - runt pig, farm activities, etc.)
        Historical Fiction: Identify references to real people, places
and 
events and contrast with elements of            author's imagination.
        Growing -up story:  Describe how the character changes during
the 
story.
        Foreign setting:  Explain how the story would be effected by the

location and time of the setting and how it             might be changed
if the 
setting were different.
        Adventure story/realistic fiction: construct a timeline of
conflicts 
and resolutions faced by the characters in              the story.

4.  Timeline:  analyze the actions that take place in the story 
assessing timeline sequence of events, may              require making
inferences.

5.  Create a Book Artifact Museum:  As they read, have students select

an object that is important to the story.  They write a description of

how the object impacts the story along with title and author.  They 
make a model or use the real object in setting up a museum display.  
their written description becomes the label for the object.
(Similar activity can be done focusing on means of transportation used

in the book or related food references can lead to a tasting party 
linked to oral book reports explaining how the food relates to the 
plot.

Hope these give you some ideas to use or adapt.  I hated doing book 
reports as a kid because they were always the same.  I didn't finish 
reading a book because then I would have to write the report.  I think

that experience helped me design different types of "book report" 
activities to hook my students.

********
I'm not sure if you're in an elem, middle, or high school, but
here's an idea that our elementary teachers like to use.

It's called "Bookmark Reports".  I have 8 different topics for
bookmark reports, which I e-mail to all the teachers at the beginning of
the year and I also distribute a stash of bookmarks with blank backs to
each teacher.  The kids then select a bookmark and select one of the
topics and write up their mini book report.  They write their name,
date, book title, author on the back of the bookmark and then write an
answer to one of these topics on the blank back of the bookmark:

list the characters in the book 
describe the main character 
describe the setting (time and place) 
explain the book's title 
what is your favorite part 
summarize the ending 
write an alternative ending 
write a book recommendation 
 

Some teachers let the kids choose any they want while others have
guidelines such as you can't do more than 2 of each topic until
you've gone through all 8.

Hope this is clear and also helpful.

 



Nina Jackson
Library Media Teacher
National Board Certified
Franklin Middle School (6-8 grade)
Long Beach, CA
njackson@lbusd.k12.ca.us

http://www.lbusd.k12.ca.us/franklin/library

In literature as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by
others.--Andre Maurois

Books invite all; they constrain none.--Inscription at the Los Angeles
Public Library

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