Replace boring book reports with projects kids love teachhub. This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information. Mention the words book report, and chances are, youll see eyes roll. A quick web search will reveal that there are many ideas out there for creative book reports, but they are not all good ideas. Mar 19, 2020 writing book reports can be challenging for some students with dyslexia and other disabilities involving writing and language. Im not a great homework helper, but i try to make up for it with printable worksheets that really will help them do a better job in school. In this alternative to the traditional book report, students report on their novel choices using facebooklike pages. What you actually need is alternatives to book reports. Have your kids show what they know by creating a card or board game about the book theyve just read. Many of these were things my own brother used to do when we were growing up as homeschoolers.
Creative activities for any bookplus a powerpoint on how to craft a book report. I just used consumer search, and it is a great alternative to consumer reports since i dont want to pay the membership for my rare inquiry. Fun book report alternatives africanamerican homeschool. Fun any book report activity ideas book report alternatives tpt. The download includes a set of pages with colorful borders and a duplicate black and white set for u. There are ways to finish your project that will show your enthusiasm and make your teacher sit up and take notice. My students loved making them, i noticed a big difference in their engagement in the book report process and they were so excited to share their final project. Book report alternatives for kids with learning disorders. Fun and creative book report ideas for middle school students. Jun 30, 2015 there are just so many fun, interactive, and meaningful alternatives to the oldfashioned book report, that to be hardheaded and continue to assign book reports just does not make sense. The book report activity is meant to polish up the analyzing and creative senses in students and hence a must done.
The second set is an outline primer plus a page for them to handwrite their report if you dont already make them use a word processor. Mar 30, 2015 a book report is a book report, and thus will need to be graded by certain standards plot, analysis, etc. Writing a book report is fun in case a student has a right to choose one of his or her favorite stories. Students can accomplish all these criteria by retelling a story in different mediums, such as comic life software, which, as it sounds, creates comic strips, or a fun app for the ipad called puppet pals, which lets students animate. I mean, do you really want to read 30125 recaps of the same book. So, in recognition of childrens book week 2002, we are pleased to introduce the sequel to that popular article. Making movies based on popular books is a hollywood staple. Spice up those old book reports with some new, creative ideas. The container could be a plastic bag, a manila envelope, a can, or anything else that might be appropriate for a book.
Have your child create a couple of puppets or more if siblings are willing to get involved representing favorite characters from the book and use them to give a summary of the story. This book report worksheet activities the resourceful teacher is intended for students to answer specific questions about details in their book. This allows students to explore their favorite trends in books. Instead, english teachers need to approach book reports in a way that will engage and teach students just as much as the material the report is on. Check out these three fun and fabulous book report alternatives. Students select a book to read based only on its cover art. This list of 30 creative alternatives to the traditional book report emphasizes multiple intelligences and student imagination. That reading project can be a real drag on your timebut dont despair.
Using a manila folder, markers, and colored pencils, create a game board. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it. Fortunately, there are a plethora of alternative methods to accomplish the same goal. There are many, many great ways for students to respond to literature. However, if it is up to the teacher to decide, it may be more complicated and tricky. Were going to be creating our own version of monopoly to go along with our. Assigning the projects after assigning a genre for the month, give students due dates for the following three tasks. Ive also included suggested requirements for these thoughtfuland fun responses to literature. Fantastic list of alternatives to writing book reports.
Book report alternatives for students with dyslexia and learning disorders writing book reports can be challenging for some students with dyslexia and other disabilities involving writing and language. Make a list of new, unusual, or interesting words or phrases found in your book. Hence, one or two pages in a typical a4 layout paper. Teachers love assigning boring, thick books to observe. Fifty alternatives to the book report readwritethink. These are scenes that students can use to bring their reading to life, no matter what subject they are reading about. Students decorated their containers to convey some of the major details, elements. Creative alternatives to book reports teachercreated. Although i do not assign the traditional book reports i was required to produce in own reading past, i am always looking for more reading response options. Three years ago education world celebrated childrens book week by publishing better book reports 25 ideas since that time, those book report ideas have logged tens of thousands of hits. These will work for almost any book and are especially good when students are reading independent book selections. Mar 10, 2015 so in trying to find ways to make learning more meaningful and engaging for big brother, i have compiled a list of 10 fun report alternatives for reluctant writers. Select a chapter from the novel you have just read that you consider powerful or interesting. Teachertested ideas to help kids respond to their reading with enthusiasm.
Here are some alternative assignments to book reports that share the same benefits and instructional results but are infused with fun. I want to share some authentic postreading assessments as alternatives to the book report. In this case, the article you are reading will help you with book reports alternatives. For fun, exaggerate either characteristics or events and write a tabloidstyle news story related to your. Here are some ways to use free tools across the web to make book reports a more fun and still very effective experience. Five alternatives to book reports your students will love. Ten great creative book report ideas minds in bloom. More ideas than youll ever use for book reports literature responses and alternative book reports 25 book report alternatives. You take a clean sheet of paper or open a new page of microsoft word in order to accomplish the book report assigned. If students read a book has already been made into a movie. Mar 24, 2020 consequently, i step outside the book report box and offer my children creative, yet comprehensive postreading activities. Then select words, lines, and phrases that you think project strong. How to enhance book reports using technology huffpost. Make the process of writing a book report easy as abc.
So, with that in mind, i have created some visual writing ideas that are alternatives to the standard book report. When you have a child who hates to write, short book reports can be just as daunting as a fullfledged. A quick web search will reveal that there are many ideas out there for. And they are finally at the age when they all have to do real book reports. Students earn and save up quiz points to purchase fun goodies from the book adventure store.
Asking students to create an alternative ending to a book one. Take a look at these fun and effective alternatives to book reports and get your students and yourself out of the report rut. Students draw scenes from a selected part of the bookperhaps a scene. But lately, ive noticed my daughters 4thgrade teacher has made these assignments more exciting. Education world presents 25 ideas for you to use or adapt. As long as your children or students reach the objectives you expect them to achieve after reading a book, why not allow them to demonstrate their learning with these book report alternatives. In this alternative to the traditional book report, students report on their novel choices by rewinding the plot.
If you answered no to any of these questions, then you have found the right place to find unique and engaging book report ideas to use with your students i have been teaching for 22 years, and i love teaching reading and trying to make it engaging and fun for my students the reading response projects that i have created provide students with a unique way for them to respond to the books. It could be a board game, a card game or another type of game. After choosing and reading a book, each student selected a book report container. Board game book report as you are reading, create at least 25 questions cannot be yes or no answers to be used with your board game and that relate to your book. Take a look at these nine ideas ways to light your creative spark and burn through that project in no time.
Not your grandma s book report harpursville middle school. Replace boring book reports with projects kids love. See more ideas about book report projects, reading projects and book projects. These are great alternatives to book reports that will keep your students from readicide. And most importantly, they really dont measure the comprehension of a text or confirm that they have even read the text. However, you do not have any idea of what book to choose to consider in your report. Writing up a standard book report might not be the most fun but its easy and some teachers will require you to stick to the basics. Fifty alternatives to the book report diana mitchell students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. Do your students grumble every time you mention the words book reports. Hooking a reader with a book cover students select a book to read based only on its cover art. Take a look at these fun and effective alternatives to book reports and get your students and. Book reports for kids worksheets classroom activities. Consequently, i step outside the book report box and offer my children creative, yet comprehensive postreading activities. What makes this fun is that kids get to rethink the role of the setting in the book.
These book report forms are suitable for both beginning readers and older children. It is hoped that this diverse group of suggestions will whet the interest of students in exploring new directions and in responding with greater. Have students create a portrait of a character from the book. Have students create a portrait of a character from the book they read. Blogger elena aguilar shares some creative ideas to make book reports more fun and meaningful for all types of learners and teachers. Virtual bookshelves are a great alternative to book reports and reading logs. Come up with 5 areas of his or her personality to grade based on how the character behaved in the story. Youll want to write an essay style report that includes the basics listed above. Traditional book reports should be a thing of the past.
Creative alternatives to book reports teachercreated lesson. As a result, many standard rubrics for book reports may still apply, helping give students an idea of what their project should include and how their work will be graded. Students could design a tattoo for a character and then write an essay explaining or justifying their choices. Fresh ideas for creative book reports education world. Promoting frequent and enthusiastic reading, offers creative alternatives to my letters and journals. Bonus pages are sized down to fit into interactive notebooks for reading workshop. Shelfari is one such site that allows learners to interact with other learners and teachers. Book report alternatives for kids who hate to write. Youll find a variety of ideas ranging from essaybased projects to artistic projects to technology. These alternatives can be more appealing and that will give the students a chance to express themselves in alternative ways. Project trackers are included so students do not keep repeating the same projects.
Here are, in my opinion, ten of the best creative book. Be book report pen pals and share book reports with children in another school. Take the information presented into consideration, and you are sure to make the right alternative to your book report. This can easily be incorporated to nonfictioninformtional texts. Work to get fifty such words, phrases, or sentences so the whole sheet of paper will be covered. Then look through magazines for words, phrases, and sentences that illustrate or tell something about your book. As you look, think in terms of the theme, setting, plot line, as well as characters. The download includes a set of pages with colorful borders and a duplicate black and white set for use with saving on printer ink. Put the name of your game on the tab of the folder and decorate the inside so that it is a game board. Sep 22, 2014 so, with that in mind, i have created some visual writing ideas that are alternatives to the standard book report.
Bring your traditional book report assignments into the 21st century, and make the format as much of a teaching moment as the content with these four ideas. This unique project contains doors and windows that open up to reveal characters and scenes from the book. Book reports are a valuable tool for assessing students understanding of independent reading, but writing report after report can become rote for studentsand reading them can be equally tedious for educators. It is similar to literary analysis and critical analysis.
Those are technological platforms through which learners can display the books that they have read. Fun any book report activity ideas book report alternatives. Here are some creative alternatives for book reports. The main goal of traditional book reports is to summarize plot, describe characters and detail main events. However, a book report does not require so much assessment and retelling of events. Book report ideas 20 ways of looking at the book these activities address multiple intelligences and a range of student ability levels. This free printable animal report template helps prek, kindergartners, first graders, 2nd graders, 3rd graders, 4th graders, 5th graders, and 6th grade students to learn about zoo animals. Add some posterboard for scenery, and you are ready for a fun puppet show. Creative alternatives to book reports lexia learning. These can be adapted and used for all ages and grade levels. After all, wasnt it ben carsons mother who made him and his brother write two book reports a weekand hes chief of pediatric neurosurgery at johns hopkins. In this alternative book report, students identify the elements of fiction in books they have read by creating glogs, interactive multimedia posters, and then share.
Alternative book reports for the 21st century whooos. As long as your children or students reach the objectives you expect them to achieve after reading a book, why not allow them to demonstrate their learning. Your students will enjoy becoming architects and building a house about the characters and plot of the books that they have read. As the school years approaches the last days and spring fever claims the limited attention span of students a fun creative alternative to the standard book report may provide a little sanity. Mar 03, 2016 book reports are a very common assignment in elementary school. Here are some alternative assignments that share the same benefits and instructional results but are infused with fun. Choose 1520 alphabet books to help give your students. Below are seventeen alternatives to a written book report. Its always fun to screen the trailers in class and watch students act out scenes from a book or see what theyve illustratedanimated. Create a picture book version of the story that would appeal to younger students. Book report alternatives for students with dyslexia pocket. Here are some ways to use free tools across the web to make book reports a more fun and still.
Usually, the book report will be a form that the students fill out describing the plot, setting, characters, etc. Make your reading project sizzle with these hot ideas. Book report alternatives for kids who hate to write well. Find a song or a poem that relates to the theme of your book. The complete work has the report itself, the structure, and a detailed analysis of the content. An alternative to book reports featured, reading sunday, july 16, 2017 for many of us, just hearing the words book report gives us a flashback to tedious reports that we were tasked with completing when we were in school. As the school years approaches the last days and spring fever claims the limited attention span of students a fun creative alternative to the standard book report.
Well, guess what, your students dont want to write them either. Cereal box book reports a fun alternative these projects are called quadramas. End of any book activity packet is a series of eleven after the book activities to help the student summarize and share the book with others. Many of the suggestions integrate technology into student presentations. Jun 09, 2009 technology brings interest back into reading and helps students continue to find reading that they enjoy while providing the teacher with feedback about student reading comprehension. Beyond the book report a list of 35 ways to respond to reading. This is a great supplement to a biology or zoology curriculum. Nip that collective groan in the bud by offering your students fun alternativeschoices that allow them to connect to a book in ways that are me. After reading the book, they use an interactive tool to create a new cover for it. Not everyone loves book reports as much as i do, so i created this list of book report alternatives to. This post contains several book report alternatives that are condensed, fun, engaging and perfect for elementary students.
A fun adaptation to this project is the book report cheeseburger. Ten alternatives to book reports by mary catherine miller nerdy. I remember how much fun it was having my preschooler dictate an alternative ending to stuart little it helped engage him in the story and revealed more about his thinking processes and grasp of t here is a great post in edutopia about alternatives to book reports some great ideas. The first is simply a form they can fill out that becomes their book report. A few years ago, i started using cereal box book reports as an ela project.
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