Creative book report alternatives

This article from the scholastic website lists creative alternatives to the standard book report for prekindergarteners through high schoolers. Students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. The end result of book report alternatives, such as the one explored in this lesson plan, is that the activities whet the interest of students in exploring new directions and in responding with greater depth to the books they read mitchell 92. Fifty alternatives to the book report diana mitchell students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. Later, once he or she is more comfortable with the foundational comprehension skills, you can lay the groundwork for developing the report writing skills.

Promoting frequent and enthusiastic reading, offers creative alternatives to my letters and journals. Response maps, writing frames, book report alternatives, and research report templates help kids summarize science experiments, books, and what theyve learned in a unit of study. Draw and color the book cover, and place the book award ribbon on the cover. How to enhance book reports using technology huffpost. This post contains several book report alternatives that are condensed, fun, engaging and perfect for elementary students. Creative alternatives to book reports teachercreated. These handson book reports are sure to enhance any genre study and engage students as they reflect upon their independent reading. Nov 25, 2012 6 creative alternatives to book reports 1. The students create a restaurant style menu, but within each section, they provide some form of literature analysis. Alternative book reports for the 21st century whooos. Book reports are a valuable tool for assessing students understanding of independent reading, but writing report after report can become rote for studentsand. Activities like the ones that follow are excellent ways to see if students understood the book being read.

Creative and powerful ways to start your sentences, and weak sentence starters to avoid. Encourage students to respond to literature as they learn to talk and write about books. Help your students make the books they read come alive with these 22 creative book report ideas and examples. Teachers alternatives to book reports 10 ideas for the. Make your reading project sizzle with these hot ideas.

There are creative alternatives to written book reports. However, you do not have any idea of what book to choose to consider in your report. Although many students enjoy reading, the thought of writing a book report may put a damper on their enjoyment. Students draw scenes from a selected part of the bookperhaps a scene. Be book report pen pals and share book reports with children in another school. Illustrate a scene or character from the book on a tshirt.

Do your students grumble every time you mention the words book reports. Virtual bookshelves are a great alternative to book reports and reading logs. Teach your child to read creative book report ideas for. Later, once he or she is more comfortable with the foundational comprehension skills, you can lay the groundwork for developing the reportwriting skills. Book in a boxin this book responseactivity, studentsdecorate a box torepresent the book and fillit with objects thatsymbolize differentaspects of the story. Education world presents 25 ideas for you to use or adapt. These will work for almost any book and are especially good when students are reading independent book selections. Instead, we can be creative, its what we do best here after all. 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. Write to the author of the book telling himher what you liked about the book. Fresh ideas for creative book reports education world education world offers nearly 50 alternative book report ideas in this article, from a book report sandwich to a character trait diagram.

Includes standards alignment for every activity, editable grading rubrics, editable list of activities, and lots of printandgo handouts for students. Book report alternatives printable book reports, research reports and skills sheets my file cabinet. This is a creative book project that is adaptable for grades 4 12. Take a look at these fun and effective alternatives to book reports and get your students and.

If students read a book has already been made into a movie. A quick web search will reveal that there are many ideas out there for creative book reports, but they are not all good ideas. Book reports are a valuable tool for assessing students understanding of independent reading, but writing report after report can become rote for students and. In this case, the article you are reading will help you with book reports alternatives. Book reports and research reports these lesson ideas, worksheets, and graphic organizers are perfect resources to help kids plan before writing. Student book recommendations are a great way to get kids talking about the stories they read. While its unavoidable that, at some point, your child will have to learn how to write a book report, the skills leading up to that point can be learned in a variety of creative ways. I had thought to try book reports but i didnt want to force my oldest to write one, nor did i really want to read one. And i invite you to access the fullcolor version immediately downloadable of 80 alternatives to book reports as well as scores of free resources that you can use to build reading, writing, and learning in your classroom, including powerpoints, pdfs, and word. Spice up those old book reports with some new ideas.

Ban the book report promoting frequent enthusiastic reading. With this creative list of 40 alternative assessments ideas, your students can prove their knowledge and skills in a way that makes learning fun and engaging. Choose a character from the book and create sentences for each. Your opinion of the book and reasons for your opinion 2. Students make bookmarks on computers and share their ideas with other readers at their school, while practicing summarizing, recognizing symbols, and writing. On the back of the book cover, explain why you are giving the award to the book. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it. Here are, in my opinion, ten of the best creative book report ideas. This list of 30 creative alternatives to the traditional book report emphasizes multiple intelligences and student imagination. The creative nature of the projects makes them interesting to share in classroom. A quick web search will reveal that there are many ideas out there for.

Students could design a tattoo for a character and then write an essay explaining or justifying their choices. Youll find a variety of ideas ranging from essaybased projects to artistic projects to. Websites can be shared easily, and they live on when people stumble upon them through. Employee services use of these systems is for employees and designates of creative alternatives, inc. Shelfari is one such site that allows learners to interact with other learners and teachers. When your curriculum includes a lot of book reports, give students the option of turning in a drawing, diorama, or another project as a break.

Traditional book reports should be a thing of the past. Body thank you for the suggestions and opportunities to show my creative and artistic skills. Just because youre writing a book project for your middle school class doesnt mean you have to stick to the standard report. Take them beyond boring book reports with 37 creative alternatives that stretch imagination and higherlevel thinking skills. Youll want to write an essay style report that includes the basics listed above. Below are seventeen alternatives to a written book report. Have students create a portrait of a character from the book. Have students create a portrait of a character from the book they read. Halfway through grade one, my adored, grandmotherly teacher saw fit to promote me, in one dizzying moment, from a member of the earthbound turtles reading group, past the bluebirds in the treetops, to join the soaring eagles. Take a look at these nine ideas ways to light your creative spark and burn through that project in no time. Whether youre working on an author study, need a bookthemed bulletin board idea, or just want kids to reflect on books, this sheet is sure to do the trick.

Creative alternatives to book reports lexia learning. Fifty alternatives to the book report readwritethink. 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. Different ideas on making book reports the classroom. Mention the words book report, and chances are, youll see eyes roll. Mar 30, 2015 as a result, giving a student the opportunity to make a movie book report can be a huge motivator, allowing them to get creative while displaying their understanding of the books source material. Twenty ideas for moving beyond the standard hohum book assignments and engaging your students creative and critical minds in book. Whether your students are reading independent books or your class has just finished a unit on space or pioneers, a culminating project can really cement that learning. Oct 20, 2017 while its unavoidable that, at some point, your child will have to learn how to write a book report, the skills leading up to that point can be learned in a variety of creative ways. Dfe update nfer teacher voice omnibus research report july 2016. Fifty alternatives to the book report teaching ideas ncte. As a result, giving a student the opportunity to make a movie book report can be a huge motivator, allowing them to get creative while displaying their understanding of the book s source material. Creative and critical thinking book interactions no tech necessary.

Those are technological platforms through which learners can display the books that they have read. Creating reading excitement with book trailers readwritethink. I mean, do you really want to read 30125 recaps of the same book. Some require very little actual writing but require the same thinking and rehearsal as a more formal piece of written text. Book report ideas 20 ways of looking at the book these activities address multiple intelligences and a range of student ability levels. Oct 26, 2010 video tape oral book reports and then have the children take turns taking the video home for all to share. 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. Fun book report alternatives africanamerican homeschool. Spice up those old book reports with some new, creative ideas.

Students can complete a book report assignment in artistic formats or in formats that foster good communications skills while still deriving the same benefit from the task. In this alternative to the traditional book report, students report on their novel choices that feature journeys by creating postcards one of the settings featured in their books. On the bottom piece of bread, the student drew a favorite scene from the story. Nov 09, 2015 i think its time that we turn research reports and papers on their heads. These different options focus on multiple different skills in order to assess student comprehension of books and to encourage students to read. They share their story boxes as an alternative to book reports. If you have other ideas please share them with me in the comments.

Mar 24, 2020 consequently, i step outside the book report box and offer my children creative, yet comprehensive postreading activities. Not your grandma s book report harpursville middle school. Creative alternatives to book reports book report ideas halfway through grade one, my adored, grandmotherly teacher saw fit to promote me, in one dizzying moment, from a member of the earthbound turtles reading group, past the bluebirds in the treetops, to join the soaring eagles. Thisis a creative way studentscan present an oralpresentation. After reading the book, they use an interactive tool to create a new cover for it. Youll find a variety of ideas ranging from essaybased projects to artistic projects to technology. Take the information presented into consideration, and you are sure to make the right alternative to your book report. Like podcasting, this type of book report provides an alternative to the traditional writing assignment. It is hoped that this diverse group of suggestions will whet the interest of students in exploring new directions and in responding with greater. But the homeschool parentwho has just finished reading aloud a book alongside her childhas the luxury of meaningful conversations about the books. Check out these three fun and fabulous book report alternatives.

Creative alternatives to book reports conversations. Write a script and have several rehearsals before presenting it to the class. The character in the book you are most like and why 3. Make sure you include your home or school address in the letter. These alternatives can be more appealing and that will give the students a chance to express themselves in alternative ways.

On one side of the cover, come up with 10 song titles that represent characters, events, or settings in the book. Use these twentyfive ideas to shake up your bookrelated activities. Ive also included suggested requirements for these thoughtfuland funresponses to literature. Creative and powerful ways to start your sentences, and. Thats why we have been enjoying these fun alternatives to book reports. Put a new spin on the old book report with these creative alternatives. Creative book report assignment appalachian state university. Jan 21, 2019 a classroom teacher needs to make sure each student actually read the book. Allowing students to have some alternatives to writing about the characters, setting and plot can engage them while giving a teacher the information she needs to assess a students understanding of specific. Creative book report assignment you may choose to complete this create book report on either because of winndixie or ida b. Consider creative alternatives to some written reports.

What others are saying this post contains several book report alternatives that are condensed, fun, engaging and perfect for elementary students. Asking students to create an alternative ending to a book one. Creative activities for any book plus a powerpoint on how to craft a book report. All other use is strictly forbidden, please see our terms and conditions. Creative activities and project ideas for any novel, story, or unit in history.

The idea is for you and the students to have a great time reading, thinking, and writing about books. Book report alternatives for middle school education. Create a bookmark to match the theme of the last book. There are ways to finish your project that will show your enthusiasm and make your teacher sit up and take notice. Book report alternatives for kids who hate to write well. Nip that collective groan in the bud by offering your students fun alternatives choices that allow them to connect to a book in ways that are me.

With a traditional book report, students describe the major plot points or the main characters. Making movies based on popular books is a hollywood staple. Unfortunately, for too many youngsters, writing a book report is bitter frosting. Students select a book to read based only on its cover art. Video tape oral book reports and then have the children take turns taking the video home for all to share. Fresh ideas for creative book reports education world. We hope that 24 readytogo genre book reports will help students enjoy both reading and responding to a wide range of literature. She cant have an indepth conversation about the book with every student. This 52page bundle contains almost 100 creative student activities. While this format is important in assessing understanding of literary elements, offering alternate book report formats encourages students to use creativity and other writing skills in presenting information about a book. On the mayonnaise, the student described the books setting. That reading project can be a real drag on your timebut dont despair.

There are authentic alternatives texts created by professional writers and thinkers that do more than a mere book report but stop shorts of serious literary analysis. 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. Fun and creative book report ideas for middle school students. Written book reports, of course, do serve a need, but a steady diet of written reports can induce boredom and stifle enthusiasm toward reading. Fortunately, there are a plethora of alternative methods to accomplish the same goal. Bookcasts let students be creative and provide them. Jul 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. There are many, many great ways for students to respond to literature. In this alternative to the traditional book report, students create book trailers using microsoft photo story 3, a free downloadable software program for digital storytelling.