Beyond Book Reports
Book study activities can inspire page turning literature analysis of point of view, author's purpose, and much more.
By Andrea Ferrero
My favorite teacher used to say that books seem to expand after every reading, as they soak in the reader's thoughts and ideas. As a child, I loved this concept and would carefully examine my books. I imagined that they would magically gain width as I moved between the first and last page. As a teacher opening children's' eyes to the world of literature, I have tried to inspire students to dig deeper into their analysis of each text and make their ideas become a part of their reading experience.
Over the years I have found amazing projects that allow students to respond to their reading, while avoiding the stock and standard book report. There are a wide array of ways to elicit the same information shared in most book reports, such as the title, author, illustrator, characters, setting, summary, plot, themes, conflict, point of view, and author's purpose through a variety of creative activities. Multi-dimensional projects have the added benefit of allowing students to showcase their creativity and explore deeper levels of the literature they enjoy.
Author Teas
After reading a book, students do research on the author. They create a costume and come to class prepared to discuss the following; details of the author's life, events that impacted their writing, what they have written, and what is unique or individual about their writings.
Cereal Box
Each student brings an empty cereal box to class. They wrap their box with butcher paper of their chosen color. On the front of the box, students give their cereal a name inspired by the book. They then write the title and author underneath. The front of the box can be artistically designed as an alternative to the cover art of their book or can showcase general artwork inspired by the book. It should also feature a picture of the "cereal" whose shape could be a representational symbol of the book or one of its elements. One side of the box can list ingredients: characters, setting, theme, conflict, and a brief summary; while the other side can share the students opinion about the book. The back of the cereal box can showcase a contest, promotion, or prize inside that is inspired by the story.
Character Parade
Students each choose a favorite character to dress up as. Costumes could be created at home, or made in class. For one of my preschool classes they created their costumes using construction paper and large paper bags that we cut holes into to create a paper "shirt" they could decorate. Students can then go on parade. For younger students, I had them share who they were and why it was their favorite character at circle time. They each answered one peer- posed question about their character. For older students, we did round robin interviews in which students met in rotating pairs with their writing journal. They recorded who they met and details they found interesting. After returning to their seats they made a list of new books they were interested in from the characters they had met and discussed.
Book Board Game
To build excitement around this activity, students were told ahead of time that their final version of the board game would be put on a laminate board and that they would make "real" game pieces using clay that hardens. I got laminate boards from a home supply store for a very reasonable price by asking them to cut white shower laminate sheet into the sizes I needed for the student boards. Each child was a given a guide of what their game should include: a goal or way to win that is tied to the theme or plot of their book, game pieces that are representational of something or someone from the book, a board design that showcases the setting of the story, and rules that explain how to play and win the game. In the end students' finished project not only shared a lot about their chosen book, but also included step by step directions, attention to detail, and carefully chosen language to convey their purpose.
Book Study Activities:
Students create their own multimedia book report using PowerPoint software. After creating slides detailing information about their book, students share their reports in class using a TV connected to a computer.
After reading their books, students choose items that represent their story. They each create a museum exhibit about the chosen items. This lesson includes rubrics and samples as a guide to help in setting up a meaningful student museum in any classroom.
This lesson breaks down book reports into ten digestible steps. Students are led through creating their "report" as a link of paper chains sharing information about their readings. The lesson includes ideas for adaptations and incorporating technology.