ColoradoTeach
Senior Member
My students are creating a novel study on various books we have been reading in lit circles and I was wonderinf if anyone had any creative final projects to do with novels. Thanks so much for your help!!
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book report ideas?
- Thread starter ColoradoTeach
- Start date
trexteach
Senior Member
One of my favorites is a Book-in-a-Box project. Kids neatly decorate the outside of a shoebox and label with title,author,illustrator, their name, date, and illustrations representing something from the book
Inside they have to include 10-12 objects that represent the characters, setting, problem, and solution from the story. Each item has to have an index card attached that explains why the object was included. The inside of the lid must include a summary of the text.
The kids share their projects in small groups for a certain of period of time then switch groups. They have a great time sharing, and their projects turn out great!
I grade them using a rubric, so they're easy to check.
Inside they have to include 10-12 objects that represent the characters, setting, problem, and solution from the story. Each item has to have an index card attached that explains why the object was included. The inside of the lid must include a summary of the text.
The kids share their projects in small groups for a certain of period of time then switch groups. They have a great time sharing, and their projects turn out great!
I grade them using a rubric, so they're easy to check.
Ellensclass
Full Member
I would be interested in seeing your rubric..
If you would not care to share! I am alaways interested in seeing others rubrics for this type of activity!
Thanks in advance..
If you would not care to share! I am alaways interested in seeing others rubrics for this type of activity!
Thanks in advance..
Jump4Joy
Full Member
Novel Final Project
I am thrilled to share this idea with you because it was a huge success with my 5th grade students. We made scrapbooks for a character from a book we had read!! They had to bring either a photo album, a real scrapbook, or they could make one using our book-binding machine. The scrapbooks included all the things a real scrapbook would have such as: letters, photos, notes, journal writing, store orders for special things that the character would've ordered, and so much more. The students decorated the pages with scrapbook paper and other creative artisitic things. I gave them blank envelopes to use too, and inside the envelope they had to include a letter that would've been written to the character from someone else in the book!!
You may be wondering about the photos that we included. Well, I found a bunch of OLD pictures of students that my own mother taught back in the 60's!! They used one or two in their scrapbooks to represent various characters. Then, I even had the class vote on a few pictures that we agreed could represent our main characters. For those, I photocopied them, and then each student had those to use for the scrapbooks.
I am not a scrapbooker myself, so this was a challenge, but it was great fun. I asked a few students to donate their scrapbooks to the next class so that I'd always have a great sample to show my new students.
There are also some great books by Scholastic that I use for ideas. One title that comes to mind is "Independent Reading Management Kit" for GR. 4-6. You should look at it and others that have final projects for books. Have fun. Please let me know if you try the scrapbooks because I'd love to hear how it goes.
I am thrilled to share this idea with you because it was a huge success with my 5th grade students. We made scrapbooks for a character from a book we had read!! They had to bring either a photo album, a real scrapbook, or they could make one using our book-binding machine. The scrapbooks included all the things a real scrapbook would have such as: letters, photos, notes, journal writing, store orders for special things that the character would've ordered, and so much more. The students decorated the pages with scrapbook paper and other creative artisitic things. I gave them blank envelopes to use too, and inside the envelope they had to include a letter that would've been written to the character from someone else in the book!!
You may be wondering about the photos that we included. Well, I found a bunch of OLD pictures of students that my own mother taught back in the 60's!! They used one or two in their scrapbooks to represent various characters. Then, I even had the class vote on a few pictures that we agreed could represent our main characters. For those, I photocopied them, and then each student had those to use for the scrapbooks.
I am not a scrapbooker myself, so this was a challenge, but it was great fun. I asked a few students to donate their scrapbooks to the next class so that I'd always have a great sample to show my new students.
There are also some great books by Scholastic that I use for ideas. One title that comes to mind is "Independent Reading Management Kit" for GR. 4-6. You should look at it and others that have final projects for books. Have fun. Please let me know if you try the scrapbooks because I'd love to hear how it goes.
trexteach
Senior Member
Ellensclass: Book-in-a-Box rubric
Ellensclass,
I've attached the the requirements rubric for the Book-in-a-Box project. Please note that the top half of the sheet is the rubric I've used for students who were the strugglers. It has fewer requirements including no summary. The bottom half is for those on-level students.
If you use them, feel free to adjust them to your students' needs. I have a half page intro letter, but we're only allowed to attach one file.
All it includes is a brief intro in paragraph form and a sample of what they would write on an index card for a sample object.
Jump4Joy--Your idea is cute! I might try that this year.
Ellensclass,
I've attached the the requirements rubric for the Book-in-a-Box project. Please note that the top half of the sheet is the rubric I've used for students who were the strugglers. It has fewer requirements including no summary. The bottom half is for those on-level students.
If you use them, feel free to adjust them to your students' needs. I have a half page intro letter, but we're only allowed to attach one file.
All it includes is a brief intro in paragraph form and a sample of what they would write on an index card for a sample object.Jump4Joy--Your idea is cute! I might try that this year.
luv2teach17
Junior Member
favorite scenes
Hi Guys ,
I have not been on in a while because work is overwhelming and I am also taking three classes so it has been crazy over here. All your ideas are great. I love the book in a box idea. I might use that one too. We just started reading The Indian in the Cupboard. Anyways another idea I was thinking of doing is having them pick their favorite scene from each chapter and then they have to describe the scene as well. They have to be sure the summary matches the scene. My friend did it and she told me the idea and I thought it was also a great one.
Hi Guys , I have not been on in a while because work is overwhelming and I am also taking three classes so it has been crazy over here. All your ideas are great. I love the book in a box idea. I might use that one too. We just started reading The Indian in the Cupboard. Anyways another idea I was thinking of doing is having them pick their favorite scene from each chapter and then they have to describe the scene as well. They have to be sure the summary matches the scene. My friend did it and she told me the idea and I thought it was also a great one.
luvteeching
Full Member
Another good place to look
is Beth Newingham's web site. She has her class do a cereal box book report and then films it as a commercial. Check it out!!!!!
is Beth Newingham's web site. She has her class do a cereal box book report and then films it as a commercial. Check it out!!!!!
Ellensclass
Full Member
Thanks!
Thanks Trxteach...that looks great! I can't wait to try it!
Thanks Trxteach...that looks great! I can't wait to try it!
ColoradoTeach
Senior Member
Thank you so much for the great ideas! Can't wait to use them!