Do your students grumble every time you mention the words book reports. There are many, many great ways for students to respond to literature. Voukon asks why teachers are still promoting, the tried and true onesizefitsall conflict action climax book report that does not generate passion for reading in students. Alternative book reports for the 21st century whooos. Book report alternatives for kids who hate to write well. 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. 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. James odom, the strands communication director, says. If the lab follows the structured inquiry formatin which students follow prescribed stepsthe teacher can give the class the lab procedures a day or two before the. That reading project can be a real drag on your timebut dont despair. 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.
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. Book reports are as boring to grade as they are to write. The words book report can elicit groans from students at any age. Creative and critical thinking book interactions no tech necessary. Mention the words book report, and chances are, youll see eyes roll. Fun, easy, creative ways for kids to make a book report. Thisis a creative way studentscan present an oralpresentation. Storyboarding consists of having students create a comicbook style representation of the work they do in a science lab.
So, with that in mind, i have created some visual writing ideas that are alternatives to the standard book report. Book reports are a valuable tool for assessing students understanding of independent reading, but writing report after report can become rote for studentsand. Creative alternatives to traditional book reports by heather idoni added friday, october 26, 2007 the homeschoolers notebook encouragement and advice for homeschool families vol. The purpose is to initiate an interdisciplinary conversation, exploring. Video tape oral book reports and then have the children take turns taking the video home for all to share. Book reports are a valuable tool for assessing students understanding of independent reading, but writing report after report can become rote for students and. Free blogging sites like blogger and wordpress also support podcasting. Assigning burdensome book reports can hinder students from fully enjoying a great work of literature.
Blogger elena aguilar shares some creative ideas to make book reports more fun and meaningful for all types of learners and teachers. Take a look at these fun and effective alternatives to book reports and get your students and. Not everyone loves book reports as much as i do, so i created this list of book. With a traditional book report, students describe the major plot points or the main characters. 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. Creative alternatives to book reports teachercreated lesson. Cereal box book reports a fun alternative book report. Students could design a tattoo for a character and then write an essay explaining or justifying their choices. Students love this creative cereal box book report and it is a great way to recyclereuse cereal boxes too. Book report alternatives printable book reports, research. While this format is important in assessing understanding of literary elements, offering alternate bookreport formats encourages students to use creativity and other writing skills in. 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.
Students explore book covers of a variety of books then create a new cover for a book they have read. Nov 25, 2012 6 creative alternatives to book reports 1. In my last post i described 10 ways to cultivate a love of reading in kids. What if your students just dont have enough access to technology to make assignments like.
Rozema suggests students create online podcasts to create enthusiasm for reading because they provide an authentic audience for the students work in addition to an. So much information can be covered on the 12 panels and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way. Book report alternatives printable book reports, research reports and skills sheets my file cabinet. Writing a summary of a book isnt necessarily the most effective way to demonstrate learning in the digital age. Ny creative education symposium 2017 in limerick, ireland, is the first of what is intended as an annual event where academics, artists, policy makers and attendees will come together to critically examine the role of creativity and the creative process in education. On the back of the book cover, explain why you are giving the award to the book. 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. Take a look at these nine ideas ways to light your creative spark and burn through that project in no time. Education world presents 25 ideas for you to use or adapt. Students love this cereal box book report template.
Are you a teacher who keeps saying i wish i could find a way to make book reports more fun and interesting for my students. 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. Book report alternatives for middle school education. Using the classroom library or the school library, allow time for students choose their books. Book reports are a great way for kids to recall what theyve read, help with reading comprehension, and improve writing too. A quick web search will reveal that there are many ideas out there for creative book reports, but they are not all good ideas. This is a fun way for students to show what they know in a creative way. Write to the author of the book telling himher what you liked about the book. There are creative alternatives to written book reports. These might include a summary of the plot or main points or themes, comparisons or references to the writers earlier works, discussion of the writers.
Many of the suggestions integrate technology into student presentations. After reading the book, they use an interactive tool to create a new cover for it. Book report ideas 20 ways of looking at the book these activities address multiple intelligences and a range of student ability levels. Students of high school and college level usually face this type of task. Creative alternatives was founded in 1976 by ron and mary phillips in hughson, california. They will record one fact on the topic per letterpage. Storyboards can be assigned before or after the lab. 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. Youll find a variety of ideas ranging from essaybased projects to artistic projects to technology. I want to expand on that theme by suggesting 10 alternatives to the book report. Students could choose to use audio only or take it a step further through the use of video, props, and costumes. They transport students to a different time and place. Some require very little actual writing but require the same thinking and rehearsal as. Book report alternatives for kids who hate to write.
Fun and creative book report ideas for middle school students. Independent bookstores get creative to survive the long. Book in a boxin this book responseactivity, studentsdecorate a box torepresent the book and fillit with objects thatsymbolize differentaspects of the story. Some require very little actual writing but require the same thinking and rehearsal as a more formal piece of written text. Use your chromebooks, laptops or mobile devices to give them a creative twist. Take them beyond boring book reports with 37 creative alternatives that stretch imagination and higherlevel thinking skills. Fifty alternatives to the book report readwritethink. Like podcasting, this type of book report provides an alternative to the traditional writing assignment. Encourage students to respond to literature as they learn to talk and write about books. International centre for creativity and imagination. When you have a child who hates to write, short book reports can be just as daunting as a fullfledged research paper. Creative alternatives to book reports can motivate your students to read.
Fortunately, there are a plethora of alternative methods to accomplish the same goal. Unfortunately, for too many youngsters, writing a book report is bitter frosting. Creative alternatives to book reports conversations. If so, theyll jump for joy at the chance to try these ideas for creative book reports. Help your students make the books they read come alive with these 22 creative book report ideas and. Here are 25 alternatives to the traditional book report for students to demonstrate their comprehension and deeper.
Creative alternatives to book reports teachercreated. The focus of the organization, then and now, was to provide a nurturing environment for troubled children. All included printable templates make this diy book report project easy and. You can buy a premade doll cradle, make one from paper, or get even more creative using materials you find. Fresh ideas for creative book reports education world. Students pick a fictional book and design a cereal based on it. But not all kids enjoy filling out book report forms. Creative activities for any bookplus a powerpoint on how to craft a book report. This list of 30 creative alternatives to the traditional book report emphasizes multiple intelligences and student imagination. With summary book websites online, the traditional book report is no longer an enriching task. Below are seventeen alternatives to a written book report.
Many of us have kids who dont like to write or cant write. Draw and color the book cover, and place the book award ribbon on the cover. I dont think they are an effective way for a student to demonstrate understanding of a book and i dont think they help students enjoy or appreciate reading. Spice up those old book reports with some new, creative ideas. Creative alternatives to book reports lexia learning. Students select a book to read based only on its cover art. Alternatives to formal science writing storyboarding. Seesaws creative canvas lets students capture their learning visually and share it with the class. Illustrate a scene or character from the book on a tshirt.
It is hoped that this diverse group of suggestions will whet the interest of students in exploring new directions and in responding with greater. Put a new spin on the old book report with these creative alternatives. Get creative with lab report alternatives home edutopia. Book report alternatives for middle school creative.
Under executive director, joy biddles leadership, the organization continues to make a difference in hundreds of californias foster youth. Oct 26, 2007 creative alternatives to traditional book reports by heather idoni added friday, october 26, 2007 the homeschoolers notebook encouragement and advice for homeschool families vol. Give yourself and your students a break by assigning alternatives to the traditional book report. Education world offers 25 ideas that might help you do. They want new ways to think about a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it. Job description counselor i creative alternatives, inc.
Fun and creative book report ideas for middle school. Academic integrity creative assessment alternatives. Later, once he or she is more comfortable with the foundational comprehension skills, you can lay the groundwork for developing the reportwriting skills. 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. My favorite part is the character ingredient list and the special prize.
Using a 3d model can help you show the importance of symbolism in your book by bringing to life the important symbols used in a story. But if you are looking for a simple to use, free printable form, dont miss our book report form and our. Have students create a mini book with an illustrated cover and write one letter of the alphabet on each page. Promoting frequent and enthusiastic reading, offers creative alternatives to my letters and journals. Students toppreferred service to buy book reports online. Be book report pen pals and share book reports with children in another school. Make the process of writing a book report easy as abc. This allows students to explore their favorite trends in books. Make your reading project sizzle with these hot ideas. Ten great creative book report ideas minds in bloom. Teachers, your students will love this creative book report project for elementary kids. There are ways to finish your project that will show your enthusiasm and make your teacher sit up and take notice. Teachertested ideas to help kids respond to their reading with enthusiasm.
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 meaningful for them individually. On one side of the cover, come up with 10 song titles that represent characters, events, or settings in the book. These will work for almost any book and are especially good when students are reading independent book selections. What makes this fun is that kids get to rethink the role of the setting in the book. Beyond the book report a list of 35 ways to respond to reading. Ive made them with many classes as a classroom teacher but they could easily be done while relief teaching as a. Here are 26 creative, fun, and unique book report ideas. Reviews from creative alternatives employees about creative alternatives culture, salaries, benefits, worklife balance, management, job security, and more. Fifty alternatives to the book report diana mitchell students tire of responding to novels in the same ways. For example if innocence is used throughout your book you could use a babys cradle as your base. 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.
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