How Do We Book Report?

Middle School Book Report Options

Choose from these options to make your book reports.  

Make a movie trailer for your book focused on the characters and how they change throughout.	Make up a soundtrack for the book. List key moments in the story, describe what’s going on, why it’s important, and then explain what song should be the soundtrack to each moment.	Write a series of newspaper articles that explain what’s happening in the story and why it’s important.
Make a comic book adaptation of the beginning, middle and end focusing on point of view. Who sees what?	Turn your book into a musical or opera-- write three songs that are about key moments when the plot is moved forward.	Talk back to the author. Write a long and detailed letter to the author asking questions about their writing process, about their books, and making connections to your own life.
Make a board game that allows the players to act out the plot of the book.	Create a Prezi about the author, plot, characters, setting, theme, and quotes.	Create a photo collage illustrating the theme of the book, and explain in a short essay how the images show they way the theme develops throughout.

Book Report Rubric

Skill	Score
Ideas: Ideas are original, ideas are clear. Good evidence.
Tidiness & Conventions: be careful, double check, fix mistakes
Voice: Engaging, appropriate to audience, self-revealing
Creativity: Go beyond the obvious, push limits, make with pride

High School Book Report Options

SELECT four of the following essay options for your four book reports. These essays will be graded based on the 6 Traits rubric.

Key Ideas and Details

1. What is this book REALLY about? Think about the theme, think about the deeper message. Cite strong evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

2. Provide an objective summary of the text. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account.

3. Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed). What do you imagine the author’s thinking was? Did they make effective choices to accomplish their goal?

Craft and Structure

1. How does the author use language in this book? Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g. how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

2. Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g. pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. Were the choices effective for the genre?

3. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature. How does this point of view relate to Hawaii and Hawaiian culture?

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas.

7. Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g. The Hobbit the book compared with The Hobbit the movies.)

8. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g. how Beauty the novel uses the source material of The Brothers’ Grimm Beauty and the Beast).

Six Traits Essay Rubric

Each essay will need to demonstrate mastery of the following literary skills. Use this chart as a checklist for each of your essays. This is how I will grade your essays as well.

Skill	What I will look for:	Score
Sentence Fluency	Varied sentence lengths natural sounding sentences connecting words (aka subordinating conjunctions) like although, after, because, before, if, since, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, wherever, and while Active voice, not passive voice (not “the pizza was eaten by him” but “he ate the pizza”
Voice	Risks self-revelation appropriate tone to task passionate respectful of audience engage reader
Ideas	main idea is clear relevant evidence topic is narrow and focused support is accurate go beyond the obvious fresh ideas
Word Choice	Powerful vocabulary use imagery and figurative language natural word choice Use precise words and phrases; sensory details strong nouns specific verbs
Organization	Each essay has a clear Thesis Each paragraph has a clear topic sentence Showcase the central idea inviting lead or hook logical sequence good pacing satisfying conclusion thoughtful transitions
Conventions	Formatting Spelling Grammar Punctuation Clear meaning

Q3 Book Report: Annotated Bibliography

Q3: Papa 7: Reading for Research Book Report
Due: ________________________________

Assignment:

What is a topic you want to explore in depth? What is an idea you are very curious about? What is something you’d like to know more about? This project is your opportunity to gain expertise on a topic of your choice.

You will go through the process of brainstorming ideas, researching your topic, creating an annotated bibliography about your topic.

Assignment Checklist:

• Choose Your Topic: ____________________________________
• Teacher Approval:_______________________________
• How do you cite a book? Write an example:__________________________________
• How do you cite an article? Write an example:__________________________________
• Gather at least 10 (middle school) or 20 (high school) print sources about your article from the public or class library.
• Read these sources for your nightly 30 minutes of reading-- take notes on them in your reading journal.
• As you read, write down the complete and accurate citation for each source in your annotated bibliography document (http://goo.gl/sMGJIa). Include a short “annotation” or summary of the most important points of the source.
• When you’ve read all of your sources, alphabetize them and proofread them in your annotated Bibliography Document
• Write up an 1 page essay (double spaced, Times New Roman Font, size 11, black on white) using one of the prompts below:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.8: Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.9 Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts.

Q3: Papa 8: Reading for Research Book Report

Due: ________________________________

Assignment:

What is a topic you want to explore in depth? What is an idea you are very curious about? What is something you’d like to know more about? This project is your opportunity to gain expertise on a topic of your choice.

You will go through the process of brainstorming ideas, researching your topic, creating an annotated bibliography about your topic.

Assignment Checklist:

• Choose Your Topic: ____________________________________
• Teacher Approval:_______________________________
• How do you cite a book? Write an example:__________________________________
• How do you cite an article? Write an example:__________________________________
• Gather at least 10 (middle school) or 20 (high school) print sources about your article from the public or class library.
• Read these sources for your nightly 30 minutes of reading-- take notes on them in your reading journal.
• As you read, write down the complete and accurate citation for each source in your annotated bibliography document (http://goo.gl/sMGJIa). Include a short “annotation” or summary of the most important points of the source.
• When you’ve read all of your sources, alphabetize them and proofread them in your annotated Bibliography Document
• Write up an 1 page essay (double spaced, Times New Roman Font, size 11, black on white) using one of the prompts below:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.9 Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.

Q3: Papa 9-10: Reading for Research Book Report
Due: ________________________________

Assignment:

What is a topic you want to explore in depth? What is an idea you are very curious about? What is something you’d like to know more about? This project is your opportunity to gain expertise on a topic of your choice.

You will go through the process of brainstorming ideas, researching your topic, creating an annotated bibliography about your topic.

Assignment Checklist:

• Choose Your Topic: ____________________________________
• Teacher Approval:_______________________________
• How do you cite a book? Write an example:__________________________________
• How do you cite an article? Write an example:__________________________________
• Gather at least 10 (middle school) or 20 (high school) print sources about your article from the public or class library.
• Read these sources for your nightly 30 minutes of reading-- take notes on them in your reading journal.
• As you read, write down the complete and accurate citation for each source in your annotated bibliography document (http://goo.gl/sMGJIa). Include a short “annotation” or summary of the most important points of the source.
• When you’ve read all of your sources, alphabetize them and proofread them in your annotated Bibliography Document
• Write up an 1 page essay (double spaced, Times New Roman Font, size 11, black on white) using one of the prompts below:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.7 Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person's life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.

Q3: Papa 11-12: Reading for Research Book Report
Due: ________________________________

Assignment:

What is a topic you want to explore in depth? What is an idea you are very curious about? What is something you’d like to know more about? This project is your opportunity to gain expertise on a topic of your choice.

You will go through the process of brainstorming ideas, researching your topic, creating an annotated bibliography about your topic.

Assignment Checklist:

• Choose Your Topic: ____________________________________
• Teacher Approval:_______________________________
• How do you cite a book? Write an example:__________________________________
• How do you cite an article? Write an example:__________________________________
• Gather at least 10 (middle school) or 20 (high school) print sources about your article from the public or class library.
• Read these sources for your nightly 30 minutes of reading-- take notes on them in your reading journal.
• As you read, write down the complete and accurate citation for each source in your annotated bibliography document (http://goo.gl/sMGJIa). Include a short “annotation” or summary of the most important points of the source.
• When you’ve read all of your sources, alphabetize them and proofread them in your annotated Bibliography Document
• Write up an 1 page essay (double spaced, Times New Roman Font, size 11, black font on white background) using one of the prompts below:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.5 Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.

Q2 Book Report Assignment

Q2: Grade 7+8: Book Reports

Book Club Day:________________________

COMPLETELY FINISH at least one book of your choosing with your nightly 30 minutes of reading. Challenge yourself to read different types of books, and explore your interests across genres.

On book club day, bring:

a healthy snack to share

a handout about your book with

the title

your rating

author

genre

brief summary

central image

a typed essay from one of the choices below.

NO LATE BOOK REPORTS WILL BE ACCEPTED

2nd Quarter: Craft and Structure

How did the author use words and phrases? Find examples of really excellent or interesting words and phrases and describe how they affect the meaning of the story, the feeling of the story. Pay special attention to analogies (“like” or “as”) and allusions (shout-outs to other stories, books, movies etc.)

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

Choose TWO books to compare to each other. How are they structured? Are the chapters short or long? Does the story follow a nice linear timeline or does it jump around in time? Does the conflict come at the beginning or the end? How does the structure of these two books change the meaning and style of the books?

Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.

What are the points of view in your story? Who is the narrator? What kind of narrator are they? Do you trust their point of view? What does the point of view in your story accomplish?  Does the point of view lead to suspense or humor?

Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.

Q2: Grade 9+10: Book Reports

Book Club Date: Thursday October 2, 2014

COMPLETELY FINISH at least one book of your choosing with your nightly 30 minutes of reading. Challenge yourself to read different types of books, and explore your interests across genres.

On book club day, bring:

a healthy snack to share

a handout about your book with

the title

your rating

author

genre

brief summary

central image

a typed essay from one of the choices below.

NO LATE BOOK REPORTS WILL BE ACCEPTED

Choose your book report essay from this list:

(Based on Common Core Standards for Literature for grade 9-10)

Q2: Craft and Structure

4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g. how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

5. Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g. pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

Q2: Grade 11+12: Book Reports

Book Club Date: October 2, 2014

Each month, you should COMPLETELY FINISH at least one book of your choosing with your nightly 30 minutes of reading. Challenge yourself to read different types of books, and explore your interests across genres.

On book club day, bring:

a healthy snack to share

a handout about your book with

the title

your rating

author

genre

brief summary

central image

a typed essay from one of the choices below.

NO LATE BOOK REPORTS WILL BE ACCEPTED

Q2: Craft and Structure

4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)

5. Analyze how an authorʻs choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g. the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

6. Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).