Thinking Thursday: Musing About the Ol' Book Report

I remember very well the day that Mike stood up to do his book report on a James Bond Jr. book. I want to say it was 007 1/2, but I have only been able to find one James Bond, Jr. book and its spy number is 003 1/2. He talked around it for a bit, and the teacher did not believe he had read it. I am not even sure that he had a copy with him, or the instructor believed in the book's existence, period. Sigh.

We were assigned the same book report assignment, on lined paper (at least we got to draw on its construction paper cover!), with the same topics in the same order every month of that school year. I think we all just got burned out on the whole assignment.

Inventive teachers have been putting their own twist on the traditional book report for years, creating comic strip retellings, trading cards about the book's characters and highlighting specific story elements (i.e. setting, plot climax, character arc) during different parts of the school year. As retelling and summarizing are no less important today than ever, good ideas regarding how to get students motivated to talk about the books that they read is always a topic of interest to the language arts teacher.

Enter another Smilebox project: Valentine's Day cards, created by your student, for the characters in the books that they have enjoyed most this school year:

Another ecard by Smilebox

Students are able to alter the titles of these valentines, and can also add their own photo and signature at the bottom of each one. Here are some ways that these could be used in your classroom or learning setting:

1. Students can record a list of potential valentine recipients from the names of characters in their recently read books in their writing journals. Have small-group discussions to determine which characters will finally be chosen, and why those characters deserve a valentine ("My favorite character always makes me smile when I read about him/her. He/she says the kinds of things that I do."). The reasons for the choices can also be written in the journal.
2. As a whole group, consider short sayings that can be added to the tops of the valentines (i.e "Character Fave", "You Are Brave!", "So Special to Me"). Be sure that students proofread the front display (great white board activity) so that all students write and spell the titles correctly on their final project.
3. Students can take digital photos of themselves holding a favorite book, and add them to the valentine template.
4. Drawings can be made of favorite scenes of the book, or of a favorite character, digitally photographed and added to the cards.

While the students are at it, some time could be taken for a random act of kindness here, too. Students could create valentine cards for cafeteria helpers, teacher aides, support staff members and many other community helpers whom they may have forgotten when they created their original Valentine's Day list.

Did you download your free edition of the Smilebox Teacher's Toolbox yet? Be sure and do so, and have a wonderful Valentine's Day!