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~6th grade only~
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2010-2011
6th grade book reports
As you know from the paper that went home, all 6th graders are required to complete two independent book reports each quarter. I am requiring that they check their books with me for the first quarter, so I have an idea of what they are choosing on their own- that way I can talk to them about their reading levels. Please make sure your student is reading daily for 15-20 minutes, including weekends.
They will need help planning how long it will take to complete a book report. I suggest taking about three weeks to read the book (taking a few notes as they read so they aren't stuck at the end having to reread huge chunks of their book), then taking several days to complete a first draft of the report in one of the formats below. I WILL EDIT AND REVISE with your student! Any book report given to me AT LEAST TWO DAYS PRIOR to the due date will be checked over by me and discussed with your student so he or she can improve their final product.
DUE DATES for first quarter:
Wednesday, September 29th (so no later than Monday, 9/27 for editing)
Wednesday, October 27th (so no later than Monday, 10/25 for editing)
FORMATS to choose from:
Option #1- TIMELINE
Students will choose the ten most important events from their novel, and explain these events on a timeline. To contain enough detail, the summaries of each event should be at least two to three high-quality sentences each. For example, from the book we're reading currently, Surviving Brick Johnson:
NOT SO GREAT: Alex wants to take karate lessons.
IMPROVED: Alex, a ten year old boy, wants to take karate lessons at the local YMCA because he is worried that the school bully, Brick Johnson, is going to maim him. Alex had done an imitation of Brick at lunchtime, and Brick didn't seem to like it, even though a teacher interrupted the boys before Brick could tell Alex what he was going to do to him. In fact, Alex is so worried that he looks up the word 'maim' in his dictionary at home, and the three definitions are really scary- like losing a limb, and being seriously injured.
Option #2- NEWSPAPER
Students will create a front page section of a newspaper that could be published in the town where their story takes place. They need to have attention-grabbing headlines (Local Boy Bullied! The Karate Kid! Brick vs. Alex) that will make the reader want to read the 3 articles (of 1-2 paragraphs in length) they've included about plot events or characters. In addition, students should include at least one illustration with a caption- please, NO searching for the book title online and just printing pictures someone else has come up with! Use your imagination. For Surviving Brick Johnson, you may include a drawing of two people engaged in a karate match, kids eating lunch in a school cafeteria, bricks in the shape of a boy...
I have copies of The Dispatch in the classroom so students can see what information is reported in a paper, as well as how a paper is laid out.