How to Turn a Boring Book Report Into a Fun Project Kid's Will Love?

Education

Are you a member of the school of thought that says the classic book report is jaded and old? While it's beneficial to have students do a book report or two throughout the year, there are alternatives that can be more appealing and that will give the students a chance to express themselves in alternative ways. Students can complete a book report assignment in artistic formats or in formats that foster good communications skills while still deriving the same benefit from the task. Let's look at some alternate book report assignments.

Bringing Out the Artist in Your Students

Students love to showcase their budding artistic skills and you will be surprised by how much fun your students will have by turning a traditional book report into a work of art. You may find that some students are more clearly able to express what they learned from the book through artwork. Some ideas to get you started:

· Create a picture or collage of the book. Using regular crayons and art stock paper have students illustrate a particular scene from the book, or an event or character that gives a good sense of what the book was about, or what they learned from reading the book. Have each student present their work in front of the class and explain the scene that they have recreated. Designate one bulletin board in the classroom or outside your classroom door to showcase the pieces when the assignment ends.

· Create a book jacket. Have students create a book jacket (both inside and outside) that reflects the ideas that they think are most important for the book. Keep in mind that a book jacket has not only cover art, but also has a summary of the book located on the inside of the jacket, or on the back, or both.

· Create life size characters. Based on the books that they read, have students work in groups to create life size characters. Working in pairs, have students trace one another's figure onto a large sheet of paper (like the kind that comes on rolls and is available in art supply stores) and then bring a character from the book to life using crayons, markers, and other mediums.

· Create a comic book. Have students create a comic strip layout of the book that they have read.

Encouraging Communication

A book report assignment can be just the perfect way to get your students to develop oral communications skills or experience public speaking. While some students are just natural born "talkers", others, as you know, are more reserved and some are borderline shy. Learning to speak in front of others is a very important skill and learning to effectively communicate with others is just as vital. You can help students develop or hone their communications skills through alternative book report assignments, such as:

· Panel discussions. Have groups of students read the same book and then discuss the story, plot, characters and more.

· Prepare and present a synopsis. Have students prepare a two-minute synopsis of the book that they have read to present in front of the class.

· Interviews. Have the class read the same book - and then interview them, asking them questions about the book as if they are a character in the story. Assign a character to each student, or have several students be the same character, depending on the size of the class and the number of main characters in the book.

· Presentation. Have students create props that are related to the story line, and that all fit within a regular sized folder. Have the student give a presentation of the story using their props in front of the class.

Any of these ideas can become a great way to involve your students in the world of reading, and allow them to share their reflections and what they have learned in unique ways.

Jennifer Dobson