BOOK REPORTS TO GET EXCITED ABOUT

Burn those old written book report forms and try some of these ideas for sparking children’s interest in reading!


Play Dough
Give children a handful of play dough and ask them to mold something from the story. Tell classmates how what they made relates to their story.

Hat

Challenge children to make a hat to represent their book. Have a parade and let children discuss their books.

Bookmark
Put out the scrap box, scissors, and markers and let them create a bookmark that represents their book.

Pantomime
Children get to pantomime a character or event.

Song, Rap, or Poem
Let children make up an original song, rap, or poem about their book.

*This would be fun to do with a partner or group who read the same book.

Advertisement
Each child stands and has a minute to “sell” their classmates on a book. Older children could write their advertisements.

Illustrate
Let children draw or paint pictures about their books.

Puppet
Puppets can be made from lunch sacks, paper plates, sticks, or socks.

Quilt
Give each child an 8” square and ask them to illustrate their story. Punch holes in the corners and tie together with yarn.

Chain
Each child writes their book title on a strip of construction paper. Staple together to make a “story chain.”

Dress Up
Children dress up like their favorite character and tell about their book from that character’s point of view.
*Hint! One teacher said they did this at her school instead of Halloween costumes.

T-shirt
Bring in old white T-Shirts and decorate with fabric markers.

Email
Write an email or letter to a character.
*Write a letter to the author.

Sequel
Invite children to write a sequel to their story.

Ending
How would you change the ending of your story?

Cartoon
Make cartoons of events in a story.

Graph
Make a class graph of favorite books or authors.

Sandwich Board
Cut a file folder in half. Write the title, author, and illustrator on one side. Illustrate on the other half. Punch holes and tie on string so children can wear them and have a parade.

Mural
Several children work in a group to create a mural of a book.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD OF HALLOWEEN?

I realize that some of you are not allowed to dress up on Halloween, so here are some ideas that can be a fun substitute.

Nursery Rhyme Halloween
A substitute for Halloween for younger children might be to have a nursery rhyme party. Children could all dress up like their favorite nursery rhyme character and then take turns reciting their rhyme. You could serve hard boiled eggs (Humpty Dumpty), muffins (Do You Know the Muffin Man?), haystack cookies (Little Boy Blue), and so forth.

Book Character Party

Children dress as their favorite book character.  Encourage children to explain why they like that character.

Pajama Party

Who wouldn't like to just get out of bed and come to school?

Vocabulary Word Costume
Ginny McLay and was inspired by her love of vocabulary to help her kids love learning new words with this costume party.

After focusing on words (synonyms, antonyms, nouns, verbs, and adjectives) invite children to think of a word that they LOVE, ADORE, AND ADMIRE and create a costume for their word.

Easy steps to make a costume!
1. Think of a few words that are really interesting.
2. Choose a word that you can make into a costume.
3. The word and definition must be somewhere on the costume.
4. Practice the word and definition
My word is _____. It means:_________.

Ideas for costumes:
1. Write the word and definition on a headband.
2. Write the word and definition on a piece of paper and make a necklace out of it.
3. Write the word and definition on a t-shirt and decorate with fabric paint.
4. Write the word and definition on a brown paper bag…cut it like a vest!
5. Use a costume you already have at home and think of a great word. Write the word and definition on a sash.


Can you tell? "Mysterious" and "celebrate"?

BOOK REPORTS TO GET EXCITED ABOUT

Burn those old written book report forms and try some of these ideas for sparking children’s interest in reading!

Play Dough
Give children a handful of play dough and ask them to mold something from the story. Tell classmates how what they made relates to their story.

Hat

Challenge children to make a hat to represent their book. Have a parade and let children discuss their books.

Bookmark
Put out the scrap box, scissors, and markers and let them create a bookmark that represents their book.

Pantomime
Children get to pantomime a character or event.

Song, Rap, or Poem
Let children make up an original song, rap, or poem about their book.

*This would be fun to do with a partner or group who read the same book.

Advertisement
Each child stands and has a minute to “sell” their classmates on a book. Older children could write their advertisements.

Illustrate
Let children draw or paint pictures about their books.

Puppet
Puppets about favorite characters can be made from lunch sacks, paper plates, sticks, or socks.

Quilt
Give each child an 8” square and ask them to illustrate their story. Punch holes in the corners and tie together with yarn.

Chain
Each child writes their book title on a strip of construction paper. Staple together to make a “story chain.”

Dress Up
Children dress up like their favorite character and tell about their book from that character’s point of view.

T-shirt
Bring in old white T-Shirts and decorate with fabric markers.

Email
Write an email or letter to a character.
*Write a letter to the author.

Sequel
Invite children to write a sequel to their story.

Ending
How would you change the ending of your story?

Cartoon
Make cartoons of events in a story.

Graph
Make a class graph of favorite books or authors.

Sandwich Board
Cut a file folder in half. Write the title, author, and illustrator on one side. Illustrate on the other half. Punch holes and tie on string so children can wear them and have a parade.

Mural
Several children work in a group to create a mural of a book.

MAKE A HAT DAY

September 15th is “Make a Hat Day,” but kids love to make hats and wear hats any day of the year. Here are some ways that you can tie in hats with themes or skills you are working on.

Sentence Strip Hat
Materials: sentence strips or heavy paper cut in 2 ½” x 24”, markers, crayons, stickers
Directions: Let children decorate the sentence strip and then fit to their head and staple or tape in place.

Children can write letters, numerals, or vocabulary words on the headband. Sure beats doing a worksheet and accomplishes the same thing!



Children can add ears or other details to create an animal from a story. Let them wear their hats to retell the story.

*Wouldn’t this be more fun than a written book report?

How about an “all about me” headband?

Children can make an autograph hat with friends’ names.

If you cut a zigzag line on one side every child can be king or queen for the day!



Hint! Two brad fasteners and a rubber band will make the hat easier to adjust to the head, but it’s a lot more trouble. 

HATS OFF TO YOU TODAY!

TACO BOOK AND BACKPACK BOOK

Here are two books that are challenging to make and will encourage children to be "authors and illustrators.

Taco and Burrito Book

Materials: construction paper, white copy, scissors, glue stick

Directions: Fold one sheet of paper in half. (That's your taco.) Cut off the creased edge about 1 1/2" from the top and the bottom of the fold.

Now, take 2-5 additional sheets of paper (you can vary this for the number of pages you want in your book). Fold them in half. Cut down 1 1/2” from the top and bottom of the crease.

                      

Roll up lengthwise like a burrito and insert in the hole you cut out of the taco. Unroll, fold in half, and you’ll have a book.

                                                  

Finally, take a sheet of construction paper and fold it in half. Glue all over the inside of the construction paper and then insert your book and rub.

                 

Use this book for:
edited stories
note taking
journals
science or social studies reports


Backpack Book
Punch holes in the top of a lunch bag (which is actually the bottom of the bag). You will need to do this for the children. Put a pipe cleaner through the holes and twist to make a handle.
Lift up the flap and tuck the bottom of the bag under it.

Use for: phonics
numbers
word families
facts about a concept/notes
book report
take home finger plays and nursery rhymes
reader’s tool kit

BOOK REPORT BONANZA

I'm on a rocking and "writing" roll this week.  Here are some ideas to inspire children to WANT to read and SHARE their adventures with books.  

Note!  When you look at these activities I'm sure you'll be able to create ways to use them with children from pre-k through elementary school 

Book Mark - Put out the scrap box, scissors, and markers and let them have fun.

Play Dough - Give children a handful of play dough and ask them to mold something from the story.

Pantomime - Children get to pantomime a character or event from their book.


Dress Up - Children dress up like their favorite character and tell about their book from that character’s point of view.

Illustrate - Let children draw or paint pictures about their books.


Puppet - Puppets can be made from lunch sacks, paper plates, sticks, or socks.

MORE IDEAS FOR OLDER STUDENTS!

Cereal Box - Children bring in cereal boxes from home and cover with paper. Challenge them to design a new cover for their book on the box.


Song, Rap, or Poem - Let children make up an original song, rap, or poem about their book.


Quilt - Give each child an 8” square and ask them to illustrate their story. Punch holes in the corners and tie together with yarn.


Mobile or Windsock - Use paper to create mobiles, windsocks, or pennants about books they have read.


T-shirt - Bring in old white T-Shirts and decorate with fabric markers.


Email - Write an email or letter to a character. 

*Do an internet search and write a letter to the author.


Advertisement - Each child stands and has a minute to “sell” their classmates on a book. Older children could write their advertisements.


Sequel - Invite children to write a sequel to their story.


Ending - How would you change the ending of your story?


Cartoon - Make cartoons of events in a story.


Graph - Make a class graph of favorite books or authors.


Sandwich Board - Cut a file folder in half. Write the title, author, and illustrator on one side. Illustrate on the other half. Punch holes and tie on string so children can wear them and have a parade.

MAKE A HAT DAY

September 15th is “Make a Hat Day,” but kids love to make hats and wear hats any day of the year. Here are some ways that you can tie in hats with themes or skills you are working on.

Sentence Strip Hat 
Materials: sentence strips or heavy paper cut in 2 ½” x 24”, markers, crayons, stickers 
Directions: Let children decorate the sentence strip and then fit to their head and staple or tape in place. 

Children can write letters, numerals, or vocabulary words on the headband. Sure beats doing a worksheet and accomplishes the same thing! 

                                                        

Children can add ears or other details to create an animal from a story. Let them wear their hats to retell the story.  


*Wouldn’t this be more fun than a written book report?

How about an “all about me” headband? 

Children can make an autograph hat with friends’ names. 

If you cut a zigzag line on one side every child can be king or queen for the day! 
                       
                                           

Hint! Two brad fasteners and a rubber band will make the hat easier to adjust to the head, but it’s a lot more trouble. 

                                  HATS OFF TO YOU TODAY!

BOOK REPORTS TO GET EXCITED ABOUT!

Burn those old written book report forms and try some of these ideas for sparking children’s interest in reading!

Play Dough

Give children a handful of play dough and ask them to mold something from the story. Tell classmates how what they made relates to their story.
                        Hat

Challenge children to make a hat to represent their book.  Have a parade and let children discuss their books.

Bookmark

Put out the scrap box, scissors, and markers and let them create a bookmark that represents their book.

Pantomime

Children get to pantomime a character or event.

Song, Rap, or Poem

Let children make up an original song, rap, or poem about their book.

*This would be fun to do with a partner or group who read the same book.

Advertisement 

Each child stands and has a minute to “sell” their classmates on a book. Older children could write their advertisements.

Illustrate

Let children draw or paint pictures about their books.

Puppet 

Puppets can be made from lunch sacks, paper plates, sticks, or socks.
                                 
Quilt

Give each child an 8” square and ask them to illustrate their story. Punch holes in the corners and tie together with yarn.

Chain 

Each child writes their book title on a strip of construction paper.  Staple together to make a “story chain.”

Dress Up 

Children dress up like their favorite character and tell about their book from that character’s point of view.

*Hint!  One teacher said they did this at her school instead of Halloween costumes.

T-shirt

Bring in old white T-Shirts and decorate with fabric markers.

Email 

Write an email or letter to a character.
*Write a letter to the author.

Sequel 

Invite children to write a sequel to their story.

Ending

How would you change the ending of your story?

Cartoon

Make cartoons of events in a story.
                         
Graph

Make a class graph of favorite books or authors.

Sandwich Board

Cut a file folder in half. Write the title, author, and illustrator on one side. Illustrate on the other half. Punch holes and tie on string so children can wear them and have a parade.
                                                                    
Mural

Several children work in a group to create a mural of a book.