At the beginning of the school year, design a genre and report style for each school month. Create a grading rubric for each report, the number of required pages to be read, and samples to show the students. With these items in place, the plan is manageable throughout the entire year! The following is a sample from upper elementary grades.
September – Animal Fiction Book Report
“It’s in the Bag” is a hands-on report requiring students to select 4-6 objects from home to retell the story orally. During the presentation, the related object is pulled out of a bag, box, or any type of container and set on a table for the audience to view. By the time the entire plot is shared, all objects, from toy trucks to stuffed animals to kitchen utensils, are displayed for all to see. Choose a book students are familiar with and demonstrate how this report should be presented. This is essential to a great outcome!
October – Informational Book Report
Create a tri-fold brochure about the book’s topic. The first flap includes three interesting reasons why children should know about the topic. The second flap highlights five vocabulary words commonly associated with this topic. The third flap restates ten facts about the topic that the average person might not know. All flaps must have eye-catching graphics or photographs. The more creative, the better the grade!
November – Mystery Book Report
Make your students hungry to read by having them create a sandwich with all the fixin's. Using paper and markers, students create a sandwich including bread, lettuce, onion, meat, and tomato. Tied together, the story is retold in this tantalizing format. The bread is the cover and includes the title of the book, publication date, and genre. Under the bread is the tomato, listing all the main characters. Next, is the onion which highlights the obstacles in the story. Below the onion is the meat which retells the beginning, middle, and end of the book. The lettuce provides the reader's opinion. Was the book a page turner? Would grandpa read this book? Wrap up the report with another slice of bread.
December – Biography Book Report
“Most Wanted Posters” provide an amusing diversion from the winter blues. This report format provides the opportunity for artists to draw the featured person in the book. Around the border of the portrait, students answer questions like: How did this person make the world a better place? If he/she was never born, how would the world be different? What is one way you can similarly contribute to your world? What are three reasons that he/she became the person they were?
January – Historical Fiction Book Report
Why not repeat "It's in the Bag?" Students are familiar with this reporting method as outlined above. They will look forward to the presentation now that they know what is required.
Plan Ahead
Although report formats are not provided in this article for every month, there are many resources available to fill in the remaining months. By sending this year-long plan home with students at the beginning of the school year, parents and students are quickly informed of the priority the teacher places on regular reading. Teachers can help themselves by preparing in advance the grading rubric, samples of reports to show parents and students, and several trade books from each of the genres selected. Take time to read silently while the students are watching. Modeling is worth a thousand books!
