Book reports can seem daunting not only to students, but teachers alike who end up having to grade them. Book reports can be made fun again with some alternatives. The concept remains the same, students still read a book that they need to understand and fully comprehend, but the way that information is presented can certainly look different. Here are 6 ways teachers and homeschool parents can change up the book report assignment.
- Cereal Box Book Report
A cereal box book report will be an assignment that will help your students to have fun coloring and drawing while also thinking about the important parts of the book. Students will get to create a new cereal. This will be a cereal that maybe the main character might enjoy or have something to do with the book. They will create a cereal box and name on the front of the cereal box and then write the plot and characters for the sides of the box where the ingredients go. The back of the box will be a game that goes along with the theme of the book.
- Shoe Box Diorama
Have your students bring in a shoebox they may have sitting around for this project. They can help others to visualize what the setting of the book might look like by creating a mini scenery inside the box. Students can choose a specific scene that was important to the book and create it inside the box. Students will have fun searching for items to create this scene.
- Put on a Puppet Show
Students will have fun with this one. You can have students get into groups from 2-4 to create a puppet show. They should create their own puppets of the main characters of the book and then act out an important scene from the book. Students will have so much fun getting to do with with their friends. This will also help them to remember important parts of the book by acting it out.
- Create a Scrapbook for One of the Characters
Another alternative that students will have a fun time with will be creating a scrapbook. First have your students choose their favorite character in the book. Then they will have to visualize what it might be like to be this character. They will make a scrapbook with pages of events that happened to them in the book. You can have them write up short captions explaining the events to go with photos. They can find photos of what they think the character might look like.
- Create a Movie Poster
This project will give your strudens lots of artistic freedom. Have them visualize what a poster might look like if this book was turned into a movie. They should add in images of characters and show it in the setting of the book. They will have fun deciding a title for the movie along with a date of when the movie will premiere.
- Create a Timeline of Events
In order to help your students really understand the book, you can have them create a timeline of events. This will be a great assignment for the more challenging books. This will help students to really pay attention while they are reading. It would be fun if they add pictures to each event on the timeline.
- Write a Diary as if you Were a Character
This will be a great assignment to do while students are reading the book. After each chapter, you can have students write a diary as if they are one of the characters in the book. This will really help your student to understand through the mind of one of the main characters.
Next time your students need to read a book, try one of these 7 ways to change up your regular assignments. These ways are sure to help your students spark an interest in reading again.
