Book Report (Parents--you may want to read the novel with your child)
You are responsible for completing two assignments for the historical novel
book report.
The first is to choose one of many types of projects to do about the book
report.
The other assignment uses research you have gathered about the time your
novel was set.
The following information was handed out to students on Nov. 13. The book
report project is due Dec. 7. The research on the history of when your novel
takes place is due on Dec. 14.
Book Report:
Book Report Information
You will complete at least three book reports during the school year. Choose
a different type of report for each separate assignment (no repeating project
ideas).
This is how your report will be graded:
Rubric
Presents key concepts and characters clearly 40 points
Well designed/coherent organization/interesting 20 points
Correct spelling and grammar 20 points
Relevant to the story 20 points
Book Report Project Ideas
Ms. Bilger 2009-2010
1. Make a crossword puzzle using words or characters from your book.
Pass copies to your classmates. Give students a word bank to use to answer it.
2. Create a diorama to represent a part in your story.
3. Rewrite the ending of your story and illustrate it. Present it with
the original ending. (You can photocopy the original ending).
4. Make a 5-7 page picture book showing the most important parts of the
story.
5. Dress up like a character in the book and describe the role to the
class that character plays in the book. (Make sure to include props and other
things to help us recognize your character.) Have your character give a
brief description of the story.
6. Write a journal entry from the point of view of one of the characters
in the book (Pretend you are your favorite character from the book and write
at least 5 entries.)
7. Pretend you are an interviewer from the local news. Write at least
ten interview questions you would ask one of the characters in the book and
what you think their answers might be (full and complete answers). You can
invite another student to help you act this out.
8. Create a “Wanted” poster for a character from the book. (Fully
colored on large art paper. No computer images.) What is your character
wanted for?
9. Write a news article on the book; answer Who? What? When? Where?
How? Why? Pretend you are a newscaster and give us the information in a
live news broadcast.
10. Create a comic strip. (Draw and fully color a comic strip using
characters from your book. No computer images. Must be at least 7 frames.)
11. Design a poster to advertise your book. Write a paragraph about the
highlight of the book.
12. Produce a book jacket that could be used for your book.
13. Make a time-line of events in the story. Add a cover with your own
design on the front.
14. Write a letter of appreciation to the author(s) of the book telling
them why you liked the book.
15. Make a map tracing a route that is highlighted in your story.
16. Display souvenirs that recall special events in the book. Identify
those special events.
17. Write letters as if some of the characters were corresponding to each
other.
History Research Component:
1. Research the time period in which your story takes place. If you
don’t know that time period ask me and I can help you.
2. Answer at least 5 of the following questions about the period:
• How were children treated (what was the concept of childhood?)
• What kind of clothes did the people wear?
• What were typical foods that they ate?
• What was going on politically?
• What kinds of games did children play?
• What type of music was popular? (Don’t just name it, describe it)
• Describe the period’s technology/inventions
• What kinds of houses did people live in?
• What kind of roles did women have?
• What was education like?
3. Now fill in the Venn diagram comparing your research about the time
period to the events and descriptions in your book.
4. Turn the Venn diagram paper over and in very neat handwriting write a
paragraph explaining whether or the main character(s) in your novel lived a
life similar to how others would have lived based on the information about
the period you researched. If so, what are the similarities. If not, how is
your character's life different?
Scholastic News
Write in complete sentences at least one paragraph answering these questions:
1. What is the name of your favorite article? (Put titles of magazine
articles in quotation marks).
2. What is that article about?
3. Why do you like it—tell me something more than you think it is interesting—
why do you think it is interesting?
4. What else would you like to know about the subject of your favorite
article?
5. Where will you look for the answer to your question? And how will you
search for it? (If you are going to do an on-line search identify key
words).
NOW
1. Research the question you identified that you wanted to have answered. If
you can not find the answer to your question ask another question until you
do find an answer to something more you want to know.
REMEMBER
1. Label the top of your paper.
2. Write in complete sentences, check spelling of words copied from the
article or research materials, and make sure your verbs and subjects agree.
Explain your thoughts.
3. Use descriptive words to convey excitement and enthusiasm for your topic.
4. Write neatly in cursive.
5. Capitalize titles of magazine articles and put them in quotation marks.
6. Begin sentences with capitols and end with appropriate punctuation.
NEW SCIENCE ASSIGNMENT
Bird Beaks Adaptation Booklet
Assignment: Bird Beak Adaptation Booklet
Objective: To learn how an animal’s physical adaptation helps them meet the
need of food and water.
Product: Students will make a booklet identifying how the shape of a bird’s
beak is determined by the type of food they eat.
Procedures:
1. Find pictures of different bird beaks either in books (I have some in
the classroom) or on-line.
2. Study different bird beak shapes. Research what foods the birds eat.
3. Draw pictures of 4-5 different bird beaks. Identify and label
examples of birds which belong to each of the shapes.
4. Identify the food each bird eats.
5. Infer (make an educated guess) how the shape of a beak helps them eat
the food they eat.
Stuff you need to know to be successful:
Adaptation means a body part or behavior that helps an organism meet its
needs in its environment.
1. We will begin work on the book in class—I will provide all the
necessary materials.
2. Due dates—Research Oct. 9-11, In-class Bookmaking Oct. 12-16, Turn-in
Product Oct. 19.
3. Tools to think about when looking for different bird beak shapes:
pliers, chopsticks, tweezers, clothespins, and spoon. You will search for
birds whose beaks resemble those tools.
4. You are expected to find bird beaks that resemble at least 4 of those
tools. If you are lucky you may find a beak for each tool. If so, include all
five beak shapes.
Picture Day is Sept. 21.
Animal Needs Poster Project: LIVING THINGS
Due Sept. 23 (Mrs. Schmid’s class)
Due Sept. 24 (Ms. Bilger’s class)
1. 9/1 - 9/9 Brainstorm a list of animals you want to know more about.
2. 9/10 or 9/11 Choose one animal to research. Come to class with at
least three ideas in case someone else is researching your first choice.
• It must be an animal living in the wild (no domesticated animals;
they can not be taken care of by humans).
• Research your animal and identify how that particular animal meets
its five basic needs (climate, oxygen, food and water, shelter and
continuation of the species, Chapter 2/Lesson 1 in your science book, pgs.
A40-A45).
• You will also include at least one interesting fact about your animal.
3. 9/11 or 9/12 through 9/19 Research your topic at home. Check with
me if you have any questions.
4. 9/20 through 9/21 Create a poster (use poster board—not foam core
board) at home presenting the information you learned about your animal:
• identify how your animal meets its needs in short paragraphs (write
in complete sentences!)
• be written neatly in print or cursive, with your name, date and a
title on it,
• include images (hand drawn pictures or photographs) of your animal
• include at least one interesting fact about your animal,
• use correct spelling and grammar,
• be clearly organized,
• and be in your own words (you can not plagiarize or take sentences
from another person’s writing without crediting them).
5. 9/ 23 or 9/24 Bring in posters to class. Be prepared to present your
poster to your classmates and to me.
Any questions—feel free to ask me during science lesson or free time.
