BOOK RESPONSES AND PROJECTS
The teacher will discuss the genre in class prior to the assignment.
The teacher will show a sample project in class prior to the assignment.
On the due date the student will
1. bring in their book
2. turn in a written book response
3. turn in the assigned project
Planning ahead is of the essence!
Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!
| How to write a book response - Click this link! |
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OCTOBER: Genre-Mystery. Click here for a timeline of due dates.
Project - Create 5 questions about your book related to each of the following:
1. main characters 2. setting 3. conflict 4. resolution 5. author's purpose for writing this story
On 5x7 paper provided by your teacher, write your question on one side and illustrate the answer on the other side.
On the illustration side, label with "main characters," "setting," "conflict," "resolution," and "author's purpose."
http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/mysterybooksforchildren.htm
NOVEMBER: Genre-Historical Fiction Project-Jackdaw
DECEMBER : Genre-poetry Project - Create a Poster & Memorize a poem
FEBRUARY: Genre-nonfiction book Project -
MARCH: Genre-biography or autobiography - Project - Dress as your person of study
APRIL: Genre-fiction book with an animal as the main character or a nonfiction book about an animal Project-Create the animal from any medium.
MAY: Genre-your choice Project-your choice
First, read the book. As you’re reading, take notes on key information, use post it notes to mark key information in the book, such as the names of the main characters, personality quirks of these characters, and the setting, the conflict (the problem), the resolution (how the problem was solved), important events, author's purpose (what the author is trying to teach us), and any other things that seem important and want to include in your book response.
The Structure of your Response:
Start your response with an introductory paragraph that states the book’s title, the author, the time period and the book's genre (mystery, fairy tale, science fiction, western, etc.). Then write at least three paragraphs that clearly describe the overall gist of the book. DO NOT REWRITE THE ENTIRE BOOK. Each paragraph should stick to one topic (for example, one paragraph describes the main character; another paragraph summarizes the conflict/problem). End the written assignment with a closing paragraph that states what you learned from the book, your opinions, how you personally connected to the book, how you liked the book and why.
Check that your grammar, spelling and punctuation are correct. Make sure to use complete sentences and write neatly. Define any technical terms or made up words your author uses if you also use them in your response. Proofread your report for errors before you hand it in—do not hand in a rough draft. Read it out loud to a parent prior to handing it in.
Topics you may include in your response:
· Setting: Describe the setting or settings of the book. Note where the action takes place and when.
· Main Character: Write about the main character, including what they are like, what they look like, what they like to do, and so on. Use the life skills to explain their character traits.
· Other Characters: List the other characters in the books and give some character traits for each.
· What happened at the beginning of the story? How does the story start? Usually this is where the characters are introduced to us and the problem is stated.
· What happened in the middle of the story? This is usually where we find out about the problem and the story becomes more exciting.
· What happened at the end of the story? This is usually where the main problem in the book is resolved.
· What was the problem in the story? How was it solved, who solved it and why?
· What did you learn from this book? Share your thinking and your opinions. The best books leave the reader with a lot to think about and learn. Tell if you liked or disliked this book and why you did or didn’t like it. If you want to comment on the setting - have you ever been to a place like that? Did you like it or not? Would you like to be in a place and time like that described in the book? If you want to comment on a character or two- Does the character change, learn, or grow in the story? If so, describe how and why this happens. Would you like to be friends with any of the characters? State why you liked/disliked certain characters. Did any of the characters do things that you think are admirable, noble, wrong, or risky? Theme/Main Idea: What was the main idea or theme of the book? Some stories have a moral (like Aesop’s fables), while others try to teach a life lesson. You will not include all of these topics in your last paragraph. You do need to include one paragraph and share your thinking on some part of your book.