cereal box book report ideas

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How to Make a Cereal Box Book Report

Reading is a fundamental part of early education. Studies even show that reading to newborns helps their brain development and can improve vocabulary later on. Reading opens doors to learning, and will be an essential part of schooling forever. 

Chances are that sometime in your mom life you will have a child that needs a book report, and chances are that you also purchase a large amount of boxed cereal. This creates the perfect scenario for these cereal box book reports . They are a fun way for kids to share what they learned in their reading, and a practical way to reduce, reuse and recycle those old cereal boxes. 

The first few steps in the cereal box book reports would be to read the book and buy a box of cereal if you don’t already have a box laying around. If you don’t already have a stash of cereal boxes, it could be fun to let your child pick out the cereal from the store with the book report in mind for the end result. 

The cover of the cereal box is usually bright, colorful, and has the name of the cereal unmistakably large on the front. The front of the box is a lot of real estate for your child to get creative. The cereal name should be the title of the book. The art work on the front should hint to the storyline just like the cover of a book would. 

One side of the cereal box usually has nutrition facts and an ingredients list. The setting of the story can be described in this column. The setting should include things like the location, the era of time. Setting can best be remembered as the time and place. If the setting is described well it is possible for someone to get the feeling of being in the book without having ever opened it. 

Main Characters

The other side of the cereal box is where your child can describe the main characters of the story. Describing the setting and main characters are the fundamentals of a good book report. Main character descriptions can include things like age, role, personality, relationship to other characters, physical appearance, etc. 

Traditionally, the back of the cereal box usually has a maze, a word search, or some kind of activity that kids love to do over and over again. I think we all had that one sibling who did the activity in pen and ruined it for everyone else. The activity should somehow be related to the book. A word search with main character names or setting details, or title and author information could be included. 

Why Book Reports are Important

Book reports are a great way to gauge how well a child understood what they read. Reading comprehension is the only way that reading is beneficial to a child. Making book reports fun and engaging for children could help them have a better relationship with reading. Cereal box book reports are sure to be a hit with your children, and will also help them learn and grow academically. If you try it out, be sure to leave a comment! 

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Cereal Box Book Report: A Creative Writing Project & Activity for Gifted Students

• Categories : High school english lesson plans grades 9 12
• Tags : High school lesson plans & tips

• Cereal Box - empty and in good shape (no torn off tops or crushed sides)
• Butcher Paper - assorted colors
• Construction Paper or Scrapbooking Paper
• Assorted scrapbooking decorations/stickers
• Packing tape
• Fishing Line

How to Make a Cereal Box Book Report

Tape both ends with packing tape to seal down the flaps and to keep them from poking up after wrapping. Using butcher paper, wrap the cereal box much like you would a Christmas present, but being sure not to go too crazy on the tape. The boxes look best when wrapped in a neutral color like white, gray, or beige.

The front of the box will have the title of the book, author name, and a picture or object that symbolizes the story. Tell students to select an image or object that would most likely be a movie poster if this book were to be made in to a film. Encourage them to refrain from using an image similar to what is already on the cover of the book they are reporting. Creativity should play a huge part in the overall grading and you want them to come up with an image for the front of the box that is meaningful, but different from the novel’s cover. Students can draw their own image, use clip art they’ve printed from a computer, or use 3-D objects. For example, I had a student create cereal box for the short story, “A Rose for Emily” and hot glue a withered, dried rose to the front of the box and also added a Barbie-size hair brush with a few steel-Grey wig hairs weaved in the bristles. Not only should the image be striking, but the title and author’s name should be bold and visible on the front of the box.

Step Three:

On the back of the box, you can use this space to have students illustrate their knowledge of a lesson you have studied in conjunction with the novel, or if the book is fiction, you could require students to construct a plot pyramid, being sure to use examples from the novel for each step of the pyramid. Non-fiction books could create a time-line of the novel, or a “Facts & Figures” chart that displays the main facts from the book. Require two or three symbolic images that represent the book in some way.

Side one of the cereal box should list the “ingredients”, or characters in the novel. Each main character should also have a few sentences that describe their physical and personality traits. You can require a picture or object that symbolizes each character. The scrap-booking aisles of craft stores offer great stickers and trinkets that would be great for character symbols. Using the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton as an example, students found a tiny jean jacket for Johnny and a miniature football helmet for Derry to glue next to their names and descriptions. It is unbelievable how many different stickers and trinkets you can find in the scrap-booking section! Also keep in mind that I encourage students to type up their descriptions and other textual items on the computer and print them using aesthetically pleasing font and color. Simply writing the information directly on to the butcher paper will appear sloppy and will not leave much room for error. Typing, printing, cutting and pasting on to the box is the student’s best bet and will look the best for the final product.

Side two of the cereal box needs to describe the setting of the story, and include a paragraph description. Side two should also note whether the story was written in first or third person or explain the author’s style of the work (stream of consciousness or prose writing, for example).

The top of the box should contain a theme statement that the student created to best fit the story. You can also require symbolic pictures to accompany the theme statement.

Step Seven:

The bottom of the box will contain two tone words that best describe the first half of the work and then two additional tone words that describe the second half of the work. Images and pictures that represent the tone words can also be required.

Report Presentation

Upon completing the cereal boxes, students should present them to the class; taking time to explain and describe each aspect of the box to the class. I like to display the completed boxes by puncturing the upper corner of the box with a large needle and weaving a length of fishing line through the top. I then suspend the boxes from my classroom ceiling to show off the student’s hard work. The hanging boxes are eye-catching and are also a great way to promote reading in your classroom. Students may venture to try a book they’d never dared to because the cereal box hanging from your ceiling piqued their interest!

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Revamping Book Reports: How Cereal Box Book Report Promotes Creativity and Critical Thinking Skills

Calling all educators and parents! Do you remember the days of boring book reports? Times have changed and it’s time we switched things up to promote creativity and critical thinking skills. One alternative method that has gained popularity is the cereal box book report . Not only does it provide a fun way for students to showcase their literary comprehension, but it also integrates design elements into education. Let’s explore how using cereal boxes as a unique tool can help revamp conventional assignments and improve overall enthusiasm for reading in young learners. Download here today !

How to Use the Cereal Box Book Report

After reading a fiction book students will design a cereal based on the book to promote critical thinking skills and make the book report and writing part fun. This creative writing project comes with real-life examples and photos. My favorite part is the character ingredient list and the special prize inside part of this book report. Students love this creative cereal box book report because they get to be creative and it is different than just a normal paragraph book writing assignment. In addition, this includes printable templates for students to write on and cut and glue onto a standard-size cereal box so you can display these book reports on real cereal boxes!  Ready to make learning fun and end boring book reports with these create a cereal report? Download here today !

See what others are saying:

“My students loved this resource! It is a great alternative to a traditional book report. It is very creative and engaging for students to interact with the content of the book in a more in depth way. Thank you!”

“We used this after reading a novel.  The entire class created the report using the same book, and the boxes were so creative and unique.  None were the same!!  Thank you for putting this together. “

“I loved this resource! My students did an amazing job on this activity. Everything was well designed, and the students understood what to do. Great resource! Thanks!”

Grab it here today !

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10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love

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Fun book report ideas for fourth, fifth and sixth graders.

Book reports don’t need to be painfully boring. In fact, they can be a ton of fun, and with the right project, students will love the entire process of creating and sharing meaningful book projects. There are loads of great book report ideas out there just waiting to happen in your classroom!

Here are 10 book report ideas that kids will love:

1. cereal box book report.

These oh-so-cool reports were always the top-ranked project by my fifth graders. Students loved creating an original book report display using a covered cereal box and ready-made templates. The finished projects made a great classroom display, and students loved looking at their classmates’ creative reports. Read more about Cereal Box Book Reports HERE .

2. Paper Bag Book Report

This is a super simple idea that is quite fun for students. Provide each student with a lunch-sized paper bag. Tell them to think about 5 objects that relate to the main character of their book . The objects have to be small enough to fit into the bag . Send the bags home and have students place the 5 objects in the bag and bring them back to school. On the day they are due, have students take turns sharing the objects in their bags and explaining how they relate to the main character of the book. You can even make a great display with the bags, objects, and books to pique the interest of other students.

3. Character Day

Have students dress up as the main character of their book. Then, have each student take a turn standing in front of the class and telling their character’s story in first person point of view.

4. Book Report Lap Book

you need are two file folders, some cardstock or construction paper, scissors, glue, and the FREE book report template found here . The finished products are quite amazing, and your students will probably keep theirs forever! Check out my photo tutorial for making a lap book .

5. Book Scene Diorama

Have students construct a diorama of one of the main events of their book. They will make a 3-dimensional scene, including models of characters, the setting, and objects. A shoebox makes a great place to build a diorama. Require students to write a description of the scene.

6. Book Report Posters

This might be the easiest option of the book report ideas. Have students first sketch their posters on a sheet of notebook paper. Then, provide students with a large piece of poster paper or chart paper. Posters must identify main characters, setting, title, problem, and solution. Display finished posters in the classroom or on hallway walls.

7. Book Report Mobiles

Mobiles are easy to make, and it’s fun to watch students use their creativity in designing their own projects. A paper plate folded in half makes a great base/topper for mobiles. Have students write the title of the book on this paper plate semi circle and hang the mobile pieces from it. Provide students with construction paper, yarn, markers, paper hole punches, and any other materials they might need.

8. Book Report Mini Books

With just one piece of paper, your students can make a complete, creative book report!

In these clever book projects , students identify:

• Title/Author
• Main Character

No tape, glue, or staples required! Photo directions are included in this download.

9. Design a Book Jacket

Show your students several examples of some outstanding book jackets. Point out the front with the title and illustration, the spine and its information, and the back with the book summary. Also show the two inside flaps with information about the author and a smaller summary. Provide them each with a larger piece of paper and have them design a jacket for the book they have just read.

10. Ready-to-Print Templates

Use NO PREP book report templates to save your sanity AND to keep things fun for your students. You could print out all 12 templates in this Book Report Templates Packet and let students choose the one they want to do each month! There is even a really nice digital option for Google classroom included!

Regardless of which of these book report ideas you choose, be sure to clearly outline the expectations before your students begin. It’s best if you can model a project to demonstrate the quality of work your students should strive for.

Keep it fun and engaging, and your students will be excited to invest their time in their projects!

Check out these ready to go, easy to use book report projects in my store:

SAVE THIS POST FOR LATER!

Pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board  so you can come back for these book report ideas!

To recap, the 10 Book Report Project Ideas are:

• Cereal Box Book Report
• Paper Bag Book Report
• Character Day
• Book Report Lapbook
• Book Scene Diorama
• Book Report Posters
• Book Report Mobiles
• Design a Book Jacket
• Ready-to-Print Templates

Shelly Rees

Hi, I’m Shelly! Thank you for being here. I love helping third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers with fun and engaging activities that require no to little prep! Let me help you by taking some of the stress and work off your plate.

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42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

8. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions .

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels , and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach , this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a “wanted” poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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Cereal Box Book Reports

• May 16, 2022
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• Curriculum , Homeschool

Our Co-op has had a fun year doing our book club. Every month we read a new book and did the activities that went along with the book. For some of our books, we ended the month by making our own version of the story, some with art, some with a poem or a piece of art. One of the great projects we did was a cereal box book report. The book we read this month was Audrey L. and Audrey W. Best Friend-ish . It was an awesome book about the jealousy and learning how to be friends for the elementary-aged. It had many great lessons and was fun and enjoyable. There were some silly jokes that even made the boys in the group laugh so the female lead characters did not deter them too much. 

After the book, the girls created a cereal based on the story. They picked a mascot and named the cereal on the front of the box. One side was for the ingredients where they listed the characters and setting. The other side was for a short summary of the book. The best part was the game they created for the back of the box. It would be easy to create this on blank paper, which is what we did for the cover. For the games, I used grid paper and a blank maze we had for them to build around. I used a handy dandy template for their box sides!

This activity would be great for any book. Our co-op all shared theirs from the same book and came up with so many different mascots and games as it is. The ingredients and summaries were all similar. It would be really fun to do with a group if they all read different books. The kids could then trade them all, learn about new books and even try out the games. 

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