oral book report questions

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Good book report questions

Writing a book report is a common activity students are required to go through today. Reading is one thing but the ability to summarize and analyze information is totally different. One can read a lot of books but still be unable to develop a good book report due to the lack of knowledge of what it should look like. Therefore, students often seek book report help in order to understand how to write one. In this article we are going to provide some good book report questions that will provide guidance as to which direction to go when choosing a format of a book report. Even if you have never faced the challenge of writing one, it is most likely that you will soon receive such assignment. And it is always better to face it prepared knowing what to do. So keep reading to get to know more about how to develop a good one. Even if you have written one or many reports by now, you can still find out more to polish up your writing skills. Questions for a book report provided below will serve a good foundation for every student.

❓ How to Write a Good Book Report

There is a difference between a book report and a book review which everybody should know prior to writing any of these. They are not the same although there are some similarities. A lot of students mix them up turning in reports when reviews are requested and vice versa. Book reports are all about explaining topical details and the storyline of the book. Those writing this type of assignment are to present biographical information about the author of the book (year of birth, marital status, his/her education and worldview, etc.). After the biographical information, there should go a brief summary of the book content – the main characters and the development of the plot.

Now a book review is different as it requires an in-depth analysis in addition to the things mentioned in a book report. The bio of the author along with the summary of the story also belongs in the review but the attention paid to these things should not be so significant. In other words, these things are not central in writing a book review . Instead, they are all considered a background information upon which one may analyze and evaluate the book in general. A book review is then more about analysis and evaluation where students are required to identify the author’s main message and ideas as well as to understand the meaning of symbolic elements present in the text. Now as we have managed to draw the line of separation between a book report and a book review, we can move on to how to write a book report.

Book reports can be of different types and formats. Most common forms of book reports are plot summaries, theme and character analysis. This type of assignment will help you practice expressing your own opinion about different aspects of the text and eventually expressing your thoughts on pretty much any subject in future. But no matter what type of book report you are about to write, there are some common things you have to include into your paper:

• Specify the kind of book report
• Include the title of the book
• Put the name of the author
• Indicate the time when the story takes place
• Mention the location of the events taking place in the book
• List the names of the characters briefly describing each one of them (at least those you will be discussing in the report)
• Add quotations in order to back up your opinions

📄 Plot Summaries

This type of book report assumes one has to explain own opinions about the plot and why he/she believes so. Your purpose should be to describe and characterize the plot and back up your opinions by some examples from the book.

🖋 Character Analysis

Here you can explore the traits of the main characters and how they affect the development of the plot in the book. There are many things you can pay attention to when analyzing the characters, such as clothing, moral flaws, dialogues, actions, etc.

📗 Theme Analysis

This form of book reports allows exploring the themes and big ideas that are interwoven within the entire story. You can simply choose a theme that seems to be the most important or the one you like the most and try to bring some of your thoughts to highlight the topic.

📚 Book Report Questions

What can help you write book reports efficiently is the list of questions to direct your thinking and writing. You can google phrases like “book report questions for high school” or “book report questions for middle school” depending on what your level of writing is. But in order to save some time for you, we have decided to come up with our own list of questions that should help develop a good book report. Therefore, there is no need to type something like “write my book report” in a google search tab in hopes to find someone who will do it all for you. Instead, you may consider the questions to ask for a book report and try to write it on your own. Here is the list:

• What genre does your book belong to? Fiction, non-fiction, etc.
• Do you like the book? Why so? If yes, would you recommend it to your friends?
• Can you come up with another title?
• What is the setting/background information?
• Who are the main characters?
• Are the names of the characters in any way descriptive?
• How does the story start? Why do you think the author chose to start his book this way?
• How does the story develop?
• Did you have any associations coming to your mind when you were reading the story?
• Did you find anything funny in the story?
• What’s your favorite part?
• Is there a problem in the story? What is this problem?
• Do you think that the author could have come up with a better solution (if there is one)?
• Is there the main idea that you can identify?
• Can you identify the purpose of the book?
• What are the lessons the book teaches (if any)?
• Is the topic of the book important? Why?
• Did any of the characters in the book do something you did not quite like?
• Can you identify the main purpose of writing the book?
• Did the book help you generate new ideas?

✅ Final Remarks

Now that you know what book reports are all about, we recommend you to try and write one. But when we say “write one”, we don’t necessarily mean that the very first thing you have to do in order to produce a good book report is to take a pen and start writing something. There are other things one should do before writing. We suggest you jot down the information you would want to take special note of when reading the book. Keep this piece of paper next to you when you read a book. As you read, take notes of the plot, characters and the main idea. Then you can go through the questions listed above – they should help you understand the book better. When you are done with the questions, organize your thoughts into an outline and draft the book report. From there you have to only edit and revise the draft to produce a perfect paper.

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24 Book Review Questions to Ask Before Writing a Review

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 23rd February 2021  - Last updated: 5th September 2024

Categories Book Blogging , Books

Trying to write a book review but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, these book review questions for a book report will help you on your way!

Writing a book review or book report can feel overwhelming for one of two reasons. Either you have too much to say or nothing to say at all.

In either case, having some structure to your review and a roadmap of questions to answer can be helpful in focussing your thoughts so you can write a useful book review.

These book review questions are designed to get your brain thinking about some of the key issues and interesting points about your book in question.

You certainly don’t have to answer all of them and you don’t need to follow the order I have listed the book report questions below.

RELATED: How to Write a Good Review of a Bad Book

Book Review Questions: General Information

Before you delve into sharing your own opinions, you should share some general information about the book.

This can be to do with its plot, its genre, the setting and whether there is anything readers should be aware of before delving in.

These are good questions to ask about a book as a basic starting point and where you should always begin.

What is the book about?

What genre does this book fit into?

In what time and place is the book set?

Who is the intended audience of the book?

Is the book appropriate for that audience?

Should this book come with any content warnings?

Book Review Questions: Stylistic Points

An author could craft the most fascinating story in the world but if they can’t convey that story with an interesting or logical style then a book may well just fall flat.

Consider whether the author of the book you are reviewing has a particularly interesting style and what is it about their style that shaped the book and your opinion of it.

What style is the book written in?

What point of view is the book written from?

Does the author use any interesting techniques?

Book Review Questions: The Characters

Really compelling characters, whether you love them or hate them, can make a book really stand out. If they don’t feel real then a book can crumble pretty quickly.

Make sure to include some information about the main character (or characters) but there’s no need to mention every single person, there simply isn’t space!

Who are the key characters in the book?

Did the characters feel real?

Are the characters likeable?

Which character did you find most compelling?

Could you relate to the key characters?

Book Review Questions: Your Opinions

Of course, any good book review should contain what you, the reviewer, actually thought about it! These book review questions to ask yourself are some of the most important.

Did you discover a new favourite book or is this one you wish you had never picked up in the first place?

Try to share a balanced view so reader’s of your review can come to their own conclusions about whether this book is worth reading for them. Some points that you might not have liked might be another reader’s favourite trope!

What did you like about the book?

What did you dislike about the book?

What could have been improved?

How did the book make you feel?

How does the book compare to other similar books?

Book Review Questions: Conclusion

Make sure to wrap up your book review with some final reflections about who should read this book, what you learnt from it and what other books it is similar to.

If a reader sees that a book is similar to one they have already read and loved then that’s a great indication that they’ll love this one too.

Would you recommend this book?

What did you learn from reading this?

What sort of reader would like this book?

What other books did this one remind you of?

What star rating would you give this book?

That concludes my list of book questions to ask yourself kick your brain in gear and get you thinking about all the most interesting points of the book you’ve just read.

Do you have any more relevant book review questions to add to the list?

Let me know in the comments below!

Follow me on Instagram and Goodreads for regular book updates!

If you liked this post, check out these: How to Write a Negative Book Review How to Start a Book Blog 36 Easy Book Blog Post Ideas

Founder & Editor of What’s Hot?

Saturday 10th of December 2022

Book report question: What made this book unique from other books you have read?

Thursday 25th of February 2021

This is so so useful.

Tuesday 23rd of February 2021

Very key points here. That first part, where I talk about the synopsis, the intended audience, the genre, that is my biggest struggle.

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How to Write a Book Report

Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:

Book Report Fundamentals

Preparing to write, an overview of the book report format, how to write the main body of a book report, how to write a conclusion to a book report, reading comprehension and book reports, book report resources for teachers .

Book reports remain a key educational assessment tool from elementary school through college. Sitting down to close read and critique texts for their content and form is a lifelong skill, one that benefits all of us well beyond our school years. With the help of this guide, you’ll develop your reading comprehension and note-taking skills. You’ll also find resources to guide you through the process of writing a book report, step-by-step, from choosing a book and reading actively to revising your work. Resources for teachers are also included, from creative assignment ideas to sample rubrics.

Book reports follow general rules for composition, yet are distinct from other types of writing assignments. Central to book reports are plot summaries, analyses of characters and themes, and concluding opinions. This format differs from an argumentative essay or critical research paper, in which impartiality and objectivity is encouraged. Differences also exist between book reports and book reviews, who do not share the same intent and audience. Here, you’ll learn the basics of what a book report is and is not.

What Is a Book Report?

"Book Report" ( ThoughtCo )

This article, written by a professor emeritus of rhetoric and English, describes the defining characteristics of book reports and offers observations on how they are composed.

"Writing a Book Report" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab outlines the steps in writing a book report, from keeping track of major characters as you read to providing adequate summary material.

"How to Write a Book Report" ( Your Dictionary )

This article provides another helpful guide to writing a book report, offering suggestions on taking notes and writing an outline before drafting. 

"How to Write a Successful Book Report" ( ThoughtCo )

Another post from ThoughtCo., this article highlights the ten steps for book report success. It was written by an academic advisor and college enrollment counselor.

What’s the Difference Between a Book Report and an Essay?

"Differences Between a Book Report & Essay Writing" ( Classroom)

In this article from the education resource Classroom,  you'll learn the differences and similarities between book reports and essay writing.

"Differences Between a Book Report and Essay Writing" (SeattlePi.com)

In this post from a Seattle newspaper's website, memoirist Christopher Cascio highlights how book report and essay writing differ.

"The Difference Between Essays and Reports" (Solent Online Learning)

This PDF from Southampton Solent University includes a chart demonstrating the differences between essays and reports. Though it is geared toward university students, it will help students of all levels understand the differing purposes of reports and analytical essays.

What’s the Difference Between a Book Report and a Book Review?

"How to Write a Book Review and a Book Report" (Concordia Univ.)

The library at Concordia University offers this helpful guide to writing book report and book reviews. It defines differences between the two, then presents components that both forms share.

"Book Reviews" (Univ. of North Carolina)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s writing guide shows the step-by-step process of writing book reviews, offering a contrast to the composition of book reports.

Active reading and thoughtful preparation before you begin your book report are necessary components of crafting a successful piece of writing. Here, you’ll find tips and resources to help you learn how to select the right book, decide which format is best for your report, and outline your main points.

Selecting and Finding a Book

"30 Best Books for Elementary Readers" (Education.com)

This article from Education.com lists 30 engaging books for students from kindergarten through fifth grade. It was written by Esme Raji Codell, a teacher, author, and children's literature specialist.

"How to Choose a Good Book for a Report (Middle School)" (WikiHow)

This WikiHow article offers suggestions for middle schoolers on how to choose the right book for a report, from getting started early on the search process to making sure you understand the assignment's requirements.

"Best Book-Report Books for Middle Schoolers" (Common Sense Media)

Common Sense Media has compiled this list of 25 of the best books for middle school book reports. For younger students, the article suggests you check out the site's "50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12."

"50 Books to Read in High School" (Lexington Public Library)

The Lexington, Kentucky Public Library has prepared this list to inspire high school students to choose the right book. It includes both classics and more modern favorites.

The Online Computer Library Center's catalogue helps you locate books in libraries near you, having itemized the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries.

Formats of Book Reports

"Format for Writing a Book Report" ( Your Dictionary )

Here, Your Dictionary supplies guidelines for the basic book report format. It describes what you'll want to include in the heading, and what information to include in the introductory paragraph. Be sure to check these guidelines against your teacher's requirements.

"The Good Old Book Report" (Scholastic)

Nancy Barile’s blog post for Scholastic lists the questions students from middle through high school should address in their book reports.

How to Write an Outline

"Writer’s Web: Creating Outlines" (Univ. of Richmond)

The University of Richmond’s Writing Center shows how you can make use of micro and macro outlines to organize your argument.

"Why and How to Create a Useful Outline" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab demonstrates how outlines can help you organize your report, then teaches you how to create outlines.

"Creating an Outline" (EasyBib)

EasyBib, a website that generates bibliographies, offers sample outlines and tips for creating your own. The article encourages you to think about transitions and grouping your notes.

"How to Write an Outline: 4 Ways to Organize Your Thoughts" (Grammarly)

This blog post from a professional writer explains the advantages of using an outline, and presents different ways to gather your thoughts before writing.

In this section, you’ll find resources that offer an overview of how to write a book report, including first steps in preparing the introduction. A good book report's introduction hooks the reader with strong opening sentences and provides a preview of where the report is going.

"Step-by-Step Outline for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This article from Classroom furnishes students with a guide to the stages of writing a book report, from writing the rough draft to revising.

"Your Roadmap to a Better Book Report" ( Time4Writing )

Time4Writing offers tips for outlining your book report, and describes all of the information that the introduction, body, and conclusion should include.

"How to Start a Book Report" ( ThoughtCo)

This ThoughtCo. post, another by academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming, demonstrates how to write a pithy introduction to your book report.

"How to Write an Introduction for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This brief but helpful post from Classroom  details what makes a good book report introduction, down to the level of individual sentences.

The body paragraphs of your book report accomplish several goals: they describe the plot, delve more deeply into the characters and themes that make the book unique, and include quotations and examples from the book. Below are some resources to help you succeed in summarizing and analyzing your chosen text.

Plot Summary and Description

"How Do You Write a Plot Summary?" ( Reference )

This short article presents the goals of writing a plot summary, and suggests a word limit. It emphasizes that you should stick to the main points and avoid including too many specific details, such as what a particular character wears.

"How to Write a Plot for a Book Report" ( The Pen & The Pad )

In this article from a resource website for writers, Patricia Harrelson outlines what information to include in a plot summary for a book report. 

"How to Write a Book Summary" (WikiHow)

Using Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as an example, this WikiHow article demonstrates how to write a plot summary one step at a time.

Analyzing Characters and Themes

"How to Write a Character Analysis Book Report" ( The Pen & The Pad )

Kristine Tucker shows how to write a book report focusing on character. You can take her suggestions as they are, or consider  incorporating them into the more traditional book report format.

"How to Write a Character Analysis" (YouTube)

The SixMinuteScholar Channel utilizes analysis of the film  Finding Nemo to show you how to delve deeply into character, prioritizing inference over judgment.

"How to Define Theme" ( The Editor's Blog )

Fiction editor Beth Hill contributes an extended definition of theme. She also provides examples of common themes, such as "life is fragile."

"How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story" ( ThoughtCo )

This blog post from ThoughtCo. clarifies the definition of theme in relation to symbolism, plot, and moral. It also offers examples of themes in literature, such as love, death, and good vs. evil.

Selecting and Integrating Quotations

"How to Choose and Use Quotations" (Santa Barbara City College)

This guide from a college writing center will help you choose which quotations to use in your book report, and how to blend quotations with your own words.

"Guidelines for Incorporating Quotes" (Ashford Univ.)

This PDF from Ashford University's Writing Center introduces the ICE method for incorporating quotations: introduce, cite, explain.

"Quote Integration" (YouTube)

This video from The Write Way YouTube channel illustrates how to integrate quotations into writing, and also explains how to cite those quotations.

"Using Literary Quotations" (Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)

This guide from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Writing Center helps you emphasize your analysis of a quotation, and explains how to incorporate quotations into your text.

Conclusions to any type of paper are notoriously tricky to write. Here, you’ll learn some creative ways to tie up loose ends in your report and express your own opinion of the book you read. This open space for sharing opinions that are not grounded in critical research is an element that often distinguishes book reports from other types of writing.

"How to Write a Conclusion for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This brief article from the education resource  Classroom illustrates the essential points you should make in a book report conclusion.

"Conclusions" (Univ. of North Carolina)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Writing Center lays out strategies for writing effective conclusions. Though the article is geared toward analytical essay conclusions, the tips offered here will also help you write a strong book report.

"Ending the Essay: Conclusions" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Pat Bellanca’s article for Harvard University’s Writing Center presents ways to conclude essays, along with tips. Again, these are suggestions for concluding analytical essays that can also be used to tie up a book report's loose ends.

Reading closely and in an engaged manner is the strong foundation upon which all good book reports are built. The resources below will give you a picture of what active reading looks like, and offer strategies to assess and improve your reading comprehension. Further, you’ll learn how to take notes—or “annotate” your text—making it easier to find important information as you write.

How to Be an Active Reader

"Active Reading Strategies: Remember and Analyze What You Read" (Princeton Univ.)

Princeton University’s McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning recommends ten strategies for active reading, and includes sample diagrams.

"Active Reading" (Open Univ.)

The Open University offers these techniques for reading actively alongside video examples. The author emphasizes that you should read for comprehension—not simply to finish the book as quickly as possible.

"7 Active Reading Strategies for Students" ( ThoughtCo )

In this post, Grace Fleming outlines seven methods for active reading. Her suggestions include identifying unfamiliar words and finding the main idea. 

"5 Active Reading Strategies for Textbook Assignments" (YouTube)

Thomas Frank’s seven-minute video demonstrates how you can retain the most important information from long and dense reading material.

Assessing Your Reading Comprehension

"Macmillan Readers Level Test" (MacMillan)

Take this online, interactive test from a publishing company to find out your reading level. You'll be asked a number of questions related to grammar and vocabulary.

"Reading Comprehension Practice Test" (ACCUPLACER)

ACCUPLACER is a placement test from The College Board. This 20-question practice test will help you see what information you retain after reading short passages.

"Reading Comprehension" ( English Maven )

The English Maven site has aggregated exercises and tests at various reading levels so you can quiz your reading comprehension skills.

How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension

"5 Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension" ( ThoughtCo )

ThoughtCo. recommends five tips to increase your reading comprehension ability, including reading with tools such as highlighters, and developing new vocabulary.

"How to Improve Reading Comprehension: 8 Expert Tips" (PrepScholar)

This blog post from PrepScholar provides ideas for improving your reading comprehension, from expanding your vocabulary to discussing texts with friends.

CrashCourse video: "Reading Assignments" (YouTube)

This CrashCourse video equips you with tools to read more effectively. It will help you determine how much material you need to read, and what strategies you can use to absorb what you read.

"Improving Reading Comprehension" ( Education Corner )

From a pre-reading survey through post-reading review, Education Corner  walks you through steps to improve reading comprehension.

Methods of In-text Annotation

"The Writing Process: Annotating a Text" (Hunter College)

This article from Hunter College’s Rockowitz Writing Center outlines how to take notes on a text and provides samples of annotation.

"How To Annotate Text While Reading" (YouTube)

This video from the SchoolHabits YouTube channel presents eleven annotation techniques you can use for better reading comprehension.

"5 Ways To Annotate Your Books" ( Book Riot )

This article from the Book Riot  blog highlights five efficient annotation methods that will save you time and protect your books from becoming cluttered with unnecessary markings.

"How Do You Annotate Your Books?" ( Epic Reads )

This post from Epic Reads highlights how different annotation methods work for different people, and showcases classic methods from sticky notes to keeping a reading notebook.

Students at every grade level can benefit from writing book reports, which sharpen critical reading skills. Here, we've aggregated sources to help you plan book report assignments and develop rubrics for written and oral book reports. You’ll also find alternative book report assessment ideas that move beyond the traditional formats.

Teaching Elementary School Students How to Write Book Reports

"Book Reports" ( Unique Teaching Resources )

These reading templates courtesy of Unique Teaching Resources make great visual aids for elementary school students writing their first book reports.

"Elementary Level Book Report Template" ( Teach Beside Me )

This   printable book report template from a teacher-turned-homeschooler is simple, classic, and effective. It asks basic questions, such as "who are the main characters?" and "how did you feel about the main characters?"

"Book Reports" ( ABC Teach )

ABC Teach ’s resource directory includes printables for book reports on various subjects at different grade levels, such as a middle school biography book report form and a "retelling a story" elementary book report template.

"Reading Worksheets" ( Busy Teacher's Cafe )

This page from Busy Teachers’ Cafe contains book report templates alongside reading comprehension and other language arts worksheets.

Teaching Middle School and High School Students How to Write Book Reports

"How to Write a Book Report: Middle and High School Level" ( Fact Monster)

Fact Monster ’s Homework Center discusses each section of a book report, and explains how to evaluate and analyze books based on genre for students in middle and high school.

"Middle School Outline Template for Book Report" (Trinity Catholic School)

This PDF outline template breaks the book report down into manageable sections for seventh and eighth graders by asking for specific information in each paragraph.

"Forms for Writing a Book Report for High School" ( Classroom )

In this article for Classroom,  Elizabeth Thomas describes what content high schoolers should focus on when writing their book reports.

"Forms for Writing a Book Report for High School" ( The Pen & The Pad )

Kori Morgan outlines techniques for adapting the book report assignment to the high school level in this post for The Pen & The Pad .

"High School Book Lists and Report Guidelines" (Highland Hall Waldorf School)

These sample report formats, grading paradigms, and tips are collected by Highland Hall Waldorf School. Attached are book lists by high school grade level.

Sample Rubrics

"Book Review Rubric Editable" (Teachers Pay Teachers)

This free resource from Teachers Pay Teachers allows you to edit your book report rubric to the specifications of your assignment and the grade level you teach.

"Book Review Rubric" (Winton Woods)

This PDF rubric from a city school district includes directions to take the assignment long-term, with follow-up exercises through school quarters.

"Multimedia Book Report Rubric" ( Midlink Magazine )

Perfect for oral book reports, this PDF rubric from North Carolina State University's Midlink Magazine  will help you evaluate your students’ spoken presentations.

Creative Book Report Assignments

"25 Book Report Alternatives" (Scholastic)

This article from the Scholastic website lists creative alternatives to the standard book report for pre-kindergarteners through high schoolers.

"Fresh Ideas for Creative Book Reports" ( Education World )

Education World offers nearly 50 alternative book report ideas in this article, from a book report sandwich to a character trait diagram.

"A Dozen Ways to Make Amazingly Creative Book Reports" ( We Are Teachers )

This post from We Are Teachers puts the spotlight on integrating visual arts into literary study through multimedia book report ideas.

"More Ideas Than You’ll Ever Use for Book Reports" (Teachnet.com)

This list from Teachnet.com includes over 300 ideas for book report assignments, from "interviewing" a character to preparing a travel brochure to the location in which the book is set.

"Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report" (National Council of Teachers of English)

In this PDF resource from the NCTE's  English Journal,  Diana Mitchell offers assignment ideas ranging from character astrology signs to a character alphabet.

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Oral Book Reports: Keys to a Successful Presentation

So, one of your recent assignments was a report on the book read. Hope you have coped with it successfully. And now, your task is to make an oral presentation.

On the one hand, there seems to be nothing complicated about preparing an oral book report. It is just a public performance based on the task you have already completed.

On the other hand, acting in front of the audience is extremely difficult for some students, which means they run the risk of failing their oral book reports.

If you are one of those students, let us present you some secrets of a successful oral book report. First, we will discuss what an oral book report should consist of.

Format of an oral book report

• Start with introducing the book to the audience. Give its title, author’s name, date of publication, genre.
• Pass to the main characters of the book. The following things about the characters should be mentioned: name, gender, age, personality, relations between characters.
• Now, provide details about the setting in your oral book report. Let us remind you that here you should tell when and where the story described in the book takes place.
• Explain the conflict of the book. What are major issues? How do characters change throughout the story?

Tips on how to make a successful oral book report

• You have to be sure in every word of your oral book report. It is impossible if you have not read the book or you do not get it.
• Make note cards with the most important points to be included into your oral book report. However, do not read from these cards, just look up from time to time.
• Try to illustrate your oral book report. Find some pictures related to the book or, at least, the writer’s portrait.

Here, you can also read about an oral book report rubric .

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Book Report Series: Oral Book Reports

This one is the scariest of them all (and sometimes the least popular), so I figured I would tackle it right off in this book report blog series.

The first thing you need to know is this: your students can do oral book reports!

It’s up to you to set the tone for a learning environment in which it’s OK to not be great at everything. Learning is messy.

When I first started trying to do oral book reports, I just knew that I would have a few kids accept a zero rather than try, and/ or there would be tears and/ or vomit. ( Sorry, just keepin’ it real here. )

I had precious students who I knew suffered from social anxiety, and those who I knew were just very, very shy. I was prepared for disaster.

But guess what? There was none!

Was every presentation stellar? Nope. But did everyone try? You betcha. You can do it! They can do it!

Here are some tips to help:

1. Be extremely specific about your expectations.

In the syllabus I hand out to students and parents at the beginning of the year ( get it for free here! ), I include a list of exactly what types of book reports we will be doing and I even include the date they’re due. No surprises.

A couple weeks before the report is due (and after students have begun the independent reading book they selected), I officially introduce the assignment and give them a detailed handout that includes clear requirements and even some step-by-step instructions.

When putting together the handout, I do my best to anticipate any questions or concerns they might have, but I also try to anticipate any ways they might try to cut corners (but still expect a high grade, of course). So I have a requirement for everything. And I spell it all out.

Even though the handout is detailed, I don’t let it speak for itself- we go over it together. After I’m done talking through the entire handout, I take questions. Expect approximately 6,542 questions if you’re doing this with middle schoolers. 🙂 But one of the biggest reasons your kiddos will have so many questions is probably that they’re very nervous about this. They’re just sure they will fail, and worse, they’re just sure everyone will laugh at them.

So tip #2 is where you will save the day.

2. Have a Z.E.R.O.-tolerance policy for laughter.

Now I don’t mean no one can laugh if the presenter says something funny (however, I would caution my class clowns beforehand that their book report doesn’t have to be a comedy show). But I make a huge deal out of the fact that we are NOT going to make fun of someone before, during, or after their presentation.

We are not going to make faces at our friend while he’s talking.

We are not going to sigh or roll our eyes if someone is taking a while to get out what they’re trying to say.

We are not going to comment on the “performance.”

And if someone does? That someone loses points on his own grade. Points off for every offense.

At first that sounds harsh to the offenders, but I found what this strict policy really did was help to alleviate some of the pressure of getting up in front of your classmates and trying to say stuff.

Most teens’ worst fear is being embarrassed. So when you come right out of the shoot with a serious plan in place to help them feel less embarrassed, it seems to alleviate some fears.

Now knowing that everything is funnier when you’re not supposed to laugh, I have a plan in place for that too: I tell them, “if you’re about to lose it, just put your head down until you can get the giggles under control.” Sounds silly, but it helps.

On presentation day, I position myself facing the class, and I look over at the speaker. That way they see how serious I am about monitoring audience behavior.

However you choose to go about it, just be sure that you do everything within your power to let your kiddos know that this presentation is purely academic, meant to be a growing experience for them, and you’re there to make sure that no one uses it as an opportunity for being unkind or making others feel stupid.

3. Ease students’ fear of failing.

While I know that a large part of the fear behind oral book reports is that of looking dumb in front of their peers, another part of the fear is that they will fail the assignment, not for lack of effort or understanding, but for lack of public speaking skills. Reassure them that this will not happen.

That’s why tip #1 is so important. Have really clear expectations for this assignment, and let students know that if they follow directions and do their best, their grade will be just fine. Tell them exactly what you’re going to be grading about the actual speaking part of the project, and model examples of what to do, and what not to do. This will give them a lot more confidence.

4. Require written work beforehand.

This is- whether they know it or not- another confidence-booster for your students. Require them to write an outline of what they plan to say about the book.

Give them an easy-to-follow template of what needs to be in the outline. (Not only does this make it easier for the students to complete, it makes it way easier for you to grade!)

I also like to have students write out short introduction and conclusion paragraphs, to further help them plan, and to reiterate the importance of an engaging beginning and a strong ending.

Again, model examples of these, and give funny examples of what not to do.

Require a rough draft of this outline to be checked a couple days before they’re scheduled to give their presentation.

By requiring written work, you’re giving them a framework for their speech, and you’re guaranteeing that their brain has to at least plan a little what they’re going to say before they find themselves standing in front of the class.

5. Encourage practice.

Once your students have outlined what they plan to say in their report, encourage them to practice. For my teaching style, encourage is a bit of an understatement. I BEG them to practice.

My background is actually speech and drama, so to me, practice is everything, and I try to give them my best practice tips.

I “encourage” them to practice in front of family or friends, but if this feels too awkward, practice in front of your dog, your baby sibling, or in the shower. Whatever works- just practice!

I even offer for them to practice with me ahead of time. (Only one student has ever taken me up on that, and that’s because his mom forced him. Poor thing was so embarrassed, but he ended up getting a good grade!)

6. Let them use a notecard.

Another little thing that I found solicited a sigh of relief from my kiddos was my allowance of speaking from a notecard.

Now with juniors and seniors or gifted students, you may want to skip this step. Do what you feel would give your students the most meaningful learning experience.

I allowed one 3×5 card with large writing front and back, but no full sentences, and no tiny writing all crammed on the card. Why? Because having everything they plan to say all written out will just result in unintelligible mumbling from students whose heads are down, eyes glued to their card, reading the whole thing.

One of the things I grade on in an oral presentation is eye contact, and I know there will be no incentive to make eye contact with their audience if everything is written down.

Also, if they do try to make eye contact with their audience, they will have to come back to their notecard to find their place. If the card is crammed with information, they will most certainly have lost their place.

I “encourage” (I keep using that word because it sounds more friendly and professional than “ stand on one of their desks, waving my arms and screeching at ”) them to just neatly write a few key phrases and ideas they’re likely to forget such as the author’s name and their main points.

7. Offer bonus points.

Yet another way to help students feel like they can be successful with this assignment is to offer a way to earn a few bonus points. This way, students who don’t have the best public speaking skills can make up for it by just doing a little something extra.

My favorite bonus opportunity is to simply require a visual: students can wear a costume piece (like a hat or jacket), use a prop (like a baseball mitt or a stuffed animal), or make a poster.

I always clarify that to earn the bonus points, they must have clearly planned ahead with the item(s) (I’m not going to count holding a pencil they found in the hallway, because the character in their book wrote a letter, as an actual prop), and they must tie it in in their presentation- explain to the class what the significance is.

This just adds an element of fun to the project, and relieves the anxiety of your perfectionists trying maintain that 4.0. I was surprised to see that even my senior high students would don a costume piece or bring a stuffed animal in to get a few bonus points.

8. Take volunteers on presentation day.

I usually start off by allowing anyone who wants to, to volunteer to go first. You’ll usually have a couple takers, and it will be a great way to break the ice, because often those confident enough to go first will probably do a good job, giving yet another good model for the students who still aren’t sure.

9. Wait to tackle this project.

I don’t suggest making this the first (or even second) project of the year. Wait until you’ve gotten to know your students a little better, because the truth is, you will need to grade this a little bit on a case-by-case basis.

English class is not a public speaking class, and while you want to expose them to opportunities to hone those skills, you don’t want to hurt the grade of a student who is otherwise comprehending and moving successfully through the course.

Additionally, your students will feel more comfortable getting up in front of each other after they’ve gotten to know each other a little bit.

10. Grade during the presentations.

Work smarter, not harder, friend!

The great thing about oral presentations is that you don’t have a stack of grading to take home with you! Have students turn in a final draft of that outline they wrote when they come up to speak-  give it a quick once-over, and assign it a grade.

Assess their presentation in real time (never try to rely on that memory of yours to conjure up how they did later!), and grade it right then and there. While you may need a moment or two later to glance over their outline a little more, or add up their final score, the bulk of your grading on these will be done, and you should be able to return grades the next day! #teacherwin

In order to do this, you’ll definitely want to use a rubric . If you haven’t already, take a look at this oral book report resource — it has everything you need to teach, introduce, assign, and assess oral book reports or book talks.

11. (Bonus!) Alternatives for students with special needs

While I am a huge proponent of the thought that oral book reports are definitely a doable thing, I do understand that students with certain IEPs or other learning differences may still need some accommodation. And that’s okay!

Here are a couple of options:

• Have the student record his presentation at home, and play it for the class on presentation day.
• Allow the student to write out his book report and read it to the class.
• Shorten the time requirement for their presentation.
• Allow students to present in pairs.
• Allow students to present to small groups, rather than the whole class.

Whew! That was a lot! So, tell me, how do you feel? Are you ready to take on oral book reports in your classroom? Are you an oral presentation veteran, and have some tips to add? Please share in the comments below! 🙂

Also be sure to take a look at the next post in the Book Report Series: Written Reports .

Happy teaching, my friends!

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Teachnet.com

Creative perspectives on education and classroom management, more ideas than you’ll ever use for book reports.

October 26, 2010 Teachnet Staff Language Arts , Reading 11

Submitted by Teacher-2-Teacher contributor Kim Robb of Summerland, BC

• Book Report

11 Comments

WOW THATS BIG

Great ideas, but many in the lower half are repeating the first half of the list.

We’ll take a look at editing out some obvious duplicates. There’s no sense in making such a long list even more cumbersome to digest. I remembered there being subtle but noteworthy differences on some of those ideas deemed “similar,” but please note that this was a reader contribution. Feel free to send in or comment with your own suggestions. Thank you for the feedback!

HOW AM I GONNA PICK ONE!

I go to Ockerman as well(; I’m in 7th grade and i had Mrs. Raider last year. I Love you Mrs. Raider and Mrs. Moore(: <3. xD.

hey Mrs.Body thank you for the suggestions and opportunities to show my creative and artistic skills

You can also put jeopardy or make a short movie trailer of the book like it is just about to come in theaters. Also you can do a news broadcast of a seen that is happening in the book

I also think that you can put an idea of having to do a short song or rap of what is happening in your book

woah that is a huge list!!! i might do either 14 or 64!

I really like these ideas!!! They gave me a 120% on my final grade! I know get to graduate!!! Thanks BOB!

This is an amazing list! I don’t know which idea to choose!

Here’s an idea:

Act out the entire book in a two hour movie!

Thanks! BILLY

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How to Prepare for an Oral Report

Last Updated: April 8, 2021

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 13 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 34,542 times.

Spending long hours working on an oral report can be tedious. You have to research for accuracy, plan the layout, memorize what you are going to say. Knowing that you're going about the preparation in a fruitful way can help make the exercise seem more worthwhile.

What Do You Know About Your Topic?

Putting the Presentation Together

• Make your writing interesting. Be sure to use better words than the standard and obvious "nice" or "big." Rather opt for words such as "gigantic" or "fantastic."

• Make bullet points. These are easier to memorize and read from quickly.

• Don't try to say your oral word for word; this will make you nervous and queasy if you try to remember everything word for word. It can also look a bit over-the-top unless you are engaging in your delivery; avoid simply reciting something learned off-by-heart.
• Tell the story; it doesn't have to be said exactly the way you wrote it––you just need to tell the story. That said, your oral presentation should reflect some of the things you wrote in the report.

Community Q&A

• Ask your crowd if they have any questions, and always be prepared to answer them. If you don't know something, say so and ask the audience if anyone does have the answer or an idea about it. Don't be afraid to draw in the crowd rather than avoid it. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 0
• Make your visual aid colorful and eye- catching. However, do not let the color take away from the power of your presentation, as it is made to aid your project, not dominate it. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 3
• Enthusiasm is good; false excitement is cheesy. Look for the right balance. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 3
• Keep the speech short and to the point. Long drawn out reports are considered boring and risk losing you marks or positive reactions. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 1
• When you take notes, be absolutely sure that you aren't plagiarizing, copying word for word as written. Reference everything that you have taken from another source, including someone else's line of reasoning. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 1

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing a Book Report

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Book reports are informative reports that discuss a book from an objective stance. They are similar to book reviews but focus more on a summary of the work than an evaluation of it. Book reports commonly describe what happens in a work; their focus is primarily on giving an account of the major plot, characters, thesis, and/or main idea of the work. Most often, book reports are a K-12 assignment and range from 250 to 500 words.

Book reviews are most often a college assignment, but they also appear in many professional works: magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. If you are looking to write a book review instead of a book report, please see the OWL resource, Writing a Book Review .

Before You Read

Before you begin to read, consider what types of things you will need to write your book report. First, you will need to get some basic information from the book:

• Publisher location, name of publisher, year published
• Number of Pages

You can either begin your report with some sort of citation, or you can incorporate some of these items into the report itself.

Next, try to answer the following questions to get you started thinking about the book:

• Author: Who is the author? Have you read any other works by this author?
• Genre: What type of book is this: fiction, nonfiction, biography, etc.? What types of people would like to read this kind of book? Do you typically read these kinds of books? Do you like them?
• Title: What does the title do for you? Does it spark your interest? Does it fit well with the text of the book?
• Pictures/Book Jacket/Cover/Printing: What does the book jacket or book cover say? Is it accurate? Were you excited to read this book because of it? Are there pictures? What kinds are there? Are they interesting?

As You Read

While reading a work of fiction, keep track of the major characters. You can also do the same with biographies. When reading nonfiction works, however, look for the main ideas and be ready to talk about them.

• Characters: Who are the main characters? What happens to them? Did you like them? Were there good and bad characters?
• Main Ideas: What is the main idea of the book? What happens? What did you learn that you did not know before?
• Quotes: What parts did you like best? Are there parts that you could quote to make your report more enjoyable?

When You Are Ready to Write

Announce the book and author. Then, summarize what you have learned from the book. Explain what happens in the book, and discuss the elements you liked, did not like, would have changed, or if you would recommend this book to others and why. Consider the following items as well:

• Principles/characters: What elements did you like best? Which characters did you like best and why? How does the author unfold the story or the main idea of the book?
• Organize: Make sure that most of your paper summarizes the work. Then you may analyze the characters or themes of the work.
• Your Evaluation: Choose one or a few points to discuss about the book. What worked well for you? How does this work compare with others by the same author or other books in the same genre? What major themes, motifs, or terms does the book introduce, and how effective are they? Did the book appeal to you on an emotional or logical way?
• Recommend: Would you recommend this book to others? Why? What would you tell them before they read it? What would you talk about after you read it?

Revising/Final Copy

Do a quick double check of your paper:

• Double-check the spelling of the author name(s), character names, special terms, and publisher.
• Check the punctuation and grammar slowly.
• Make sure you provide enough summary so that your reader or instructor can tell you read the book.
• Consider adding some interesting quotes from the reading.

• help_outline help

iRubric: Oral Book Report Presentation Rubric with visual aid

      '; }         delete   Do more...

Rubric Code: By Ready to use Public Rubric Subject:    Type:    Grade Levels: 6-8, 9-12

Oral Presentation

• introduction, summary, characters, delivery and visual aid
• Presentation

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-->fresh ideas for creative book reports.

Tired of the same old book report formats? Do your students grumble every time you mention the words book reports? Spice up those old book reports with some new, creative ideas. Education World presents 25 ideas for you to use or adapt. In addition: Ideas for cyber book reports!

For more lesson ideas and many additional resources, be sure to visit Education World's And if you're looking for more great book report ideas, be sure to see our archive.   Are you a teacher who keeps saying "I wish I could find a way to make book reports more fun and interesting for my students"? Education World offers 25 ideas that might help you do just that! Make A Book Report Sandwich! In a recent posting to the Teachers.net Gazette, one teacher shared an idea that incorporates some of the basic ingredients of a good book report and sandwiches in a lot more fun! Her idea: book report sandwiches! The teacher commissioned a friend to draw slices of ham, tomato, and Swiss cheese; lettuce leaves; a layer of mayonnaise, and a couple of slices of bread. Then she photocopied the drawings onto appropriately colored sheets of paper -- ham on pink, tomato on red, Swiss cheese on yellow, etc. The sheets served as the ingredients for her students' book report sandwiches. On the top slice of bread, each student wrote the title and the author of the book the student had just finished reading. On the lettuce, the student wrote a brief summary of the book. The student wrote about the main character on the tomato slice. On the mayonnaise, the student described the book's setting. The student shared the book's climax on the Swiss cheese. On the ham slice, the student described the plot. On the bottom piece of bread, the student drew a favorite scene from the story. Students stapled together their sandwich layers, then slapped their concoctions up on a bulletin board headlined "We're Hungry for Good Books!" The project made fun out of what can be a pretty hum-drum activity. Even better, the bulletin board served as a menu for students who were ravenous for a good read. All they had to do was grab a sandwich to learn whether a particular book might satisfy their appetites! Book in a Bag, an Envelope, an Oatmeal Box Laura Hayden was looking for something to liven up book report writing for her students at Derby (Kansas) Middle School. One day, while exploring postings to the MiddleWeb Listserv , Hayden found an idea that filled the bill! Hayden challenged her students to be creative with the "Book in a..." idea, which she posted to her school's Web page. After choosing and reading a book, each student selected a book report container. The container could be a plastic bag, a manila envelope, a can, or anything else that might be appropriate for a book. Students decorated their containers to convey some of the major details, elements, or themes found in the books. When the containers were complete, students went to work on the contents of their containers. They were instructed to include the following: Questions Write ten questions based on the book. Five of the questions can be about general content, but the other five must require more thinking. Vocabulary Create a ten-word glossary of unfamiliar words from the book. Things Include five things that have a connection to the story. The third and final part of the project was the student presentation. Each student presented a "Book in a" project to the class. In the presentation, the student explained the connection of the container to the story, conducted a show and tell about the five things, and then shared information about three of the book's literary elements -- setting, characters, conflicts, climax, or resolution. If you've been working on other literary elements with your students -- foreshadowing, personification, or flashbacks, for example -- you might give extra credit to students for pointing out those elements in their books. "I'm amazed at students' creativity in choosing a container and the 3-D objects they place inside," Hayden told Education World. Why not challenge your students' creativity? Adapt Hayden's idea to fit your students' needs and skills. 23 More Ideas Are you worried that some of the ideas that follow will be too much fun? that there will be too little emphasis on writing? Take a look! The ideas appeal to many different learning styles. Many of the ideas involve making choices, organizing information -- and writing! Most of the ideas will provide teachers with a clear idea about whether students actually read the book. And all the ideas will engage students, help make books come alive for them, and challenge them to think in different ways about the books they read! If an idea doesn't include enough writing, creative (sneaky!) teachers will usually find a way to work it in use the idea to supplement or replace parts of favorite book report formats. Descriptive writing. (Use this activity to supplement a class lesson in descriptive prose writing.) Have each student read aloud the best example of descriptive prose found in the book he or she is currently reading. The student should write a paragraph explaining why the excerpt is a particularly good example of descriptive prose. The paragraph might include some of the adjectives the author used to set the scene. Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down. Each student writes a review of the book he or she just finished reading -- in the style of a movie review. The student concludes by awarding a thumbs up or thumbs down on the book. This activity could be even more fun if two students read the same book. They could plan a lively interaction, a la and Ebert and Roeper, about the book, which could be videotaped for all to see! Character Trait Diagram. Each student creates a Venn diagram to illustrate similarities and differences in the traits of two of the main characters in a book just completed. (A student might elect to create a Venn diagram showing similarities and differences between the book's main character and the student!) Surfing the Net. Where did the story take place? When did it take place? Each student surfs the Net to find five Internet sites that others might check out before they read the book so they will know more about the book's setting or time period. Write a Letter to the Author. After reading a book, each student shares reactions to the book in a letter written to its author. If a student writes to an author who is still alive, you might actually mail the letter. Sell It. Each student pretends to be a publicist for the book that's just been read. The student writes and then delivers a 60-second speech that will persuade other students that they should read the book. Writing and speaking persuasively will be especially difficult if the student didn't like the book. If that's the case, the student can share that fact after completing the speech. Create a Card Catalog. After reading a book, a student completes an index card with information about the book. The front of the card includes details such as title, author, and date published along with a two- to three-sentence synopsis of the book. On the back of the card, the student writes a paragraph critiquing the book. Students might even rate the book using a teacher-created five-star rating system. Example: A five-star book is "highly recommended; a book you can't put down." Completed cards are kept in a card file near the classroom bookshelf or in the school library. Interview a Character. Each student composes six to eight questions to ask a main character in a book just completed. The student also writes the character's response to each question. The questions and answers should provide information that shows the student read the book without giving away the most significant details. Ten Facts. Each student creates a "Ten Facts About [book title]" sheet that lists ten facts he or she learned from reading the book. The facts, written in complete sentences, must include details the student didn't know before reading the book. Script It! Each student writes a movie script for a favorite scene in a book just read. At the top of the script, the student can assign real-life TV or movie stars to play each role. The student might also work with classmates to perform the favorite scene. Concentration. Each student will need 30 index cards to create a Concentration-style game related to a book just finished. The student chooses 14 things, characters, or events that played a part in the book and creates two cards that have identical pictures of each of those things. The two remaining cards are marked Wild Card! Then the student turns all 30 cards facedown and mixes them up. Each student can choose a partner with whom to play according to the rules of Concentration. What Did You Learn? Each student writes a summary of what he or she learned from a book just completed. The summary might include factual information, something learned about people in general, or something the student learned about himself or herself. Glossary and Word Search. Each student creates a glossary of ten or more words that are specific to a book's tone, setting, or characters. The student defines each word and writes a sentence from the book that includes that word. Then the student creates a word search puzzle that includes the glossary words. Students can exchange their glossaries and word searches with others in the class. In the News. Each student creates the front page of a newspaper that tells about events and characters in a book just read. The newspaper page might include weather reports, an editorial or editorial cartoon, ads, etc. The title of the newspaper should be something appropriate to the book. Create a Comic Book. Each student can turn a book, or part of it, into a comic book, complete with comic-style illustrations and dialogue bubbles. Characters Come to Life. Each student creates life-size "portraits" of one of the characters from a book just read. The portrait should include a written piece that tells about the character. The piece might also include information about events, traits, or conflicts in the book that involve that character. Hang the students' portraits in a class gallery. Prove It in Five Minutes. Each student gives a 150-second (2-minute) oral presentation in which he or she shares information about a book's plot and characters. The student closes the presentation by offering an opinion and recommendation about the book. Then students in the audience have 150 seconds to question the presenter about the book. If the presenter is able to prove in five minutes that he or she read the book, the student is excused from filing a written report about it. Picture Books. After reading a book, each student creates a picture book version of the story that would appeal to younger students. The students can then share the picture books with a group of young students. Resume Writing. As a tie-in to your career education program, challenge each student to create a resume for a book character. The student should include in the resume a statement of the applicant's goals and a detailed account of his or her experience and outside interests. Character Trait Chart. Each student creates a chart with three columns. Each column is headed with the name of one of the book's characters. As the student reads the book, he or she can keep a record of the traits each character possesses and include an incident that supports each trait. Theme Report. Challenge each student to select a concept or a thing from the book just finished and to use library or Internet resources to explore it further. The student then writes a two-page report that shares information about the topic. Setting. To learn more about the setting of a book, each student writes a one-page report explaining how that setting was important to the story. "Dear Diary." Invite each student to create a diary or journal and write at least five entries that might have been written by a character in a book just read. The entries should share details about the story that will prove the student read the book. Looking for books that will capture your students’ interests and stimulate their curiosity? You can find curated collections of high-interest fiction and non-fiction texts at . offers inclusive and differentiated collections of age and developmentally appropriate books and resources that engage students and foster a love for reading within each of them. ADDITIONAL RESOURCE Books Alive! Middle school students in Kansas and in Florida created these PowerPoint book reports. From the Ed World Library ABC Books Aren't for Babies! Reading Activities for "Read-In" Day 25 Ideas to Motivate Young Readers Oh, My Word! --- Great Word Sites on the Net Reading Aloud --- Are Students EVER Too Old? Get to Know Your Favorite Authors --- On the Internet! Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) Develops Independent Readers and Writers Free Voluntary Reading (FVR) 'Pays' Big Dividends! Article by Gary Hopkins Education World® Editor in Chief Copyright © 2009 Education World Last updated: 4/23/2019 EW Lesson Plans EW Professional Development Ew worksheets. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education! COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2024 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SchoolNotes.com The Educator's Network Grades 6-12 School Leaders Get our mega Halloween worksheets bundle! 👻 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 for kids. 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. 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. 6. 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. 7. Mint Tin Book Report There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. Teacher blogger Teacher Thrive describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside. 8. 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. 9. 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. Learn more about book tastings . 10. 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. 11. 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. 12. 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. 13. 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 this book report. 14. 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. 15. 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. 16. Bookmark Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book. 17. Rays of Sunshine 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. 18. 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. 19. 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. 20. Collage Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet. 21. 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. 22. 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. 23. 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. 24. 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 provide 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. 25. Triorama Book Report Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but you can also try an accordion-folded book report, a quadrama, or an info-sphere. 26. 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. 27. 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. 28. 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. 29. 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. 30. 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? 31. Charm Bracelet Book Report 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. 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. 33. 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. 34. Letter to the Author Have kids 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. 35. Cardboard Box TV This cardboard box TV 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. 36. 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. 37. 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. 38. 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. 39. Comic Strips If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strip book reports. 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. 40. 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. 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. Wheaties Box Book Report Recycle a cereal box and create a book report to look like an old-fashioned Wheaties box that features sports heroes. Include a main image on the front side of the box. Decorate the sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc. Come share your own creative book report ideas in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, dont’ miss 100 famous children’s books every kid should read (plus free printable). You Might Also Like Expand Your Readers’ Palates With a Book Tasting A perfect way for kids to nibble on a book. Continue Reading Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256 Education quotations 20 questions to ask about a book you’ve read A starting point for discussion in reading groups or for students doing reading assignments (fiction). Explain the title. What category or genre do you think it fits into? What do you think the author’s purpose was? Something you liked about it. Something you disliked about it. Describe the setting. Which character did you like most? Which character did you like least? Describe one of the main characters. What changes does a main character go through? Describe one significant episode. What techniques does the author use to tell the story? How did reading it change you, or your views? What would you say to persuade a friend to read it or not to read it? Summarise it in one written sentence or a one minute speech. What feedback would you give the author? How might you have written it differently? What do you think of the ending? What happens, or should happen, after the ending? What would you want to read about in a sequel or prequel? Students can be asked to select which 5 questions to prepare answers for, to ask each other in turn or to be ready to answer any of these in a class discussion. The idea is to encourage students to engage with a text from different perspectives and to share their responses to it without simply re-telling the story. Share this: Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) About Eddie Playfair 20 responses to 20 questions to ask about a book you’ve read. very helpful. Thank you very much. Like Liked by 1 person I love these questions, I have to ask questions about the Secret Garden for school and needed ideas. I’m very glad I read this blog post. Thx so much needed help for my book talk.🤓🤓🤓🤓 It will really help me alot. I’m grateful It help’s me with my book report thanks!!!! These questions are really great. Thank you very much. these question are great but some of the questions i dont understand but ill try my best and thank you! very helpfull!!! Thank you so much for the entire set of questions. It will definitely be of great help to the students how to write a more comprehensive review. Pingback: Book Review Questions – Book Time I love the questions you help me with my school work thank you …very thoughtful questions and will be useful to use with twins I am tutoring It might be interesting to bring a little personal creativity to the book reading after answering most of the questions, by asking each reader to write a four line poem about the main character–nothing to be graded, of course–simply another way to look at the reader’s attitude toward the main character of a book. Helpful questions and ideas thanks I used to teach at University level and would have used this format for my students who were reading plays in my survey course. Great questions, too bad I’m retired. I was able to do a project with my class!! Thank you for making this!!😁 The questions are helping me to stay focused in the right place for the questions and not top get off track. This has been a great lesson and so very informative regarding how different perspectives can be taken depending of indivual background Leave a comment Cancel reply Search for: Recent Posts Zola : a political reading. August 13, 2023 Hotter than July? August 5, 2023 Rethinking work July 30, 2023 Educating for political literacy in an age of crisis. July 21, 2023 Savoirs et valeurs : pratiquer et conjuguer July 21, 2023 ‘Transformative Teaching and Learning in Further Education – Pedagogies of Hope and Social Justice’ July 18, 2023 Dilemmas of Growth June 14, 2023 A broader view of skills? 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Email Address: aspiration tax citizenship education competition comprehensive education Critical thinking Cultural heritage global citizenship Labour party liberal education marketisation National baccalaureate Newham Sixth Form College NewVIc alumni partnership Post-16 funding Russell group Sixth form college Social cohesion Social mobility Universities university progression vocational education young people Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now. Subscribe Subscribed Copy shortlink Report this content View post in Reader Manage subscriptions Collapse this bar eslwriting.org A panoply of teaching resources. How to Write a Book Report Book reports in the esl class. Asking ESL students to read a book, write a report and present it as part of a small group discussion is a good way to incorporate multiple strands of language learning into an activity. Here’s one way to structure a book report lesson. Step 1. Introduce the Assignment A book report lesson has several stages. Steps 1 and 2 need to be completed in class several weeks before the due date. What will the students do? Each student will choose a level-appropriate book. They will read it and write a 1 to 2 page report. Then they will discuss the book in a small group. In small groups, students will listen and, hopefully, ask lots of questions to learn more or clarify points. Reading level-appropriate books is a good way to improve English language skills. It builds vocabulary and helps students learn new ideas. If students read a lot, they will learn to read faster as well. The activities in this lesson also touch on the four strands of language learning popularized by Paul Nation: Fluency development: reading an easy graded reader Meaning focused input: reading a book, listening to a short presentation Meaning focused output: writing a report, giving a short presentation Language focused learning: memorizing parts of the book report before giving a presentation What book should the student choose? There are two rules. The book should be interesting to the student. It should be a fun and enjoyable experience. Reading shouldn’t feel like work. The book should match the student’s reading level. Don’t try to read a book that is too hard to understand. Graded readers are usually a good choice for ESL students. They are not too long and it is easy to find a subject and level that matches the student’s interests and needs. How to find a book that matches my level? Graded readers usually have a number which shows their level. But, different companies have different ways to rank a book. So, it’s hard to make sense of the level just by looking at the number on the cover. Here’s an easy solution. Pick a book that looks interesting and open it up to a page, say page 12. Read the page. If you understand 95% of the words without a dictionary, that level is probably good for you. Is this for a grade? In my class, the book report assignment is 10% of the final grade. My grading system is rudimentary. Some teachers may prefer a more developed rubric. 5% – written report 4-5: Good text that covers all of the book report items with reasonably good passages, evidence of proofreading 3-4: Looks promising but seems rushed and incomplete, looks like it was written the night before with no editing 0-2: poor effort, incomplete, less than a page, hard to understand, gibberish 5% – oral presentation and participation in group discussion 4-5: speaks well, at least 2 to 4 minutes, good eye contact with others, knows the book and can speak about it without reading notes, asks thoughtful questions to other speakers 3-4: basic outline of book, some reading of written text, unable to answer questions in detail, not active in discussions 0-2: incomplete, no evidence the person actually read the book, short presentation, minimal participation in group discussion Step 2. Book Report Structure A book report will have these basic parts. Introduction. Tell us the title of the book and the author’s name. Summarize the characters and setting. Describe the plot. This is where the action is. The end. What happened? What is the tone of the book? Is it funny, creepy, an adventure, or a mystery? What are the book’s good and bad points? What do you think? Did you like the book? Why or why not? Are you reading a book of fiction? Tell us who is telling the story. Is it first person or third person? Give us some details about the main characters, plot and setting. What do the main characters want? Do they have a problem? What do they do? Don’t need to talk about every small detail, just include the most important information. Are you reading a non-fiction book? What is the writer’s main idea? Don’t summarize each chapter. Just talk about the main points. Step 3. Collect Book Names After the lesson introduction, give students a week to find a book. Then ask students to bring the book to class. Write down each student’s name and book title. This is a small step, but a deadline helps motivate students to take action. Be sure to set a firm deadline to complete the written book report. Three to six weeks after introducing the assignment should be sufficient for most students. Step 4. Book Discussion Day Break class into small groups. (e.g. 3 to 4 students per group). In turns, each student will present his/her book report. The others listen and ask questions. Encourage students not to read from their written report (it’s too boring for the others). As students present, the teacher moves through the room listening to the presentations. Make notes about the quality of each student’s presentation, level preparation and participation in group discussions. At the end of class, students hand in their written reports. One week later, hand back reports with feedback. Teach writing? Get the ebook Teach Essential Writing Skills . Transform the quality of EFL student writing by focusing on four essential skills. Click here for details about the ebook that should be part of every writing teacher’s resource library. Save time. Teach well. Leave a comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed . TemplateLab Book Report Templates 30 book report templates & reading worksheets. Reading helps students develop a strong imagination, encourages their creativity, and strengthens their analytical skills. Teachers assign a lot of book reports to ensure that students read lots of books, especially at that critical early age when they are still trying to master the written word. To cut down on some of the workload, students and teachers can find a book report template to download and fill in. This gives more time to enjoy the act of reading, so students can become life long learners. Table of Contents 1 Book Report Templates 2.1 Why Provide A Book Report Form 2.2 Sections Of A Simple Book Report 2.3 Sections Of A Multi-Page Report 3 Sample Book Reports 4 Difference Between The Book Report Types 5.1 What To Do Once You’ve Written The Report 6 Book Report Examples 7 Tips for Teachers 8 Tips for Students What Is A Book Report A book report is typically given as an assignment to students in elementary and middle school. Students fill out a form answering basic questions about the book they were assigned to read. Turning in the report serves as proof to the teacher that the student read the book and, hopefully, got something out of it. These reports may ask students to detail what the book was about, the names of the main characters, what the theme of the book is, and where the events are set. Some reports may ask specific questions about events or characters to ensure that the students read the book all the way through. The report can also help students understand the book better by asking them to think about its meaning and the plot. Reading Worksheets Teachers may also hand out worksheets for students to complete in class or as homework. These are usually limited to the earlier grades when students are still learning to read. Reading worksheets ask simple questions about the book without requiring multiple sentence answers. These questions may ask students to name a favorite character, or mention the main conflict in a few words. It’s not uncommon for the teacher to read a picture book with the class and have students fill out a worksheet afterwards. If the classroom has a bookshelf, there may also be a ‘Reading Time’ when students pick out a book to read. When they finish, the students fill out the worksheet and submit it to their teacher. Why Provide A Book Report Form Book report forms are a popular choice of assignment for elementary school classes. These forms make it simple for students to complete the report by filling out the worksheet. These sheets can be generic with standard questions, or teachers may create a unique sheet with questions specific to each different book that is assigned. These forms also help introduce students to the idea of a book report format and show them what kind of information may be expected on longer, multi-page reports that they are expected to complete in the higher grades. A form is also easier to grade , especially for teachers who have a large classroom and more assignments to go over than usual. Sections Of A Simple Book Report A simple book report features a few sections that ask students to answer questions in paragraph format. These each ask students to detail a different element of the book. All book report forms will ask for the title, author name, and the illustrator’s name, if it is a picture book. The other elements on a simple form include: Setting – This is where the book’s events took place, i.e. New York. Characters – A list of who the main characters are and their names. Plot – A basic overview of the major events in the book. Your impressions – Whether you like the book or not, and why. A simple form may also just ask the students to describe the beginning, middle, and end events of the book in three questions. Students may also be expected to identify the climax, which is the most intense point of the book where the main character’s problems are resolved or made worse. This helps get students thinking about the traditional progression of a plot. Sections Of A Multi-Page Report Eventually, teachers transition students to writing a multi-page book report. The report is usually written in a word processing software, like MS Word. Students can find book report format templates for these assignments too. These longer reports are written out in paragraph form. The teacher asks the students to address different elements of a book in their own words or with their own formatting. A simple way to organize these reports is to divide them into three basic sections, the introduction, main body, and conclusion. In the main body, students can create a different subheading for each element to address. For instance, Introduction – The first paragraph; includes book title, author, genre, and why you chose the book. Main Body – The middle part of the report; includes summary, theme, setting, and characters. Conclusion – A short summary of the book report and opinion of the book. Sample Book Reports Difference Between The Book Report Types The short book report form is handed out by the teacher and can be completed in one night like a homework assignment. A multi-page report is created by the student and may take more than one night to finish. Short templates are available in lots of fun book report ideas suitable for young children. They have questions with a few lines to hand write the answers in a few short sentences. Some templates may include activities to make them more interesting to students, such as having them draw out a scene from the book or re-write the ending. Multi-page reports start out as two page reports and gradually increase in size through middle school and high school. Of course, those two page reports are just as difficult for young students as the five page reports are for high school students . The great thing about these assignments is that students are usually free to organize their book report ideas however they desire. They can create bold sub-headers for the main body of the report. Students can write about the theme, characters, and setting separately. Or they can leave out the headers and devote their report to a specific element, such as the book theme. This allows students to weave information about characters and setting into the report where they are most relevant to the theme. The former works well for short chapter books, and the latter is better for books that may feature multiple themes. Ideas for Different Kinds of Book Reports There is more than one way to complete a book report. Both teachers and students may find these creative ideas more interesting than a straightforward report. Write a review of the book. Create the report in the form of a newspaper or blog review. Summarize the book without giving away the plot or the ending. Talk about what made you like it or, if you hated it. Feel free to give the book a thumbs up or down rating at the end. Do a diary. Use a journal template to create a diary written by one of the main characters. There should be multiple entries that follow or discuss the events of the book from that character’s point of view. Interview one of the characters. Create an imaginary interview with one of the characters in the book. Ask them questions about where they come from, why the character did something important to the plot, and what the character thinks about the outcome of the events in the book. Write a newspaper article. Create an imaginary newspaper article detailing one of the major events in the book, such as a theft or an important discovery. Make sure to answer the who, what, where, when, and why of these events in your article. What To Do Once You’ve Written The Report When students finish writing out their book reports, they have completed what is called the “First Draft” or “Rough Draft”. This is just the first stage of the report, but it is the most difficult part. Finishing up that report in the following steps is a lot easier. Read and mark the report. Read through the book report from beginning to end to get a feel for it overall. Get a brightly colored pen to mark any spelling or punctuation errors you find in the report. Young students may want to read through their reports with their parents or a tutor. Sometimes, teachers actually make students submit a rough draft of their reports for points before the final report is due. The teacher reviews the draft, makes edits, and suggestions for changing the report before final submission. Make edits to the report. Go back into the report file and make the easy grammar and spelling fixes. Take a look at your teacher’s suggestions or the ideas you wrote down for things to change in the report. Create a plan to make those additions or changes. Make the changes to the report. Don’t forget to save your file as a separate document. For instance, save your rough draft as, Report1.doc, and this updated version as, Report2.doc. Review the report. Print out a fresh copy of the report. Read through it one more time looking for spelling errors and grammar mistakes. Keep an eye out for spots where the text doesn’t make sense. This can sometimes happen when you add new content to a report. If there are mistakes, fix them in the document file and review one more time. Your final draft is ready to print out when you can no longer find any mistakes. Book Report Examples Tips for Teachers Book reports are a big part of the curriculum. That doesn’t mean they have to be a lot of work for the students or the teacher. Make assigning these reports less of a hassle with these tips. Assign one book for the entire class to read. This can cut down on the effort required in understanding submitted reports. Pick out a short book report template to use. There is no need to use valuable time in creating one from scratch. Print out more copies of the form than are needed. Some students may lose theirs and need an extra form. Make reminder announcements when a due date approaches. Remind students at least twice before a book report due date. Keep the word count requirement low. Teachers also have to spend more time reviewing longer reports. Consider creative alternatives to some written reports. When your curriculum includes a lot of book reports, give students the option of turning in a drawing, diorama, or another project as a break. Tips for Students Being assigned a book report to complete can seem like a daunting task, especially if if you have never written a multi-page report. Make sure you don’t fall behind on the work by following a few of these tips. Make up a reading schedule to complete the book well in advance of the report being due. Use a calendar to remind yourself. Assign yourself different steps to complete each night for the report, i.e. make an outline, write 200 words, or revising Ask the teacher for help with ideas if you can’t figure out how to get started. Look for examples of completed reports to see how they are structured. Book reports vary in their length and complexity. Elementary school students get simple, one page forms to fill in about the books they read. Those in middle school and high school usually have to write multiple page reports. Nearly all reports require students to talk about the plot, theme, characters, and how they liked the book. Both students and teachers can find a lot of templates to use. Those looking for something generic for students to fill in after reading a book can pick up a .pdf or .jpg form. Those who want more control over the look and wording of the template should download a .doc file. More Templates Law School Letters Of Recommendation Community Service Forms Genogram Templates Permission Slip Templates Story Map Templates Essay Outline Templates Rating Count Price (Ascending) Price (Descending) Most Recent Oral book reports Book Talk / Oral Book Report Presentation RUBRIC Oral Book Report Presentation / Book Talk Rubric, Instructions, Teaching Tips Book Talk Oral Report Presentation BUNDLE: Instructions, Samples, Rubrics,&MORE! Oral Book Report With Rubric Color and Black and White copies Oral Book Report Presentation Rubric - Speaking & Listening Written and Oral Book Report ( book talk) Rubrics Poetry Book Report , Oral Presentation, and Rubric Primary Oral Book Report Rubric Character Analysis Essay, Book Report , Oral Presentation- Mini-lessons, Rubrics Awesome Book Report Project AND Oral Report with Rubric Oral Presentation Book Report Rubric Set of 2 Book Report Rubrics Oral and Written Biography Book Report Template | Oral Book Review Book report - oral and timeline Book Talk Practice Oral Report or Icebreaker Grades 3-6 Oral Book Report Rubric oral and written book report form, changeable dates, template How to Write a Book Report : Oral Book Reports Book Talk ( Oral Book Report Presentation): Detailed Instructions for Students Marshmallow Peeps Book Report , Diorama, and Oral Presentation Bundle Book Talk - Sample ( Oral Book Report Presentation) How to Write a Book Report : Oral Book Reports - PC Gr. 5-8 How to Write a Book Report : Oral Book Reports - MAC Gr. 5-8 How to Write a Book Report : Oral Book Reports - NOTEBOOK Gr. 5-8 We're hiring Help & FAQ Privacy policy Student privacy Terms of service Tell us what you think 286 IMAGES Book Report- Questions creative writ…: English ESL worksheets pdf & doc Book Report Questions Book Report Oral Presentation Evaluation Book Report Series: Oral Book Reports Written and Oral Book Report (book talk) Rubrics by Eric Jayne How to Write a Book Report: Oral Book Reports by Classroom Complete Press VIDEO Kylee Ward 4th grade oral book report Oral Book Report-CFAH Maddie A Oral Report #2 making a decision Medical Report: Oral Health & Menopause Oral book report- Grade 1 COMMENTS Top Book Report Questions Include the title of the book. Put the name of the author. Indicate the time when the story takes place. Mention the location of the events taking place in the book. List the names of the characters briefly describing each one of them (at least those you will be discussing in the report) Add quotations in order to back up your opinions. 24 Good Book Review Questions for a Book Report Book Review Questions: Conclusion. Make sure to wrap up your book review with some final reflections about who should read this book, what you learnt from it and what other books it is similar to. If a reader sees that a book is similar to one they have already read and loved then that's a great indication that they'll love this one too ... How to Write a Book Report The body paragraphs of your book report accomplish several goals: they describe the plot, delve more deeply into the characters and themes that make the book unique, and include quotations and examples from the book. Below are some resources to help you succeed in summarizing and analyzing your chosen text. Oral Book Reports: Keys to a Successful Presentation First, we will discuss what an oral book report should consist of. Format of an oral book report. Merely 3 hours, and you will receive your absolutely original paper without plagiarism Check It Out. Start with introducing the book to the audience. Give its title, author's name, date of publication, genre. Pass to the main characters of the book. Book Report Series: Oral Book Reports 3. Ease students' fear of failing. While I know that a large part of the fear behind oral book reports is that of looking dumb in front of their peers, another part of the fear is that they will fail the assignment, not for lack of effort or understanding, but for lack of public speaking skills. Reassure them that this will not happen. More Ideas Than You'll Ever Use for Book Reports Write and perform an original song that tells the story of the book. After reading a book of poetry, do three of the following: 1) do an oral reading; 2)write an original poem; 3)act out a poem; 4)display a set of pictures which describe the poem; 5)write original music for the poem; 6)add original verses to the poem. How to Prepare for an Oral Report: 8 Steps (with Pictures) Don't be afraid to jot down details. Make your writing interesting. Be sure to use better words than the standard and obvious "nice" or "big." Rather opt for words such as "gigantic" or "fantastic." 2. Add a little something to your oral report. Perhaps add pictures or make a life size model from the topic. How to Write a Book Report, With Examples When writing a book report, it's important to keep a few things in mind. First, avoid repetition by adding a new perspective about the book. Second, be concise and keep your analysis focused on the content your readers are looking for. Third, support your claims and positions with insights from the book and provide evidence for your arguments. Book Reports They are similar to book reviews but focus more on a summary of the work than an evaluation of it. Book reports commonly describe what happens in a work; their focus is primarily on giving an account of the major plot, characters, thesis, and/or main idea of the work. Most often, book reports are a K-12 assignment and range from 250 to 500 ... Book Report Sample Questions & Rubric In the rubric, you need to divide that up into the qualifications for earning those points. Here is an example: 10 points for all accurate and relevant information. 8 points for some confusion or ... iRubric: Oral Book Report Presentation Rubric with visual aid 4th Quarter Oral Book Report Presentation Rubric introduction, summary, characters, delivery and visual aid Rubric Code: H92BW2. By lauraflack Ready to use Public Rubric Subject: English Type: Presentation Grade Levels: 6-8, 9-12 ... Fresh Ideas for Creative Book Reports Her idea: book report sandwiches! The teacher commissioned a friend to draw slices of ham, tomato, and Swiss cheese; lettuce leaves; a layer of mayonnaise, and a couple of slices of bread. Then she photocopied the drawings onto appropriately colored sheets of paper -- ham on pink, tomato on red, Swiss cheese on yellow, etc. PDF Book Report Oral Presentation You've been assigned to give an oral presentation of your book report. This means you already have a general topic—your book. 1. Read through your book report and make a list of the information you feel must be included in your presentation. Most book reports cover information about the book's author, publisher, and a summary of the important PDF Using Extensive Reading Oral Reports to Enhance Spoken Fluency Oral Fluency Tasks in Relation to the Oral Book Reports The term oral fluency used throughout this paper refers to definitions by Hasselgreen (2004) and Schmidt (1992). Hasselgreen (2004) defines L2 oral fluency as the "ability to contribute to what a listener, proficient in the language, would normally perceive as coherent speech, which 42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Every Grade and Subject 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 for kids. MiddleWeb. 1. Concrete Found Poem. Oral Book Report Presentation / Book Talk Rubric, Instructions Here is everything you need for 5 different types of book reports and post reading projects for middle or high school!Templates, rubrics, handouts, and more, all in both no-prep and editable versions!Click on each product cover above to see detailed previews and more information.What you'll receive: 5. Products. $9.97 $14.85 Save $4.88. 20 questions to ask about a book you've read Students can be asked to select which 5 questions to prepare answers for, to ask each other in turn or to be ready to answer any of these in a class discussion. ... It help's me with my book report thanks!!!! Like Like. Reply. Charles DiSilva says: July 24, 2019 at 5:05 am. These questions are really great. Thank you very much. Like Like. Reply. ESL Writing Activities: Book Reports 3-4: basic outline of book, some reading of written text, unable to answer questions in detail, not active in discussions; 0-2: incomplete, no evidence the person actually read the book, short presentation, minimal participation in group discussion; Step 2. Book Report Structure. A book report will have these basic parts. Introduction. 30 Book Report Templates & Reading Worksheets There is more than one way to complete a book report. Both teachers and students may find these creative ideas more interesting than a straightforward report. Write a review of the book. Create the report in the form of a newspaper or blog review. Summarize the book without giving away the plot or the ending. Oral Book Reports Lesson Plans & Worksheets Reviewed by Teachers No more Boring Book Reports. For Teachers 1st - 5th. Students create a paper bag book report. In this book report lesson plan, students choose 5-7 items representing the story. Students fill and decorate their bags and present them to the class. Students describe the significance of the... PDF Biographical Oral Book Report & Project Use the outline, questions, and biography book to organize and create your oral presentation. Oral Presentation: Begin your oral book report - try to say something to immediately to get our attention. Speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard easily. You are encouraged to make note cards to guide you through your presentation. Oral Book Reports Teaching Resources 4.9. (12) $1.50. Word Document File. This file includes both a written book report rubric and a book talk rubric. Both rubrics are out of 21 points and focus on the elements of genre, characters, setting, and plot. There are also sections for a critique and on the appearance and/or presentation. Book Reports Book Re. ports & Presentations. Long Term Projects: Each month your child will read four (4) chapter books. At the end of the month, students will present one (1) of the books (book report) with a visual. A form of required information for the book report will is posted below. I will model the requirements and give suggestions for the visuals ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis