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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Analytical grammar: beyond the book report (a schoolhouse crew review).

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Analytical Grammar Reviews

Resource description.

Beyond the Book Report is a three-part video-based curriculum that is designed to be scheduled along the same timeline with Analytical Grammar .  It covers literary analysis, journalism, drama, poetry, essays, oral reports, and research papers.  Each teaching module is designed to be completed as a different type of book report; the books used are chosen by the teacher and student.

After completing Analytical Grammar , students can use one of four High School Grammar Reinforcement books, one per year, to keep their grammar skills sharp.  These each contain 18 worksheets, one every other week, and have a literary topic. Finally the company offers a supplement called The Eternal Argument .  This book is intended as a jumping-off point for substantive literature study and is available in both paperback and audiobook formats.

Website: Analytical Grammar

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We used this for my daughter's 7/8 grade grammar homeschooling. I believe it's designed to be a 3-year course but we jammed to finish by end of 8th grade. Not too difficult. I was an English minor and I love this program. It's very technical. It has a good explanation, 3 lessons & test for each concept. There is sentence breakdown & diagramming. Each subject is thoroughly covered. It's for the student that likes to be challenged for sure and will definitely prepare them for any highschool grammar/writing.

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Beyond the Book Report

Developed for middle and early high school students, this flexible program helps students build language arts skills in preparation for high school studies and is designed to work with any work of fiction as long as there is one overarching storyline.

Shop Now on store.demmelearning.com

The Beyond the Book Report is broken into three seasons. Each season includes:

Printed instructor materials with:

• Teaching schedule and guides
• Examples of student work
• Glossary of terms

One disc with:

• Video instructions and lectures
• PDF rubrics
• Student activities and assignments

Please note: You will need a computer system to access the files needed for this program.

This season builds the foundation by focusing on literary analysis and journalism. Concepts introduced include:

• Following a rubric
• Conflict, point of view, climax, protagonist, antagonist
• Paraphrase and summary
• Elements of the plot, mood and tone, setting, genre
• Headline, byline, dateline, inverted pyramid, lead
• Objectivity, bias, objective point of view

Season 2 contains two units: the Poetry Book Report and the Drama Book Report. These units introduce concepts including:

• Figurative language: alliteration, metaphor, hyperbole, simile, personification
• Terms: stanza, rhyme scheme, verse
• Types: sonnet, haiku, limerick
• Terms: dialogue, monologue, cast, props, staging, aside, blocking
• Genres: comedy, drama, farce, melodrama

Season 3 includes units on the essay, oral book report, and research paper. Concepts introduced include:

• Personal, literary, and SAT essays
• The DOs and DON’Ts of giving an oral presentation with slides
• How to write a research paper

Buy the Bundle

Get all three seasons in one convenient set. Order the bundle on store.demmelearning.com

The New York Times

The learning network | beyond the book report: ways to respond to literature using new york times models.

Beyond the Book Report: Ways to Respond to Literature Using New York Times Models

Teaching ideas based on New York Times content.

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Below, we present some alternatives to that classic classroom assignment, the book report. All of our ideas are inspired by The New York Times in some way, either because we’ve adapted an interesting format, or because we were inspired by an article, review, essay, interview or multimedia feature.

Do you assign book reports, in any format, to your students? What do they look like? Join the conversation!

A Times-Style Book Review

Read The Times’s Books section to scan several current book reviews of novels, story collections and poetry, and to use the search feature to find reviews of older books. Next, make a list of common elements. These might include a summary of the plot or main points or themes, comparisons or references to the writer’s earlier works, discussion of the writer’s contemporaries or influences, how the reviewer assesses the work’s quality; connections (if any) the reviewer has to the subject matter; and the like.

Next, write your own Times-style review of a book, incorporating many of these elements. If The Times has also reviewed the book you’ve chosen, avoid reading it until you have crafted your own review, of course.

Book Talk, With You as Host

Create a podcast around a book or author, perhaps inspired by the format of those found in the Times’ Book Review. You might act as host and introduce several different segments, such as a mock interview with the author or an expert on the topic, or a discussion of how a classic book is suddenly timely.

You might also include free-form segments like “The Book That Changed My Life,” “What We’re Reading,” or “My First-Ever Favorite Book.” You could vary these with “advertisements” for books, top-10 lists of favorite authors or characters, or news about book-related events, such as online book discussions or local events such as readings given by authors.

For classic works, you might set the podcast in the time of its publication, considering other works popular at the time, the issues of the day and so on. Or, include an “interview” with the author, drawing from research such as published interviews, profiles, memoirs and biographies to ground the portrayal in fact. Another idea? Role-play a conversation of writers from the past or present sitting down together to talk about one another’s work, or their own works in progress, with the podcast acting as the “tape recorder” that captures the whole thing.

Judging the Book by Its Cover

Start by considering how a cover “sells” a book and serves as a quick visual reference, and make a quick list of favorite or most memorable covers. Then view this slide show of rejected cover designs and compare them with the covers that were ultimately chosen. Are the final ones better? Why?

Next, create paintings or other illustrations to honor a book you’re reading. You might do this in homage to the covers of favorite books, or you might create a cover for a work that doesn’t have its own cover, such as a piece you read in an anthology or story collection. The covers can be representative of the setting, a key scene, main characters or major plot event, or be more abstract or conceptual, capturing the tone of the work, a theme or character’s mental state.Or, you might want to create covers in the style of a favorite artist.

Shot on Location

Choose key scenes from a novel that is set in a real place and find photos or illustrations online that show the locations described by the author. (You can choose photos that fit the novel’s descriptions if the setting is not directly named or is not a real place.)

Another option is to choose an author and show the places from a variety of his or her works, such as this feature about novelist Haruki Murakami , which includes a photo, related excerpt and voice recording of the person who chose them. As a low-tech alternative, you might draw, and annotate with relevant passages, maps of novels’ environs or all the settings used in a writer’s oeuvre.

For a longer-term project, visit the real life “stomping grounds” of a fictional character or visit places with a rich literary history and create a blog or podcast about them. You might record yourself reading relevant passages or discussing the works in the very spot the author(s) wrote about.

Bring the Beat

Create (and record, and add liner notes explaining) a soundtrack for a book you’re reading, or invent a rap about it, as these Stanford students did about the biology of how the body converts food into energy.

Making Lists of Favorites

Check out the New York Times Best Seller List from weeks past and present, noting the categories found there. Use or tweak the categories to take a poll of classmates, teachers, parents, school and public librarians and other readers to learn what books they are currently reading or have recently read. Then, work with others to make your own lists — whether of local favorites; of books read in school over the years; or, perhaps, of genre suggestions along the lines of “If you liked the ‘Harry Potter’ books , you’ll love…”.

You and your classmates might then each choose one book to write up in the style of an Inside the List blurb that tells about the book, its author, its audience or all of these. Or, create “shelf talkers” about some of these books for your school library modeled after those in this bookstore .

Annotate Lists on One Topic

Choose an author, genre, time period, historical event, place or other relatively general topic and research books by or about the subject, perhaps starting with the Times’ Sunday Book Review or Book News and Reviews .

Create annotated lists of published works about it, like this one on the Civil War , organized by category, chronology or other technique. You might then create brochure or Web pages, or a library display, as part of a class collection called “So You Want to Know About…”

Rate and Debate

Brainstorm thought-provoking questions about a common text, such as what might have happened five years before the events in a novel begin, 25 years after they end, or what would happen if a key plot point was changed. Then, ask several people to weigh in and give short answers in order to create a Room for Debate- style response.

Book Report by Video

Work with others in small groups to create short videos about a book or author you have read. You might voice-over narration and and include interviews, as in this example which is about the “Babar” series of children’s books.

Be creative about your interviewees. For instance, you might talk to fans of a book series waiting until midnight for the release of the next installment; people of the same generation about what a seminal book meant to them as children; or experts like teachers, professors and historians who can weigh in on the significance of a often-taught book, or on a book controversy .

Another approach to the video is to stage key scenes from novels or stories, or record dramatic readings, with sound effects. Or, make an author and his or her works the subject of a video, with an actor portraying him or her and reenacting important career and life events.

The Graphic Novel Version

Everything from the Bible to “Twilight” to “The Art of War” is being turned into a graphic novel. How would the book you’re currently reading be transformed by this genre? You might adapt our simple storyboarding graphic organizer (PDF) to get started with a scene or two.

Book Blurbs on Blogs

Read the “books” category of the ArtsBeat blog for a week or more, researching the topics mentioned there. Then, work on short blog posts of your own that go into greater detail, or give the “back story,” about each news item for your audience. For example, a recent post about new and ongoing manga series might inspire a segment on manga in general.

Why Your Favorite Author Matters

Write persuasive essays that combine research, critical analysis of major works and personal accounts that raise and answer the question “Why does this author matter?”

You might begin by reading Sunday Book Review essays with similar aims, such as this one about Lionel Trilling, this “Riff” column about Joan Didion, or by reading the back issues of the review .

You can also search Times Topics pages which collect all the news, reference and archival information, photos, graphics, audio and video files published on topic, and find nearly any published author — whether Stephen King or Shakespeare —. Use them as a starting point for research.

Alternatively, the essay can be about why a particular work, genre or literary era matters, using the same guidelines.

The Book Report of the Future

Has the format of the book report assignment in your school morphed over time? If so, how? What do you imagine a “book report” in 2025 might look like? Use our post on the the “future of reading” that examines how technology is changing reading, readers and books to propose new formats for presenting reader responses to literature.For instance, perhaps you and your classmates can join or create an online book sharing and reviewing community, design a book app, or write about the difference between reading a paper-and-ink book and an e-book or some other digital format.

Related Lessons from The Learning Network

10 Ways to Use The New York Times for Teaching Literature

“Going Beyond the Book Report With Literature Exhibits”

“Our Computers, Ourselves: Imagining the Digital Lives of Authors and Characters”

“Join the Club: Supporting Independent Reading with Book Groups”

“Short and Sweet: Deconstructing and Crafting Brief Arts Reviews

“We’re Booked”

“Reviews Revealed”

Other Learning Network Resources

Fill-In | The First Times’ Review of the First Harry Potter Novel

Resource | Ten Ways to Celebrate Banned Books Week

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Excellent ideas! I’ve always loved alternatives to the standard book report and you’ve just given me some wonderful new ones to add to my arsenal.

Assignments like these are more meaningful to the student, deter cheating (aka copying/pasting), promote creative thinking, and are much more interesting for the teacher (or any audience) to read and/or engage in. Thank you for sharing!

This is really “beyond the book report”, I got assigned to a book report but in our class we can choose what we want to read, so I’m currently reading a book I’m enjoying so much that I couldn’t put it down at night.

But the bad thing is we have assigned tasks to complete, and they’re boring; if every teacher used this in America I’m sure reading will turn into a enjoyable thing for reluctant readers or bookworms like me.

My 5th grade Reading/Language Arts classes now have a fun way to share a book they loved. With the help of our IT teacher, they can make an Animoto video that is then linked to our school’s website, which can be viewed by all students. Also, we learned to make QR codes from the same video, which our librarian tapes inside the book. Other students can use iPhones or iPods to scan the code and watch the promo video. This is a great way to integrate technology skills with language arts skills! Since my students love to do this, and they can’t make a video that has been already made twice, they are encouraged to branch out in their reading genre.

I’ve enjoyed working on these Animoto book trailers with Donna B. Check them out: //tinyurl.com/wilsonbooktrailers

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Beyond the Book Report

Developed for middle and early high school collegiate, this flexible program assists students build language arts skills in preparation for high school studies and are drafted toward work with any working away fiction as long as there is single transcending storyline. Writing a report is standard available students in elementary, high school and equal for college Although there are many different types of reported such will be.

Please note: You will need a computer system to access the files requires for this program.

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Beyond the Book Report by Analytical Grammar – A Preview Review

Tagged:  AG , BBR , Beyond the Book Report , writing

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A Preview Review – weird, I know, but I couldn’t come up with anything better. 

I will be co-teaching a Grammar, Written Narration, and Composition Course to 11 kids ages 9-13 this coming year. We will meet 3 weeks/month from Sept. – Apr. and 12 weeks per term.

• Grammar using JAG with 4th-6th, AG Season 1 with 6th-8th
• Written Narrations using  My Little Handbook of Written Narrations  by Angela Wilson as a guide of sorts (4th-8th)

Spring Term

• Mechanics using JAG Mechanics with all (4th-8th)
• Beyond the Book Report Season 1 (6th-8th)

With that bit of background, I have received BBR-1 and have begun reviewing it. It covers the following:

From http://www.analyticalgrammar.com –  SEASON ONE includes three different sections (click on the hyperlinks to see the sample): The Basic Book Report – Concepts introduced:     Following a rubric     Conflict, Point of View, Climax, Protagonist,Antagonist     Paraphrase and summary – Activity:     Watch video lecture on literary terms – Final Product (100 pt total):      Reading Log     Plot summary     Paraphrase of favorite scene     Study questions or crossword      Literary Terms worksheet The Pamphlet Book Report – Concepts introduced:     Elements of the plot, mood and tone, setting, genre – Activity:     Watch second video lecture on literary terms – Final Product (100 pt total):     Reading log     Pamphlet about the book (60 pts)     Study questions or crossword The News Article Book Report – Concepts introduced:     Headline, byline, dateline, inverted pyramid, lead     Objectivity, bias, objective point of view – Activity:     Watch video lecture on news writing      Nursery rhyme news      Exercise in bias detection –  Final Product (100 pt total):     Reading log     News article on favorite scene     Opposite bias news article, same scene     Study questions/crossword

I really like the looks of this simple program. It suggests spending 30-45 minutes per day on BBR-1. We will be covering the topics together using the DVDs during our class weeks. We will spend 3-4 weeks on each project. Our schedule will have us view the video lesson in class, answer questions and perhaps start a bit of an assignment. Then the students will choose their books and have 2-3 weeks to read the book and complete the assigned reports.

I have not reviewed the full program yet , but here are my Pros & Cons.

• Introduces literary terms and elements in a simple way
• Helps kids break their assignments into doable chunks using the reading log
• Uses rubrics to help assess and evaluate in an objective manner
• Written (via videa, too) to the student
• Is a natural extention of written narration. Allows for some creative narration types. 
• Perhaps the grading element. This is new for me, so I may tweak or simply use as another teaching opportunity. These kids are going to college, so they will see grading and should get used to it at some point.
• Packaging – Some shrinkwrapped papers with a DVD that has video clips and pdf files to print. Quality is good, but presentation lacking. I suspect because it’s rather new. I simply printed off all of my worksheets for the students at one time. 

That’s my initial take. I will add more as I become more familiar with it. I think this will be a good fit for my family. I want a tiny bit of handholding to introduce some different literary elements and ideas for written narrations, but do not care for a full blown program like IEW, Classical Composition, etc. 

HTH someone.

Perfect. And, thank you. I’m looking for something similar as I just can not overwhelm my dc this coming year and this seems to be more doable.

Bumping. This will appeal to quite a few on this forum. Your review updates will be very helpful. It sounds like a fun way to tackle literary analysis. I especially like the idea of using the various familiar formats to accomplish these assignments. Thanks for sharing it.

Becca<><

We have decided to do this program this year as well. Interested to see more of your thoughts on this. What is My Little Handbook of Written Narrations?

Christie, if you have time to post, I’d love to hear how your Fall term has been going with your 4-6th grade group using JAG.

Are all of the students in your group embracing it (and retaining) well? Or does it seem to work better for one learning style versus another?

You are sure to provide valuable insight to many of us on the forum, especially given that you are also teaching an older group using AG. It leads many of us to the question of whether starting grammar with JAG at grade 4/5 is truly worthwhile, or whether waiting until 6th grade for grammar (jumping straight to AG) is perfectly okay.

Would love some comments. Blessings, Angie

JAG – I have 7 kids in the JAG class and our last lesson is next week. All 7 kids are doing well. We only cover the new material and 1 worksheet in class each week and the rest is done at home. All kids are scoring competancy or above on the tests each week. My son is 9 and is Mr. Sports. He does well with his schoolwork, but would rather be outside playing something or fishing or ____ and he has soared. He can parse like a pro and does pretty good with diagramming. Every once in a while, he will hang a modifier off of the wrong thing, but so do the rest of the kids. I have 3 girls and 4 boys in this class. One student has some processing difficulties and he is doing super, too. There are wiggly willies and quiet Quincys and all have done a great job. JAG, we watch the dvd explanation which is really just going over the notes and then work 1 worksheet of examples on the board together.

AG – We had 7, but went to 6 students. 3 boys and 3 girls. A big variety of kids here, too and all are doing well, typically scoring Superiority or Mastery on the tests. These kids watch the dvd and work the examples with the dvd and then complete at least 1 full page in class. My dd12 is in this class and is doing wonderfully.

PROS OF THE PROGRAMS

• Kids can simply watch dvd and do it on their own at both levels. I would do this if I weren’t teaching a class, but the class is great accountability.
• Very straightforward
• All exercises and tests are open book
• JAG exercises are the perfect length with 5 sentences to parse & diagram each page and a few extra questions.
• AG exercises are appropriately more difficult.

CONS OF THE PROGRAMS

• Both presenters are left handed and their hands cover what they write until they finish. Not a huge thing, but the kids have all commented.
• AG exercises have 10 sentences each and that difference with JAG feels huge. I think 7 would have been good, but we do all of them anyway because I don’t wish to pick through them. 

Yes, I find both programs worthwhile and will have my younger kids use JAG, too. I expect it to spill over into ds9’s written narrations, too. (He has a broken finger in a full arm cast at the moment, so no writing.) On the other hand, I think waiting is fine, too. Most of my AG kids haven’t had any grammar before and it’s working well for them.

In addition…

We spent several weeks looking at written narrations. This was time well spent and the kids, esp. the younger ones, showed great improvement.

We are spending the next 4 lessons learning how to outline using material found at http://www.higherupandfurtherin.blogspot.com and after only 1 lesson, all of the kids are getting it and of course this skill will be super useful throughout life.

ALL students will begin using JAG Mechanics in a couple of weeks. We will go through that through April 2014.

In Jan. 2014, the older students will begin season one of BBR. I’ll report on that later. 

Beneita – http://www.lulu.com/shop/angela-wilson/my-little-handbook-of-written-narrations/ebook/product-17454849.html

We used this as a basis for the kids. It’s not perfect, IMO, but it worked well. My ds9 was new to written narrations and his first ones are pretty good and longer than 2 sentences. 🙂

Sincerest thanks, Christie, for taking the time to post in such detail! Sounds as though your program is going beautifully. How amazing to hear that ALL the children have given it praise and are learning well. Loved that link to HigherUP blog post; good reminders for me.

Sorry to hear about Mr. Sports’ injury/cast (I can only imagine how hard that must be on him and on you!) and thanks again for sharing all your experiences with us 🙂

Yes, thank you, Christie.  Very helpful.

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Beyond The Book Report @ Analytical Grammar - Reviews?

By 5LittleMonkeys , July 22, 2013 in Logic Stage & Middle Grade Challenges

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Anyone had a chance to review this yet?

http://www.analyticalgrammar.com/index.php/analytical-products/bbr-season1.html

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I just received my copy today, so I don't have any actual experience with the program.  It does not teach composition.  It is more of an introduction to literature.  Basic literary terms are covered.  The first assignment is a paraphrase and a two page summary of a book of your choice.  The second assignment is a pamphlet explaining the conflict, characters, plot, and other elements of a book of your choice.  Instruction is geared toward the student. I haven't yet viewed the material for the third assignment. Do you have any specific questions? 

I have been looking at this, as well.  I thought it covered the essay and the research paper, as well as literature.  So do you think that it should be used with Writing with Skill then since it does not cover composition? 

I bought this, too, but decided to save it for next year. I'm not sure about the writing instruction, but the essay and research paper are in season three.

Those are covered in Season 3 which I have not seen. BBR season 1 does not teach anything about the writing process.  It teaches literary terms, summarizing, and newspaper writing.  I think BBR might be overkill if you are doing WWS since WWS covers literary analysis. 

I was going to ask the same thing.  Might have to compare the SS for each to see which does a more thorough job.  I'm not there yet, but I believe WWS doesn't really get into individual literary terms as much as it does just writing about literature...could be totally wrong though.

Looks promising. I can't wait to hear reviews as everyone uses it.

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Beyond the Book Report is our middle/early high school language arts curriculum. Beyond the Book Report is designed to pair with Analytical Grammar to provide a seamless, full-coverage, meaty, productful middle school language arts course that doesn't take up your whole day. By using AG and BBR together (just add the vocab of your choice!), you can teach language arts in about an hour a day.

The course covers literary analysis, journalism, poetry, drama, essays, oral reports, and research papers spread over three seasons. The video lectures and student forms, worksheets, and rubrics are all on a computer DVD. For grades 6 and up.

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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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Beyond the Book Report Season 3

• Description

Season Three of Beyond the Book Report contains three separate units that finish building the foundation for meaningful literature study and written response. This season focuses on essays, oral reports, and research papers.

Season Three Includes:

• Teacher Packet
• Teaching schedule and guide
• Examples of student work
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• Assignments

Please Note: You will need to use your computer system to access the files on the disc. These files are needed for the program.

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Beyond the Book Report: Season 2

Season Two of  Beyond the Book Report  contains two separate units that continue building the foundation for meaningful literature study and written response.

   Teacher Packet

• Teaching Schedule and Guide
• Examples of Student Work
• Glossary of Terms
• Video Instructions
• Video Lectures
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• Assignments

Please note: You will need to use your computer system to access files on the disc. These files are needed for the program.

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Beyond the Book Report: Ten Alternatives

In my last post I described 10 ways to cultivate a love of reading in kids. I want to expand on that theme by suggesting 10 alternatives to the book report. I'm not a fan of book reports; I don't think they are an effective way for a student to demonstrate understanding of a book and I don't think they help students enjoy or appreciate reading.

Let's consider some activities that allow a student to show understanding of a book and that might be enjoyable. This selection of activities is also intended to meet the needs of different kinds of learners -- or to contribute to the development of skills beyond writing. I often allowed students choice in deciding how they wanted to respond to a book -- they could choose from a list like the one below.

1. The Graphic Novel: Students draw scenes from a selected part of the book-perhaps a scene that represents the beginning, middle and end if you're working on understanding chronology; or three scenes that depict how the main character changed. If the book is rich in setting, then asking them to illustrate where the story takes place can also be revealing. Drawing will help students remember or find details. Then you can also ask them to highlight or copy the textual evidence for their illustrations.

2. An Alternative Ending: Asking students to create an alternative ending to a book -- one that makes sense -- pushes them to really demonstrate an understanding of characters and plot. What makes a gripping novel is often that you don't know what's going to happen in the end. Asking students to diverge from but build on a writer's style is very hard -- and an exciting challenge for skilled readers.

3. A Sequel: Sequels are also fun for kids to write. How many of us have reached the end of a book and wanted more? This gives them an opportunity to predict what would happen next. It's also challenging because a sequel has to make sense; there must be a continuity of some elements of theme and plot. If there are other students who have read the same book, they can be the judges -- is this sequel believable? Students can write a few pages, a short chapter, or a whole book.

4. Diary of a Character: What might Professor Snape (of Harry Potter) have written in his diary? Students can select a character and compose a few pages -- or many pages -- of a diary. For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid they can emulate that author's style and include illustrations. Such an assignment reveals a student's understanding of the character and the genre of the personal narrative.

5. A Monologue: What might a major or minor character want to say? How might they say it? Students can take this in many directions. Again, this is another way for a student to communicate how she understands a character, as well as to practice speaking skills.

6. The Talk Show: When several students read the same book, they can put on a talk show for the class with each student representing a different character. The "host" prepares a list of questions to ask each guest, pushing the student to develop higher level thinking questions such as "Can you explain why you...?" or "What regrets do you have about..." Again, as you (the teacher) listen, you can assess how well each student understood the book.

7. Letter to the Author: If a book really moved a student, he might be interested in writing a letter to the author. There might be more information he'd like ("Did any of this really happen to you?") or he might want to share his reflections and thoughts about the book. It's no uncommon for authors to respond -- and that's a thrilling experience for a kid. This kind of assignment helps you assess how a student connected with a book and responded to it.

8. Review for Peers: This could be done in writing (and posted online somewhere including Amazon.com) or it could be shared verbally with a class. This is a way for students to practice persuasive writing and to share their opinions.

9. A New Cover: Creating a different cover for the book is a great project for artistic students. They might use traditional mediums -- paper, markers, and so on, or those with the skills and resources could create one using digital tools. This assignment is really a persuasive one: we all judge books by their covers, so how can students communicate their thoughts and feelings about a book through an image?

10. A Reading Guide: At the end of some novels there are a set of questions that are designed for a book club to use in discussion. This is a challenging project, but one that some readers love because it allows them to direct the conversations of others. In order to formulate good questions, they are required to have a deep understanding of the book. This activity is also great if you have book clubs or literature circles as students can provide their peers with this guide.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of alternatives to book reports, but I hope it's spurred some thinking about how to get students to respond to books they read.

What alternatives to book reports have you offered students? What would you like to try? Share with us in the comments' section below.

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BEYOND THE STORY

10-year record of bts.

by BTS with Myeongseok Kang ; translated by Anton Hur , Clare Richards & Slin Jung ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 9, 2023

A must-have for the BTS ARMY and a deep dive into South Korean culture and music.

The first 10 years of one of the world’s most popular acts.

RM, SUGA, j-hope, Jung Kook, V, Jimin, and Jin. If these names are immediately familiar, no review is going to dissuade you from buying—or persuade you to buy—this book. If, however, you have no idea who these people are, read on. They are BTS, a boy band that, as of 2023, are the bestselling recording artists in South Korean history. Their fandom is massive and international. This vibrant, full-color book is a detailed account of their journey from young K-pop hopefuls to global megastars. Myeongseok Kang takes readers inside the idol–making system of K-pop and intersperses his narrative with quotes from BTS members. The text is studded with QR codes that take readers to official videos and vlogs, blog posts, the official BTS Twitter feed, and other digital content. There are also countless photos—no surprise given the highly visual nature of K-pop, whose albums are often packaged with a photo book, photo cards, and posters, in addition to being issued in multiple editions with different packaging. From the Monkees to the Backstreet Boys, it’s always been easy to mock boy bands as superficial and sappy, but this book makes it clear that BTS take their craft seriously. When SUGA joined Big Hit Entertainment at 17, he was already making money as a songwriter in his hometown of Daegu. Jimin was planning to attend a high school for the arts so that he could continue to study dance. Even while they were enduring the punishing hours of practice required to have a shot at stardom, they were pushing back against their producer’s wishes for a more commercial sound. The fact that BTS redefined what “commercial” sounds like for a generation of fans around the world suggests they were right to insist on their vision.

Pub Date: July 9, 2023

Page Count: 544

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Review Posted Online: July 11, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS & CELEBRITY | ETHNICITY & RACE

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SEEN & HEARD

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

New York Times Bestseller

by Stephanie Johnson & Brandon Stanton illustrated by Henry Sene Yee ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2022

A blissfully vicarious, heartfelt glimpse into the life of a Manhattan burlesque dancer.

A former New York City dancer reflects on her zesty heyday in the 1970s.

Discovered on a Manhattan street in 2020 and introduced on Stanton’s Humans of New York Instagram page, Johnson, then 76, shares her dynamic history as a “fiercely independent” Black burlesque dancer who used the stage name Tanqueray and became a celebrated fixture in midtown adult theaters. “I was the only black girl making white girl money,” she boasts, telling a vibrant story about sex and struggle in a bygone era. Frank and unapologetic, Johnson vividly captures aspects of her former life as a stage seductress shimmying to blues tracks during 18-minute sets or sewing lingerie for plus-sized dancers. Though her work was far from the Broadway shows she dreamed about, it eventually became all about the nightly hustle to simply survive. Her anecdotes are humorous, heartfelt, and supremely captivating, recounted with the passion of a true survivor and the acerbic wit of a weathered, street-wise New Yorker. She shares stories of growing up in an abusive household in Albany in the 1940s, a teenage pregnancy, and prison time for robbery as nonchalantly as she recalls selling rhinestone G-strings to prostitutes to make them sparkle in the headlights of passing cars. Complemented by an array of revealing personal photographs, the narrative alternates between heartfelt nostalgia about the seedier side of Manhattan’s go-go scene and funny quips about her unconventional stage performances. Encounters with a variety of hardworking dancers, drag queens, and pimps, plus an account of the complexities of a first love with a drug-addled hustler, fill out the memoir with personality and candor. With a narrative assist from Stanton, the result is a consistently titillating and often moving story of human struggle as well as an insider glimpse into the days when Times Square was considered the Big Apple’s gloriously unpolished underbelly. The book also includes Yee’s lush watercolor illustrations.

Pub Date: July 12, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-250-27827-2

Page Count: 192

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2022

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS & CELEBRITY | GENERAL BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

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by Brandon Stanton

by Brandon Stanton photographed by Brandon Stanton

by Brandon Stanton ; photographed by Brandon Stanton

LOVE, PAMELA

by Pamela Anderson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 31, 2023

A juicy story with some truly crazy moments, yet Anderson's good heart shines through.

The iconic model tells the story of her eventful life.

According to the acknowledgments, this memoir started as "a fifty-page poem and then grew into hundreds of pages of…more poetry." Readers will be glad that Anderson eventually turned to writing prose, since the well-told anecdotes and memorable character sketches are what make it a page-turner. The poetry (more accurately described as italicized notes-to-self with line breaks) remains strewn liberally through the pages, often summarizing the takeaway or the emotional impact of the events described: "I was / and still am / an exceptionally / easy target. / And, / I'm proud of that ." This way of expressing herself is part of who she is, formed partly by her passion for Anaïs Nin and other writers; she is a serious maven of literature and the arts. The narrative gets off to a good start with Anderson’s nostalgic memories of her childhood in coastal Vancouver, raised by very young, very wild, and not very competent parents. Here and throughout the book, the author displays a remarkable lack of anger. She has faced abuse and mistreatment of many kinds over the decades, but she touches on the most appalling passages lightly—though not so lightly you don't feel the torment of the media attention on the events leading up to her divorce from Tommy Lee. Her trip to the pages of Playboy , which involved an escape from a violent fiance and sneaking across the border, is one of many jaw-dropping stories. In one interesting passage, Julian Assange's mother counsels Anderson to desexualize her image in order to be taken more seriously as an activist. She decided that “it was too late to turn back now”—that sexy is an inalienable part of who she is. Throughout her account of this kooky, messed-up, enviable, and often thrilling life, her humility (her sons "are true miracles, considering the gene pool") never fails her.

Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023

ISBN: 9780063226562

Page Count: 256

Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023

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