•ESL

ESL 2nd and 3rd Period

Creating a Book Talk!

Essential Question(s): Why is it important to be able to talk thoughtfully about a book? How can I articulately share my reading

experience with my peers? How can I represent a book I have read both visually and through writing and

speaking?

Learning Goals: Students will learn the essential elements of a good book talk: hooking the audience, summarizing the main

idea, describing characters, conflicts, issues, events, and the authors and audience purpose.

Days Activities: Students will view examples of a good book talk, teacher will model a book talk and we will work together to

create a book talk from a book they have all read to prepare for doing a book talk on their own.

Book Talk Examples:

Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley (video)

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli (video)

Ravenwood by Andrew Peters (Use of costume and read a passage from the book)

Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah (video)

Carlos Is Gonna Get It by Kevin Emerson (video)

Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan (video)

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (told as if she is the main character)

The Accidental Adventures of India McAllister by Charlotte (done with pictures and narration)

Monster by Walter Dean Myers (Good use of sound, music and video)

A Book Talk Modeled:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Elements of a good book talk

1. You must read and know the book well. Think of it as a movie trailer, you are trying to "sell" it to your audience.

2. Start with a "hook" to get the listener interested!

3. Briefly describe some of the characters, the setting, and the beginning of the plot. Don't tell everything!

4. Keep the talk short and exciting. Be selective!

5. Write out a script of what you are going to say.

6. Don't give away the ending! Use a "cliff hanger" or "teaser" at the end.

7. Be creative! Have props (a costume and show the book), become one of the main characters (talk from their perspective, adopt their

mannerisms), use music or sound effects, select an amusing or exciting part of the book to read, etc.

Types of book talks

1. Video of you giving the book talk

2. Slide show with pictures and words and your voice recorded.

3. Combine live video with slide show

Together! We will create a book talk script for "Pearl Harbor is Burning!"

1. Fill out Graphic Organizer

2. Write out the Script

2012 8th Grade Tech Test

Everitt Middle School Library