Reading

Book Report Projects

"Alphabet Primer/ABC Book Report Project Presentation"

For this project, students create a document that covers 26 important words that pertain to their book (one for each letter of the alphabet).

Reading - ABC Book Report

"Cereal Box Book Report Project Examples"

For this project, students create their own brand of cereal based on a book they have read. This presentation includes examples of the project.

Cereal Box Book Report Project Examples

"Shoebox Book Report Project Presentation"

For this project, students create a diorama of at least three scenes from a book they have read. Presumably, these scenes will be from the beginning, middle, and end of their book.

Book Report Project - Shoebox Book Report Project

"Soap Carving and Postcard Book Report Project Presentation"

For this project, students will carve and decorate bars of soap that represents something or someone from the book they read. They will also write a piece to accompany the soap bar creation. This presentations contains several student examples of this project.

Soap Carving Book Report Examples

Novel Studies and Literature Circles

Reading Comprehension Strategies

SQ3R (also known as SQRRR) is a reading comprehension method named for its five steps.

Survey - The first step, survey or skim, advises that one should resist the temptation to read the book and instead first go through a chapter and note headings, sub-headings and other outstanding features, such as figures, tables, and summary paragraphs. This survey step only takes 3-5 minutes, but it provides an outline or framework for what will be presented. The reader should identify ideas and formulate questions about the content of the chapter.
Question - Generate questions about the content of the reading. This should only take 3-5 minutes to complete, but it will motivate the reader to seek answers to the questions. For example, convert headings and sub-headings into questions, and then look for answers in the content of the text. Other more general questions may also be formulated, such as "What is the chapter about?," "What question is this chapter trying to answer?," or "How does this information help me?"
Read (R1) - Use the background work done with "S" and "Q" in order to begin reading actively. This means reading in order to answer the questions raised under "Q". Passive reading, in contrast, results in merely reading without engaging with the study material.
Recite (R2) - The second "R" refers to the part known as "Recite." The reader should try to retrieve from memory what was learned in the same manner as telling someone else about the information. It is important that the reader use his/her own words in order to formulate and conceptualize the material. Try recalling and identifying major points (heading/subheadings) and answers to questions from the "Q" step. This recital step may be done either in an oral or written format and is related to the benefits of retrieval in boosting long-term memory for the material.
Review (R3) - The final "R" is "Review." Once you reach the end of the passage, say back to yourself what the point of the whole passage is - again, using your own words.