book+reports

OUT OF CLASS READING Guidelines: 1. You must read a book and report on it each month for 8 months. You may skip one month of your choice during the school year. 2. The book should be one you have not read before. 3. Choose a book that fits in one of the categories listed below. If you are not sure what category a book fits into, consult with the teacher. 4. Each month chose a book from a different category. 5. At least one of the months the book must be non-fiction (this includes biographies). 6. Books must be approved by the teacher by the date listed below. Failure to do so will result in three points being deducted each day you are late in getting the book approved. You cannot change books during the month without teacher approval. 7. Book reports are due on the dates listed below. Each report is worth 100 points. Ten points will be deducted for each day the report is handed in late. 8. Book reports can be done in various ways. See “Book Reporting Options” for more details.

Due Dates: __Report Due__ September 23 October 21 November 21 December 20 January 24 February 21 March 21 April 25 May 16

**Book Reporting Options**

Each month you will do a book report on the book you had approved and that you read for that month. There are two main options.

A. __Standard Written Report__ Answer the six basic questions for the fiction section or the four basic questions if the book is nonfiction. Then answer the three additional questions that correspond to the category in which your book was approved. Answer in complete sentences, restating the question.

B. __Alternative Book Report__ **You should talk to Mrs. Zehr to get the alternative option you have chosen approved before beginning the report.** Some suggestions are as follows: 1. Interview a main character from the book. Make a list of at least ten questions and decide how the character would answer them. You can do this orally or in written form. 2. Draw a scene from the book and explain its significance. 3. Create a three-dimensional scene from the book. 4. Act out a scene from the book and explain why it was an important event. You can enlist friends to help you with this. 5. Do an oral report to Mrs. Zehr 6. Do an oral report for the whole class trying to convince them to read the book. 7. Create a book trailer. Mrs. Zehr will then post it on our Wikisite. If you think of an additional option, discuss it with Mrs. Zehr for her approval.

**You must do at least two alternative book reports. However you may only do two from the same alternative. For example you may only do two oral reports. You can do several types of alternative reports, but __all must be approved before you begin__.** If you do not get an alternative option approved, it will be assumed that you are doing the standard written report.

Each report is worth 100 points. Be sure to hand the report in on or before the date it is due so that you do not lose points.

**STANDARD WRITTEN BOOK REPORT**

__Book Reports for Fiction Categories:__ Do the six basic questions below (# 1 to 6) and the three additional questions (# 7 to 9 ) for the category from which your book was chosen. 1. Give the title, author, and category from which the book was chosen. (10 pts.) 2. Give a personality description of one of the characters. Include an example from the story telling how one of the personality traits was evidenced. (10 pts.) 3. Describe the basic conflict in the story and how it was resolved. (15 pts.) 4. Describe your favorite scene in the book and why you chose this one. (15 pts.) 5. Explain why or why not you did not like the ending. (10 pts.) 6. What do you think was the author’s main purpose in writing the book – what was the main point she/he wanted to make? (10 pts.)

__Additional questions for each category:__

__//** Adventure/Mystery **//__ 7. How does the author keep the reader’s interest without revealing the ending? 8. Would you change any part of the story – beginning, ending, etc.? 9. If you were to write about a big adventure in your life, what would it be?

__//** African-American Experience **//__ 7. Give some experiences or emotions one of the characters had because they were African-American. 8. What questions does this book raise in your mind? 9. How do you think your life would be different if you were part of a minority group? If you are part of a minority, how would life be different if you were not?

__//** Animal Stories **//__ 7. Describe the relationship between an animal and one of the characters in the book. 8. Tell about an experience you have had with an animal that this book reminded you of. 9. What fears or concerns did you have for any of the animals in the story as you read the book?

7. Tell how one of the characters in the story tried to overcome a disability. 8. What fears or concerns did you have for any of the characters in the story? 9. In what ways can you identify with a person in the story?
 * __// Dealing with Disabilities //__**

__//** Family Relationships **//__ 7. Describe the main source of conflict in a family relationship from the book. 8. What character in the book could you identify most closely with? 9. Give examples from the story of how some qualities of a healthy family were either present or missing.

__//** Fantasy **//__ 7. How was the setting (time and place) important to this novel? 8. What would you change about this book? 9. Tell why you enjoy reading fantasy novels.

__//** Friendship Themes **//__ 7. What qualities of a good friendship were present in this book? 8. What feelings or emotions did this novel evoke in you? 9. What is something you would have done differently if you had been one of the characters?

7. Give the setting, time and place, of the story and tell how it was important to the story? 8. What decisions made in the story do you believe were particularly good or bad? 9. Other than the present, what time in history would you choose to be alive and why?
 * __// Historical Fiction //__**

__//** Holocaust Stories **//__ 7. Tell several new things you learned about the Holocaust from this story?

8. What feelings or emotions does the story evoke in you? 9. Why do Holocaust survivors tell their stories? Why must we never forget?

__//** Love/Romance Stories **//__ 7. Describe a “romance” relationship from the book. 8. What decisions made in the story were particularly good or bad? 9. Why do you like (or dislike) love stories?

__//** Multicultural Acceptance/Prejudice Themes **//__ 7. Give examples of how someone in the story who was culturally different was/wasn’t accepted. 8. How do any of the characters remind you of someone you know? __Or__ Are you like any of the characters? 9. How did you identify with an experience of prejudice or of being accepted from the story?

//__** Native American Experience **__// 7. Tell some things you learned about a Native American culture from this story. 8. What decisions made in the story do you believe were particularly good or bad? 9. Tell why or why not you would like to live in a different culture sometime in the future.

__//** Religious Fiction **//__ 7. Describe what kind of relationship with God one of the characters in the story had. 8. What questions did this novel raise in your own mind? 9. From your own spiritual experience, what can you identify with in the book?

__//** Science Fiction **//__ 7. What particular science fiction ideas or inventions were important to the story? 8. How would you change the novel? 9. Why do you like science fiction books?

__//** Self-Discovery/Coming of Age Themes **//__ 7. What areas of growth took place in one of the characters from beginning to end of the book? 8. What feelings or emotions does this novel evoke in you? 9. In what ways are you like any of the characters or do any of the characters remind you of people you know?

__//** Social Issues - Justice/Injustice Themes **//__ 7. Give some ways in which this story supports the statement, “Life is not always fair.” 8. What feelings or emotions does this book evoke in you? 9. What current day issues of justice, fairness are of most concern to you and why?

__//** Stories from Long Ago **//__ 7. Describe the setting, time and place, and tell how it is important to the story. 8. What decisions were made in the story that you believe were particularly good or bad? 9. If you could live in another century and place, when and where would it be and why?

__//** Survival Stories **//__ 7. Name two or three survival skills you learned from this book. 8. What decisions made in the novel were particularly good or bad? 9. What would be your response to being in a difficult situation similar to one in the book? Include your emotional response and whether you think you could survive or not.

__//** Teen Struggles Themes **//__ 7. Tell how one of the characters either did or did not deal with a struggle well. 8. What was your first reaction to reading this novel? 9. Do any of the characters remind you of people you know or can you personally identify with any?

__//** War Stories **//__ 7. What does the book indicate about the author’s attitude toward war? 8. What kind of feelings about war did the book evoke in you? 9. What was your first reaction in reading this book?

__Book Reports for Non-Fiction Categories:__ Do the four basic questions below (# 1 to 4) and the three additional questions (# 5 to 7) for the category from which your book was chosen. 1. Give the title, author, and category from which the book was chosen. (10pts.) 2. Why was the book written? For biographies, what did the person do to become the subject of the book? (10 pts.) 3. Give five specific facts you learned from this book. (40 pts.) 4. Tell why or why not you would recommend this book to a friend. (10 pts.)

__Additional questions for each category:__ Biography/Autobiography 5. What one or two characteristics about this person did you like or dislike? 6. What in this person’s life can you personally relate to? 7. What decisions did the person make that you believe were particularly good or bad?

General Non-Fiction, How To Books, Religious Non-Fiction, and Science/Nature 5. Why was this particular subject of interest to you? 6. What in the book was particularly helpful or could you relate to? 7. If you were writing the book, how would you do it differently?