book report class ideas

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Check Out Our 32 Fave Amazon Picks! 📦

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.

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. 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.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. 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.

8. 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. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. 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.

10. 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. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. 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.

12. 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 the report.

13. 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. Get step-by-step directions .

14. 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.

15. Watercolor Rainbow 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. 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.

25. Clothes Hanger 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.

26. 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 give them 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. Letter to the Author

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.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

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. 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.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This 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.

34. 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?

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. 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. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. 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.

39. 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.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

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. 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.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the most popular kids’ books in every grade..

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

Hopefully Home

craft · teach · live · grow

12 Creative Book Report Projects Your Students Will Love

Whether you’re teaching a whole-class novel, or finishing a round of independent reading or literature circles, post-reading assessments are always more engaging when they’re more than just a test or essay.

Below, you’ll discover a dozen fun book report ideas for your middle or high school ELA students, curated by a team of experienced English teachers.

Choose your favorite projects to offer to students as options on a book report project choice board.

Create a Board Game

When I gave “create a board game about the book you read” as a book report option for my students, I was pleasantly surprised at the results! Quite a few students excitedly chose this option and created some really fun-looking games centered on their books. 

This is a great project choice if you’re looking for something that students can’t create by just Googling the book.

Here are some tips and suggestions for assigning a board game book report:

• Give clear parameters and requirements to keep students on track, such as requiring game elements to represent certain literary elements of the book they read.
• Provide suggestions for game components and materials – encourage students to consider the game play and elements of their favorite board games and to use materials they already have at home to create them.
• For a whole-class novel study, consider allowing students to work in teams to create the novel-based board games, then setting aside a class period for students to play each others’ games and see who wins!

If you’re looking to save time… clear directions handouts, lots of suggestions, and a handy grading rubric for a board game post-reading assessment are all included in this resource . Take a look! 

For more independent reading response ideas, check out this post with ideas for fun post-reading projects.

Create a Journey Box

Engaging students in authentic conversations about books is a passion for Carolyn of Middle School Café .  In traditional oral book reports, students simply get up in front of the class and read a summary of the book they read.  Carolyn found this method of oral book reports painful for both her and her students.

Wanting to find a way to help her students talk about their book and keep her class engaged, Carolyn began incorporating Journey Box Book Reports.  A journey box is a shoebox (or bag) that contains artifacts from the story that help the reader share important events from the story. 

Students predetermine what events of the story are most important to share, then they create an artifact to share with the class or small group as they explain the plot.  As an example, Carolyn had a student who read The Diary of Anne Frank.   He created a small 3D tree that he displayed on the desk as he shared about how Anne looked out the window and dreamed of her former life.  It’s a small piece of the story that helps the student explain the plot point and gives the audience something visual to look at and stay engaged. 

Journey Box Book Reports have been successful for Carolyn in both her middle school and high school classrooms.  She does suggest, if using Journey Boxes in older grades, to have students share their stories in small groups.  

Create a Literary Food Truck

If there’s one thing kids love, it’s food – especially high schoolers – and with this in mind, one of Simply Ana P’s favorite ways to recap a class novel or an independent reading unit is with Literary Food Trucks. This is definitely not a new idea, but it’s one that will have you coming back for seconds 🙂 

Ana first tried this project at the end of The Odyssey , where students were able to decide which book(s) they wanted to make the focus of their trucks. The main requirement was that every single choice made had to be intentional and clearly relevant. With this in mind, students could start the planning process. 

You can make the truck’s requirements as simple or as detailed as you prefer, but Ana recommends having students plan: 

• Truck name, design, and branding colors
• Menu design and items (5 items minimum)
• Employee uniforms
• Merch 

Ana includes a writing component by having her students defend all of their selections in the form of a proposal. This is later used in their presentations, and the better (more intentional) their proposal is, the more likely they will win the class vote. This proposal can be anywhere from a few paragraphs to a few pages, depending on what writing goals you have for them, and should definitely include text evidence. 

Part of the beauty of this type of project is that it can be done digital or paper-based. Ana likes to walk her students through a Canva tutorial, where there are even menu templates that students can use so they don’t feel overwhelmed starting from scratch. Or, for more creative students, they can create their trucks on chart paper, poster board, or even 3D dioramas.  After students finish making their food trucks, it’s always fun to take a day for the in-class Food Festival, where students are invited to bring in items from their menus or simply some type of snacks. Some students get super hype about this day and even make/wear aprons or themed employee uniforms. Students are able to walk around, visiting each of their trucks, and casting their votes for Best Food, Most Relevant, and Most Detailed. Have fun and bon appetit !

Create a Mood Board

It can be hard to come up with creative post-reading assessments for your students when they’re done with a full class novel, literature circles, or a choice reading unit. In an attempt to combine 21 st century skills with literary analysis, Samantha from Samantha in Secondary decided to try something a little different. Enter: The Mood Board.

A mood board combines images to elicit a feeling from a viewer much like a writer does with words. The possibilities for using a mood board with your class are endless. Students can create a mood board for an overall book, a character, an event, a theme, a poem, etc. Then, have your students carefully curate a board that is aesthetically pleasing and considers color, space, and design in the execution. As students explain why they’ve made the choices they have, the upper-level thinking comes naturally.

Canva is an excellent tool to use to create your mood boards. Having students interact with software they may be unfamiliar with is a meaningful learning experience in and of itself. If you want to learn more about how to use mood boards in your own classroom, click here to read Samantha’s blog post about it or check out the resource she created that includes done-for-you student instructions, examples, and a rubric here .

Create a New App

How would a character’s life change if there was just the perfect app to solve their conflict??

This is the question Krista from @whimsyandrigor poses to her students as they finish a novel and begin to reflect on the character’s journey. Students begin by discussing all of the details surrounding the protagonist and what they experienced. In small groups and in whole-class discussions, students discuss the conflicts, both internal and external, and then brainstorm all of the realistic and not-so-realistic ways the character could have addressed their problems.

Once students have generated a healthy list of ideas, Krista tells them they get to become an app developer and they must create an app that would greatly benefit a character from their reading.

The requirements are:

• The app cannot already exist.
• The app can be totally unrealistic/not probable.
• The app developer must be able to explain how its features would benefit the character.
• The developer must also create an icon for the App Store.

Here is a print-and-go handout students use to get designing. 

Here are some example apps students could create: to help Will from Jason Reynolds’s Long Way Down , maybe an app that predicts his future would help him decide what to do once he steps off the elevator. Or maybe Romeo from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet would have benefited from a life-detection app that would accurately determine whether or not someone was actually dead.

When students sette on the conflict they want to address and the app that would help, they write a Spill the TEA paragraph, as explained by Krista in this YouTube video .  Using this paragraph organization strategy, students will introduce their app, use evidence to explain how it is necessary for the character, and explain how the app would have benefited or changed the protagonist’s journey.

Now they get to be a graphic designer as they design the app’s icon. Students may want to peruse the actual App Store to get ideas about how an icon is designed, what elements must be present, and how to create something that is eye-catching.

If space allows, Krista encourages you to display the icons and Spill the TEA paragraphs in the hallway for other students to see the in-depth critical thinking and character analysis your students did after finishing a novel. 

Who says technology is only a distraction for our students?! This activity proves technology can help students dive deep into a text and its characters!

Write a Vignette

Lesa from SmithTeaches9to12 often focuses on character-based activities for novel studies including a character profile activity , character conversations through text messages , or the writing of a good vignette. 

Vignettes can be a great way to assess students’ literary analysis skills and understanding of the text. Students write a short piece of about 500 words that is descriptive of a particular moment in time focusing on one of the book’s characters. These moments could be placing the character in a new setting, writing about a particular moment in the story that was less developed, or even extending to a moment beyond the book’s conclusion. Lesa provides students with some mentor texts, including “My Name” by Sandra Cisneros in The House on Mango Street or “The Prisoner Van” by Charles Dickens in Sketches by Boz or even one from a novel being read in class. Review the stories for structure, language choice, sentence structure, use of figurative language, and so on. This helps to co-create the criteria for the assignment. Then students write their own vignette. Build in some peer review as an accountability piece and voila!

Create a Character Collage

It’s safe to say that most English teachers have a bin of cut-up magazines somewhere in their classrooms. While these tattered copies of People and Us Weekly have definitely seen better days, they live on in the many collage creations of our students.

Katie from Mochas and Markbooks loves to use collages as visual representations of comprehension. After reading a novel or short story, creating a character collage to show how a character has evolved from beginning to end requires students to use higher order thinking skills to analyze, synthesize and demonstrate their understanding of characterization by dividing their page in half and choosing words and images to represent the character at the start and conclusion of the story on each side.

The results will show the depth of your students’ interpretation of character as well as their ability to use critical and creative thinking skills to represent their knowledge.

Other ways to use this idea instead of showing character evolution are to show two different sides to a character, for example, who they are with different people in their lives. 

If you are looking for other ways to incorporate collage and magazines into your post-reading assessments, check out this blog post for more ideas!

Design Shoe Charms

Crocs are not Olivia ’s shoe of choice, but when she noticed her students bedazzling their plastic footwear with shoe charms, it was a learning opportunity she just couldn’t pass up. Here’s how to make it work in your classroom:

First, have your students choose a character from the book they have finished reading. Then encourage them to find quotes from the book that reveal the character’s interests, values, or personality. Once they have found their quotes (she has her students find 4), tell them to design and color shoe charms that represent those interests, values, or personality traits. This helps students with inferencing, textual evidence, and even symbolism!

When your students have finished making their shoe charms, they can either tape the charms to their shoes for a fabulous, foot-themed fashion show, or they can glue them to a picture of a Croc for quirky classroom décor. Check out this Instagram post to see the charms Olivia’s students came up with!

Create a Movie Poster

When was the last time you went to the movies? Did you notice the posters along the way? If yes then you have walked down the movie studio promotional lane. Like trailers, studios create movie posters to grab the attention of movie-goers before they even enter the theater. Yes, you may have already purchased your movie ticket, but those posters were created for the future. After you finish watching Sonic 2 , what movie will you see next? You probably already pointed to that poster on the way into the theater and said, “That looks like it is going to be good. I want to see that!”   As a post reading idea, Sharena from The Humble Bird Teacher has her students create movie posters based on the text read in class. This allows her to complete a formative assessment on what the students learned from the text. Before having her class create a movie poster, she shows them examples of posters from different genres such as drama, action, family-friendly, and comedy. Then she hands out a piece of construction paper and goes over the basic requirements. On the movie poster, the students are required to have their actors names or image (characters), the title of the movie, a visual (setting or symbol from the story), and a tagline, and a short two to three sentence summary of the movie. Once her students are finished with the assignment, she displays them outside the classroom, so the students can have their own movie studio promotional lane.  If you are looking for more after reading ideas, click here .

Try Novel Engineering

Whether you’ve been hoping to collaborate with another department, or just really want to try something new, Novel Engineering is an amazing way to get students thinking outside of the box ! Staci from Donut Lovin’ Teacher has found that Novel Engineering requires students to actively comprehend and interact with a novel and get creative about how to help improve the lives of characters! Basically, students work to create a product that will help solve a character’s problem. Here’s how it works…

Before reading : Choose a narrative text where the character faces tangible conflicts. Model and practice the design process in small ways. Try using picture books like Mucha! Muncha! Mucha! in order for students to see and practice what they’ll be doing with a text at grade-level.

While reading : Emphasize the conflicts characters face and give students time to brainstorm possible products that would help solve said problem. Make sure students record evidence from the text so they can later justify the need for the product they design.

After reading : Give students time to draft, craft, and improve their designs that will help solve a problem faced by a character. You can give students options where they draw their creation, make their creation, or even plan a digital app like this, depending on time and resources. Whatever you choose, students will be sure to be pushed to use some skills they may not always practice in an ELA classroom!

Staci has some FREE Novel Engineering Digital Planning Pages or you can read more about her experience with novel engineering on the Donut Lovin’ Teacher blog .

Create a Tik Tok Video

How many times have you passed a group of students filming a TikTok in a hallway? Have you had students ask to film in your class once they finish assignments? You are not alone. Students love TikTok and Yaddy from Yaddy’s Room has figured out how to get students using TikTok for academic purposes!

Yaddy likes to challenge students to create TikTok videos that track a character’s development, encapsulates the main theme of the story, or that exemplifies a key conflict. These easy, low stress videos are great at getting even reluctant students to participate.

To incorporate TikTok videos as a means of assessing students after a novel or story, try the following steps:

1)      Get students to brainstorm which part of the novel they would like to use for their video.

2)      Ask students to start combing TikTok for an audio that fits with the portion of the text they chose

3)      Ask them to plan out how they will realize their vision

4)      Rehearse and film!

5)      Bonus: ask students to upload their videos to Google Drive and share the link with you so that you can make QR codes to post around your classroom!

Want to get started using TikTok videos for book reports? Check on Yaddy’s free planning sheet here !

Published by admin

View all posts by admin

I'd love to hear from you! Cancel reply

Find something you liked share the love.

• BookWidgets Teacher Blog

15 Creative and digital book report ideas that will get your students excited to read

Not all students are excited to read a book. So how can you make reading a book more engaging and fun? This is a huge challenge for most teachers, so I hope I can help you out!

Here’s what you’ll find in this blog post (click on the title if you want to jump to the section directly)

5 tips to get your students excited about reading

• 15 creative and digital book report lesson plans (free & ready to use!)
• The complete collection of book report lesson ideas in one assignment (your students get to choose!)

Instructions on how to use these digital book report lesson activities

Before you dive into the book reports, you have to get your students excited about reading first. In this previous post about reading, I’ve listed 10 tips that will encourage your students to read . I’ve come up with 5 more amazing tips! Here we go:

1. Use AR apps

Here are a few apps with amazing storylines and AR books.

• Wonderscope , for example, is an excellent storytelling tool. It uses augmented reality to transform ordinary places into real-time stories. Students also learn to read with the app. They ask questions to the characters in the story and listen to the characters’ answers.
• The Ghostkeeper’s journal and field guide : This book is an immersive adventure for readers aged 10 and up, offering several AR experiences to enhance the storyline. These are accessed via a mobile app “ Ghost-o-Matic ”.
• Bookful creates an engaging reading experience and brings stories and characters in books to life. The app holds the world’s largest 3D/AR library with hundreds of titles from leading publishers and brands such as: The Tale of Peter Rabbit, DK’s Encyclopedia, and children’s favorites such as Barbie, My Little Pony, Thomas & Friends, Transformers, and The Smurfs.

2. Escape lessons

Here are 3 fun ready-to-use escape lessons to spark your students’ joy of reading:

• A Halloween Murder : Let your students investigate the murder of the victim: Brat Spook. When they find the murderer, they get their “inspector” badge. Let them look for evidence in the murder scene, talk to suspects, analyze lab results, and so on!
• Finding Rudolph : Save Christmas by helping Santa find back Rudolph. Students go through different challenges, talk to eye-witnesses, and follow Rudolph through a winter maze, so Santa can deliver all the presents to the children.
• Easter Bunny Substitute : Can your students find a good Easter Bunny replacement? In the last breakout game for the classroom, the Easter Bunny is hurt, so your students need to interview the possible applicants and take tests to replace the Easter Bunny themselves. If they succeed in the challenges, they get an Easter Bunny substitute badge.

3. Storytelling

If you bring cultural elements into your lessons by telling a story, your students will be more eager to learn. Storytelling makes students want to “live the story”. And they do this by reading it. If your story is strong enough, your students will love learning and reading. They will even remember the lesson content better.

Here’s a fun & ready-to-use example: The life of William Shakespeare

4. First chapters

5. Books & sleepovers

You can even add different parts to your sleepover. For example, let students read their favorite passage in a book of choice out loud, and 1 hour before bedtime, all your students take their book and read in silence. Or how about creating cozy themed corners? Fantasy, science fiction, detectives,… When your students are reading in themed corners, they get the full experience. They can even dress up as a character in their book whilst reading.

15 Creative and digital book report lesson plans

Step 1: Get your students excited about reading. ✅ Step 2: make sure they don’t lose their interest when you’re announcing the book report assignment! ☑️ This part can be demotivating.

As the lower grade students often still get fun book report assignments, the higher grade students often get a dull worksheet where they have to describe the characters and give a summary. Change up your book report assignments with these creative, free & ready-to-use lesson ideas.

Take a look at all these ready-to-use and free digital book report activities. They’re all made with BookWidgets . You can even make exercises like these yourself in your own BookWidgets account.

Keep on reading to find out how to use these exercises in your lessons.

How did your students experience the book? Let them fill the glasses with drawings of the storyline/the book. The glasses represent the view of the students. Students can get really creative and use the toolbar at the bottom to draw and type.

You can ask your students to present their book report artworks to the other students as well. This way, your students can explain what’s on their drawing.

2. Bookworm

3. Timeline

This interactive book report asks your students to create a timeline of the story. When did what happen, chronologically? The have to add the biggest events in the story to the timeline.

4. Comic book

In this book report exercise, your students have to write a comic book based upon the book they’ve just read. When they click on the “start” icon, they can choose fitting text balloons to go with their story.

Here are three other fun websites that let students create comic books: Storyboard That , Comic Life , and Toonytool . They already give you creative templates and drawings. This is a bit easier for students. This way, they don’t have to start from scratch.

5. Character portrait

6. Randomness task

Just… add a little spice. I’ve turned the ordinary book report task, where students have to describe characters, the setting, plot, etc., into an exciting one. Your students don’t know yet what they’ll have to describe. They spin the randomness wheel and their task appears. The fun thing about this one is that all of your students will write a different book report.

7. Book cover

Here, students get to be creative and invent their own book cover (front and back) of the book they just read. Or maybe just a cover for of a piece of text you’ve read out loud. They can use the whiteboard tools: pencil, type tool, switch colors, add images, etc.

8. Character family tree

This digital mind map exercise allows your students to add boxes with text and connect them to each other. This is perfect for a book report activity focusing on the characters in their book.

9. Facebook Profile

Modern days call for modern book report lesson ideas. Image the main character having a Facebook profile. What would be on it? That’s exactly what your students have to figure out here. Create a Facebook profile about the main character.

10. Book Collage

Here, students have to add 10 pictures or images that have to do with the book. They can do so by clicking on the photo icon and adding images into their collage.

11. Mirror selfie

In this creative book report, students have to dress up like the character in their book, including holding 3 attributes that refer to the personality of the main character. They have to take a picture or mirror selfie of themselves dressed up, and add that picture to the whiteboard. You can ask them to come forward and present their images and explain why they’ve chosen those specific attributes.

The fun thing about all of these exercises is that they work on smartphones as well. So in this case, students can just open the exercise on their smartphones, take a mirror selfie with their phones and add it to the mirror in the digital whiteboard exercise.

12. Email to the author

Your students have the chance to write a friendly email or letter to the author of the book they just read. Students have to share:

• their opinion;
• the character in the book they liked most, and why;
• their favorite part of the book and why;
• questions that they have about the book.

If you have an email address of the author, ask your students to submit their works to you, the teacher, first. After having given feedback on their letters, they can make some changes and send it over to the author.

If you have the author’s postal address, it’s much more fun to write a classic letter.

13. Conversation between characters

There is something called a “texting thumb” or a “smartphone pinky”. This shows that students like to send texts. A lot of them. So why not include it in your book report lesson plan? In this digital book report, students have to invent a conversation between two characters in their book.

14. Movie vs. Book

A lot of books have a movie version too. If your students choose a book that also has a movie, it’s interesting to let your students make a comparison. With this book report exercise, you’re also sure your students actually read the book instead of just watching the movie and write a summary of the movie and not the book.

15. Emoji summary

The last exercise is also one students can relate to. Nowadays, we use emojis after almost every sentence when we’re communicating with friends. Emojis also have a strong meaning and can be used to express feelings or say something without actually saying it.

The complete collection of book report lesson ideas in one assignment

All these book report exercises are so much fun and yet they don’t take up a lot of time. Perhaps they just ask your students to only describe a certain part about the book. Cue… the planner widget.

With this type of BookWidgets activity, you can combine several lessons into one. You can let your students take matters into their own hands and choose which book report activities they’d like to finish.

It’s actually pretty easy. Your students read the instructions in the instructions widget and then start adding at least three book report activities to their planner. They finish the activities, submit them to their teacher, check off their planner, and that’s it!

Above, you can find the 15 ready-to-use book report activities. You can use these lesson examples for free. Since they’re all made with BookWidgets, I’ve listed them in this BookWidgets group . Here’s what you need to do:

• Click on this link . It will immediately bring you to the group with all of the book report activities. If you don’t have a BookWidgets account yet, you’ll have to sign up first for free .
• Duplicate all the book report activities. Click on the settings wheel , select all widgets , click on the settings wheel again, choose duplicate selected widgets . Choose where you want to save the activities in your BookWidgets account.
• Go to your saved book report lessons. You can now click on the black dropdown arrow next to the ‘Show’ button of a particular exercise and select Edit . You can make some changes to this activity (if you want). If it’s perfect for you, click on Share in the upper right corner.
• Share this link with your students. When they click on it, they can fill it out. A lot of the book report examples above have been made with BookWidgets’ Whiteboard widget, in which students can use the tool menu at the bottom to switch tools (draw, type,…), and to switch colors. When done, they can submit the book reports to you by clicking on the envelope in the upper right corner.
• As a teacher, you go to “Grades & reporting” in BookWidgets to find your students’ answers.

Of course, now that you’ve got your own BookWidgets account, you can also create book report activities or other assignments yourself!

Attention! Once your free trial runs out, you’ll only be able to use the widgets you’ve already finished/shared with students. While your BookWidgets account will still work and you’ll still get your students’ results with the free BookWidgets version, you won’t be able to duplicate widgets nor create new widgets yourself anymore.

So that’s it! I hope these lesson ideas are useful for your classroom or at least give you lots of new ideas for your book report lessons! You can even create ones yourself!

Create your first digital book report with BookWidgets

Have fun, share this with fellow teachers and keep on rocking your classroom!

Join hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and get the best content on technology in education.

BookWidgets enables teachers to create fun and interactive lessons for tablets, smartphones, and computers.

Project-Based Learning

• Classroom Decor

Seasonal and Holiday

• Social Studies

Teacher Tips

• Blog , Reading

10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love

Share this Post

Fun book report ideas for fourth, fifth and sixth graders.

Book reports don’t need to be painfully boring. In fact, they can be a ton of fun, and with the right project, students will love the entire process of creating and sharing meaningful book projects. There are loads of great book report ideas out there just waiting to happen in your classroom!

Here are 10 book report ideas that kids will love:

1. cereal box book report.

These oh-so-cool reports were always the top-ranked project by my fifth graders. Students loved creating an original book report display using a covered cereal box and ready-made templates. The finished projects made a great classroom display, and students loved looking at their classmates’ creative reports. Read more about Cereal Box Book Reports HERE .

2. Paper Bag Book Report

This is a super simple idea that is quite fun for students. Provide each student with a lunch-sized paper bag. Tell them to think about 5 objects that relate to the main character of their book . The objects have to be small enough to fit into the bag . Send the bags home and have students place the 5 objects in the bag and bring them back to school. On the day they are due, have students take turns sharing the objects in their bags and explaining how they relate to the main character of the book. You can even make a great display with the bags, objects, and books to pique the interest of other students.

3. Character Day

Have students dress up as the main character of their book. Then, have each student take a turn standing in front of the class and telling their character’s story in first person point of view.

4. Book Report Lap Book

you need are two file folders, some cardstock or construction paper, scissors, glue, and the FREE book report template found here . The finished products are quite amazing, and your students will probably keep theirs forever! Check out my photo tutorial for making a lap book .

5. Book Scene Diorama

Have students construct a diorama of one of the main events of their book. They will make a 3-dimensional scene, including models of characters, the setting, and objects. A shoebox makes a great place to build a diorama. Require students to write a description of the scene.

6. Book Report Posters

This might be the easiest option of the book report ideas. Have students first sketch their posters on a sheet of notebook paper. Then, provide students with a large piece of poster paper or chart paper. Posters must identify main characters, setting, title, problem, and solution. Display finished posters in the classroom or on hallway walls.

7. Book Report Mobiles

Mobiles are easy to make, and it’s fun to watch students use their creativity in designing their own projects. A paper plate folded in half makes a great base/topper for mobiles. Have students write the title of the book on this paper plate semi circle and hang the mobile pieces from it. Provide students with construction paper, yarn, markers, paper hole punches, and any other materials they might need.

8. Book Report Mini Books

With just one piece of paper, your students can make a complete, creative book report!

In these clever book projects , students identify:

• Title/Author
• Main Character

No tape, glue, or staples required! Photo directions are included in this download.

9. Design a Book Jacket

Show your students several examples of some outstanding book jackets. Point out the front with the title and illustration, the spine and its information, and the back with the book summary. Also show the two inside flaps with information about the author and a smaller summary. Provide them each with a larger piece of paper and have them design a jacket for the book they have just read.

10. Ready-to-Print Templates

Use NO PREP book report templates to save your sanity AND to keep things fun for your students. You could print out all 12 templates in this Book Report Templates Packet and let students choose the one they want to do each month! There is even a really nice digital option for Google classroom included!

Regardless of which of these book report ideas you choose, be sure to clearly outline the expectations before your students begin. It’s best if you can model a project to demonstrate the quality of work your students should strive for.

Keep it fun and engaging, and your students will be excited to invest their time in their projects!

Check out these ready to go, easy to use book report projects in my store:

SAVE THIS POST FOR LATER!

Pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board  so you can come back for these book report ideas!

To recap, the 10 Book Report Project Ideas are:

• Cereal Box Book Report
• Paper Bag Book Report
• Character Day
• Book Report Lapbook
• Book Scene Diorama
• Book Report Posters
• Book Report Mobiles
• Design a Book Jacket
• Ready-to-Print Templates

Shelly Rees

Hi, I’m Shelly! Thank you for being here. I love helping third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers with fun and engaging activities that require no to little prep! Let me help you by taking some of the stress and work off your plate.

Hi, I'm Shelly

• Seasonal & Holiday
• Teaching Ideas

New Products

March Word Searches and Puzzles

Science of Reading Background Knowledge Organizers

Science of Reading Vocabulary Activities and Graphic Organizers

You might also like.

How to Have an Escape Room Party in the Classroom

10 Festive Halloween Writing Activities for the Upper Elementary Classroom

20 Fun Beginning of the Year Books

5 Valentine’s Day Activities for Upper Elementary Students

©2022 Shelly Rees. All Rights Reserved.

Designed by Ashley Hughes.

Seasonal & Holiday

Reading & ela.

• MEN Podcast
• Education Reform
• School Climate
• Student-Discipline
• Kindergarten
• Middle School
• High school

For Parents

• Family & Community
• School Choice
• School Safety
• Student Well Being
• Student Achievement
• Equity & Diversity
• Professional Dev.
• Recruitment & Retention

"We are always looking for stakeholders, If you would like to contribute,"

Latest Podcasts

Recently Maryland Department of Education (MSDE) released it...

Insight on the Fight at Snow Hill High as reported by Worces...

Worc. Sheriff and SA recommend Schools Partner with SRDs to ...

Worc. sheriff and sa recommends authorizing frequent k-9 sea....

• External Author (Not Written by MEN)
• Teaching>Classroom Ideas>Middle School
• April 21, 2024

42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

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.

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. 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.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. 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.

8. 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. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. 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.

10. 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. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. 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.

12. 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 the report.

13. 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. Get step-by-step directions .

14. 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.

15. Watercolor Rainbow 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. 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.

25. Clothes Hanger 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.

26. 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 give them 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. Letter to the Author

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.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

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. 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.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This 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.

34. 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?

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. 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. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. 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.

39. 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.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

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. 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.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the most popular kids’ books in every grade., dig deeper with our longreads, newsletter sign up to get our best longform features, investigations, and thought-provoking essays, in your inbox every sunday..

The MEN was founded by John Huber in the fall of 2020. It was founded to provide a platform for expert opinion and commentary on current issues that directly or indirectly affect education. All opinions are valued and accepted providing they are expressed in a professional manner. The Maryland Education Network consists of Blogs, Videos, and other interaction among the K-12 community.

Recent Video

Recently maryland department of education (msde) released its data from the 2023..., recent articles.

New Laws Effective July 1 in Tennessee: Enhancing School Safety and Protecting Employees

Record Billions in Spending, Yet Budgets Are Being Cut: The Results of Maryland’s Education Blueprint are coming due.

Recently Maryland Department of Education (MSDE) released its data from the 2023 school year detailing student arrests.

Fell Short of Graduation? Your Comeback Story Begins Today!

Failed Partnership: How a School and Law Enforcement Left a North Carolina School System Vulnerable

What Is Background Knowledge? (Plus 21 Ways To Build It)

Doing hands-on lego education projects changed the way i teach, 23 zones of regulation activities to help kids manage their emotions, get your students using ai with these fun, free activities, get maryland educaction network updates to your inbox.

Maryland Education Network provides information and expert opinion on current issues regarding education in our Maryland Public Schools and other education issue of a national interest.

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

Copyright 2024 © Maryland Education Network

Book Report Ideas: Creative Ideas for Book Reports

Share with your friends!

Book reports are a curriculum mainstay, but their format is a bit tired. 

Spice up your assignment with these creative book report ideas!

This article contains affiliate links to things that you might like.

Book Report Ideas

Book reports are a great educational tool because they teach students to identify the framework of a story and analyze its structure and style. 

They are also a welcome chance to practice persuasive writing and presentation.

Book reports’ very utility is why they are assigned so often (and why students start to dread them). 

You can turn all this around by jazzing up a book report in one of two ways.

The first way to add creativity to a book report is to alter the form of the report. 

Instead of summarizing the story, plot, setting, and characters and ending with a recommendation (“I liked this book because…”), you ask for something more creative .

The second way to add creativity is to change up the presentation. 

Who says a book report need always be on 8.5 x 11 paper? 

Why not creatively present the report (and perhaps incorporate art as well)?

Creative Ideas for Book Reports

Here are some book report ideas that ask for creative content:

Ask the Therapist Book Report

Imagine you are a therapist analyzing a character in the story. 

What does the character fear? 

Give specific examples from the story. 

Magazine Interview Book Report

Imagine you are a reporter interviewing the main character for an article. 

What would you ask the person? 

Write an engaging article about the background of the character, their personal life, and what’s next on the horizon.

5W’s + H Book Report

Keep it simple and have the student answer these basic questions (the main components of a story sequence chart).  

• Who are the main characters?
• When does it take place?
• Where does it take place?
• What is the problem?
• How is it resolved?
• Why did you like/dislike it?

Newspaper Article Book Report

Take the 4W’s + H questions above (leave off the “Why” question) and turn it into a newspaper article. 

You can illustrate it.

Villain’s Book Report

Imagine that the villain of the story (as an alternative, pick a minor character) read the book. 

What would his/her book report be like? 

How would the villain describe the main character and the action? 

What would the villain think about the way the author told the story?

Collage Book Report

Hunt through magazines to find pictures that tell the story. 

Assemble them and give a presentation of your book report with that as a visual aid.

Book Report Acrostic

Use the title of the book (or even the letters of the alphabet ABC…) to generate an acrostic poem about the book. 

If the book is Tom Sawyer , T could be “Tom is a clever and hilarious boy.” O could be, “Over and over you see Tom get into mischief.”

Book Report Project Ideas

Here are some book report project ideas that involve creative presentation:

The World’s Tiniest Book Report

Stick to the basics and assemble a mini book report. 

You can fit it in a mint tin or jewelry box.

Origami Book Report

Put the 5W’s and H in an origami creation like the classic “cootie catcher” (alas, that is what the kids call it and what you have to put in the search engine).  

Illustrated Book Report

Don’t just stop at writing–add art!  

Diorama Book Report

Create a diorama of the most important scene in the book. 

Have the student give a presentation on what is happening in the scene and why she feels it is pivotal.

Keep in mind that you’re probably going to have to teach your students how to make a diorama because it’s pretty much a lost art!

Book Report in a Bag

Decorate a grocery bag with the title of the book and illustration. 

Fill the bag with the paragraphs of a book report, each written on their own paper in fun shapes. 

Reach your hand into the bag and pull out the info on the book!

Pizza Box Book Report

Ask a local pizza company to donate some unused boxes. 

Create paper book report pizzas that tell about the book on each slice. 

Decorate the inside lid of the pizza box like a project board advertising your book.

Cover Design Book Report

Create a new dust jacket for the book. 

How would you illustrate it? 

What content would you put on the back to entice the reader to buy the book? 

Don’t forget to invent quotations from other famous authors or celebrities!

Creative Book Reports and Projects

Your students have likely had enough of the traditional book report. 

Add pizzazz to the task with these creative ideas for book reports.

You May Also Like:

• Post Reading Activities
• Fun Writing Activities for Middle School
• How to Teach Informational Writing to K-2

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

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.

• PDFs for all 136 Lit Terms we cover
• Downloads of 1956 LitCharts Lit Guides
• Teacher Editions for every Lit Guide
• Explanations and citation info for 41,253 quotes across 1956 books
• Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play

Need something? Request a new guide .

How can we improve? Share feedback .

LitCharts is hiring!

Book Report Ideas for 5th Grade that Spark Imagination

That’s So Montessori is reader-supported, contains affiliate links, and is a member of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When you buy through links on our site, you may be purchasing our products or we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Your support is much appreciated. Thank you!

As an experienced Montessori elementary teacher, fostering a passion for reading is a key aspect of my language curriculum.

That’s why I want to share this list of great book report ideas for your 5th grade classroom.

In elementary classrooms, I’ve learned that a fun book report makes the reading experience more memorable. That’s why it’s important to make reading and reporting a blast for every student!

Discover 13 creative book report ideas for 5th graders, perfect for enriching reading experiences in upper elementary classrooms. Explore how these ideas can make reading assignments more engaging and meaningful for students.

Make Book Reports Fun for 5th Grade Students

Indeed, when creating fun book report ideas for 5th graders, they should match the curiosity typical of kids in the second plane of development .

At this age, kids move from needing help to wanting to explore on their own. To support this shift, it’s important to add fun enjoyable vocabulary development activities and hands-on experiences to their book reports.

Fun book reports cultivate a love for reading and self-expression, blending learning with enjoyment for kids. This is what we call learning in disguise .

We’ve included activities that capture attention and align with the Montessori philosophy. They encourage independent thinking, exploration, and unique problem-solving approaches.

13 Creative Book Report Ideas for 5th Graders

Transform book reports into engaging adventures for 5th graders with these innovative and enjoyable ideas.

💡 Teacher Tip: Incorporate some of these book report ideas into your family book club for added excitement. Prepare to captivate everyone in the household!

1. Interview the Main Character s

When students interview a book’s main character, they act as reporters, igniting curiosity and engagement.

By creating captivating questions for the main characters, they not only enhance critical thinking but also look deeper into the story, making the learning process more fulfilling.

Here are some engaging interview questions for a fifth-grade student to ask the main character of a book they read:

• Are there any hobbies or interests you have that weren’t explored in the book?
• How would your friends describe you?
• If you could switch places with another character in the story for a day, who would it be and why?
• How do you see your life beyond the ending of the story?
• What is the most important lesson you’ve learned from your journey in the story?

Additionally, have students answer the questions they came up with. Encourage them to use the voices of different characters, providing answers in the unique perspective of each persona.

Based on my experience, this is one of those book report ideas for 5th grade students that stands out because it enables students to explore the main character in a captivating manner. They formulate the questions, engaging deeply with the character.

This book report prompts elementary students to think differently, fostering a thought-provoking experience.

💡 Related articles: 31 Fun Summer Reading Activities Elementary Students Will Love  Summer Brain Drain: 9 Ways to Help Elementary Children Avoid the Summer Slide 27 Educational YouTube Channels to Prevent Summer Learning Loss

2. Film a Movie Trailer for the Book

Elevate book reports by delving into multimedia storytelling. Empower students to create engaging movie trailers for the book they finished reading.

With this activity kids combine technology and creativity to showcase key moments, characters, and the story’s excitement.

My students loved making these trailers! 🎬

I’d have them work in small groups over a couple of weeks, planning and filming their creations. They really got creative, dressing up as characters and using props for authenticity. Then they’d put it all together using iMovie to create their final book trailers

We’d then gather as a class on a designated day to watch all the trailers, creating a memorable experience for everyone!

This dynamic approach not only boosts their digital literacy skills but also showcases their enthusiasm for the book.

3. Write an Alternative Ending

Encourage upper elementary students to think critically and creatively by exploring different ways a book could have ended.

Discussing alternate endings lets kids exercise creativity and analytical skills when a story takes an unexpected turn.

This engaging activity extends beyond altering endings. It serves as a platform for students to express their reasoning, providing insight into narrative choices and their impact on the overall story.

To start this engaging activity, I have students brainstorm and jot down potential alternate endings.

From these ideas, they choose one to develop further. They then embark on the task of writing a descriptive and meaningful alternate ending that flows seamlessly with the story.

This hands-on approach of putting their stamp on the story enhances their comprehension of the narrative. It also encourages them to think about character motivations, plot dynamics, and the overall impact of their chosen ending.

💡 Teacher Tip: Have students write an alternative ending, and then film a scene from the new ending they’ve written. How fun!

As you can see, these 5th-grade book report ideas are ideal for any elementary classroom.

4. Explore Different Characters’ Viewpoints

Students, in this activity, become sidekicks and antagonists, gaining different perspectives on the story’s events.

Based on Montessori principles, this method expands comprehension, thereby fostering empathy and critical thinking. Moreover, by embodying different characters’ perspectives, students develop a richer understanding of varied viewpoints in the story. This, in turn, enhances both creative and analytical abilities.

My 5th-grade students loved this book report idea. They selected 3 or 4 characters from the book, excluding the main one, and answered questions from each character’s perspective, providing distinct insights into the story.

This activity seamlessly blends creativity and analytical exploration, rendering the book-reporting process both enjoyable and insightful.

🤨 Curious about the questions my students selected? Here are some of their favourites:

• If your character was the main character, would the book title change?
• How does your character perceive other characters in the book?
• If your character were to tell the story from their perspective, how might the narrative change?
• If your character had the opportunity to change one event in the story, what would it be and why?
• What is your character’s relationship with the main antagonist or opposing force in the story?

5. Curate a Main Character Scrapbook

This 5th-grade book report idea deepens students’ connection with the main characters uniquely.

Young readers are invited to create a scrapbook that visually captures the main character’s personality, hobbies, and journey throughout the book.

In this activity, students create a visual representation to better understand and connect with the story’s main character.

By seamlessly blending pictures, drawings, insightful captions, and quotes, students can unravel the complexities of the character’s personality. This approach enhances their artistic expression while fostering attention to detail.

I encouraged my students to include stickers, clippings, quotes, and images in their projects, capturing the essence of the main character.

This allows for a truly personalized and engaging scrapbook creation that goes beyond the surface, providing a rich exploration of the character’s traits and experiences.

6. Storytelling Through a Podcast

In this book report idea designed for 5th graders, students are immersed in the popular world of podcasting. Working either in pairs or individually, students produce a podcast that mirrors the theme of the book they’ve recently read.

The initial phase of this assignment involves collaborative brainstorming to develop the theme. From there they can write a script that authentically captures the essence of the book they’ve read.

This brainstorming process encourages teamwork and sparks discussions about the book’s central themes, characters, and compelling plot points.

Adding to the versatility, I offer students two podcasting formats to choose from.

The first option involves artfully retelling the story, sparking curiosity, and encouraging others to pick up the book. Kind of like a book teaser.

Alternatively, students can choose an interview-style podcast where one interviews another about their thoughts on the book.

This choice empowers students to explore various podcasting styles, catering to diverse preferences and talents.

To guide their podcast creation, I provide students with a comprehensive outline that includes essential elements such as plot highlights, character analyses, and personal reflections. This structured approach assists in organizing their podcasts and ensures a well-rounded exploration of the book’s key components.

As these budding podcasters explore the world of audio storytelling, they refine their verbal communication skills. The podcast format encourages students to articulate their viewpoints in an engaging and concise manner, fostering analytical thought.

7. Build a Diorama to Represent a Scene in the Story

This is one of the most popular book report ideas for 5th grade, as students always love getting their hands dirty creating.

A diorama is like a tiny, 3D world that shows a scene from a story in a creative way. This option allows students to visually interpret the book’s essence by crafting a vibrant representation of a specific scene.

Equipped with a variety of art supplies, including construction paper, plasticine, magazines, paint, as well as everyday objects, students tap into their creativity to vividly portray the selected scene, making it tangible and visually engaging.

There’s so much fun and learning going on here!

Engaging in this hands-on activity nurtures students’ artistic skills and also deepens their comprehension as they depict key elements from the story.

Transforming the traditional book report into a multi-sensory experience sparks a love for literature through creative expression.

8. Paper Bag Book Report

Explore the world of literature creatively with a paper bag book report. This hands-on project combines artistic expression with literary analysis, offering students an interactive way to represent their learning.

In this unique approach, students take a simple paper bag and turn it into a representation of the book’s key elements.

Students showcase artistic talents by recreating the book cover on one side of the bag. The back features a brief plot summary for a quick overview.

As students continue their exploration, one side of the bag is dedicated to listing the characters in the story. On the opposite side, students outline the overarching theme of the book.

To add a tangible and personal touch, students fill the bag with carefully chosen artifacts that symbolize significant elements from the plot, characters, or themes.

This unique activity not only sparks creativity but also encourages thoughtful reflection, making it an ideal addition to your repertoire of book report ideas for 5th grade students.

9. Book Scavenger Hunt

Another engaging book report idea is to have 5th graders channel their creativity into designing a scavenger hunt inspired by the book.

This activity taps into their comprehension of the plot and characters and also encourages them to think critically about the story.

The process involves identifying significant locations, events, or items from the book and incorporating them into the scavenger hunt checklists or clues. This tests understanding and sparks imagination in weaving the story into challenges.

Creating a scavenger hunt instills a sense of responsibility, as students must ensure that their peers can navigate the adventure they’ve crafted. A scavenger hunt is a fun activity for everyone!

💡 Printable scavenger hunts for hassle-free learning!

10. Book Character Trading Cards

This unique activity is a captivating spin on traditional book reports tailored for 5th graders. In this interactive project, students unleash their creativity by making trading cards inspired by characters from the book they read.

Whether mimicking the style of hockey trading cards or adopting the charm of Pokemon cards , students have the freedom to design these cards to match their interests. Each card becomes a canvas for vibrant images, character names, essential traits, and concise yet captivating descriptions.

This activity fosters artistic expression while allowing exploration of character traits in an engaging manner.

Elevating the book reporting experience, this hands-on project not only engages students but also adds an artistic flair to your collection of book report ideas for 5th grade.

11. Create a To-Do List for the Main Character

This book report activity blends literary exploration with practical life skills. Students will step into the main character’s shoes and write a to-do list, considering their goals, desires, and motivations.

As students delve into the intricacies of a character’s psyche, they not only sharpen their analytical skills but also cultivate crucial life skills, fostering personal growth and preparing them for success in various aspects of life.

My students enjoyed diving into the main character’s life by creating to-do lists for a day, week, or month. It’s a simple yet effective way to connect with the story and gain deeper insights into the character’s experiences.

Thinking deeply about a character from the book while making practical to-do lists for that character helps students develop a more clear understanding of their complexities, providing a valuable bridge between literature and real-life tasks.

12. Build a Timeline of the Book

Engage students in the literary journey with a book timeline project. Encourage them to create a chronological display of key events from the story, whether on a long strip of paper, with 3D objects, or through digital tools.

Enhance their comprehension by incorporating illustrations or visuals for each event on the timeline, providing a comprehensive overview that reinforces their grasp of the book’s plot progression.

This creative approach not only hones organizational skills but also fosters a deeper connection to the flow of the story.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

Students can transform a plain T-shirt into a visual representation of the book, employing artistic expression to convey characters and the books theme.

This hands-on approach not only nurtures creativity but also encourages students to delve into the book’s core message, providing a deeper understanding of the story.

In my classroom, students loved having the option to do a T-shirt book report.

I had students recreate the book cover on the back of the shirt, while the front was designed to reflect the attire of one of the characters.

Before painting the shirt, students brainstormed and sketched at least three ideas. This planning phase fueled their creativity and helped them consider how to visually represent their concepts effectively on the T-shirt.

The interactive approach, coupled with the thoughtful planning process, make the T-shirt book report a dynamic and engaging learning experience for 5th grade students.

These alternative approaches to the common book report encourage children to think outside the box and showcase their understanding of the book in a unique and personalized way.

Why Book Reports Are Important in Elementary

Book reports hold significant importance at the elementary level as they serve as invaluable tools for assessing a child’s comprehension and analytical skills.

These reports encourage students to look deeper into the plot, characters, and themes of a book, promoting a more profound understanding of what they have read.

Beyond academic benefits, book reports can nurture creativity and communication skills alongside academic growth.

And on top of that, elementary book reports teach kids about responsibility and following rules as they meet deadlines and guidelines. This helps them develop important skills for future academic tasks.

The Wrap-Up: Book Report Ideas for 5th Grade

These creative and fun book report ideas for upper elementary not only make the learning process enjoyable but also encourage independence and self-expression. By incorporating engaging activities, we can foster a love for reading and storytelling in young minds.

Let these innovative approaches inspire a newfound appreciation for literature, turning book reports into exciting adventures for every 5th-grade reader.

Happy reading and reporting!

More Articles Featuring Fun Reading Activities

Reading Challenge: 100 Places to Read Checklist Printable Rebus Puzzle Guide & Cards Reading BINGO Cards Roll a Story Dice Game Carl the Cantankerous Cat Digital Picture Book + Printable Activity Pack Periodic Table of Elements Digital Lessons Alphabet Scavenger Hunt Printable Word of the Week Math Jokes for Kids and Teachers

Find Great Educational Activities in These Articles

11 Ways to Use Our Roll A Story Dice Game The Ultimate 13 Vocabulary Development Activities for Kids A Great Set of Tricky Rebus Puzzles With Answers Rebus Puzzles for Kids: A Comprehensive Riddle-Solving Guide Classroom Vocabulary Activities: 11 Exciting Post-Picture Book Reading Ideas 31 Fun Summer Reading Activities Elementary Students Will Love The Best Neighborhood Walk Scavenger Hunt and 13 Different Ways to Use It 15 Educational Games With Three Dice for Kids 8 Easy Rebus Puzzles with Answers 27 Educational YouTube Channels to Prevent Summer Learning Loss

Donna Paul, with over 15 years as a certified Montessori teacher, is praised for her engaging teaching style. Beyond the classroom, she's a children's book author and spearheads two impactful blogs with her partner, Karen: thatssomontessori.com for Montessori insights at the elementary level and thenomadicstrays.com for simple road life living. Based in British Columbia, Canada, Donna's nomadic life allows her to share ideas and develop educational products with Karen as they travel. Donna can be found spreading smiles and knowledge wherever she roams.

• Featured Articles
• Report Card Comments
• Needs Improvement Comments
• Teacher's Lounge
• New Teachers
• Our Bloggers
• Article Library
• Featured Lessons
• Every-Day Edits
• Lesson Library
• Emergency Sub Plans
• Character Education
• Lesson of the Day
• 5-Minute Lessons
• Learning Games
• Lesson Planning
• Subjects Center
• Teaching Grammar
• Leadership Resources
• Parent Newsletter Resources
• Advice from School Leaders
• Programs, Strategies and Events
• Principal Toolbox
• Administrator's Desk
• Interview Questions
• Professional Learning Communities
• Teachers Observing Teachers
• Tech Lesson Plans
• Science, Math & Reading Games
• Tech in the Classroom
• Web Site Reviews
• Creating a WebQuest
• Digital Citizenship
• All Online PD Courses
• Child Development Courses
• Reading and Writing Courses
• Math & Science Courses
• Classroom Technology Courses
• Spanish in the Classroom Course
• Classroom Management
• Responsive Classroom
• Dr. Ken Shore: Classroom Problem Solver
• A to Z Grant Writing Courses
• Worksheet Library
• Highlights for Children
• Venn Diagram Templates
• Reading Games
• Word Search Puzzles
• Math Crossword Puzzles
• Geography A to Z
• Holidays & Special Days
• Internet Scavenger Hunts
• Student Certificates

Newsletter Sign Up

Lesson Plans

• General Archive
• Health & Safety
• Interdisciplinary
• Language Arts
• PE & Sports
• Social Science
• Special Ed & Guidance
• Special Themes
• Top LP Features
• Article Archive
• User Submitted LPs
• Box Cars Math Games
• Every Day Edits
• Five Minute Fillers
• Holiday Lessons
• News for Kids
• ShowBiz Science
• Student Engagers
• Work Sheet Library
• More LP Features
• Calculator Lessons
• Coloring Calendars
• Friday Fun Lessons
• Math Machine
• Month of Fun
• Reading Machine
• Tech Lessons
• Writing Bug
• All Work Sheets
• Critical Thinking Work Sheets
• Animals A to Z
• Backpacktivities
• EveryDay Edits
• Hunt the Fact Monster
• It All Adds Up Math Puzzles
• Make Your Own Work Sheets
• Math Cross Puzzles
• Mystery State
• Math Practice 4 You
• Phonics Word Search Puzzles
• Readers Theater Scripts
• Sudoku Puzzles
• Vocabulous!
• Back to School
• Back to School Archive
• Icebreaker Activities
• Preparing for the First Day
• Ideas for All Year
• The Homework Dilemma
• First Year Teachers
• Don't Forget the Substitute
• More Great Ideas for the New School Year
• Early Childhood
• Best Books for Educators
• Assessments
• Award Certificates
• Bulletin Board Resources
• Classroom Organizers
• Graphic Organizers
• Newsletters
• Parent Teacher Communications
• More Templates

Search form

-->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 Book reports may be a staple of elementary and middle school education, but they are far less frequently assigned in the higher grades. High school ELA teacher Nancy Barile thinks that should change. Students in 6th grade and above can learn a lot when they are challenged to use higher order thinking skills to understand and interpret the literature they read via a good old-fashioned high school book report template.  To start, Barile recommends that students choose the books they want to write about themselves—with teacher approval, of course. See the book list at the end of this article for engaging young adult titles and book report ideas, including books with thematic elements that are particularly appealing to older readers.  Writing the Report To structure the book reports, Barile recommends eight sections of analysis that will “require students to provide evidence of their choices and reasoning, which helps them think more deeply about what they have read.” For each section, students should give examples from the book to back up their analysis. The below book report template can help.  If your students need to review the elements of fiction before beginning this assignment, Teaching Powerful Writing is a great resource. This collection of personal narratives and writing activities highlights different writing techniques and covers literary elements such as voice, using flashback, and point of view. Book Report Breakdown Students should identify the setting of the novel and explain why the setting is important. How are the time and place significant to the events of the story? How does the setting contribute to the overall meaning of the novel?  2. CHARACTERIZATION Beginning with the protagonist and then moving on to the supporting characters, students should discuss the characterizations in their novel.  Is the character well-developed, or are they a stock or stereotypical character?  Is the character static (unchanging throughout the story) or dynamic (changes by the end of the novel)?  What personality traits does the character possess, and how does this affect the outcome of the novel?  Do the character's inner thoughts and feelings reflect their outward actions? Explain.  3. POINT OF VIEW Students should identify the novel’s point of view and why it is significant. What advantages does telling the story in (first person/second person/third person) have? Why? Why do you think the author chose this point of view?  4. CONFLICT What is the primary conflict in the novel? Is it human vs. human, human vs. nature, human vs. society, or human vs. themselves? Your students should delve into conflict much more deeply than they may have in the past. If their story has more than one major conflict, they should detail the additional conflicts as well. Explain the conflict and how the protagonist deals with it.  Does the protagonist overcome the conflict? Or do they succumb to it? Students should identify the theme of the novel and the specific meaning of the book they chose. They should avoid stock themes such as “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and think more critically on their author’s message. What was the author’s purpose in writing the book? What are the symbols in the novel and how are they significant? How do the symbols help develop the story and contribute to the overall meaning of the book? 7. FORESHADOWING Students should identify the foreshadowing in their novel and give examples from the text. Did you know what was going to come? Why?  Were there any hints as to what might occur?  Why do you think the author chose to use or not use foreshadowing?  Finally, students should evaluate the ending of the book. Was the ending justified? (Was the ending viable and believable?)  Was it a satisfactory ending that fit the rest of the novel?  Was there a catharsis of some kind? Explain. If your students follow this structure in their book report, it will help them explore each of the elements of fiction in a very specific way. As Barile discovered in her decades of teaching: “Students who explain, interpret, and synthesize what they have read gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of literature.” Shop great classroom titles for book reports below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store . Five Alternatives to Book Reports Your Students Will Love Book reports and summaries are a thing of the past. Engage your middle and high school students with five book report alternatives that will leave them asking for more and, most importantly, building vital reading and analysis skills along the way. 1. Assign one pagers at the end of a novel. One pagers are engaging, allow for creativity, and lead to higher level thinking and analysis. Assigning a one pager is easy and works for any novel. Follow these simple guidelines: Make it standards based: choose a standard to focus on, and design the content of the one pager around that standard. For example, these directions help students to master standard RL3: Grade the learning, not the art. While I require my students to fill the blank space of their one pagers, I make it clear that students are not graded on their artistic ability. Then, I give suggestions for filling the blank space that do not require artistic ability: magazine cutouts, color, or filling blank space with powerful words and quotes. Share models and a rubric with students so expectations are clear. 2. Make paper airplanes. Paper airplanes are not just for kids to toss around when the teacher is not looking. They can also provide a fun alternative to book reports. Here’s how: Instruct students to fold a paper airplane. On the outside of the plane, instruct students to draw the plane’s windows with the protagonists on one side and the antagonists on the other. Instruct students to label each character and give a brief description of each. On the inside of the plane, instruct students to write an analysis of the characters. How did the characters change throughout the novel? How were the characters impacted by (the plot, the setting, the conflict, etc. )? How do the characters affect each other? Require students to back up their analysis with text based evidence, just like they would in a more traditional essay. On the day airplanes are due, instruct students to fly their planes to a classmate (you might want to model a proper flight vs. an aggressive flight!). Students read their classmate's analysis, then share one fact they learned about the characters with the rest of the class. Allow students to make several "flights" so students can hear a wide range of perspectives. If you want to save time on making a paper airplane book report assignment, you can grab my Best Ever Reading Response project set here , which includes four other projects plus Paper Airplane Book Report instructions, a rubric, and an airplane template that makes implementing this project easy! 3. Make it a book talk. Book talks are the perfect interactive alternative to a traditional book report. Book talks give students an authentic audience, motivation to succeed, and require higher level thinking that can help push students to be more analytical in response to their reading. Book talks can be implemented in several ways: Students can prepare their book talks ahead of time, then sign up for times to present their book talks to the class. Require students to bring their book on the day they give their talk. The great side effect of book talks is that kids in the audience get interested in new books! Students can complete book talks speed dating style. Ask students to complete this form: Line up chairs in the classroom so students are facing each other with half of the class on one side and half on the other. Set a timer for five minutes and instruct students to give their book talks to and listen to the book talk of the person sitting across from them. When the timer is finished, instruct students on one side to shift one seat to the right. The student on one end will move to the beginning of the row so each student has a new partner. Reset the five minute timer and repeat the book talks. When the timer is up, the same row shifts to the right again. Repeat as many times as you see fit. Do FlipGrid Book talks. Students can use FlipGrid to record their book talk using laptop cameras, their phones, or iPads. This is a great way to save class time (you can show selected book talks or the book talks of students who volunteer--watch the rest for grading outside of class). It's also a great alternative for students who are not comfortable getting in front of the class for their book talks. 4. Create book trailers using iMovie. Want instant engagement? Offer book trailers as a culminating book project. iMovie makes it SO easy. Students can use phones or iPads to create a professional looking book trailer. To create a book trailer, students must first choose a design template from iMovie: Next, students will complete a storyboard for their book trailer. To create storyboards, students will need images and videos that connect to their novels. For the best storyboards, instruct students to follow these simple steps: Choose a focus for your book trailer. Entice your audience to read your novel by hinting at major themes that readers will take away. Highlight characters and conflicts that viewers will be able to connect with. Next, examine the titles of the story board. Brainstorm titles that will help to tell the story of your novel with a focus on themes, relatable characters, and conflict. Last, brainstorm a list of images and videos you will need to capture. The images and videos will show for a certain number of seconds indicated by iMovie. Be sure to limit your videos to indicated seconds. Begin taking pictures and videos! Put it all together. Write your title and subtitles. Insert pictures and images, and choose audio. Preview your book trailer and revise as needed, adding or changing pictures and video and editing grammar. After students finish their book trailers, have a viewing party complete with books and popcorn. Beware: students will want to read more books after viewing their classmates' trailers! 5. Create professional looking book covers using Canva. If you haven't used Canva in the classroom--go, right now! Canva is an amazing design tool that allows teachers and students (or the average Joe) to design anything from posters to greeting cards. They also have the option of creating book covers! To create book covers in Canva, visit the Canva website linked here . Create an account if you don't already have one. Click on Templates and do a search for Book Covers. Choose one of the free options (there are LOTS of great free options--there is no need to purchase templates or images). Start editing! In order for your students to create a book cover on Canva, they will need to create a Canva account using their email. Make sure this works for your district (check FERPA requirements for using outside apps--in my school, I share the website with admin before using anything with my students). Recommendations for implementing a standards-based book cover project: Master standard RL 2: Student's book cover must reflect the theme of the novel. The back of the cover must include an objective summary of the text. Master standard RL 3: Student's book cover must reflect the interaction of at least two different elements of the novel. For example, the cover might show how characters are affected by the setting or by a major event (with no spoilers!). Master standard RL 6: Student's book cover must reflect the development of two different characters' points of view. For example, the front might reveal one character's point of view and the back another. Display book covers in your classroom to entice your readers to read even more! With a little creativity, we can engage students to analyze their texts in more meaningful, interactive ways. Try one of the five alternatives to book reports and let us know how it goes! Share your reflections, comments, questions, and suggestions below. Enjoy! Want to save time and implement some fun alternatives to book reports? Check out my Best Ever Reading Response Projects here . Independent Reading Recent Posts Creating a Digital Book Tasting Reading Brings Us Closer: How to Implement a Community Read Aloud 5 Alternatives to Traditional Reading Comprehension Questions CREATIVE BOOK REPORT IDEAS Are you a middle or high school student interested in learning about book report writing? Perhaps, you've been tasked with coming up with your own idea for such an assignment? Well, you'll be pleased to read this article. We'll explore the basics of book reports and give a list of ideas that may be used by your teachers in the classroom. Let's begin with the basics. A book report is a piece of informative writing that provides a summary account of a certain literature piece. By going over it, a prospective reader should be able to learn the basic data about the book. It is expected that the report reflects as accurately as possible the facts without getting them distorted by the reporter's bias. Facts here are centered on the theme, plot or storyline, and the characters in the book you read. It is also pertinent to mention here that personal views and thoughts are never to be expressed in the report. As a kind of assignment, book reports are commonly given to middle and high school students. The complexity of the task varies with the grade of the student. The higher the grade, the more requirements there is. There are crucial parts or elements that characterize such a piece of writing and should be included when creating it. It would usually consist of the following: Author's name in full The genre (e.g., fiction or nonfiction) Year of release or publication and publisher The setting of the story (place and time in history) Main characters and a brief description of each Description of the plot or storyline A brief explanation of the themes What you have read thus far is the conventional understanding of book reports. But, when it comes to doing assignments of this kind, many students may find it overly academic and even boring. How about a change in style and what good can come of that? There are more than a few creative ways it could be approached that can get students excited each time they hear the words "book report assignment." Many of such ideas are not traditional and may not necessarily be about writing. Now, let's take a look at some fresh ideas your teacher may use in class as creative alternatives to the traditional approach. To simplify things, your teacher could choose a single book around which your classroom activity will be focused on. Also, the ideas below are subjective with no order of importance. As a student, you'll be asked to choose several characters, then compare and contrast them (physical appearance, behavior, and role). Your teacher may prepare a separate description for each character in the story. As a student, you'll be required to read a description and match it to the corresponding character. Your teacher could prepare a visual illustration (if possible) of the main characters and paper cards describing each of them. Each student will be asked to create a character map by matching each card to the relevant name and description. Along with your fellow students, you may be asked to read a specific book or some part of it in preparation for the class. Then, your teacher will randomly select one student and have them mention their favorite character, explaining why they prefer them strictly based on a given description or associated events in the story. You may be asked to act out a specific sequence of action of a scene from the storyline performed by your favorite character. This may be done with a few of your fellow students whose favorite character feature in that particular scene. The student (or a few of them) may be asked to describe verbally or in writing the first interaction of the main character (the protagonist) with the villain (antagonist), if applicable to the book. Some Interesting Ideas Here, we'll take a look at two other ideas that can get you and your peers excited and feeling challenged to put your creative mind to work. Grocery bag idea In using this, your teacher would require you and other students to read a book. After you do that, each of you would have to create a painted hand-sketched art piece depicting your favorite character (based on all available description contained in the book). Then, you'll have to glue the piece of art to a grocery bag. What's more? On the other side of the bag, you'll put a card, containing five adjectives you believe describe the character you sketched. Alternatively, instead of the five adjectives, you may be asked to write in one or two sentences why you like chosen character is your favorite. Triangular pyramid This would require you to create a pyramid (formed by joining four identical triangles). Before you glue together the triangles that form the sides the three-dimensional shape, you'll have to draw on one side, showing the first scene in which the protagonist is introduced. Next, on the adjacent side, you'll sketch the second scene in which the protagonist appears, followed by the third scene of some of their main features presented. On the base of the card, write the name of the book, the author, and the protagonist. With all that has been explained above, we hope that you've learned an appreciable lot by reading this article, which is our clearly mentioned goal. You can go ahead and use what you've learned here to your advantage. Lastly, don't forget that we have academic experts ready to help you with your book reports, should you need any help! Our Services Book Review Writing Service Research Paper Writing Service Essay Editing Service Book Reports Online Assignment Writing Help Personal Statement Writing Service Custom Term Paper Writing Coursework Writing Service Case Study Writing Service Dissertation Writing Services Thesis Writing Service Complete Coursework for Me Article Writing Service Term Paper Writing Service Research Proposal Writing Service Buy PowerPoint Presentation Multiple Choice Questions Group Project Find Waywriting.com Coupons at CouponChief.com Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Delivery Policy Cancellation Policy Cookie Policy Extras Terms Don't waste your time Order now! Ditch the book report and try these book project ideas instead Amanda Clark September 12, 2019 Growing up, my brother did a book report on “Charlotte’s Web” — three years in a row. As you’re probably aware, though, book reports are easy to plagiarize and can be quite boring for the student. This is why I leaned toward book projects instead of traditional reports, and the creative assignments that my students came up with still astound me. From videos to online comic strips, there are many options that students can use to share what they learned from a book. So, why not ditch the book report and try these book projects instead? 7 alternative book reports your students will love! 1. Make movies Let’s start with movies. Kids love them! From my experience, when I told the students they were going to make a summary movie as opposed to writing a full-fledged book report, they were beyond ecstatic. Many began brainstorming right away. I then let them know that a written shorter summary would accompany the video, but by that time, they were so excited about their main plots and cinematography that they didn’t seem to mind. As long as you have a clear set of expectations (a detailed rubric worked best for me), you can cater movies to various topics around literature. Here are a few more ways to integrate videos and literature: Make a move about a particular character. Show how that character developed, their inner thoughts, and their importance to the outcome of the story. Make a movie about the main themes of the book. Some students struggle with this concept; seeing various visual examples on the screen can make it easier for them to understand and internalize those themes. Make a movie about the setting and background history related to the book. For example, if students are reading To Kill A Mockingbird , one video could examine major trials that occurred during that time period, or explore how racism manifested itself in the judicial system of that time. Students could do this recording reenactments or monologues. 2. Make online comic strips Another successful book project was when the students created their own comics. Kids can get their graphic design on by using easy-to-learn (but beautiful) programs such as the Online Comic Creator by Read Write Think or Pixton . You can pull this off in many ways, but I assigned comic summaries after every chapter. This reaffirmed the reading by creating a visual overview of what students just read. Plus, the kids loved to share their finished products, which kept everyone up to date on what was happening in the book. 3. Make dioramas You may remember dioramas from when you were a kid. I created one on dinosaurs that’s stuck in my memory ever since. This old-school classic still resonates with students. For those of you unfamiliar, a diorama is a scene created inside a cardboard box. You could assign every kid in the class a major scene from the book and then have them present it to the class with a diorama. It’s possible to integrate a writing component, too. Have kids whip up a short description of a scene while also focusing on one aspect of grammar, such as comma usage. This activity will hook your linguistic and visual learners! 4. Make scrapbooks You’ve probably never heard of Sabrina Ward Harrison or Dan Eldon , but these are two published scrapbook writers. Scrapbooks are an awesome way to ditch the book report and add some life to literature projects. You can let students choose if they want to do an online scrapbook on Word or Glogster (make sure you use the education version), or make a traditional one with colored paper, glue, and glitter. My students really got into these projects. Scrapbooks are a convenient part of any curriculum because there are even free expectations for them already published online . 5. Make newspapers One of my top book projects was asking my students to create their own newspaper while reading “The Outsiders”. Not only is this a compelling book for middle schoolers, but students also had the freedom to design their own newspaper around various writing prompts, character descriptions, literary term analysis, and so on. The possibilities are endless! I allowed students to choose from provided newspaper software such as Canva , which features professional designs. The kids enjoyed the integration of technology, images, and writing. Alternatively, you could have them use Microsoft Publisher for a more classic route. 6. Make author studies You can kick off an author study at the beginning or end of a book unit. After all, the author’s personal experiences tend to affect their written work in a multitude of ways. Charles Dickens’s classic “Great Expectations”, for example, contains many events, characters, and themes from his own life that he shares through the protagonist. Here’s what worked for me: I provided students with a checklist of author information they had to research. It was up to them how they were going to display their findings. This allowed student choice while still meeting those benchmarks. Students performed skits, created collages and paintings, and much more. At the end of the project, we put all the projects in a circle and had a gallery walk where students viewed each other’s work. It was a smoking success! 7. Put on a play In one of our previous posts on how drama can have a big impact on student engagement , we talked about how plays can positively influence student learning. The article describes how students can create a modernized play on a classic book. You can create a whole unit around this objective. Sure, this is a lot of work, but so worth it! In all honesty, would you rather write a report on “Romeo and Juliet” or modernize it and act it out? 8. Make tableaus You may have heard of tableaus — which is just a fancy term for frozen scenes. Here’s the process: Two students hold up a sheet of paper or a curtain. Behind it, a group of students pose as characters from a scene in the book.  Then, the “curtain” drops, and the rest of the class views the freeze-frame and tries to identify it as it relates to the book. You can make this more complex by integrating costumes. And you can add a writing component that describes the process of creating the scene. Alternatively, students can record the relevance of the scene to the entirety of the book in writing. If you have students interested in theater and fashion, this activity will hook them in an instant! Creative book projects motivate students to read AND learn Although the title of this article is “Ditch the Book Report and Try These Book Projects Instead”, I believe there is a place for the traditional book report. But I also believe that it gets over-assigned; there are creative ways to meet the standards with more engaging projects. According to a paper by the National Research Council , 40% of students are disengaged from school. You read that correctly! And countless research points to the positive correlation between motivation and student performance. Assigning book projects that get kids excited about reading and writing proves to be a fun change for both the student and the teacher. There are other advantages, too. Let’s put it this way: Would you rather grade 20 essays or watch 20 short films on “Great Expectations”? Hand over the popcorn because I prefer the latter. Photo: Dollar Gill/Unsplash Student Engagement Grace and Mr Milligan - Book Week 2024 Craft and Display Ideas Also included in Description Download this booklet so that your class can complete craft activities based on the book ‘Grace and Mr Milligan’ by Caz Goodwin. This printable booklet includes 4 craft activities that can be used during Book Week in the classroom when studying the shortlisted Early Childhood book 'Grace and Mr Milligan'. There is also printable lettering to complete a classroom display. Use the craft templates to make a 'Grace and Mr Milligan' display that is perfect for Book Week 2024. The booklet includes; Grace and Mr Milligan colouring poster Goat Poster (Negative space colouring/ cut and paste poster) Grace and Mr Milligan Washing Line poster (3D clothes) Grace and Mr Milligan themed bookmarks Book Title Display If you want to stay updated with Casual Case's Book Week products and new uploads, simply click here to follow our TPT store. Questions & Answers We're hiring Help & FAQ Privacy policy Student privacy Terms of service Tell us what you think The Daily Show Fan Page Explore the latest interviews, correspondent coverage, best-of moments and more from The Daily Show. Extended Interviews The Daily Show Tickets Attend a Live Taping Find out how you can see The Daily Show live and in-person as a member of the studio audience. Best of Jon Stewart The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart New Episodes Thursdays Jon Stewart and special guests tackle complex issues. Powerful Politicos The Daily Show Shop Great Things Are in Store Become the proud owner of exclusive gear, including clothing, drinkware and must-have accessories. About The Daily Show Search Please fill out this field. Manage Your Subscription Give a Gift Subscription Newsletters Sweepstakes Travel Tips The Best Time to Book a Flight for Domestic, International, and Summer Travel Here are our best tips for booking travel in 2024. When to Book Flights for Domestic Travel When to book flights for international travel, when to book flights for summer 2024 travel, when to book flights for holiday 2024 travel. Buying plane tickets is something of an art form. Ideally, you want to secure your spot months in advance to avoid the inevitable price spike as your travel dates get closer. But sometimes the best time to book a flight also depends on the destination and whether it's domestic or abroad. The trends are always changing, but experts say the sweet spot for booking domestic flights is 28 days, or 60 days for international flights. Flights generally open for booking about a year ahead of time, and the airfare will change often between then and takeoff. Although you can book just a couple of weeks before the departure date in some cases, prices are likely to be astronomical. In other cases, when you want to go somewhere popular or during a big travel weekend, flights could fill up faster than normal. Our advice: Track flight prices on Google Flights or Hopper as early as possible so you can keep an eye on cost fluctuations. Read on for more advice about when to book flights from the pros. According to Expedia's 2024 Air Travel Hacks report , you should aim to book 28 days before your domestic flight. "Doing so can save travelers up to 24 percent compared to those who wait until the last minute, from zero to six days out," Expedia travel expert Christie Hudson tells Travel + Leisure. For domestic trips, pricing is elevated when tickets are first released, about a year before the flight. Those prices will slowly creep downward, all the way to their lowest point in the prime booking window, after which you'll likely see a huge increase in cost for last-minute travel. Meet the Expert Christie Hudson is a travel expert at top booking site Expedia. You're better off booking earlier rather than later for international travel, but the Expedia report says ideally no more than four months before your desired departure date. The sweet spot is around 60 days. "This is a big change from 2022 data, which showed the cheapest fares were secured when travelers booked four to six months out." Hudson says. "2023 data revealed that people who booked that far in advance actually paid more on average." The report says the least expensive day of the week to book is Sunday and the most expensive is Friday, for both domestic and international travel. But there is some regional variance. Going , a platform that tracks flight prices and notifies members of good deals, has found the best months to book flights to Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Latin America, for travel about 60 days out. Here's what it says. Africa: Book in May. Asia: Book in August or October, followed by April or September. Oceania: Book in November, January, or July. Europe: Book in August, October, or November. Latin America: Book in October. The real trick to finding good deals on international airfare is to avoid booking your travel for peak times, which include summer and major holidays (don't forget — that includes holidays in your destination, too). Summer is traditionally one of the most popular times of the year to travel, which means it can be tough to find a good deal on airfare. Ideally, you should book flights for summer travel as soon as possible, preferably at least six months in advance. "The best time to book for peak season is … the opposite season," says Katy Nastro, travel expert at Going. "While most of us are scrambling to focus on our winter holiday plans, we should also keep our eyes open for some great summer fares." She notes that the booking window for peak season ranges between three and seven months for domestic flights and four to 10 months for international trips. "And if you do book something, keep that flight alert on," says Nastro. "If it drops again, depending on your ticket type, you can call to rebook and get a refund or travel credit back with the difference." Katy Nastro is a travel expert at Going, a website that finds flight deals to more than 900 destinations around the world. Around the winter holidays is the priciest time to travel, Nastro says. "Your best bet is to remember the Goldilocks zones: look to book between three to seven months ahead for domestic travel and four to 10 months ahead for international travel." Hudson advises that at the very latest, your holiday travel should be booked by mid-October. "But the biggest holiday travel savings actually come from choosing the right dates," she says. "Avoiding the busiest days like the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Friday and Saturday before Christmas will yield major savings." Track flights and book your holiday tickets as soon as you find a decent deal, but make sure to book a fare that will give you a credit if you cancel (generally speaking, that means don't book basic economy). That way, if prices drop between the time of booking and your travel dates, you can cancel your original ticket and use the credit to book the cheaper fare. The only downside is you'll still have some remaining credit, but you can then use it to treat yourself to a future flight. Just don't let that credit expire. Related Articles Election 2024 Entertainment Newsletters Photography Personal Finance AP Investigations AP Buyline Personal Finance AP Buyline Shopping Press Releases Israel-Hamas War Russia-Ukraine War Global elections Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East Election Results Delegate Tracker AP & Elections Auto Racing 2024 Paris Olympic Games Movie reviews Book reviews Financial Markets Business Highlights Financial wellness Artificial Intelligence Social Media New law requires all Louisiana public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom. (AP produced by Javier Arciga) FILE - Workers repaint a Ten Commandments billboard off of Interstate 71 on Election Day near Chenoweth, Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom under a bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) Copy Link copied FILE - Workers remove a monument bearing the Ten Commandments outside West Union High School, Monday, June 9, 2003, in West Union, Ohio. Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom under a bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Al Behrman, File) BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, the latest move from a GOP-dominated Legislature pushing a conservative agenda under a new governor. The legislation that Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law on Wednesday requires a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state-funded universities. “If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original lawgiver, which was Moses” who got the commandments from God, Landry said. Opponents questioned the law’s constitutionality and vowed to challenge it in court. Proponents said the measure is not solely religious , but that it has historical significance. In the language of the law, the Ten Commandments are “foundational documents of our state and national government.” The posters, which will be paired with a four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025. Under the law, state funds will not be used to implement the mandate. The posters would be paid for through donations. The law also “authorizes” but does not require the display of other items in K-12 public schools, including: The Mayflower Compact, which was signed by religious pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620 and is often referred to as America’s “First Constitution"; the Declaration of Independence; and the Northwest Ordinance, which established a government in the Northwest Territory — in the present day Midwest — and created a pathway for admitting new states to the Union. Not long after the governor signed the bill into law at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Lafayette on Wednesday, civil rights groups and organizations that want to keep religion out of government promised to file a lawsuit challenging it. The law prevents students from getting an equal education and will keep children who have different beliefs from feeling safe at school, the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation said in a joint statement Wednesday afternoon. “Even among those who may believe in some version of the Ten Commandments, the particular text that they adhere to can differ by religious denomination or tradition. The government should not be taking sides in this theological debate,” the groups said. The controversial law, in a state ensconced in the Bible Belt, comes during a new era of conservative leadership in Louisiana under Landry, who replaced two-term Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in January. The GOP holds a supermajority in the Legislature, and Republicans hold every statewide elected position, paving the way for lawmakers to push through a conservative agenda. Similar bills requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in other states including Texas , Oklahoma and Utah. However, with threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures, no state besides Louisiana has succeeded in making the bills law. Legal battles over the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms are not new. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional and violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose. Associated Press reporter Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed. The story has been corrected to clarify that the time for gubernatorial action did not lapse. The governor signed the bill Wednesday. Election latest: PM insists UK is better off than in 2010 - as Farage says he 'doesn't want to know racists' Rishi Sunak says Labour would cause "irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power" led by Sir Keir Starmer. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage faced questions from Trevor Phillips on racist comments made by a Reform canvasser. Sunday 30 June 2024 12:00, UK General Election 2024 Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Deputy PM dismisses election threat from Reform Has Labour chosen wealthy pensioners over children in poverty? Sunak warns Starmer will cause 'irreversible damage' in 100 days Farage says he 'doesn't want to know' racists Reform drops three candidates over racism row Rob Powell:  With more coverage comes more scrutiny Politics at Jack and Sam's : The last weekend Live reporting by Faith Ridler   and Niamh Lynch Election essentials Manifesto pledges: Conservatives | Greens | Labour | Lib Dems | Plaid | Reform | SNP Trackers:  Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises? Campaign Heritage:  Memorable moments from elections gone by Follow Sky's politics podcasts:  Electoral Dysfunction | Politics At Jack And Sam's Read more:  Who is standing down? | Key seats to watch | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency is changing | Guide to election lingo How to watch election on Sky News A group of students from the Warwick University Conservatives Association have been condemned for an "utterly abhorrent" video in which they sing a Nazi marching song. The clip, taken at a chairman's dinner at the Warwick Conservatives Association two weeks ago, shows members singing "Erika" - a song used by the SS and the armed forces of Nazi Germany. In a statement, the Union of Jewish Students condemned a "blatant and unchallenged support for Nazism". It said: "The blatant and unchallenged support for Nazism at the Warwick Conservatives Association 'chairman's dinner' is utterly abhorrent.  "Glorification of the Nazis has no place in our society, especially on campus. It is in no way acceptable and must be widely condemned.  "We expect swift and decisive action from the University of Warwick and the Conservative Party.  "Actions must have consequences.” Additionally, a spokesperson for Warwick University said: "We have been made aware of this video and the allegations surrounding it, which are extremely troubling. "Behaviour like this is reprehensible and we are disappointed to see our students involved. “The University is reviewing the material disclosed to us via our reporting service and has notified the Student's Union.  "We have requested a meeting with the Jewish Society (Jsoc) to assist with our review.” Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election. With under a week to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise. Read more about the tracker  here . Pledges and promises are coming thick and fast from every party as the general election approaches.  Struggling to keep up with who is saying what? Here is a summary of where the main parties stand on major issues. For a more in-depth look at what each party has pledged, scour our  manifesto checker ... A speech by Nigel Farage was interrupted by a banner showing a smirking Vladimir Putin with the caption "I [heart emoji] Nigel". Campaign group Led By Donkeys carried out the stunt as the Reform UK leader spoke on stage at the Columbine Centre in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. Footage posted on social media showed the banner slowly descending from the ceiling showing the Russian president with his thumb up. Upon seeing the banner, Mr Farage - the Reform UK candidate for Clacton - said: "Who put that up there? Someone at the Columbine Centre needs to get the sack." It comes after Mr Farage received widespread criticism for claiming earlier this month that the West and NATO "provoked" Russia's war on Ukraine. Watch below... Rishi Sunak was asked if it was a mistake for him to say at the start of the campaign that he has respect for Nigel Farage. It comes in the wake of controversy over racist comments about Mr Sunak made by a man alleging to be a Reform UK canvasser. Mr Farage, the leader of Reform UK, claims he is an actor. Asked about his respect for the politician, Mr Sunak says there are views of his "that he's been right to highlight". "Where I agree with someone's policies, I'll happily say that." However, Mr Sunak says again that the racist remarks made about him were "wrong". "I was keen to call it out." The prime minister is also asked: "When was the last time you were wrong?" He jokes: "If you talk to my wife and daughters they would say on a regular basis." Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has today insisted that the UK is now a better place to live in than it was when the Conservatives took office in 2010. He told the BBC: "It's a better place to live than it was in 2010. "Of course I understand that the last few years have been difficult for everyone." He cited the pandemic and the war in Ukraine driving up energy bills, insisting "we are now on the right track". It was put to him that the country has become poorer by many measures since 2010, and public services are worse. "I just don't accept that," Mr Sunak replied, citing education and saying "our schoolchildren are now the best readers in the Western world". Former spokesperson for Tony Blair, Alistair Campbell, has speculated that "next week PR [proportional representation] will be on the agenda".  "Because if you have Labour getting a massive majority with fewer votes than [Jeremy] Corbyn, Lib Dems doing really well with fewer votes and Charles Kennedy, Nick Clegg, and Reform getting millions of votes but a few seats, people are going to go, 'oh, hold on a minute'," he says. The UK has a first-past-the-post system, where the candidate who gets the most votes in a constituency wins - no matter the size of their vote percentage.  Proportional representation is a type of system in which the number of seats a party wins more closely corresponds with the percentage of the vote it won.  Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips has finished now, but we'll be continuing with our live politics coverage here. John Swinney also indicated his party would continue to press for a second referendum on Scottish independence even if they faced significant electoral losses. "The issues that people are concerned about in Scotland today - the cost of living crisis, the cuts in public services and our public spending, the implications of Brexit - these are all decisions that were arrived at [in] Westminster," he said.  "If Scotland was an independent country, we could take a different course."  Mr Swinney also said that the economic consequences of Brexit amounted to "a very significant change in circumstances that I believe alone merits the right of the people of Scotland to decide their own future".  The SNP leader also acknowledged the party has had a "tough time" in recent months. He said he "became first minister to essentially strengthen the party and to build a relationship with the electorate".  "We are building that trust as a unified and cohesive political party and it's unified and cohesive political parties that win elections." Next up with Trevor Phillips is John Swinney, the leader of the SNP. Trevor begins by asking about the issue of postal ballots having not arrived before people in Scotland head off on their summer breaks. School holidays have already started in large parts of Scotland. Mr Swinney says this is a "serious issue". "We've had significant reports of people who were planning to vote by post, who had applied properly for a postal vote before the deadline 19 June and those postal votes have not arrived with people. "Some of them have now left the country, and they have been disenfranchised by the timing of the election, which is something I deeply regret." The Scottish first minister says the situation is "illustrative" that there was "no thought" given to the fact the election would take place during Scottish school holidays. When asked about his alleged sympathies to Vladimir Putin by Trevor, Nigel Farage labels it as the "Russia hoax". Instead he points to his previous predictions about the war in Ukraine. "I understand why the Labour [and] Conservative Parties are worried. I was opposed to the Iraq War. I thought it was absolutely crazy to go into Libya. Ten years ago, I stood up in the European Parliament and I said, you are giving a dangerous man an excuse to give his people to go to war. I said there will be a war in Ukraine," he says, pointing his fingers.  "Can I be clear that Putin is a very, very dangerous and dangerously clever man. I abhor what he's done in Ukraine, totally and utterly. But I was far-sighted. I saw this coming," he says. But Trevor accuses Mr Farage of answering his own questions rather than tackling what he's been asked.  He then asks whether there were Russian bots influencing the general election - something that Mr Farage emphatically dismisses.  "Did you ask him how many millions of pounds his party have taken from Russian sources over the course of the last few days?" Mr Farage asked instead. Be the first to get Breaking News Install the Sky News app for free 272 IMAGES 10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love Fun Book Report Ideas For 7th Grade 15 Creative Book Report Ideas for Every Grade and Subject 10 Fantastic Book Report Ideas For Middle School 2024 Book reports don't have to be boring. Help your students make the books 10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love VIDEO Report Writing Middle Class Life Book Write On Girl ✍️ Sample for mathematical project report class 11 and class 12 Report writing Report writing ✍️class 12 How to Write a Book Report for 7th Grade and Up COMMENTS 42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Every Grade and Subject 15. Watercolor Rainbow 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. 12 Creative Book Report Projects Your Students Will Love Whether you're teaching a whole-class novel, or finishing a round of independent reading or literature circles, post-reading assessments are always more engaging when they're more than just a test or essay. In this post, you'll discover a dozen fun book report ideas for your middle or high school ELA students, curated by a team of experienced English teachers. Ten Great Creative Book Report Ideas Ten Great Creative Book Report Ideas. There are many, many great ways for students to respond to literature. Students especially enjoy creative book reports. These will work for almost any book and are especially good when students are reading independent book selections. A quick web search will reveal that there are many ideas out there for ... 15 Creative and digital book report ideas that will get your students Click to open. 7. Book cover. Here, students get to be creative and invent their own book cover (front and back) of the book they just read. Or maybe just a cover for of a piece of text you've read out loud. They can use the whiteboard tools: pencil, type tool, switch colors, add images, etc. Click to open. 8. 10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love Here are 10 book report ideas that kids will love: 1. Cereal Box Book Report. These oh-so-cool reports were always the top-ranked project by my fifth graders. Students loved creating an original book report display using a covered cereal box and ready-made templates. 42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students 17. Pizza Box Book Report Mrs. Suggs/pizza box via X (formerly Twitter) 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 ... 11 Fun Book Report Ideas That Teachers and Students Love For this fun reading book report idea, students will take 14 blank, white sheets of 8.5 x 11 inches paper and cut each into halves. Two of the pages will serve as a cover page and an outro page. The other sheets will each represent one letter of the alphabet. Students will brainstorm a significant word from the book that starts with the letter ... Book Report Ideas: Creative Ideas for Book Reports The first way to add creativity to a book report is to alter the form of the report. Instead of summarizing the story, plot, setting, and characters and ending with a recommendation ("I liked this book because…"), you ask for something more creative. The second way to add creativity is to change up the presentation. 42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students 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. BY ELIZABETH MULVAHILL. SEP 28, 2023. Attributes: 1-3 4-5 6-8. Resource ... 17 Book Report Ideas for Teachers Here are 17 book report ideas you can use in the classroom: 1. Yearbook report. For this type of book report, have students create a page of a fictional yearbook for one of the characters in the book. They can get as creative or descriptive as they want, including in-character answers to yearbook questions about best friends or favorite ... How to Write a Book Report This brief but helpful post from Classroom details what makes a good book report introduction, down to the level of individual sentences. How to Write the Main Body of a Book Report. ... 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 ... 26 EPIC Book Report Ideas Creative book report ideas. Check out the clever book report mobile, timeline idea, magazine ad, game board, book report project or even a book report crossword puzzle - there are so many unique 3rd grade book report ideas!Pick a 4th grade book report ideas for the whole class to try or let everyone do their own unique projects based on their interests. Book Report Ideas for 5th Grade that Spark Imagination Table of Contents. Make Book Reports Fun for 5th Grade Students. 13 Creative Book Report Ideas for 5th Graders. 1. Interview the Main Characters. 2. Film a Movie Trailer for the Book. 3. Write an Alternative Ending. Fresh Ideas for Creative Book Reports In addition: Ideas for cyber book reports! ... 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 ... Engaging High School Book Report Templates To structure the book reports, Barile recommends eight sections of analysis that will "require students to provide evidence of their choices and reasoning, which helps them think more deeply about what they have read.". For each section, students should give examples from the book to back up their analysis. The below book report template ... Five Alternatives to Book Reports Your Students Will Love Book reports and summaries are a thing of the past. Engage your middle and high school students with five book report alternatives that will leave them asking for more and, most importantly, building vital reading and analysis skills along the way. 1. Assign one pagers at the end of a novel. One pagers are engaging, allow for creativity, and lead to higher level thinking and analysis ... Outside-of-the-Box Book Report Ideas for 3rd Graders 7. Mint Tin Book Report. Using cards cut to fit inside a mint tin, have your students create a mint tin book report. They'll make a "cover" design for the outside of their tin and then illustrate a scene from the book for the "inside cover.". The other elements of the story can be written out on cards that fit inside the tin and be ... Book Report Ideas We'll explore the basics of book reports and give a list of ideas that may be used by your teachers in the classroom. Let's begin with the basics. A book report is a piece of informative writing that provides a summary account of a certain literature piece. By going over it, a prospective reader should be able to learn the basic data about the ... Ditch the book report and try these book project ideas instead 2. Make online comic strips. Another successful book project was when the students created their own comics. Kids can get their graphic design on by using easy-to-learn (but beautiful) programs such as the Online Comic Creator by Read Write Think or Pixton.. You can pull this off in many ways, but I assigned comic summaries after every chapter. Sample Book Topic Ideas Browse our most popular book ideas. Seasonal. Creative Writing & Reading. Math & Science. Social Studies. Studentreasures Publishing offers a collection of sample books and book topic ideas to inspire students to create their own classbooks. Check out this page to know more. The Book Report Blues Here are some ideas for special book reports: 1. Interview a character from your book. ... This especially works out well if you're reading the same book as one or more of the others in your class. You can work together and write a script and have several rehearsals before presenting it to the class. If you're alone but have a lot of ... How to Write the Perfect Book Report (4 easy steps) Step 2. Once you have finished reading the book and have taken thorough notes, it is time to start organizing your thoughts. Create an outline to structure your report like the one in the example above. Make sure you over all the necessary components. Grace and Mr Milligan This printable booklet includes 4 craft activities that can be used during Book Week in the classroom when studying the shortlisted Early Childhood book 'Grace and Mr Milligan'. There is also printable lettering to complete a classroom display. Use the craft templates to make a 'Grace and Mr Milligan' display that is perfect for Book Week 2024. The Daily Show Fan Page The source for The Daily Show fans, with episodes hosted by Jon Stewart, Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Dulcé Sloan and more, plus interviews, highlights and The Weekly Show podcast. When Is the Best Time to Book a Flight for Travel in 2024? According to Expedia's 2024 Air Travel Hacks report, you should aim to book 28 days before your ... This App Is Giving Away Free First-class Upgrades on Flights to Vegas ... Trip Ideas; Travel Tips; US Private Credit & Middle Market Weekly Wrap Fill out the form to download a preview of this report. The full report is available through the PitchBook Platform. The US Private Credit & Middle Market Weekly Wrap highlights the latest activity in the fast-emerging private credit asset class, complemented by data and commentary on middle-market deals. Louisiana's public classrooms now have to display the Ten Commandments BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, the latest move from a GOP-dominated Legislature pushing a conservative agenda under a new governor. The legislation that Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law on Wednesday requires a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in "large ... Election latest: Elton John backs Labour and Starmer in general Thank you for joining us on the Politics Hub for live coverage of events on the general election campaign trail today. Polls open in 4 days and 8 hours - and the politicians will be spending every ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis