book reports

[gracesteacher]

At what age/grade do you start writing book reports? Do you forms or have them write it out paragraph style?

 

Thanks

[boscopup]

Never?

 

We'll do written narrations, essays, and literature analysis, but I have no plans to do "book reports" as the schools do. Those are usually just to assess that the student read the book. I can tell that my son read the book, and I saw him doing it. :)

[Farrar]

Never ever.

[SilverMoon]

Yeah, never. My kids have never made a book report, and I have no plans to change that. They do talk about what theyve read, and occasionally they'll have a writing assignment attached.

[Ellie]

No book reports.

 

However, if I felt the need for them, I would use the Love to Learn Place's book report forms.

[laughing lioness]

We don't do book reports either. BUT, it I were going to write a book report I'd probably use this from Rafe Esquith. It's good info to have either way,and including if you narrate (which is what we do- in fact, I often can't get my kids to shut up, but that's a different story). You might also want to take a look at Deconstructing Penguins.

[Sahamamama]

Never?

 

We'll do written narrations, essays, and literature analysis, but I have no plans to do "book reports" as the schools do. Those are usually just to assess that the student read the book. I can tell that my son read the book, and I saw him doing it. :)

 

 

Yes, exactly this, along with discussing what we read.

 

In a school setting, with a large class, most teachers couldn't possibly discuss one-on-one each book read by each student in the class. They have enough to do to get through the work, without adding that to the list! The book report developed as a way for teachers to quickly gauge the extent to which students are reading and comprehending what they read. However, a book report is a poor substitute for the human connection of talking about books, exploring themes and characters, asking probing questions, and sharing from the heart.

 

In a homeschool, we can engage in meaningful dialogue, and create a family culture of talking about what we read. We can read to (Read Alouds), with (Shared Reading), and alongside (Two Copies Reading) our children, not leaving them to figure out the meaning of it all on their own, but guiding them into an understanding of how life works and exposing them to what we believe through thoughtful questions and sincere conversation.

 

So, when we read through Heidi, we can ask:

• Why was Aunt Dete in a hurry to hand Heidi over to Grandfather? Do you think she was right to "get rid" of Heidi? Did Aunt Dete have anyone to help her in life? Did she have a choice?

• When Aunt Dete came back a few years later and ran off with Heidi to Frankfurt, why did she want to take Heidi away from the Alm? Was she justified? Was she truthful? Do you think she had a right to take Heidi without Grandfather's approval? In what way did she threaten the Grandfather? Was Aunt Dete truthful to Fraulein Rottenmeier? Was she truthful to Heidi?

• What transformation happened in the Grandfather's heart after Heidi returned to the Alm? What happened in his heart? How was he restored to faith in God and in his fellow man? How did the people in the village treat him at first? What did the Grandfather think the people said about him? Why did he finally decide to move into the village in the winter? How did his relationships with people change because Heidi came back to him?

 

And so on. We can have these kinds of conversations with even young children, discussing books we read aloud together or books they read on their own (provided we know the story, too!). Discussion does usually require the teacher to know what the student is reading. With books you haven't read, simply have your student narrate (tell back) to you what he read. As your student matures, he can "discuss" the book with you in the format of an essay.

 

For literature analysis, take a look at Progeny Press guides. HTH.

[Esse Quam Videri]

A written narration is basically a book report. It just doesn't sound as "public school." Another option would be to allow him/her to make a creative book report. My daughter has made a puppet of her favorite character before, and then told me about the story or answered questions from that character's perspective. Or she has drawn a new cover for the book and written her own back cover synopsis. There are lots of fun options like that if you are looking for something to cap off your literature selections.

[gracesteacher]

Thank you

She can verbally tell you every detail of the book. And discuss why she thinks this and that but can not get thoughts on paper but can say them so I thought book report could give her a way do that hmm. Kind of using it as handwriting and grammar as well as expressing written thought.

Off to think some more

[Sahamamama]

Thank you

She can verbally tell you every detail of the book. And discuss why she thinks this and that but can not get thoughts on paper but can say them so I thought book report could give her a way do that hmm. Kind of using it as handwriting and grammar as well as expressing written thought.

Off to think some more

 

At first, you can be her "scribe," and write down what she narrates, in complete sentences. Read it back when you're done, or have her read it back to you. After this stage, continue to write down her narrations, but also have her copy part of it.

 

I think that, sometimes, a student needs to tell back "every detail of the book." This is especially true when the student is excited about the story! I have a daughter like that, LOL. She can tell you more than you ever wanted to know about so many books! :) However, she also needs to learn to summarize a passage and write that summary down on paper. IMO, discussing books (ideas/worldview) and composing a summary of a passage (writing) should at first be considered two distinct skills that eventually will merge (in middle school, with the essay).

 

Have you seen or used WWE? This writing program gradually teaches the student to summarize the main points of a passage, rather than tell back every detail of an entire book. It might help her with her writing, because it narrows down the portion to be summarized and incrementally helps the student learn to express the main points of a passage. HTH.

[Hunter]

I'm not sure what all the book report hate is about. I have frequently used the book report instructions in the Climbing to Good English workbooks. CGE states that a book report is an evaluation, not a summary.

 

A book report is repeatable way for a student to practice evaluation writing and writing in general. Using the CGE instructions, the student gradually learns to write a more organized and detailed and lengthier handwritten paper, year by year.

 

I'm a strong believer in repeatable prompts that a student can use over and over and build upon. Karen Newell's Write On! curriculum teaches how to effectively reuse good writing prompts. The teacher guide is available for free here.

 

Don't we as adults write book reports all the time, as curriculum reviews and Amazon.com reviews?

 

Book report hate is similar to textbook hate. To each their own, I guess. :confused:

[gracesteacher]

Thank you all for your thoughts. I am using WWE but even there she was to write out what she "has" to and then tell me every detail or dad. She will only write as bare minimum as possible. Part of it is she loves to talk and wants as much as mommy and daddy's attention but listening to her I want her to be able to focus on getting in writing and then limit as to what is really necessary to share. I will look at the links