book report, 4th grade

[Kuovonne]

Here is a book report written by my fourth grade DD. I presented her with the organization in IEW's unit 3 and had her write the last three paragraphs. Then we had some fairly extensive discussions about her writing, rearranged some things, expanded others, and added all the commas. Then I had her write the first paragraph. We spread out the process over three to four days. She jotted down some notes on paper, but all of the actual writing was typed. There is no way she could have produced this writing longhand.

 

Note: She did not have access to the actual book when writing this, as we had returned it to the library the previous week before I decided to experiment with IEW.

 

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Avi's "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" is the first book in the Crispin trilogy. This piece of historical fiction won the Newberry Award and is for readers 10 and up. The book was published in 2oo6 and tells the beginning of Crispin's many adventures.

 

Crispin is a boy who lives in Stromford, one of the many villages ruled by Lord Furnival. Crispin is an orphan and an outcast, so he has to hide in the forests of England. He does not know his name and has no friends. His only possession is a lead cross. Since he is shy, he cannot look anyone in the eye, and this displeases John Aycliffe, steward of Stromford, very much. Soon the steward proclaims Crispin a wolf's head,which means anyone can kill him.

 

Crispin runs away to find a place in the world,but instead he finds a "city of death," a town that was ruined by the Black Plague. In the village,he meets a cheerful, traveling, muscian named Bear praying in the church. Bear teaches Crispin to play the recorder while he dances to get money. But John Aycliffe is still trying to catch Crispin, so the two have to be careful. Meanwhile, Bear reads the cross Crispin had, and it said "CRISPIN SON OF FURNIVAL!"

 

When Bear gets captured and put in the dungeons of Lord Furnival's castle, Crispin goes after Bear and rescues him. Almost outside the city walls, Crispin and John Aycliffe have a fight which ends with Bear killing John Aycliffe. Crispin and Bear dance out of the city, Bear free of torture and Crispin with a name and a place as Bear's apprentice.

 

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