Thursday, December 19, 2013

Book Report Project for January

The project will be due on one of three days, depending on your last name

Last Name A-G- Tuesday 1/25/13
Last Name H-P- Wednesday 1/26/13
Last Name Q-Z- Thursday 1/27/13

This week students should select an appealing chapter book from our classroom library. Over the next 4 weeks, students will read their self-selected book and create a cereal box book report at home. Students will decorate a real cereal box with illustrations and information related to the book they read using the directions below.

FRONT OF BOX: Use a piece of white or light colored paper to cover the front of your cereal box. (You will probably want to create the cover before gluing it on your box.) Include the name of the cereal and a picture. Invent a name for the cereal that is related to the title of the book and sounds like a cereal. Do not use the exact title of the book. You may want to look at the attached page of real cereal boxes to get some ideas. Choose a shape for the cereal as well as colors and ingredients that all relate to the book. For example, for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you might invent a cereal called Wizard Wands, a toasted oat cereal in the shape of miniature lightning bolts.

RIGHT SIDE: Make a list of ingredients that includes the story elements Characters and Setting. Under the heading "Ingredients," list the main characters and write a sentence about each one. Then describe the setting. You can use the template on the attached sheet or cover the side with white or light colored paper and do it in your own way. Just make sure you include the main characters and the setting.

LEFT SIDE: Write a summary that describes the main problem and the solution of the book. Try to use words that will “grab” readers’ attention and make them want to buy your cereal. You can use the attached template or do this is your own way.

BACK OF BOX: Design a game that is based on the story. It can be a puzzle, a word search, a word scramble, a maze, a crossword puzzle, a hidden pictures illustration, or any other fun activity that might be found on the back of a cereal box. Make sure it includes information from the book.

TOP OF BOX: Include the title, author, number of pages, and number of stars you would give this book if you were a book critic. The maximum number of stars would be 5. You can use the template or create the top of the box yourself as long as you include all of the things listed above.

PRIZE: Cereal boxes often include a prize. Your prize must be something the main character could have used in the book or something that reminds you of the main character. You can even include a picture of the prize on the front of your box to let the reader know what is inside the box.

**All templates for this cereal box book report will be available to download from the class website. This will be helpful for students who want to write rough drafts for the sides of their box before doing the final copies. Also, if students mess up or want to redo any section of the box, they can just print new copies from the website.
Here is how your child will receive points for each section of the box

Right Side 5 pts. – Main Characters and Setting of the book under “ingredients”

Left Side 5 pts.- Complete Summary

Front 5 pts.- Name of Cereal and Picture

Back 5 pts.- Cereal Game related to the book read

Top 5 pts.- Author, Number of Pages, Stars (Out of 5)

Prize 5 pts.- Prize related to the book

Commercial (Speaking) 10 pts.

Commercial Writing Piece 10 pts.

TOTAL POINTS /50 points


Cereal Box Commercial
Students will share their project by doing a 1-2 minute commercial for their cereal. These oral presentations will be made the week of January 25, 2013. Students should practice their commercials at home to make sure of the timing. The goal is to make other students really want to buy the cereal (read the book). Use the following guidelines for writing the commercial:
• Share exciting elements from the book – Share exciting elements from the book ––– the problem, important scenes, setting, plot, the problem, important scenes, interesting characters, etc.
• Be energetic! Try to convince the audience to buy the cereal whether you liked the book or not.
• Cereal has nutritional value and is “good for the body.” Tell your classmates why this book would be good for them.
• (Optional) Be a character from the book to help you “sell” your product.