April 20

Homework - Both Classes
A rough draft of your editorial must be completed by Wednesday!

A final book project has been assigned with a due date no later than May 21, 2010.   I expect everyone to have an absolutely amazing project this time around!  

Book Project - Due no later than May 21, 2010.  The directions are shown below.  
                             

The Book Project

The book project is your response to one of the books that you have chosen to read.  
I must approve your book choice before you begin!  Your second book project is due no 
later than May 21, 2010.  Please remember, however, that you must schedule a 
time to present your book talk and, obviously, everyone can't do it on the same day!  
The sooner you finish the better! 

How to Create a Book Project 

The Outside:
Choose any container for your book project.  You may do a folder, or you may choose 
any other container that suits your needs. (ie. manilla envelope, paper bag, plastic bag, 
can with a cover, box, or any other container that you can imagine.  Be creative!) 
Decorate the container with details appropriate to the book or container's contents. 

The Inside: 
The inside of the container should include the following materials and activities 
pertaining to the book. 

1. Questions - Write 10 questions that could be answered by reading the book that 
you have chosen to read.  Five of the questions should be easier questions with answers 
that are obvious simply by reading the book.  Five of the questions should be harder 
questions with answers that require more thinking, interpretation, and or combining of 
information from the book (inferences).  

2. Vocabulary – Complete a “Three-Point Approach” for ten unfamiliar words from 
the book you have chosen to read. (These are available in the Literature Sorter in the 
classroom – ask me to show you where they are! or….design your own “three-point 
approach” in a some fashion!) 

3. Items - Five items that depict the story in some way.  These items must be 
student created facsimiles such as an original game using facts or information 
from your book, or some other creative option that you would like to do. 
After you have an idea of what you are going to include, you must 
meet with me first to explain your choices and how they relate to the book you have 
read. You must have my approval before including these items in your Book Project.  
(There is a list hanging on the back wall in the classroom with over 100 different ideas 
of things you can do....please read it!)

4.  Present a Book Talk – When you have finished the book and your book project 
you are to present an oral presentation to your peers by means of a book talk.  In a 
book talk, the speaker talks about the book or gives a brief summary, reads a short 
passage, dresses like one of the characters, talks and/or acts like one of the characters, 
and answers questions about the book.  The goal of your book talk is toconvince others
to read the book.  

Book talks don’t have to be boring!  You might like to use technology to help you 
make it more interesting by videotaping your book talk or by making a Powerpoint 
presentation to use as a visual aid.  Posters or other types of visual aids are also 
helpful.  Be creative and see what you can come up with!  Book Talks should take 
between 5 -10 minutes to complete.   Let me know when you are ready to present 
so we can schedule your presentation time!