Book Report

In addition to adding more projects (or really, just doing projects), I've been doing a few book reports this year.  We did one with a lunch bag a few months ago where I let the kids pick any book they wanted.

This time, we're making a hamburger and I had them pick a historical fiction book.  I love "making" them pick different genres for a couple reasons.  It helps them to broaden their reading horizons (which the boys really need) and to realize that the broadening can actually be fun.  Plus, my boys get to learn what genres are (bonus).

As I was pinteresting around (is that a real phrase?), I came across this cute idea a really long time ago and looked it up again yesterday.

The original idea (or at least where I got the idea from) is a website called Unique Teaching Resources.  They turned a book report into a cheeseburger.  Hmm, that sounds messy.  Although my kids think it's funny.  And fun.  If you click the link above, you can watch a video that shoes you the different pieces up close and then you can purchase their template for $4.99.

I'm way too cheap for that.  So, I made my own.  Here are all my pieces apart...

And together...

My kids will either use mine as inspiration and draw their own (I even told them they could make it any color they wanted, can you imagine purple meat?) or they can trace mine. 

After they finish making the hamburger piece (although this particular sandwich is roast beef, it's what Josh wanted), they will cut out a piece of lined paper and glue it on top to do their writing.  Although I think the writing would probably be easier to do before the gluing, I think we'll do that from now on.

The top bun has the title, author and genre.  Then the middle pieces (in whatever order you choose) you have: the setting, main character, plot, conclusion and my favorite part.  Or if you like something else more, you can always substitute and talk all about the story line or all about the characters or anything else you can think of.  The bottom bun has a picture drawn from the story. 

I'm pretty excited to watch my kids put these together.  I'll take some pictures of them as they get finished in the next few weeks (we have next week off for Spring Break, so it'll take a little longer) and post them.

Do you have a favorite report (book report or something else)?  I'd love to hear about it or see it if it's posted online!  I'm always looking for new, fun ideas.