On one side of the cover, come up with 10 song titles that represent characters, events, or settings in the book. She is passionate about critical and creative thinking and loves to bring out the very best in students and teachers. These 10 creative book report ideas will spice things up for the better. If tech doesnt transform your classroom, your teaching or your students learning, skip it. See the sandwich and pizza options below and check out this blog for more delicious ideas 4. Creative alternatives to book reports lexia learning. If a project can be done using paper or pencil but youre doing it on a computer or device, its not transforming your classroom. Learning technologies and creativity in the classroom. Technology supports creativity in the classroom because it is a medium that requires interaction, unlike the oneway participation of an activity such as watching tv. Turn them into creative projects complete with artwork, technology applications, acting or writing with a creative twist. On the back of the book cover, explain why you are giving the award to the book.
Once your students have completed their projects, be sure to allow them time to share with the class. Beatties classroom this project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom. Keith ferrell is an educational technology coach at singapore american school. These ohsocool reports were always the topranked project by my fifth graders. Do your students grumble every time you mention the words book reports. How can the use of technology enhance writing in the. Taking the time to consider them, as well as creating a structure that allows students to use technology creatively, can pull the book report out of obscurity and into the modern classroom. Cereal box book reports are fun and unique for students in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th grades and middle school.
This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom. Nonetheless, incorporating digital devices appropriately and innovatively into lesson plans can be a challenge amidst the statutory academic requirements. The most dreaded word in school reading for students. Design a poster or new book cover depicting the climax of the story. Four ways to engage digital learners creative educator.
One easy way many educators are using technology in the classroom is to have students respond to short questions during a lesson to test for understanding. This amazing 27 page book report project, which is geared towa. In my opinion, these principles hold no matter what style a book report is in. Technological innovations continue to make the world a smaller place, changing the nature of work and communication. These 21 stcentury skills are essential in order to be successful in this day and age. Technology has a unique way of bringing some boring tasks back to life.
Creative book report ideas for teachers needing book report templates, projects, and diy ideas. In order to fully participate and thrive in a world steeped in information, students must be able to. How can the use of technology enhance writing in the classroom. This course will lead the noviceintermediate user into a comfort zone by learning to set realistic expectations. Write an acrostic poem about the book using the letters in the title of the book or the name of a character or author.
With the ability to take and store thousands of pictures and videos, and listen to music in the palms of our hands, our students have the ability to be more and more. Instead of a book report, my students wrote a video by kim blomqvist, secondary teacher assigning book reports was slowly creeping up on me as the school year progressed. Consider assigning an image to each student and asking them to write about it, or ask them to create a book using the lessons they learned in science or math class. Use these twentyfive ideas to shake up your bookrelated activities. Furthermore, a ban on technology in the classroom would require a student with a documented accommodation to eschew such a ban, thereby creating the possibility of revealing an invisible stigma. Teaching students creative and critical thinking minds. There are ways to use technology in the classroom that wont take much out of your alreadypacked day these were covered in this article, and include ideas like practicing keyboarding and basic tech skills, building up student stamina by using tech academically, and honing tech problemsolving skills.
Using technology with classroom instruction that works 2nd edition is a bigpicture book that surveys the field of technological tools and helps the teacher connect with the kinds of technology she might wish to use in the classroom. Creating book trailers in the classroom is part of science education logo motivate students to read books, while engaging them with creating their own book trailers with this fun reading activity grab a freebie to get started. About 63 percent of k12 teachers use technology in the classroom daily. A new survey from the university of phoenix college of education found that daily classroom tech use is up from 55 percent in 2016. Book reports need not be boring retellings of stories. Despite the challenges, you likely want to enjoy the benefits that education technology can deliver.
Seesaws creative canvas lets students capture their learning visually and share it with the class. Book reports are old news, and kids often dont enjoy doing them. These are all good directions for growth in the use of technology in the classroom, but the case should be made that the key to technology in the classroom is the teacher. Not your grandma s book report harpursville middle school. These resources can be used for any books making them. In some cases, this boredom ends up killing a learners love of reading. Using technology in the classroom can be a great way to engage your students, especially in the 21st century when technology seems to be everywhere. Spice up those old book reports with some new, creative ideas. This book report project is a lowtech version of a television made. There are so many super creative, openended projects you can use mint tins for. Art provides a creative way to prepare a book report with many variations and options.
My former colleagues were all complaining about it and i remembered it all too well from my days in the classroom. Making in english language arts use creative technology tools to engage struggling readers and writers. See more ideas about book report, reading classroom, school reading. The challenge of this digital revolution is finding new ways to incorporate the everchanging technologies into meaningful lessons in the classroom.
Furthermore, having students create book trailers is a great way to incorporate technology in the classroom and encourage reading. These will work for almost any book and are especially good when students are reading independent book selections. May 1, 2019 unique ideas for student reports and projects. Using the ones that best apply to you and your students, and keeping the condensed list on your desk for quick reference, consider these 25 easy ways to use technology in the classroom. Pamela moeai is an educational technology specialist, a trainer, a coach, a teacher, a mom, grammy pammy, and a baker of pies.
Ideas for using technology as well as paper and coloring utensils are included. Fresh ideas for creative book reports education world. When used correctly, technology is a platform that allows students to engage in meaningful creative activities and explore their own potential. Students can create diagrams and charts with an easy pen tool, making it easy to put notes on paper in a more creative format.
Instead of a book report, my students wrote a video. The heightened drama and excitement may inspire students to pick up the book on their own. There is a lot of opportunity for differentiation and reaching all kinds of learning styles with these activities. Technology is making it easier than ever to keep the classroom creative without putting more work on your plate, or taking away from the lessons youve already written. What research tells us about using technology in the. Work that is turned in to the teacher is submitted on classroom for feedback. That works fine when all kids have a smartphone or device, but plickers is. After discussing the different types of writing found in a newspaper, students create their own newspaper that focuses on the book they have read.
Book jackets grades 35 an activity that never fails to bring the creative side out of your students. And the winner is students create a medal and award it to the best book of the year. Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. Many students believe that using technology in the classroom will help prepare them for the digital future. Draw and color the book cover, and place the book award ribbon on the cover. This would be another method students could create book reports by using technology. Fresh new graphics and fonts to fit most all grades. Jobs that may not have had a digital component in the past may have one now. Banish boring book reports in your classroom with this creative bundle containing 6 different book report activities your students can use to demonstrate their comprehension of material read. Education world presents 25 ideas for you to use or adapt. Teachertested ideas to help kids respond to their reading with enthusiasm. While a whopping 86 percent of educators indicate they use laptops in classrooms the most, the use of other tools is on the rise.
Use the idea of movie posters but make a book poster to advertise and sell the. The incredible classroom creative teacher education. He has always integrated technology into the curriculum, even. Book reports are a valuable tool for assessing students understanding of independent reading, but writing report after report can become rote for studentsand reading them can be equally tedious for educators. Fortunately, there are a plethora of alternative methods to accomplish the same goal.
Jazz up traditional book reports with these 15 different digital book report ideas your students will love. Award for innovative uses of technology that change teaching and learning. Mini book reports mini book reports hold big ideas. Along with their book report project they will also be creating a short comm. Ideas for creative book report projects by elizabeth stover. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports and using them. Looking for an engaging book report project that will have your students using their reading, writing, and art skills. How to enhance book reports using technology huffpost. Most schools offer and prioritize technology curriculum, but today, students are using technology more than ever before. Ten great creative book report ideas minds in bloom. The rapid growth of new technologies has a significant impact on education. Students loved creating an original book report display using a covered cereal box and readymade templates.
Have fun using them in your classroom, and find a lot more great ideas and materials when you try scholastic printables riskfree for 30 days. Educators in the classroom up to district leaders, who are interested in what kinds of tools teachers and. Spread the love creativity has always been a part of a successful classroom, however recent advances in technology are making it possible to increase the ability for students to use their creativity in academia. Beyond the book report a list of 35 ways to respond to reading.
Virtual bookshelves are a great alternative to book reports and reading logs. He has been a classroom teacher since 1996 and has taught everything from grades 2 to 12. Here are 22 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful. This course will explore the many possible avenues for creative student expression made possible with the ipad as well as ways to create a culture of creation in your school or classroom. Book report makeover are students bored with book reports. When you have to reach 30 different readers with 30 different learning styles and capabilities, audiobooks can help you bridge the gap and keep students engaged in meaningful literacy activities. A quick web search will reveal that there are many ideas out there for creative book reports, but they are not all good ideas. Students can write a summary of the plot of the book or engage in higherlevel thinking by using their writing skills in a more creative way.
Different ideas on making book reports the classroom. Students could retell their story using green screen technology. If you notice big eye rolls or hear lots of groaning when you mention the words book reports, any of these 25 alternative bookrelated activities are the perfect remedy. Alternative book reports for the 21st century whooos. And it is both illegal and unethical to prevent students with accommodations from using their legally approved technologies in the classroom. Differentiating with technology pokey stanford margie w.
The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how technology enhances writing in the classroom. Take a look at these fun and effective alternatives to book reports and get your. The finished projects made a great classroom display, and students loved looking at their classmates creative reports. Thus, book trailer project is a great alternative to boring book report. How technology can expand creativity and innovation in. If the book is rich in setting, then asking them to illustrate where the story takes place can also be revealing. After reading an informational book, make a scrapbook about the topics. Jazz up traditional book reports with these 15 different digital book report ideas your. The creative application of technology can help you engage digital learners in content, reinforce skills essential to life in todays world, and, most importantly, require them to actively create rather than passively consume. There are many, many great ways for students to respond to literature.