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Often, it works best to match the book report format to a particular genre of books. Here are some ideas I used last year with second grade students:
Basic written book report.
Good for the first book report of the year. I use a simple form, with the due date typed right on the sheet. All I ask this early in the year is for the title, author, number of pages, setting, characters, and three sentences written about the book. Always start easy!
PDF file of my basic book report form
Puppets
Puppets are yet another classic book report form. Giving a puppet show requires a student to REALLY read for comprehension. Fairy tales, folk tales, and myths work well for this form of book report.
Evaluation form for puppet shows or plays
Dioramas
Dioramas are another classic book report form. My second graders always loved doing them, and I automatically saved all of our empty tissue boxes for future dioramas!
Magnetic figures
Stories that have a particular sequence to them are ideal for magnetic figures. My classroom had big metal chalkboards, so magnetic figures worked well on them. Fantasy stories work very well for this form of book report. You can use the same form for evaluation as the form used for dioramas.
Triptych
The triptych is really just another form of written book report, but it is a nice variation. The pdf file linked below will give you a copy of the triptych form that I use with biographies.
Biography triptych form
Posters for nonfiction
Posters work well for nonfiction books. It is a good idea to send home instructions on this one, telling the students EXACTLY how the final product will be evaluated. (I once had a visually LOVELY poster...but the child didn't even put the TITLE of the book on the poster!) I just send home a blank copy of the evaluation form.
Posters for a Folktale Book Report
Posters also work well for a folktale. Again, it is a good idea to send home instructions on this one, telling the students EXACTLY how the final product will be evaluated.
For the folktale poster project, we did several examples in class, so that students understood the assignment. Here's what we did: We used Little Red Riding Hood as an example. I asked the children to pretend that they are a character in the story. They are to think of a message they would like to give to another one of the characters, and show it on a poster.
For example, what might the wolf's poster say? (Come right into the house, Little Red Riding Hood!)
What might Little Red Riding Hood's mother put on a poster? (Stay on the path. Don't talk to strangers.
Beware of wolves!)
This one can be a lot of fun! My favorite from last year was for the book Tiki Tiki Tembo. It had a neatly drawn picture of a well, with the circle-and-slash symbol over it. The caption simply stated, "Don't go near the Well!"
This project focusses on creativity! The posters are a LOT of fun to display in the hallway.
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