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Book Report unit

Page history last edited by Rob G 13 years, 6 months ago

 

Overview:

In this unit, 21st Century Book Reports, students have the opportunity to demonstrate their reading comprehension in creative and innovative ways using technology tools.  The unit represented here encompasses 8-12 days as students get used to learning the tools as well as creating their book reports.  After the tools have been successfully used and student develop the prerequisite skills, subsequent book reporting will not take as long.  The various tools used may require students to have email accounts; we have managed this by creating student-safe accounts in EPals, which students will learn to use as well.  Students will see teacher-led demonstrations of each tool using a book the entire class has read.  After seeing each demonstration student will have the opportunity to login and practice that tool before moving on to the next technology tool.  After initially learning each of the tools, students will have monthly book reports assigned.  Each book report will encompass a different genre as listed the outline and a different technology tool.  The first four book report tools will be assigned by the teacher; the tools used in the  final four assignments are chosen by the student.

 

Essential Questions
How can students demonstrate reading comprehension using 21st century skills?

Kid version: How can students show reading comprehension using technology tools?

 

Content
A. Literary Elements : author, title, characters, problem, solution,  setting

B. 21st Century Learning: Creativity and Innovation, Communication and Collaboration

 

Skills
A1. Identify orally, visually or in writing the author of the book
A2. Identify orally, visually or in writing the title of the book
A3. Identify orally, visually or in writing the main characters in the book
A4. Identify orally, visually or in writing the problem of the book
A5. Identify orally, visually or in writing the solution of the book
A6. Identify orally, visually or in writing the setting of the book

 

B1. Demonstrate orally, visually or in writing creativity and innovation

B2. Demonstrate orally, visually or in writing communication and collaboration

 

Assessment
A.-B. Using Kidblog, Zooburst, Shelfari, Toondo, or Voicethread students will respond to a given book including title, author, main characters, problem, solution, and setting
*Book Report Rubric

*Students are assessed monthly on different genres of books as listed in outline, as well as different online resources and tools assigned by teacher.

 

Activities/Strategies           back to the top
A.-B.  Teacher will create student email accounts in ePals. Students, with teacher guidance, setup their own accounts and login to Kidblog, Zooburst, Shelfari, Toondo, and Voicethread. Within accounts students will create alternatives to book reports. Students will have the option of creating reviews, personal representations, and summaries of books with outcomes being comic books, blogs, popup books, magazines, personal book shelf, and multimedia tours of books.

Step-by-step tutorials for getting started:
How to ePals

How to KidBlog

How to ToonDoo

How to ZooBurst (Coming soon!)

How to VoiceThread

How to Shelfari

How to Google Docs

 

Preparation

Technology: In order for students to be successful in creating these book reports there are several ways to accommodate their needs, interests, and prior learning. Before the unit begins, students will take a short online survey about their prior use with computers. This survey includes what students have done in and out of school along with their comfort level doing certain things (logging in to different resources). After the survey is completed the teacher can then find out which students need more support with technology skills. If some students do not have access to computer outside of school the teacher is responsible for accommodating them further (homework club, flexible time using computers, town library). 

 

Comprehension: There are many ways to help students be successful with reading comprehension. To start, it is important to know what their reading level is. This could be found out through past year assessments or informal assessments done in the classroom. When students choose a book for the book report it is important that they pick a book that is at their reading level and is interesting to the student. Once the student has chosen the book, if the student still needs accommodations, this is where it can be done. These accommodations range from reading the book aloud, to having it on an mp3 or tape. Students who might have difficulty completing a book could have a calendar telling them how much to read every night and when they need to start working on the project. After completion of reading the book, students can go to Shelfari and read reviews written by other people to confirm their comprehension.

 

Management

  • Epals accounts created for student-safe email accounts (used for several tools logins)
  • Students will have individual laptops available from the computer cart when necessary
  • 5th grade students who have more experience will assist 4th grade students with logins and navigation
  • Teachers website is available with all resources linked so students can access tools quickly, and independently
  • Students use set a schedule to monitor number of pages to be read each night, while considering time management to complete their assignment
  • Teacher demonstrates technology skills and resources using a SmartBoard and projector, while students watch before practicing at their own laptops 

 

Procedures/Timeline

Day 1:

-Introduce the book reports to students, handout outline of books due for the year, includes different genres, approval dates, due dates, and expectations.

-Rubric, discuss how students will be scored

-Show them "possible" product; Toondoo - talk about a book everyone had read, demonstrate how to put in backgrounds, dialog, and characters.

 

Day 2:

-Students fill out "Student Technology Use Survey" so teacher can see availability of computer and internet use outside of school along with comfort levels using computers and online resources.

 

Day 3-4:

-Login to ePals as their source of "confirmation emails" used during signing up for other tools.

-Create a resource in ePals for students to save weblink, login name, and password, along with pertinent notes

-With teacher guidance students will access each of the 6 tools they will need throughout book reporting, create their login id and passwords, and show success by re-logging in to each site.

 

Days 5-7:

-Show them each of the tools that they can choose for Book reporting, and practice how to setup.

-Refer to "how to" documentations.

     1. Toondo: this tool has the opportunity for lots of creativity; however criteria should be modeled so that elements of the book report are clearly evident (ie: main character can be followed throughout the 3 frames of the Toon).

     2. Shelfari: make sure to create a class group prior to student login

     3. Kidblog: make sure to create student accounts beforehand, students will not be able to sign-up themselves.  Post a beginning orientation message so students have a post to read and respond to (ie: no abbreviations, complete sentences, grammar rules apply, appropriate netiquette etc).

     4. VoiceThread: students will need to know how to find photos and upload to Voicethread.  Images can come from a variety of resources; we will be using Google Images, and taking precautions to set the search preferences to "safe search" (strict or moderate filtering).

 

Days 8-12:

-Allow students time to explore each tool in order to feel comfortable using it.  Students should be able to...

     *Successfully and efficiently log in and out of their online accounts.

    *Toondo: create a toon using a story the class has read showing the different book report criteria

     *Shelfari: join the teacher's group, find a book they've read and add a it to student's shelf and to the group's shelf, try writing a rough review of the book

     *Kidblog: read the teacher's post, respond to a post, create their own posts

    *VoiceThread: find and upload a picture, create a VoiceThread by commenting with text and voice, share VoiceThread:

          a. Select VoiceThread, click menu, click share, "invite your friends"

          b. My contacts -> Add new contact

          c. Type in teacher's email address and name

          d. Click the "friend" icon once, and "send invite"

          *teacher will then get an invite in their email where they can click and have access to the student's voicethread

 

Standards

  • Creativity and Innovation, 1a.-1b. (ISTE NETS-S) - Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
  • Communication and Collaboration, 2a.-2b.(ISTE NETS-S) -Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
  • Standard 1.3: Reading Comprehension
  • Standard 5.13: Responding to Text
    • Grade Expectation: "Initial Understanding of Literary Text"R4: 10 Demonstrate initial understanding of key elements of literary text by, Identifying or describing character(s), setting, problem/solution, major events, or plot, as appropriate to text; or identifying any significant changes in character(s) over time, paraphrasing or summarizing key ideas/plot, with major events sequenced, as appropriate to text
  • Standard 1.4: Reading Range of Text
    • Grade Expectation: R4: 17 Demonstrates the habit of reading extensively by reading the equivalent of at least two books a month, including in-school, out-of-school, and summer reading    
    • Grade Expectation: R4: 18 Demonstrates the habit of reading widely and in depth by reading from at least three different genres/kinds of text including primary and secondary sources, and a variety of authors

 

Resources

 

 

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