Writing Book Reports

Third grade is typically the time when children are asked to pair their reading and writing together.  Though many types of writing takes place this year; book reports are often first. Advancing past copywork, narration, and basic Q & A-type questions, third graders must apply thought and some level of summation or analysis to their writing. (Some second graders are taught this later in the year.)

In order to teach him how to write book reports effectively, I needed to first strengthen his summarizing skills. Because he is a new third grader I am starting only with the basics. As the year progresses, I will add more “meat” (theme, point of view, plot, etc) as he is ready.

This week, we began by using some of his favorite picture books to summarize using a graphic organizer that I downloaded from Homeschool Classroom. 

The organizer has 5 parts:

1.      Title

2.      Characters (Who?)

3.      Setting (When & Where)

4.      Problem (What’s Wrong?)

5.      Solution

We read the book together and we stopped to add these parts in as we discovered them in our reading. I like to stop so he can see the order of the story unfolding.

Once the graphic organizer is finished we move on to write our book report by transferring the information into sentences.

 Just like the organizer, I tell him the report has 5 parts:

1.      Title

2.      Author

3.      Summary (The five parts of the organizer written in “paragraph” form.)

4.      Opinion (I like this book because…)

5.      Credit (By: _______________(insert child’s name)

I created a book report template for him that includes all of these items. We will work through the process together until I feel he is able to write book reports on his own using this method. Halfway through the year (I hope) I will begin adding chapter books for him to summarize and report on—which will increase the content and depth of his reports, adding some of the “meat” discussed earlier. For now, I am giving books that he is interested in so he can appreciate what he is reading, summarizing, and reporting. However, the opinion portion will be replaced with a critique portion in upper elementary. Realistically, every book he reads he will not like.

I like to begin teaching this process with the book A Tree Named Steve. (The link above has some good ones too!)

You want to make sure you pre-read your books so that the characters, setting, problem, and solution can be easily identified by your reader.

EXAMPLE: Graphic Organizer

1.      Title                 A Tree Named Steve                          

2.      Characters      Adam, Sari, Lindsay, Kirby, Mom & Dad

3.      Setting             In the yard…

4.      Problem           Steve died in a storm.

5.      Solution           Dad wrote the kids a letter to help them feel better.

After we read this book, my son filled in his organizer with the above information. I did my best not to interfere unless he was totally off. I still have a small issue with his solution but it isn’t wrong, so I just let him be a creative thinker without me ranting. (Dad did not write the letter to make the kids better. He wrote it to inform the kids of Steve’s death. But, hey! It was close enough for a 7 year old.)

EXAMPLE: Book Report

Our Tree Named Steve

Alan Zwiebel

This book is about a tree who was a friend to Adam, Lindsay, and Sari. The tree died from a storm in front of their yard while they were visiting grandma’s house. Dad wrote his kids a letter to help them feel better. I like this book because the tree helped the kids and I would want it to help me too.

By: Peanut

(He wrote his actual first and last name on his report)

As you can see, it is very basic. However, he understands what key elements he needs to summarize and how to offer his opinion. Also, it is very important for him to see that not all the characters he listed were a part of the summary. (This is prepping him for main character versus supporting character later on in the year when we arrive at summarizing chapters books.)

Blessings,
Joyice, The Writing Enhancer