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Nonfiction Book Report: Adding Interest and Relevance through Choice

published on: 2/28/2003

Contributing Teacher(s): Diane Tinucci

Subject Area: Communication Arts/Reading/literature, Communication Arts/Writing/research

Grade Range: High School (9-12)

Materials Needed:

• The handouts provided which explain the assignment and provide the grading guidelines

Instructional Strategy: Evaluating Student Understanding

Process Standards:

• Goal 1.10 apply acquired information, ideas and skills to different contexts as students, workers, citizen
• Goal 1.8 organize data, information and ideas into useful forms (including charts, graphs, outlines)
• Goal 2.1 plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences

Content Standards:

• Communication Arts 1 - Speaking and writing standard English (including grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, ...)
• Communication Arts 3. Reading and evaluating nonfiction works and material (such as biographies, newspap...)
• Communication Arts 6. Participating in formal and informal presentations and discussions of issues and ideas

  G.L.E.:
  

  • CA - Re - 1 - H - 09
    (Reading, Develop and apply skills and strategies to the reading process, Post-reading, Grade 9-12.)

  Time Allowance: See time allowances below

  Description: Reading nonfiction is more engagingly taught if interesting product options are offered--presentation, differentiation,writing

  ---

  Classroom Component: Time Allowance:

  • 1 class hour = Reminder of excellent oral presentation skills with critiqued teacher model speech.
  • 5 minutes per student x 20 students = 100 minutes = 2 or 3 class periods = Delivery of speeches. To shorten the in-class time, one could have another teacher videotape and critique half the students and then grade the videotaped speeches at home. NOTE:  I would like to suggest videotaping of all class speeches. Doing so provides a record for student study and reflection, but also for evaluation verification.
  • 1 50 minute class period or a week lead time as a homework assignment

  Rationale:

  With our jammed curriculum guides, English teachers often ignore or gloss over study of nonfiction literature when, ironically, reading nonfiction materials such as newspapers will occupy a significant portion of our students "reading" lives. This pair of final product options (which could be used together or separately) will enable a teacher who wants to evaluate study of nonfiction reading to offer students an enjoyable and quality manner in which to demonstrate understanding; nothing would "kill" a nonfiction unit more than requiring multitudes of kids to read the same book, as interest in essential in enjoying nonfiction.

  Steps to Implement:
• Teachers would plan study of nonfiction, choosing a variety of articles including first person accounts, biography, news reports, instructional pieces, etc. Teachers would discuss the need to consider different aspects of the literature than with fiction study. Concepts like plot and conflict are no longer relevant. Issues of authority, currency, support and bias could be explored along with these reading guidelines:
• From the title and author, predict the subject, main idea and supportive evidence.
• Ask yourself to recall past related knowledge or experience.
• Ask yourself to identify the writer''s major points and their relationship to the main idea.
• Work to visualize the experiences presented and their relevance to the main point.
• Determine whether offered evidence is sufficient, relevant, and supportive. Ask whether reasoning is logical.
• Reaffirm the author''s purpose, strategy is achieving it, and effectiveness of strategy.
• If the "The Book Stops Here" report is chosen, teacher should have previously given instruction on basic components of excellent oral communication. Issues of introductions, eye contact, conversational delivery, and substantive content should have been addressed. I had the speech teacher come in and evaluate a speech I delivered in front of the class. (We videotaped that "speech basics" lesson to show to the two other classes to not take the speech teacher away from his whole day of responsibilities.)
• If the biography report option is selected, teacher should have discussed the "college application" or "self-recommendation" letter briefly stressing that the best letter or essay of this type is personal and specific and elaborates a smaller topic fully. If the question, "Could anyone have written this essay?" can be answered affirmatively, the essay needs to be revised to be more individual specific. Various advice articles are available in college guides and Literary Cavalcade magazines which offer advice and models for study.

The Book Stops Here CLS a Nonfiction Book Report Speech - 40 points plus 4 extra credit

Our class has become a respected committee of Rockwood School District book purchase advisors. Each of you has been assigned a book to read, review and recommend (or not) for purchase. Your responsibility should not be taken lightly; Rockwood is careful with every penny it spends, yet wants the best for its students. You are yourself, but you are to imagine you are presenting to the eight member Rockwood School Board.

The grading guidelines explain the required components of your three to seven minute presentation. You may order your information in any sequence that seems logical.

You must present a discussion of your book''s:
vital statistics (title, author, copyright, publisher) along with an overview of its contents which demonstrate your careful reading of the entire book. For a nonfiction book, you will tell what kinds of information are presented, as well as the organization and emphasis of that information. For a fiction book, give a plot summary which highlights conflict, resolution, main characters and point of view.		10
readability. Here talk about things like reading and interest level ease of use, special features, logic of organization, etc,		8
relevance. How does the information presented relate to your research? What information was useful -- how, and to what degree? How much did it matter to your overall effort that you read this book and why?		8
desirability for purchase. Why or why shouldn''t we spend limited funds on this book?		4

Of course, you will be evaluated on your speaking skills, especially the ones highlighted by your Speech Buddies. Work to be authoritative; non fidgeting, non "umming," or "liking;" and "eye-contacting." Diction should be appropriate. (Should you consider proper dress on speech day?)        Learning Objectives for YOU! In completing this assignment, you will ...
• demonstrate thorough, thoughtful reading of a useful source
• make idea connections in your research
• (sort of) practice tailoring a presentation to an adult audience
• practice speaking skills
• practice creating and delivering a deliberate conclusion besides, "I''m done; what are you staring at?"
• exercise creativity

In-Class Biography Book Report Essay - 48 points OPEN BOOK Imagine the unimaginable! The person you just read about is applying for college at his or her true age, or as an adult if your person is no longer with us. The application is complete, except for the essay section. Your applicant gets to choose one of the following questions:

• If you could change a few events in your life, what would they be and why?
• If you were forced to live with only three items, which items would you choose and why?
• You are the famous person someone wanted to spend an evening with. What did you talk about?
• What three adjectives best describe you and why?
Like a quality college essay, this writing will touch substance with fun. The substance here is book details. This essay is, first and foremost, a book report. It is your responsibility to pack your answer with tons of specific story details about your person''s life. If you speak generally and do not talk about the actual events in your person''s life, you will not convince your audience you read a book. In addition to answering the above question, please write an MLA listing of the specifics somewhere on this sheet or your essay answer. Please staple this under your essay when you turn it in.

Evaluation

Clear, appropriate, specific thesis. (Please underline your thesis.)	5
At least three major ideas, points, opinions, each clarified by specific details	9
Multitudes of specific details learned about your person from reading	30
MLA listing of your book''s specifics	4

Mechanical errors will not detract from your score unless they impede understanding of your message.

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For additional information contact :
Diane Tinucci
Lafayette Sr. High
Rockwood R-VI
(636) 458-7200
EMAIL: tinuccidiane@rockwood.k12.mo.us