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Book Report Makeover: Ratings and Card Catalogs


Each week, Education World offers a new idea to help you "make over" boring book report formats. If you're looking for a way to spice up book reports -- and truly engage students in reading -- you've come to the right place. Check out this week's makeover idea

Students create a card catalog for books they read throughout the year.

Have students complete an index card with information about each book they read during the school year. On the front of the card, students should write the book's title, author, and publishing date, along with a two- to three-sentence synopsis of the book. On the back of the card, students write a paragraph critiquing the book. Encourage students to include a rating for the book based on a five-star rating system; for example, a five-star book is one that's "highly recommended; a book you can't put down," while a one-star book might be one that "will put you to sleep." Keep completed in a card file near the classroom bookshelf or in the school library.

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