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Make Your Own Book Mobile

Book Report Practice

Make Your Own Book Mobile

Your child's first book report assignment can be very stressful. It's hard to know what elements go into a book report, how much detail to go into, and how to present the information. You can circumvent this anxiety by practicing book reports at home with him. Making a Book Mobile to describe a book you've read together can be a fun way to explore the book further, and is a good way to prepare him for his first book report.

Skills Being Practiced

• Reading comprehension
• Analytical thinking
• Fine motor skills
• Written communication

What You Need

• Chapter book you and your child have read together
• 10 index cards
• Pencil
• Scissors
• String/yarn
• Coat hanger
• Hole punch

How to Play

1. Choose a simple chapter book to read with your child. Books like Barbara Parker's Junie B. Jones series or Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House books are good ones to start with, because they have strong characters, memorable plots, and capture a child's imagination.
2. Read the book together, a few chapters at a time. When you've finished the book, talk about it a little bit. Ask: Who are the main characters? What happened in the book? Where did it take place? What problem did the character(s) have to solve? What did you like about the book? What did you not like about the book?
3. Tell your child that in answering your questions he has talked about allthe things that make a good book report. Explain that you're going to put all that information together in one place so that someone who has not read the book will have all the information he needs to decide whether or not he would like to read it.
4. Gather the materials to make a Book Mobile. Give your child an index card and ask him to write the title of the book and the author on it. Punch holes in the top corners of the card and cut two pieces of string of equal length. String a piece through each hole and tie the card inside the coat hanger. Each piece of string should be tied to one arm of the hanger.
5. Ask your child how many main characters were in the book (typically it's one, but some, like the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne, have two). Give him an index card for each character and ask him to draw a picture of the character on one side of the card.
6. Turn the card over and label it "Main Character."" Have your child write the character's name and then dictate a few sentences that describe the character's personality. Punch a hole in the top of the card and use a piece of string to tie it to the far left of the bottom bar of the hanger.
7. Give your child two more index cards, explaining that these are for the setting of the book, or where it took place. Have him draw a picture of the setting on one card. Label the other card "Setting" and have him dictate where and when the book took place.
8. Punch a hole in the bottom of the card with the drawing and one in the top of the card with the description. Use a small piece of string to tie these cards together, then punch a hole in the top of the drawing card and string it from the bottom bar of the hanger next to the Character card.
9. Grab three more index cards. These are for the plot of the book. Label the cards "Beginning," "Middle," and "End." Ask your child to tell you in three sentences or less what happened in the beginning of the book, and write it on the correct card. Do the same for the middle and end of the book. Punch holes in the top and bottom of the cards, and string them together in order. Tie them to the hanger next to the Setting card.
10. Make a "Conflict" index card. Have your child describe the problem in the story, and write down what he has to say. Punch a hole in this card and tie it to the hanger next to the plot cards.
11. Lastly, label an index card "Evaluation." This card is the one on which your child gets to express his thoughts about whether or not the book is worth reading. Tell him that you want him to convince you that you should (or should not) read this book. Write down his thoughts, punch a hole in the card, and tie it to the hanger.