Biography Book Report 8th Grade
Biography Book Report 8th Grade
The November book report is actually due December 1. Otherwise it would be due the day after Thanksgiving, which makes turning it in on time a little tricky.
You have several choices for how to present your report. Choose one of the following:
· Create a power point presentation of the person's life
· Make a "scrapbook" of important events in the person's life
· Make a documentary style video about the person
· Arrange a "classroom visit" by the person. Have your “guest” both tell about their life and share memorabilia (important items) from their past.
· Make a game based on the person's life
You may also write up a proposal if you have an idea you think is suitable for this report. The proposal must be approved before you begin.
BE SURE YOUR NAME, THE TITLE OF THE BOOK AND THE AUTHOR’S NAME ARE CLEAR ON WHICHEVER PROJECT YOU CHOOSE.
Your information should include in some form:
- people or events that influenced this person's life
- where and when he or she lived and what effect that may have had on the type of person they became
- what makes this person worthy of having a book written about them
Historical Fiction Guidelines
Historical Fiction Guidelines
REQUIRED:
Write a T.A.M.S. summary describing the novel you read. This is your first paragraph. See the T.A.M.S handout for details.
· Describe the historical setting of the novel. Tell how it influences the characters and events in the story.
· Choose another period in history that you are familiar with and describe how the story would change if it took place during that time period.
· Write a concluding paragraph that summarizes what you have just written about.
YOU MAY CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING FOR EXTRA CREDIT:
1. Do additional research about the historical setting of your novel and write a brief report about what you find out. Be sure to cite your sources of information.
2. Using the same main characters, write a story based on the book you read, but with a different historical setting.
Mystery Writers of America have announced the 2008 Edgar Award Winners. Here are the juvenile and teen ones:
Best Juvenile: The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh
Best Young Adult: Rat Life by Tedd Arnold
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall.
Return to the charming world of the Penderwick sisters as they return home to Gardam Street after their summer adventures. Mr. Penderwick's sister delivers a letter from his dead wife, telling him to start dating again, and horribly he does! Rosalind is terribly scared of having a stepmother and brings her sisters together to form the Save-Daddy plan. Meanwhile, Jane and Skye do one another's homework which leads to a web of deceit, Batty tries to warn everyone of a stranger lurking around the neighborhood, and Hound develops a fondness for a new cat next door. Just normal life around Gardam Street.
Birdsall certainly didn't suffer from the Sophomore Slump with this second novel. In fact, I enjoyed it even more than the first. The sisters are all unique and interesting characters facing normal life crises. It is the writing itself that charms, creating a book filed with the warmth, confusion, love and mess of real life. There is still that old-fashioned feel to the series, as if a book from your childhood has moved forward to modern day but maintained the same sense of safety and a rightness with the world. Refreshing yet reminiscent.
If you enjoyed the first book, make sure to check out the second. Another great read-aloud for classrooms and a must-purchase for libraries. Highly recommended for ages 10-14.
Stuck in the Mud by Jane Clarke, illustrated by Garry Parsons.
Early one morning, a hen notices that one of her chicks is stuck in the mud. She pushes and shoves, but can't get the chick out and then finds herself stuck too! One by one, more animals join them stuck all together in the mud. All push and strain to get unstuck, but all are trapped. All except one! The little chick who started the mess!
The art here is so funny and inviting. Done in a cartoon style that will make small children right at home, it is perfectly paired with the zany text that will have children even more at home. The text is pitch perfect, reading aloud so easily that it fairly skips along. This is the perfect book for a toddler story time where children will love to shout out the animal names and join in the straining to push and pull the animals out of the mud.
Highly recommended for ages 3-6. Have a muddy good time!
Forever Rose by Hilary McKay.
Return once again to the Casson family as they verge on disaster but always pull together as a family by the end of the story. Rose is being left alone more and more as her sister Caddy has left, Saffy is busy with friends and school, Indigo is into his music, her father is away living in London, and her mother is in her shed feeling ill. But maybe it's worse when one of Indigo's friends moves his drum set in and ruins her latest painting. Certainly it is worse when she finally realizes what she has agreed to do with her friends at the zoo! But it is far too late to back out by then.
McKay has such a deft hand with characters. They are constantly surprising but true to themselves. She is particularly wonderful at creating people with true flaws, but also making sure they are not only lovable but loved. While one doesn't wish to move in with the family, one would love to know them and be part of their world.
Once again, a Casson novel that triumphs. Highly recommended for readers ages 10-14, but only if they have read the rest of the series!
Clementine's Letter by Sara Pennypacker.
Every time a new Clementine book comes out, my toes wiggle with glee. I know that between those pages, I will find moments to laugh aloud, discover myself as a small child again, recognize my children, and simply sink into a wonderful book. They never disappoint.
This third Clementine book has her bonding with her third grade teacher until he is nominated to go on a trip to Egypt. Now Clementine has to cope with a new teacher who doesn't seem to have the same rules while desperately trying to keep her old teacher from winning the award and leaving. Clementine also has to try to do something extra nice for her mother because she is writing a story with her father. It's only fair to do things equally according to her friend Margaret.
Once again I was charmed not only by the effervescent Clementine who walks her own walk and sees the world through her own special lens, but by her parents who love her simply for being herself. Other adults are equally well drawn and complete as are the children around Clementine. Add to that Frazee's line art which constantly shows the field of chaos around Clementine as she moves through life, and you have such a believable and vibrant book that it is hard to put down. In fact, I recommend having all three at hand, because you are going to want to start the entire series once again just to spend some more time with them.
Highly recommended as a readaloud, or for parents of children who don't conform to what the world seems to expect, or for children themselves who have a good sense of humor and love to laugh. Hey, it's great for everyone. Enjoy!
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