ELA STUFF

Hello all. I want to discuss about the book report requirements for my ELA class. As per NY State standards, students are required to read 25 books for the whole school year (you may want to check out the NYC Dept of Ed. website for more of the ELA Standards). I give my class time for 20minutes reading during our ELA period EVERYDAY. Of course, this tme is not enough so I am asking parents to assist me by supervising their child at home and ensure that they are reading. A reading log is required after reading and this must be written in their ELA notebooks following the format I have explained and showed in class. Parents, we need to work together to invest in the future of our children. It takes a village to raise a child and we must be allies in this venture.

Below are sample documents that each of your child is required to do for his/her independent reading book report. This format expires after their 5th book report. On top is a Book Cover design that is part of the requirements for the Book Report.

A Rubric is given for grading the book report which is the end product of their reading. It specifies what I look for in evaluating the product proving they did the reading. I READ EVERY BOOK REPORT SUBMITTED BY A SCHOLAR.

SAMPLE BOOK REPORT FORMAT

BOOK COVER DESIGN SAMPLE IS ON TOP (THIS IS PART OF THE BOOK REPORT)

Name: Maria Acedo Grade: 8th Date: October 2, 2009

1. Title/Author/No. Of pages: “Dracula” by Bram Stroker (502 pages)

11. Setting: Carpathians, Transylvania and Carfax, London in 1800’s

111. Major Characters:

Count Dracula Quincy
Jonathan Harker Dr. Seward
Mina Murray Van Helsing
Lucy Westenra

1V. Summary:

A British solicitor, Jonathan Harker, was sent to Carpathians in Transylvania to assist a client, who made a huge property purchase from his real estate company in Carfax, London, where he wanted to relocate at the same time. The name of the client is Count Dracula. Jonathan Harker ended up being a prisoner of Dracula in his castle while the latter made his way successfully to London and make it his new haunting ground to feed.

He victimized Lucy Westenra, best friend of Mina Murray, who would become the wife of Jonathan Harker. As soon as Dracula bit the wealthy Lucy, she showed signs of health deterioration; so an expert doctor, Van Helsing, was called to attend to her. He suspected something different as soon as he laid his eyes on her neck, which showed two distinct little holes that seemed to be bite marks. He kept it to himself because little did everyone know that he knew of the existence of vampires, the dead who live by feeding on the blood of the living. Lucy died eventually and became a vampire but was killed by Van Helsing for good.

Van Helsing found out that Dracula was the root cause of the mysterious deaths of people in Carfax and sought the help of four other gentlemen to kill Dracula permanently. They haunted him while he tried to make his way back to his castle in his homeland, Transylvania, to renew his strength, but Van Helsing with his group of loyal friends apprehended Dracula who they eventually killed by plunging a cross into his chest and decapitating his head.

V. 5 Words describing the novel:

a. Haunting
b. Horrific
c. Terrifying
d. Inspiring
e. Terrific

This sample book report format is to be followed. Book reports can be written but it needs to be readable and neatly done. However, if they choose to type it, the format must be retained. This format expires on the 5th book report for the current school year.

October 9, 2009

801 BOOK REPORT RUBRIC
(EXPIRES ON YOUR 5TH BOOK REPORT)

DIRECTIONS:

The first five sets of the Book Report must contain the following:

• Original Book Cover Design (If they cannot draw, cut outs from magazines or pictures downloaded from the net can be used to create the book cover. I have provided a sample above.
• A template is provided for you to fill up with the information related to the book you have just read. However, if you would like to get additional credits, you may want to type your report but be sure you include all the details required from your report.
  
  Report cover is an original art design and displays relation to the story.
  Effort exerted is proportional to the product design.
  There is evidence of creativity from the work presented.
  
  RUBRICS FOR GRADING YOUR BOOK REPORT
  Report Template
  Author, your name and class are on appropriate headings.
  Setting and characters are clearly identified in their appropriate sections.
  
  
  Summary
  Sequences of events are clearly organized for reader’s understanding of the story.
  There is a beginning, middle and an end in the presentation of the important scenes in the story. A flow from one scene to the next is unmistakably evident.
  
  Recommendations/Vocabulary
  The reporter used details from the book to back up his recommendations, thus, reflecting evidence that the book was read from cover to cover.
  5 Vocabulary words were used to describe the novel
  
  Use of correct sentence structure (complete sentences, spelling, punctuations and paragraph form).
  There are no runs on sentences.
  Punctuations are correctly used.
  Slang language is not used in the report
  
  
  Presentation and submission of Report
  On time and neatly presented which shows consciousness of the quality of work being submitted on the part of the reporter.
  
  
  
  Performance Level
  
  Level 4 (100-90) Beyond meeting the requirements
  Level 3 (89-80) Averagely meeting the requirements
  Level 2 (79-65) Barely making the requirements
  Level 1 (64-55) Below the requirements
  Level 0 (50) No work submitted
  

Schedule for submitting the report is also provided here in my blog so you are aware of your child's deadline in submitting these reports. Home supervision is needed to ensure they are reading to get these reports done and submitted on time.

Book Report Deadlines are :

Bk. Rep. #1 10/02

Bk. Rep. #2 10/16

Bk. Rep. #3 10/30

Bk. Rep. #4 11/13

Bk. Rep. #5 11/30

Until next time.

Ms. Acedo