Assign three students to read the same novel. For three weeks, students should read and discuss the novel. During the fourth week, students should create a report in the form of a group presentation. It should cover required items and have a visual aid for the speech.
After the small groups have finished reading the book, give them one week to put together a presentation for the class. The following is a project sheet that the teacher can give the students.
Group Project Sheet for Students
You and your partner(s) are going to share your book with the class. The presentation should be visually pleasing. You must include the following:
- Author and title of the novel the group read
- Theme (a moral, view about life and/or how people behave or the message in the book)
- Protagonist (hero) and antagonist (enemy or evil character)
- Type of characters (flat, round, dynamic, static) and why the characters are defined as such
- Plot (setting, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)
- Book review (This should be written on note cards to share) The book review should wet the appetite of the audience about the exciting or interesting parts of the book. You should rate the book and tell why the book received the rating. On paper, it should be about a page.
Visual Aids to Use with Presentation
A visual aid will help the audience understand the presentation better and make it more interesting. It should explain two or more of the six required items in the presentation. Ideas for the visual aid are as follows:
- Flip Chart
- Booklet or pamphlet
- Collage
- Slide show on PowerPoint
- Poster
What's Important or Criteria for Assessment
The following criteria can be used to make a rubric to grade the student small group presentations:
- Covering all parts (6 listed items) accurately
- Creativity, color and quality in visual aid
- Delivery of presentation (eye contact, rate of speech, and volume)
The small group book project is a fun way to get students to read, discuss and report on a novel that they chose. The presentation will cover communication indicators, and students have to learn how to work in a cooperative group.