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Great ideas for book report assignments that are not traditional.  Some of the ideas include "Bookcasting" (as opposed to podcasting), and creating an animated online timeline of events from the book.  This is a really great resource!

10 Technology Enhanced Alternatives to Book Reports by Kelly Tenkely gives 10 various technology incorporated alternatives to the traditional "book report". This resource can be found on TipLine in a post by Jim Gates. Not only does the article give many entertaining and thoughtful alternatives to the traditional book report, but is also allows for differentiation for students who may struggle with writing skills but show strong comprehension abilities and interest in technology. Specifically, in an elementary classroom, I think it would be very interesting to use the first idea which enables students to create a cartoon version of the book they just read. This would be very fun with students who are beginning to read chapter books as well as students who are not yet well versed in writing.

I've been reading through the Byrne Free Technology for Teachers blog because it answers one of my big questions regarding technology in classrooms, how is it to be afforded? He provides information, links, and education applications for free technologies. Whats nice about that is that he sums up in one blog entry what could take a busy teacher hours to figure out. Some of the technologies I liked was the Scitable app from the Nature journal which usually you have to subscribe to that provides free access to their articles, videos, etc. The only downfall is that the app is only for iPhones, the iPad, or the Droid, all of which are expensive gadgets that unless the school provides, teachers can not assume all students have access to. Unlike computers which all students in city areas do have access to whether at home, at school, or at the local library, iPads and the phones have to be purchased along with additional internet plans. I also liked the Lendlnk service described in this blog which creates a library of sharing and borrowing ebooks as I have always wondered why people would pay for an ebook when they could get it for free at the library and don't get the pleasure of a pretty book on their bookshelf! This service fixes that problem though for free, but does again require the neccessary equipment of a Kindle or a Nook (don't know what that one is). With the expensive equipment neccessary for use, this is something that can not be assigned to students to use. Another thing I liked was the edmodo program which allows a forum space for teachers to speak with students, students to speak with students, and parents speak with teachers. This one is free and only requires a computer.

(I posted this link in the way that the video showed, but I still don't see it on the group list, so I'm trying it another way. Any clue what's going on?) This is a great list of ten primarily technology-driven alternatives to book reports and reading logs. I had a teacher in high school who encouraged creative books reports -- everything from video reenactments to dioramas to magnetic dress-up dolls -- and though I already read a great deal, it definitely made the typical chore of creating a book report a lot more engaging. This is a great list of ideas for making reading evaluation more fun, along with a variety of reading log technology to better track reading.

This seems nice but what do you do when the school tells you, you have to teach in certain ways. I think everyone is looking for a little more freedom when they are teaching

This article provides 10 different ideas on how to enhance book reports. Rather then have a student write a five page book report and wait for your feedback, students can get creative with the use of the internet. This article provides numerous websites that allow book reports to take a new form. I think it would be interesting to allow students the option of choosing between a few of them when it comes time to present a book. They even have voicethread on here as an idea for students to create slide shows that can be interactive and collaborative. I especially liked number seven, which suggests allowing students to create a timeline of events in the story they just read in an online timeline. Students can capture the story through photos, videos, audio and text in order to retell important events in chronological order. These ideas will make reading books and creating book reports more interesting for students and allow students to be creative.

Collection of 10 different primarily technology-driven approaches to book reports and reading logs.  I remember I had a teacher in high school who, while allowing the typical essay-format book report, encouraged creative projects that pushed the boundaries a bit, and students put together everything from dioramas to videos to magnetic dress-up dolls.  This site collects 10 specific resources and ideas for book reports and reading logs,  most of them involving technology.

I remember I had a teacher in high school who, while allowing the typical essay-format book report, encouraged creative projects that pushed the boundaries a bit, and students put together everything from dioramas to videos to magnetic dress-up dolls.  This site collects 10 specific resources and ideas for book reports and reading logs,  most of them involving technology. There some great stuff here to motivate kids to read and make it especially fun!

Lesson plans, forums, professional development, classroom resources.