Name _____________________

     
 

Book Report in a Bag Project

We are going to be doing a book report project. If you don’t
normally have paper grocery bags at home, please be sure to
pick one up the next time you head to the grocery store so you
are ready for this project. This is an at-home project that will
be turned in for a test grade. It is due in about 1 month. Check
the exact due date at the bottom of this sheet.
To begin, your child needs to select an appropriate fiction chapter book (a
book with chapters and a make-believe story with characters – in other
words, please don’t pick a non-fiction book about sharks). The book should
be at a comfortable reading level for your child. A book is “comfortable” if
your child can read most of the words on the page correctly. If your child
has difficulty figuring out more than 5 words on each page, the book may
be a bit too difficult for him/her to read independently. There are lots of
chapter books available at all different reading levels. Many 3rd graders
enjoy reading chapter books like the Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, or
A-Z Mystery books. If you aren’t sure whether a book is appropriate for
your child, please have him/her bring it in and show it to me.
Please keep reading to find the complete set of directions and information
about how this project will be graded.

***Project Due Date***

January 17, 2014 @ 9:30AM

Because we know that sometimes emergencies happen, printers run out of ink and supplies break—
we are giving a 1 day grace period for the project. If your project is not turned in January 17, 2014
at 9:30AM you have one school day to turn in the project without penalty. After that date (1-21-14 at
9:30AM), no project will be accepted for a grade.
Name _____________________      
 

Directions:
Book Report in a Bag
1. Remember to make sure you have a paper grocery bag.

2. Choose an appropriate fiction chapter book that you haven’t already read. (One
that is not too easy and not too hard for you.) If you aren’t sure whether your book
is appropriate, bring it in and show it to your reading teacher.

3. Read the book. Don’t wait until the last minute to read the book. Remember that
you need to leave yourself time to work on the project! You need to be reading each
night for AR points, so you should be able to read this book fairly quickly.

4. On the front of the bag, write the title and author’s name. You also need to draw and color a scene from
the story. You should do all of this on a piece of white paper and then glue it onto the bag. I have drawing
paper if you need some. Get creative! Attaching a small basketball hoop or fake plant leaves onto the front of
the bag are examples of creative details that make the bag look great!

5. On the back of the bag, write a summary of the book. The summary should tell about the main
characters, setting (Where did the story take place?), and the plot (a brief explanation about what happened
at the beginning, middle, and end of the story.) Write your summary on lined paper and then glue or staple it
to the bag. I would expect your summary to be about 1 page long. It should be in YOUR own words, and not
your parents or older siblings. (And yes, you may type it)

6. On the left side of the bag, pick two of the main characters in the story. Create a Venn diagram
comparing the two characters. Also include your review. Draw stars to show how well you liked the book. 4
stars shows you loved it. 1 star means you didn’t care for it. You also need to write a sentence to tell why you
liked it or why you didn’t. You can do this on paper and glue it to the bag.

7. On the right side of the bag, pick 10 interesting words from the story. Write down the words and tell
what they mean (Use your new dictionary for the definitions). Do this on paper and glue it on the bag. You
can draw, too!

8. Put at least 8 items (that go along with the story) inside the bag. Explain how these items go with the story
during your book report talk. Be imaginative and creative. You can use toys, modeling clay, or anything else
that may represent something important from the story. Make sure each item that you pick is unique
and include a one-sentence description attached to the item about its significance. You can get
index cards from your teacher.

9. Bottom of the Bag, please put your first and last name, cubby number and homeroom teacher.

10. Practice for your book report talk. You will be sharing your project with the class. Your presentation
will be recorded. You will need to show the bag to the class; tell them the title and author; explain how many
stars you gave the book (and why); show the items from the inside of the bag and tell how they went with the
story; and either read your summary to the class or briefly explain what the book was about. You will have
only three-minutes to present, so practice!
Name _____________________      
 

Grading:
Book Report in a Bag
• Read the attached Rubric. It will tell you how you will be graded and the points
everything is worth.

• Make sure you hide any pictures or words that might be on your paper bag with
your own work! (We don’t want to see that you shop at Farm Fresh J)

• The summary is a big part of your grade. Be sure to include the setting and
characters. Your summary needs to tell what happened at the beginning, middle,
and end of the story. It should be on lined paper and be neat and easy to read. I
expect your summary to be around 1 page long and YOUR own work. You can
type it if you like.

• Remember to use complete sentences with correct capitals and punctuation.

• Use your best spelling.

• Be neat and creative. You should take your time and give your best work. It will
show if you do your project two weeks before, or the night before.

• Practice your presentation. Practice giving your presentation to your family

members at home so you will be ready to give the presentation at school in front
of the class.

• Enjoy your reading! I look forward to seeing your bag and hearing your book talk.

• Be sure to ask me questions if you don’t understand the directions.

Have fun and do your best!

 Name _____________________      
 
BOOK REPORT IN A BAG RUBRIC
Category 4 – Excellent 3 - Good 2 – Fair 1 - Inadequate
Is missing one of the following: Is missing one of the following:
Includes the title, author’s name Includes the title, author’s name
the title, author’s name and the title, author’s name and
Cover and color scene from the story. and color scene from the story.
color scene from the story. It is color scene from the story. It
It is neat, clear and creative. It isn’t neat, clear or creative.
neat, clear and creative. isn’t neat, clear or creative.
Includes all important character Includes most important Includes some important
Right Side Includes an inadequate
traits to clearly compare and character traits to clearly character traits to clearly
Venn comparison and contrast of the
contrast the two characters. compare and contrast the two compare and contrast the two
Diagram two characters.
Neat and clean. characters. Neat and clean. characters.
Includes stars and a review
Includes stars and a review
Right Side sentence. The sentence doesn’t Is missing either the star rating Is missing both the start rating
sentence that defends your star
Review completely defend your star or sentence. and review sentence.
rating.
rating.
Includes 10 interesting words Missing 1-2 interesting words
Left Side Missing 1-2 interesting words Missing more than 2 interesting
and their correct definitions. and/or definitions are not all
Words and/or their correct definitions. words and/or correct definitions.
Writing is neat and clear. correct.
Summary
Includes most important
Includes ALL important Includes little important
information about the main Includes some important
information about the main information about the main
Main character (including how s/he information about the main
character (including character character OR chooses a minor
Character changed over the course of the character, but excludes other
traits and how s/he changed Information. character rather than the main
story, as well as the more
over the course of the story). character.
obvious character traits).
Includes ALL settings and times Includes most of settings and Includes either some settings
Includes incorrect or incomplete
that were important to the book, times that were important to the and times that were important
Setting settings/times and/or an
as well as an appropriate book, as well as an appropriate to the book or an appropriate
incomplete illustration
illustration illustration illustration
Includes ALL key events to Includes most key events to
Includes some key events to Includes an inadequate
story, without retelling the entire story, without retelling the entire
story, but excludes other explanation of the plot,
Plot book; includes only the most book; includes only the most
important events (beginning, excluding many of the key
necessary information necessary information
middle, end). events
(beginning, middle, end). (beginning, middle, end).
All spelling and punctuation is Most spelling and punctuation is There are many errors with There are multiple errors with
Conventions correct. Paragraph is written/ correct. Paragraph is written/ conventions. Paragraph is conventions. Writing/ typing is
typed neatly. typed neatly. written/typed neatly. sloppy.

Report covers any print on the Report covers any print on the Report doesn’t cover all print on Report looks rushed. It is not
Overall bag, is neat, easy to bag, is neat, easy to the bag, but is neat and easy to neat, clear or easy to
understand, and is creative. understand, but lacks creativity. understand. understand.
Maintained excellent eye. Maintained good eye. Showed Maintained some eye. Was not Avoided eye contact. Lacked
Showed a high level of some confidence and was ready ready to present, but was confidence; wasn’t ready to
confidence and was ready to to present. Appropriate volume somewhat confident without present. Inappropriate
Presentation present. Appropriate volume and and tone of voice for most of preparation. Appropriate volume/tone of voice even after
tone of voice for the entire the presentation. Didn’t go over volume and tone of voice after intervention from the teacher.
presentation. Didn’t go over allotted time. intervention from the teacher. Went over time.
allotted time. Went over time.
Active Listened actively for ALL of the Listened actively for most of the Listened actively for some of the Had to be asked to listen more
Listening presenters. presenters. presenters. actively.

Inside: Students will receive half-point for each unique item that they have included inside the paper bags and a half-point for each complete and
correct description of the object.
Total Inside Points:
Object 1 Object 2 Object 3 Object 4 Object 5 Object 6 Object 7 Object 8

GRADE: Teacher Notes:

__________/52 total points

__________% _________