How to Write a Book Report for the Fourth Grade
In the fourth grade, a common language arts class assignment is to draft a book report. A book report is a written account of a book a person has read, according to Dictionary.com. This type of report helps students to structure and articulate their thoughts, according to FamilyEducation.com. Just a few steps can help you to create your own "A-plus" book report for a fourth grade class.
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Instructions
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Read a book of your choosing, or one that is required by your teacher, from beginning to end. While reading, make any notes in a separate notebook of anything that stands out to you about a character or pivotal situation in the story. Then, use paper and pencil or a computer word processor to type the first part of your book report--the introduction. Mention the title of the book, underline it and state the author of the book. Next, explain why you selected the book and describe what kind of story it is--whether it's an adventure, fantasy, nonfiction or scary book.
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Explain the theme, or the main idea of the story. An example of a theme might be how important a friend is or how to be strong in a tough situation. Then, state how you know this is the theme of the book. Next, explain the setting, or the time and place of the story. Explain whether the story takes place in modern day or is set in an imaginary location or a faraway country. Also, describe how much time passes in the story--whether the story takes place over a few minutes or over a few years. This is the first part of the body of your book report.
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Tell what happens in the story, which is the plot. Explain what the main event or the conflict of the story is and what events lead up to it. Also, describe the result of this main event and how the story ends. Make sure you don't offer too many details from the book but rather just a summary of what happened so that the rest of your report makes sense. Next, explain who the characters are in the story and point out the main character and the person opposing the main character. Describe their physical and personality traits, and explain how different characters help or hinder the main character. This is the second part of your book report body.
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Explain whether you liked or disliked the story and why. Then, mention what you thought was the best part of the book and how the story made you feel as a whole and at certain points. Also, explain what you liked or disliked about the author's use of language or dialogue. Mention whether or not you would recommend the book to friends or read other books by the same author as well. You also can explain any new ideas the book taught you about life or living. This is the final part of your book report body.
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Write a conclusion statement, basically summing up your report by once again giving your general opinion of the book and anything else you want readers to know about the book. Read over your report and edit it for spelling or grammatical errors. Make sure your sentences are easy to read and clearly express your ideas.
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References
- Photo Credit Three binder books isolated on the white image by Elnur from Fotolia.com
