AP/Pre-AP World History 10th Graders
HISTORICAL NOVEL/BOOK REPORT
To be successful in Pre AP or AP World History, you must begin to understand that
reading is not simply looking at words on a page. It is a process of reviewing those
words, and analyzing their greater meaning. Our goal will be the ability to read a series
of documents, process their meaning, and organize a clear outline of ideas for an essay.
Reports are due the first day you come to my class, the last day this assignment will
be accepted is the Friday of week 1, no exceptions. Questions? Email ccanal01
@sisd.net
Assignment consists of selecting any historic novel or actual history book and completing
Activities 1-4 by following directions. Examples of books are unlimited; it can be any
book that relates to history. Recommendations: Guns, Germs and Steel, The Iliad,
Things Fall Apart, Diary of Anne Frank, The etc… Since this is a World History class
that touches on many civilizations and cultures, please stay away from American History.
Don’t do book reports on novels like Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc…
Heading or title page:
Student Name_________________________ AP___________ Pre-AP______________
Book Title: _____________________________________________________________
Author: ________________________________________________________________
Activity 1-Write a one page summary of the novel and include the following:
Describe the main character(s) in the novel.
Describe the novel’s setting.
Describe the novel’s plot
Activity 2-Questions: Write ten questions based on the book. Five of the questions
can be general in content, but the other five must require more thinking.
Activity 3-What Did You Learn Historically? Write a one page summary of what you
have learned historically from the book just completed. The summary should include
factual information, style of dress, architectural information, values and more of the time.
Activity 4-Finally students must choose one of the following to complete the
requirements for their historical report. That means students will have to have all
four requirements, number four being their choice of the one’s listed below.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down! Each student writes a review of the book he or she just
finished reading -- in the style of a movie review. The student concludes by awarding
thumbs up or thumbs down on the book.
Write a Letter to the Author. After reading a book, each student shares reactions to the
book in a letter written to its author.
Interview a Character. Each student composes six to eight questions to ask a main
character in a book just completed. The student also writes the character's response to
each question. The questions and answers should provide information that shows the
student read the book without giving away the most significant details.
Ten Facts. Each student creates a "Ten Facts About [book title]" sheet that lists ten facts
he or she learned from reading the book. The facts, written in complete sentences, must
include details the student didn't know before reading the book.
In the News! Each student creates the front page of a newspaper that tells about events
and characters in a book just read. The newspaper page might include weather reports, an
editorial or editorial cartoon, ads, etc. The title of the newspaper should be something
appropriate to the book.
Create a Comic Book. Each student can turn a book, or part of it, into a comic book,
complete with comic-style illustrations and dialogue bubbles.
Setting. To learn more about the setting of a book, each student writes a one-page report
explaining how that setting was important to the story.
"Dear Diary." student creates a diary or journal and writes at least five entries that might
have been written by a character in a book just read. The entries should share details
about the story that will prove the student read the book.