Book Talk Podcast Lesson Plan - Gr. 3,4,5
Book Talk Podcasts: "Book Talk!"
Grade Level : 3,4,5
TEKS EXPECTATIONS:
(10) Reading/comprehension. The student comprehends selections using a variety of strategies. The
student is expected to:
(G) paraphrase and summarize text to recall, inform, and organize ideas (4-8); Media
Literacy
(5) Listening/speaking/audiences. The student speaks clearly and appropriately to different
audiences for different purposes and occasions. The student is expected to:
(A) adapt spoken language such as word choice, diction, and usage to the audience, purpose,
and occasion (4-8);
(B) demonstrate effective communications skills that reflect such demands as interviewing,
reporting, requesting, and providing information (4-8);
(C) present dramatic interpretations of experiences, stories, poems, or plays to communicate
(4-8);
(D) use effective rate, volume, pitch, and tone for the audience and setting (4-8);
(15) Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes, and in a variety of
forms. The student is expected to:
(A) write to express, discover, record, develop, reflect on ideas, and to problem solve (4-8);
(B) write to influence such as to persuade, argue, and request (4-8);
(C) write to inform such as to explain, describe, report, and narrate (4-8);
(18) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate
clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to:
Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to promote reading, collaboration and communication by reading an
Easy Fiction book and creating a summary. To promote their book to other readers, students will
create a book talk script that incorporates their summary and persuasive sentences. They will use
a digital camera and Photostory 3 to create their podcast. Students will evaluate their recordings
and final products using a rubric.
Objectives
1. Students will work collaboratively to write a script that summarizes and promotes their
chosen book. Each group must include 3 persuasive statements and essential elements that make
up a summary (introduce book, author, illustrator, character, plot, setting,
2. Students will take photos of their book and record a Book Talk using Photo Story 3 file.
3. Students will create appropriate music to match the mood of their book using Photo Story 3.
Materials
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Computer Lab
Library (easy fiction book)
Photo Story 3
Camera
Book Talk rubric (student and teacher)
Book Talk checklist
Lesson Plan
Session #1 Introduction and Development
1. Show examples of book talks and discuss, "What is a Book Talk anyway?
Llama Llama Red Pajama (summary)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsT_8JuAcwYNightmare in My Closet (summary and persuasive statements)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1sWvMA5SHc&eurl=http://video.google.com/videosearch?
hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&q=book%20talk%20chil
Donut Chef (summary)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX4S_UT3rxo
How to Save Your Tale (Persuasion and Mood)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsaSd1GjWeQ&eurl=http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&n
um=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&q=book%20talk%20chil
Crazy Like a Fox (music and summary)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FRwtZ35tZE&feature=related
2. Discuss summary and book promotion. Make a list of items that should be included in a
summary. Ask students what persuasive examples they heard in the book talk examples.
Explain the general project and what they will be doing over the course of the next three days.
3. Go over writing portion of the rubric (summary and persuasion). Pair students and instruct
them to choose a short Easy book to use for their book talk and begin reading.
4. Give students 10 minutes to pick a book. It should take about 20 minutes to finish the
paragraph summary and persuasive sentences. Be sure and remind them to be creative with their
writing and not to give away the end. Ex. Nobody wants to read a summary that goes, “The
main character is Rotten Ralph. The setting is in a house.”
Extension: This summary could be developed into a script that will be read over 3-4 photos.
This is an excellent way to practice using quotations.
Session # 2 Practical
1. Students will take a photo with their book and begin downloading, photographing, or
creating photos that match key themes in their books using Google image search. Be sure
to remind students about crediting photos and illustration.
2. Students will import their images into Photo story 3 and type titles, cite source
information, and save their files to the shared drive.
Session #3 Product
1. Students will be given a demonstration of how to use the recording feature and record their
voices over their slides.
2. Each group will create a music that matches the theme of their book and finally export their
final project to a movie file.
Session #4 Evaluation Self and Peer
1. Using the Book Talk rubric each student will assess his/her own work using the student rubric
for Book Talks.
Objective
Written Summary
50 points
Persuasive Statements
20 points
Excellent (all points)
Summary accurately
informs readers about
the book. Includes
author, illustrator,
setting, and plot.
Persuasive statements
hook the reader and
make the book sound
interesting. Statements
Acceptable (-5 to 15)
Summary is incomplete
and reader is uncertain
about what the book is
about. Summary has
too many details.
Persuasive statements
do not point out the
high points of the book.
Statements are generic.
Bad (-15 or more)
The summary is too
long (word for word).
Summary does not
clearly inform the
reader.
Persuasive statement
actually cause reader to
not want to read the
book.
Cite Image Sources
10 pts
Voice Recording
15 points
Music
5 points
also include detailed
description and
language.
All image sources are
cited.
Recorded in a clear
understandable voice.
Speaker conveys the
mood of the book with
tone, pitch, rate or
volume of their voice.
Music matches the tone
and mood of the book
and is at the
appropriate volume.
Some image sources are
cited.
No image sources are
cited.
Mostly clear recording.
Speaker simply reads
the script and does not
change voice to match
the mood of the book.
Poor Recording with
noise or distortion.
Reader does not follow
script or
Music matches the tone
and mood of the book
and is too loud or soft.
Music does not match
the tone or mood of the
book.
Teacher Assessment - Using the comprehensive Book Talk rubric the teacher assesses the
expectations outlined above; specifically, inclusion of the three elements: summary; persuasive
statements; and the effectiveness of the commercial.