Oral Book Project
Learning Goal: Present information connected to the elements of literature as they appear in the book
Success Criteria:
 I can identify the title, author, genre, and setting in my book.
 I can identify characters and conflict and explain their interaction within the book.
 I can provide an objective summary of the story.
 I can determine the theme and analyze it.
 I can cite several pieces of textual evidence to support my analysis of the book.
 I can present claims in a focused, coherent manner with significant descriptions, facts, and
examples.
 I can use appropriate eye contact, volume, and pronunciation.
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Oral Book Project Options
Book Talk - Present information about your book to the class.
One-on-one conference with Mrs. Barnhart
Power Point Presentation – Create and present a Power Point with all of the information about your
book.
Infomercial - Present the information about your book in an infomercial. Try to persuade the audience
to read the book.
Grab Bag – Fill a bag with items that represent characters, setting, conflict, plot, and theme. Present the
items and information about them to the class.
Skit – Write a script based on the book. Include all of the elements and explanations listed below. Get
volunteers to act out the skit with you.
Other – You can come up with your own way to present the information about your book. Please talk to
me about the idea before you begin working on it!
Things to Include in Your Oral Presentation
Title and Author
Genre (with textual evidence to support the genre)
Setting – name and explain its importance to the characters and plot
Name the major characters (2-3 characters)
o Identify each character as protagonist (“good guy”) or antagonist (“bad guy”). Include textual
evidence to support your choice.
o Identify each character as static (the character stays the same throughout the story) or dynamic
(the character changes throughout the story). Include textual evidence to support your choice.
Name the conflict
o person vs. person, person vs. self, person vs. nature, person vs. fate, person vs. society
o Explain the conflict and its importance to the characters and plot.
Objective summary
o Include five or more main events and their importance to the story.
Theme
o Determine a universal theme.
o Provide textual evidence to support the theme specifically noting how it connects to the
characters and plot.
Share a short excerpt from the book. This should be highly entertaining to draw your audience into the
book.
o Explain why the excerpt is important to the characters and plot.
Rate the book on a scale of 1-10.
o Provide support for your rating that is detailed and connected.
Targeted
Criteria
Title,
Author,
Genre,
Setting
Characters
and Conflict
Plot and
Theme
Excerpt and
Rating
Presentation
of
Information
Accomplished
(4 Points)
Acceptable
(3-2 Points)
Needs Improvement
(1-0 Points)
 Includes the following:
 book title
 author
 genre
 setting
 Includes specific textual evidence
to support the genre.
 Explains why the setting is
important to the plot and
characters.
 Names and provides a detailed
description of the characters as
antagonists or protagonists with
textual evidence.
 Provides a detailed description of
the characters as dynamic or
static with textual evidence.
 Names the conflict specifically
using person vs…
 Explains the conflict and its
importance to the story.
 Includes a specific description of
how the conflict affects the
characters.
 Provides an objective summary
of the story.
 Includes five or more main
events and their importance in
the story.
 Determines a universal theme
that is applicable to the story.
 Explains in detail how the
theme connects to the plot and
characters using textual
evidence.
 Includes textual evidence (a
passage from the story) that is
extremely entertaining.
 Explains in detail why the
passage is important to the
characters and plot.
 Rates the book on a scale of 110.
 Provides support for the rating
that is detailed and connected.
 The speaker presents claims in
a focused, coherent manner.
 The speaker includes significant
descriptions, facts, and
examples.
 The speaker uses appropriate
and consistent eye contact.
 The speaker uses appropriate
and consistent volume and
pronunciation.
 Missing one of the following:
 book title
 author
 genre
 setting
 Includes textual evidence to
support the genre.
 Explains why the setting is
important to the plot or characters.
 Missing two or more of the
following:
 book title
 author
 genre
 setting
 Does not include textual evidence
to support the genre.
 Does not explain the importance of
the setting.
 Names the characters.
 Inadequate description of
characters as antagonists or
protagonists.
 Inadequate description of
characters as static or dynamic.
 Does not name the conflict.
 Does not explain the conflict and
its importance in the story.
 Does not include a description of
how the conflict affects the
characters.
 Names and provides a detailed
description of the characters as
antagonists or protagonists
without textual evidence.
 Provides a detailed description of
the characters as dynamic or static
without textual evidence.
 Names the conflict without stating
person vs…
 Explains the conflict without its
importance to the story.
 Includes a description of how the
conflict affects the characters.
 Provides a summary of the story.
 Includes three to five main events
and their importance in the story.
 Determines a theme that is
specific to the story.
 Explains how the theme connects
to the plot and characters without
textual evidence.
 Does not provide a summary of the
story.
 Includes one to three main events
and their importance in the story.
 Does not determine a theme that is
universal.
 Does not explain how the theme
connects to the plot and
characters.
 Includes textual evidence (a
passage from the story) that is
entertaining.
 Explains why the passage is
important to the characters and
plot.
 Rates the book on a scale of 1-10.
 Provides support for the rating.
 Includes textual evidence (a
passage from the story) that is not
entertaining.
 Does not explain why the passage
is important to the characters and
plot.
 Does not rate the book on a scale
of 1-10.
 Does not provide support for the
rating.
 The speaker presents claims in a
manner that is not focused.
 The speaker includes minimal
descriptions, facts, and examples.
 The speaker uses minimal eye
contact.
 The speaker uses minimal volume
and pronunciation.
 The speaker presents claims in a
focused manner.
 The speaker includes adequate
descriptions, facts, and examples.
 The speaker uses inconsistent eye
contact.
 The speaker uses inconsistent
volume and pronunciation.