Primarily Reading

Primarily Reading is a learning center that is an alternative to the traditional book report. I make several sets of cards, attach them together with large metal rings, hang them from hooks on a Reading bulletin board, and students work with them as they finish their independent reading novels. The name of the activity comes from the fact that there are three different types of activities that are written on three different colors of cards: red, blue, and yellow.

Directions:

1. On colored index cards or heavy paper, write the appropriate activities as listed below.
   

   BLUE CARDS:

   • Write a book review that might be published n a newspaper.
   • Write an original poem that expresses the plot of your book.
   • Prepare a list of questions for use in determining if other people have read this book carefully.
   • Make a travel poster inviting tourists to visit the setting of your book.
   • Write a letter to the main character of the book asking questions or making complaints about the situations in the book.
   • Design some costumes for the characters in the book.
   • Rewrite the story as a picture book. Use simple vocabulary so that younger students can enjoy and understand your version.
   • Make a poster advertising the book.
   • Write a feature newsstory about the book that tells the story as it might be found on the front page of a newspaper. Remember to give it a headline.
   • Make a timeline showing the msot important events that happened in the book.
   • Make three or four simple puppets of the characters in the book. Write a puppet show about your favorite part of the book. Plan to perform yourpuppet show for the class.

   RED CARDS:

   • Find three compound words in your book. Try to find one closed compound, one open compund, and one hyphenated compound word.
   • Find five words in your book and write a rhyming word for each.
   • Find a homophone for three different words in your book. Write the words and their homophones.
   • Find a word in your book that is a palindrome.
   • Find three contractions in your book.
   • Find five words in your book that end with the letter "T".
   • Write the longest word found in your book. Use a dictionary to separate the word into syllables and give its definition.
   • Find three words in your book that have antonyms. Write the words and their antonyms.
   • Find five words in your book that have a silent "E".
   • Find five words in you book that have double consonants.
   • Find three words in your book that contain three syllables. Use a dictionary to divide the words into syllables and mark the accent.
   • Find five words in your book that have two syllables.
   • Alphabetize all the words in the last two sentences of your book.
   • Find five long vowel words in your book. Find one word for each vowel.
   • Find four words in your book that contain a double vowel.
   • Find three words in your book that contain a silent consonant.
   • Find five words in your book that have the short "A" sound.
   • Find six words in your book that contain a consonant blend.

   YELLOW CARDS:

   • Which character from your book would make a good friend? Why?
   • When and where did your book take place? What in the book gives you a clue?
   • If you had enough money, what one object, thing, or place found in your book would you want to buy? Why?
   • Who is the most important person in your book? Write a paragraph to explain your answer.
   • What object, person, or animal from this book would you most want to have at your house? Explain why.
   • Use an encyclopedia to find one additional fact that relates to your book. Tell the fact and explain the relationship to your book.
   • If you had written this book, what part would you have witten differently? Explain why.
   • What is the purpose or main idea of your book?
   • What was your favorite part of this book? Tell why this is your favorite.
   • Write a new title for your book. Explain why you chose this title and why it would be better than the original.
   • Describe the personality of one of the characters in your book.
   • What was the most exciting or interesting part of your book? Explain why you thought this.
   • Is this book humorous, tragic, informational, scientific, fantasy, or some other category? How do you know?
2. Make one card, preferably a different color, with these directions:
   • Select a book.
   • Read the book carefully.
   • When you are finished, take a sheet of paper and write the title, author, and your name on it.
   • Choose 5 red cards, 3 yellow cards, and 1 blue card from the ring.
   • Complete the directions on each card by writing your responses on your paper.
   • Proofread and edit your work.
   • Turn in your paper for credit.