Creating Book Trailers
Technology Gives Students Creative Voice
There are brand new books in sixth-grade classroom libraries and students in Kathy O'Neil and Nicole Esterow’s English class want to tell you about them!
Each student is creating a 30-second video trailer for the book they’ve just read. It's a creative take on a written book report that uses students' love of technology to encourage independent reading. Including the nuts and bolts—the title, author, main characters and a bit about the story—is a must. The fun comes in conveying what students are calling “the vibe,” the mood of the book that shapes the experience of the reader.
Reviewing Each Other's Work
New Classroom Libraries Encourage Independent Reading
The classroom collections were created with input from Librarian Jenn Useted and based on the school’s initiative to include diverse characters and storylines and increase independent reading. Books on students’ desks include “Snow White with the Red Hair,” a Japanese manga-style retelling of the classic fairy tale, “Lost in the Antarctic,” one of a series of true stories told with spine-chilling flair; and Rick Riordan’s “Daughters of the Deep” an exciting modern take on Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”
Gaining feedback from friends
Sharing the Vibe
Students select background colors, photos, fonts and music to give readers a taste of their book’s setting, themes and ideas. “They are really into it!” said O'Neil. “You can hear a pin drop in here right now!”
Teachers will upload the trailers and generate a QR code for each, which will be placed on the inside flap of the book it’s about. Students looking for their next book will be able to take a tip from their classmates.
