Here are some fun book report ideas to incorporate around the popular children’s book Jumanji: A Jungle Adventure by Chris Van Allsburg. These creative book report activities inspire reluctant readers by incorporating hands-on learning in meaningful and artistic ways. Download your free template and directions for designing a game box cover, below. 

Sometimes, you need to take a break from traditional reading assessments and give students a chance to demonstrate their understanding using different modalities. Incorporating a project-learning approach to reading assessments can spark students’ desires to understand what they read and integrate real-world relevance into their learning. Also, including some hands-on book report projects can foster a love of reading in students who thrive in creative and project-based learning environments.

The project-based learning lessons listed below encourage students thinking and reasoning processes by asking them to view characters and story plots in new and different ways.

Design a Game Box Cover

1. Read the book aloud
2. Design a game box cover

Materials

• Download this reproducible sheet
• 8″ x 10″ (20 x 25.5 cm) piece of tagboard
• Scissors
• Crayons or marking pens
• Cellophane tape
• Optional: game board boxes

Steps to Follow

1. Lead students in a discussion of what kinds of things are found on the lid of a game box. Use examples if possible. Brainstorm to make a list of elements students might include on a lid for Jumanji (title, illustration, warnings, etc.).
2. Recall the rules for playing Jumanji. List these on the chalkboard. Reread sections of the story to verify the rules.
3. Using the template (see “Download” above) trace and cut out a box lid from tagboard. Fold the edges under, but don’t tap the lid together yet.
4. Create a cover on the outside of the lid. Turn it over and write the rules for “Jumanji: A Jungle Adventure” on the inside of the lid.
5. Tape the corners together to complete the game box lid.

Sell the Book

If you have future marketing executives in your classroom, this is a fun one to challenge them with. Explain to your students what a publicist is and how they help authors sell books. Ask them to write a persuasive book report that convinces readers why they should read Jumanji.

Turn students’ book reports into persuasive speeches and have them speak aloud in front of the class.

Write a Letter

After reading the book, have your students write a letter to the author Chris Van Allsburg (you can mail them). Students can ask him questions about the characters in the book or share their responses to the challenges the characters faced.

For more information on Chris Van Allsburg, you may purchase this short biography lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers about his life and famous books.

Concentration Game

Create a game of Concentration with the characters and events in the book.

• Create 15 cards with names of characters and events in the book.
• Duplicate each card.
• Place all 30 of the cards facedown and play Concentration with a partner.

Character Perspective

Students choose three scenes from the book Jumanji and write a journal entry for each one. Each entry will be from the perspective of one of the characters in the book. This is a great teaching opportunity to highlight different characters’ points of view. Each entry should include details from the book, but students can get creative with characters’ perspectives.

Travel Brochure

This is a fun activity for your future artists. Have them create a travel brochure advertising the make-believe jungle in the Jumanji game. This activity works perfectly with your lessons on text features. Ask students to include titles, headings, captions, and graphic features in their advertisement.

Steps to Follow

1. Fold 8″ x 11″ white construction paper into a tri-fold.
2. Divide the paper into thirds using a pencil and ruler.
3. Fold the right side of the paper to the middle of the paper (1/3 of the way).
4. Fold the left side of the paper to the middle.
5. Choose three important images from the book to display.
6. Provide a title and caption for each illustration focusing on why a person would want to travel there.

Resources:

• Teachers Pay Teachers individual unit: Pocket 02: Chris Van Allsburg: Jumanji (Caldecott Winners grades 4–6)
• Literature Pockets: Caldecott Winners, grades 4–6

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Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.