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CAE writing a book review
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This is a lesson plan to set up students for the review writing task in part 2 of the CAE writing paper.
To begin with go through the following conversation questions either as a class or split into small groups.
Did you enjoy reading when you were growing up?
Which book made the biggest impression on you when you were younger?
Where / When did the events of the book take place?
Describe the plot.
Describe the characters.
Why did you enjoy the book so much?
Have you reread the book now that you are older? What did you think?
Will people still be reading books in 50 years?
How do you think reading culture will change?
Ask students for the titles of some of their favourite books, put them on the board and brainstorm the plot, characters etc.
Tell students that for home work this week they are going to write a review of a book which had a profound affect on them when they were growing up. It could be a children’s book or a book they read when they were a teenager. A review is always in part 2 of the writing paper so the word limit is 220 – 260 words. Their review should include:
- a brief description of the story / plot
- the reasons why they enjoyed it / why it had such an impact on them
- who they would recommend it to
Here is a link to my prezi which will talk the students through how to go about it.
http://prezi.com/tvjva9mynbsj/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share
Here is a link to the handout that goes with the prezi:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!423&authkey=!AAw6I4WaWW6ghR0
The prezi contains references to the text book I am using with my students: Spotlight on CAE.
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Author: Tim Warre
Barcelona based English Teacher, blogger and sometime actor and director. View All Posts
3 thoughts on “ CAE writing a book review ”
Thank you for sharing your Prezi and Handout – wonderful that teachers are willing to share resources and provide some lessons. In fact a colleague asked if I had my book review lesson (which I created earlier this year) for my Thai learners but as was expected, I didn’t have it to hand. Luckily I came across your website and lesson plan, printed your handout and gave it to the teacher. So many thanks for the lesson idea – a definite thumbs up!
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Thank you so much for all your hard work.
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How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide
WHAT IS A BOOK REVIEW?
Traditionally, book reviews are evaluations of a recently published book in any genre. Usually, around the 500 to 700-word mark, they briefly describe a text’s main elements while appraising the work’s strengths and weaknesses. Published book reviews can appear in newspapers, magazines, and academic journals. They provide the reader with an overview of the book itself and indicate whether or not the reviewer would recommend the book to the reader.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A BOOK REVIEW?
There was a time when book reviews were a regular appearance in every quality newspaper and many periodicals. They were essential elements in whether or not a book would sell well. A review from a heavyweight critic could often be the deciding factor in whether a book became a bestseller or a damp squib. In the last few decades, however, the book review’s influence has waned considerably, with many potential book buyers preferring to consult customer reviews on Amazon, or sites like Goodreads, before buying. As a result, book review’s appearance in newspapers, journals, and digital media has become less frequent.
WHY BOTHER TEACHING STUDENTS TO WRITE BOOK REVIEWS AT ALL?
Even in the heyday of the book review’s influence, few students who learned the craft of writing a book review became literary critics! The real value of crafting a well-written book review for a student does not lie in their ability to impact book sales. Understanding how to produce a well-written book review helps students to:
● Engage critically with a text
● Critically evaluate a text
● Respond personally to a range of different writing genres
● Improve their own reading, writing, and thinking skills.
Not to Be Confused with a Book Report!
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BOOK REVIEW AND A BOOK REPORT?
While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are clear differences in both the purpose and the format of the two genres. Generally speaking, book reports aim to give a more detailed outline of what occurs in a book. A book report on a work of fiction will tend to give a comprehensive account of the characters, major plot lines, and themes in the book. Book reports are usually written around the K-12 age range, while book reviews tend not to be undertaken by those at the younger end of this age range due to the need for the higher-level critical skills required in writing them. At their highest expression, book reviews are written at the college level and by professional critics.
Learn how to write a book review step by step with our complete guide for students and teachers by familiarizing yourself with the structure and features.
BOOK REVIEW STRUCTURE
ANALYZE Evaluate the book with a critical mind.
THOROUGHNESS The whole is greater than the sum of all its parts. Review the book as a WHOLE.
COMPARE Where appropriate compare to similar texts and genres.
THUMBS UP OR DOWN? You are going to have to inevitably recommend or reject this book to potential readers.
BE CONSISTENT Take a stance and stick with it throughout your review.
FEATURES OF A BOOK REVIEW
PAST TENSE You are writing about a book you have already read.
EMOTIVE LANGUAGE Whatever your stance or opinion be passionate about it. Your audience will thank you for it.
VOICE Both active and passive voice are used in recounts.
A COMPLETE UNIT ON REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF TEXTS
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This collection of 21 INDEPENDENT TASKS and GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS takes students beyond the hype, special effects and trailers to look at visual literacy from several perspectives offering DEEP LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES by watching a SERIES, DOCUMENTARY, FILM, and even VIDEO GAMES.
ELEMENTS OF A BOOK REVIEW
As with any of the writing genres we teach our students, a book review can be helpfully explained in terms of criteria. While there is much to the ‘art’ of writing, there is also, thankfully, a lot of the nuts and bolts that can be listed too. Have students consider the following elements before writing:
● Title: Often, the title of the book review will correspond to the title of the text itself, but there may also be some examination of the title’s relevance. How does it fit into the purpose of the work as a whole? Does it convey a message or reveal larger themes explored within the work?
● Author: Within the book review, there may be some discussion of who the author is and what they have written before, especially if it relates to the current work being reviewed. There may be some mention of the author’s style and what they are best known for. If the author has received any awards or prizes, this may also be mentioned within the body of the review.
● Genre: A book review will identify the genre that the book belongs to, whether fiction or nonfiction, poetry, romance, science-fiction, history etc. The genre will likely tie in, too with who the intended audience for the book is and what the overall purpose of the work is.
● Book Jacket / Cover: Often, a book’s cover will contain artwork that is worthy of comment. It may contain interesting details related to the text that contribute to, or detract from, the work as a whole.
● Structure: The book’s structure will often be heavily informed by its genre. Have students examine how the book is organized before writing their review. Does it contain a preface from a guest editor, for example? Is it written in sections or chapters? Does it have a table of contents, index, glossary etc.? While all these details may not make it into the review itself, looking at how the book is structured may reveal some interesting aspects.
● Publisher and Price: A book review will usually contain details of who publishes the book and its cost. A review will often provide details of where the book is available too.
BOOK REVIEW KEY ELEMENTS
As students read and engage with the work they will review, they will develop a sense of the shape their review will take. This will begin with the summary. Encourage students to take notes during the reading of the work that will help them in writing the summary that will form an essential part of their review. Aspects of the book they may wish to take notes on in a work of fiction may include:
● Characters: Who are the main characters? What are their motivations? Are they convincingly drawn? Or are they empathetic characters?
● Themes: What are the main themes of the work? Are there recurring motifs in the work? Is the exploration of the themes deep or surface only?
● Style: What are the key aspects of the writer’s style? How does it fit into the wider literary world?
● Plot: What is the story’s main catalyst? What happens in the rising action? What are the story’s subplots?
A book review will generally begin with a short summary of the work itself. However, it is important not to give too much away, remind students – no spoilers, please! For nonfiction works, this may be a summary of the main arguments of the work, again, without giving too much detail away. In a work of fiction, a book review will often summarise up to the rising action of the piece without going beyond to reveal too much!
The summary should also provide some orientation for the reader. Given the nature of the purpose of a review, it is important that students’ consider their intended audience in the writing of their review. Readers will most likely not have read the book in question and will require some orientation. This is often achieved through introductions to the main characters, themes, primary arguments etc. This will help the reader to gauge whether or not the book is of interest to them.
Once your student has summarized the work, it is time to ‘review’ in earnest. At this point, the student should begin to detail their own opinion of the book. To do this well they should:
i. Make It Personal
Often when teaching essay writing we will talk to our students about the importance of climbing up and down the ladder of abstraction. Just as it is helpful to explore large, more abstract concepts in an essay by bringing it down to Earth, in a book review, it is important that students can relate the characters, themes, ideas etc to their own lives.
Book reviews are meant to be subjective. They are opinion pieces, and opinions grow out of our experiences of life. Encourage students to link the work they are writing about to their own personal life within the body of the review. By making this personal connection to the work, students contextualize their opinions for the readers and help them to understand whether the book will be of interest to them or not in the process.
ii. Make It Universal
Just as it is important to climb down the ladder of abstraction to show how the work relates to individual life, it is important to climb upwards on the ladder too. Students should endeavor to show how the ideas explored in the book relate to the wider world. The may be in the form of the universality of the underlying themes in a work of fiction or, for example, the international implications for arguments expressed in a work of nonfiction.
iii. Support Opinions with Evidence
A book review is a subjective piece of writing by its very nature. However, just because it is subjective does not mean that opinions do not need to be justified. Make sure students understand how to back up their opinions with various forms of evidence, for example, quotations, statistics, and the use of primary and secondary sources.
EDIT AND REVISE YOUR BOOK REVIEW
As with any writing genre, encourage students to polish things up with review and revision at the end. Encourage them to proofread and check for accurate spelling throughout, with particular attention to the author’s name, character names, publisher etc.
It is good practice too for students to double-check their use of evidence. Are statements supported? Are the statistics used correctly? Are the quotations from the text accurate? Mistakes such as these uncorrected can do great damage to the value of a book review as they can undermine the reader’s confidence in the writer’s judgement.
The discipline of writing book reviews offers students opportunities to develop their writing skills and exercise their critical faculties. Book reviews can be valuable standalone activities or serve as a part of a series of activities engaging with a central text. They can also serve as an effective springboard into later discussion work based on the ideas and issues explored in a particular book. Though the book review does not hold the sway it once did in the mind’s of the reading public, it still serves as an effective teaching tool in our classrooms today.
Teaching Resources
Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.
BOOK REVIEW GRAPHIC ORGANIZER (TEMPLATE)
101 DIGITAL & PRINT GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS FOR ALL CURRICULUM AREAS
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Book and Movie review writing examples (Student Writing Samples)
Below are a collection of student writing samples of book reviews. Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail. Please take a moment to both read the movie or book review in detail but also the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the key elements of writing a text review
Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of book review writing.
We would recommend reading the example either a year above and below, as well as the grade you are currently working with to gain a broader appreciation of this text type .
BOOK REVIEW VIDEO TUTORIALS
OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO BOOK REVIEWS
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How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay
How to Write Excellent Expository Essays
Book Review Writing Examples
Examples: learn from the efforts of others.
Learning how to write strong reviews takes time and not a little effort. Reading the reviews others have done can help you get a feel for the flow and flavor of reviews.
If I Never Forever Endeavor Review by Hayden, age 4, Southeast Michigan Mensa
This book was about a bird who didn't yet know how to fly.
The bird has to decide if it will try to fly, but it was not sure if it wants to. The bird thought, "If I never forever endeavor" then I won't ever learn. On one wing, he worries he might fail and on the other wing he thinks of how he may succeed. He worries that if he tries, he may get lost in the world. That makes him want to stay in his nest where he's safe.
I think this book would help other children to learn that trying new things can be scary, but sometimes when we try, we can find things that make us happy too. And this book will help others know that mistakes are okay and part of learning.
My favorite part is that the bird tried and learned that she could fly. I also liked that I read this book because it gave me a chance to talk to mom about making mistakes and how I don't like making them. Then I learned they are good and part of learning.
Boys and girls who are 3 to 8 years old would like this book because it teaches about trying a new thing and how it's important to get past being scared so you can learn new things.
I give the book 5 stars since I think it's important for other children to learn about courage.
Flesh & Blood So Cheap Review by Umar B., age 8, Central New Jersy Mensa
I liked this book. People who are interested in national disasters and US history as well as immigration will most probably be interested in reading this book.
Readers can gain knowledge of what it was like to work in New York City in the early 1900s. One of the things that was especially interesting was that there were no safety laws at work. Also, there was a big contrast between the rich and the poor. Some people may not like this book because it is very depressing, but it is an important event in history to remember.
This book was very well written. It has black and white photos along with descriptions of the photos. These photos give us a better idea of what people's lives were like. This book is suitable for 9-20 year olds.
I give this book 5 stars.
Galaxy Zach: Journey to Juno Review by Young Mensan Connor C., age 6, Boston Mensa
Journey To Juno is the second book of the Galaxy Zack series. It is just as good as the first one. It's awesome!
Zack joins the Sprockets Academy Explorers Club at school. They fly on a special trip to Juno, a new planet no one has ever visited. Zack gets paired up with Seth, the class bully, and that's dreadful but Zack is excited when he finds a huge galaxy gemmite. A gemmite that large had not been found in 100 years! Kids will love this book!
Boys and girls will both like it. It's an easy chapter book with pictures on every page. I love the illustrations. I think ages 6-8 would like this but younger kids would like the story being read to them.
My favorite parts are the galactic blast game (it is similar to baseball except there are robots playing), recess at Zack's school where everything is 3-D holographic images, the rainbow river in a crystal cave on Juno, and the galaxy gemmite that Zack finds on Juno. I also loved when a life-size holographic image of his Earth friend appears in Zack's room because he calls him on a hyperphone. I give this book one hundred stars! There is a "to be continued" at the end so you have to read the next book see what's in store. I can't wait to find out what happens!!!
I Capture the Castle Review by Lauren W., age 17, Mensa in Georgia
Dodie Smith's novel I Capture the Castle is a journey through the mind of a young writer as she attempts to chronicle her daily life. Seventeen-year-old Cassandra Mortmain has recently learned to speed-write, and she decides to work on her writing skills by describing the actions and conversations of those around her.
Cassandra lives in a fourteenth-century English castle with an interesting cast of characters: her beautiful older sister, Rose; her rather unsociable author father and his second wife, artist-model Topaz; Stephen, the garden boy; a cat and a bull terrier; and sometimes her brother Thomas when he is home from school. One fateful day they make the acquaintance of the Cotton family, including the two sons, and a web of tangled relationships ensues.
While I definitely recommend this book to other readers, I would recommend it to older teenagers, mainly because it will resonate better with them. The writing is tame enough that younger teens could also read it, but most of the characters are adults or on the verge of adulthood. Older readers would take the most from it since they can not only relate, but they may also better pick up on and appreciate Cassandra's sometimes subtle humor.
Over the course of the novel, Cassandra undergoes a definite transformation from child to mature young adult, even though it's only over the course of several months. I love that I could see into her mindset and read exactly what she was feeling when she thought out situations. Her thoughts flowed well and moved the book along very quickly.
Cassandra's narrative voice is wonderful. She is serious at times, but also very witty, which makes for an engaging read. It feels absolutely real, as though I'm reading someone's actual journal. Sometimes I forget that I am reading a story and not a real-life account. Her emotions and the dialogue are so genuine, and they are spot-on for a seventeen-year-old girl in her situation.
Cassandra has many wonderful insights on life, on topics ranging from writing to faith to matters of the heart. I personally have had some of the same thoughts as Cassandra, except Ms. Smith was able to put them into words.
Capture the Castle should be essential reading for aspiring writers, those looking for historical fiction or romance, or anyone who loves reading amazing classic books. Dodie Smith is an exceptional writer, and I Capture the Castle is a book that will never become obsolete.
Frankenstein's Cat Review by Zander H., age 12, Mid-America Mensa
I appreciated Frankenstein's Cat for its fascinating explanation about the often baffling subject of bioengineering and its sister sciences. Emily Anthes explains the many sides of today's modern technology, such as gene modification, cloning, pharmaceutical products (from the farm), prosthesis, animal tag and tracking and gene cryogenics. This book provides a well-rounded summary of these complicated sciences without being boring or simply factual. Her real world examples take us on a journey from the farm, to the pet store and then from the pharmacy to the frozen arc.
Have you ever wondered if the neighborhood cat is spying on you? Read about Operation Acoustic Kitty and find out if this feline fantasy fiction or fact. Do you think bugs are creepy? What about a zombified cyborg beetle? Is Fido so special that you want two of him? Money can buy you an almost exact copy of your pooch BUT don't expect the same personality. Emily Anthes makes you crave more information. She makes you want to know the future of Earth's flora and fauna, as well as humanity itself.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires a guide to the future of biological science and technology. Frankenstein's Cat is best read by the light of a glow-in-the-dark fish, while cuddling your favorite cloned dog and drinking a glass of genetically modified milk.
About Marsupials Review by Connor C., age 6, Boston Mensa
About Marsupials is the title so the book is about...marsupials, of course. It's non-fiction. I really think everyone would like the book. I think someone who likes animals would especially like to read it.
The glossary of facts in the back of About Marsupials is the most useful part. I thought the most interesting parts were that some marsupials have their pouch at their back legs and one marsupial, the Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby, is very small but can jump 13 feet wide!
Kids in the 4-8 age range would like this book. Even though it's not a story book, 4 year olds would like the few words on each page and they would love the beautiful pictures. But older kids would like it because of all the facts in the back of the book. There's a lot of information for each animal. I think boys and girls (and parents) would enjoy reading it. This book is very interesting. I give it 4 stars.
Mapping the World Review by Umar A., age 10, Central New Jersey Mensa
Every day, people around the world use maps. Whether it is an airplane pilot or businessman, housewife or museum group, maps have always and will continue to provide useful information for all.
Mapping the World talks about the uses of maps, as well as how to differentiate between the type of map projection and type of map.
In this series, we travel to the past and learn about historical mapmakers, from Claudius Ptolemy (who stated the idea that the Earth is at the center of the universe) to Gerardus Mercator (who created one of the most widely used map projections) and more. This series goes into tremendous detail on the cartographer's life and maps. We then journey to the present era to learn about map projections and the diverse types of maps used today. You might ask, "What is the difference between the two? They sound the same to me." No map projection is perfect, because you cannot really flatten a sphere into a rectangle. An uncolored projection could be used in many ways. We could use it for population concentration, highways, land elevation, and so many other things!
For example, we could make a topographic map of the U.S., which shows land elevation. We could make it a colorful map that shows the amount of pollution in different areas, or it could be a population map, or it could even be a map that shows the 50 states, their capitals and borders! Our last step in this amazing excursion is the near future, where we see some hypothetical solutions as to what maps will be used for. Currently, we are working on better virtual map technology.
Now, scientists have been able to put maps on phones. Back in the early 1900s, people had to lug a lot of maps around to find your way from place to place, or just keep asking for directions. Now, all the information is on a phone or global positioning system (GPS). It is amazing how much maps have changed technology and the world in this century.
The Mapping the World 8-book set goes into amazing levels of detail. It is a long read, but it gives an immense range and amount of information that you would not find in any other book or series on maps. The flowing way the chapters and books are organized makes it easy to link passages from different books in this series together. Mapping the World is a treasure box, filled with the seeds of cartography. Collect and plant them, and you soon will have the fruits of cartography, beneficial to those who want to be cartographers. Use this series to the utmost, then the fruits of mapping will be sweet for all who endeavor to succeed in cartography.
This series of lessons was designed to meet the needs of gifted children for extension beyond the standard curriculum with the greatest ease of use for the educator. The lessons may be given to the students for individual self-guided work, or they may be taught in a classroom or a home-school setting. Assessment strategies and rubrics are included at the end of each section. The rubrics often include a column for "scholar points," which are invitations for students to extend their efforts beyond that which is required, incorporating creativity or higher level technical skills.
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 The eNotes Blog Books, study tips, new features, and more—from your favorite literature experts.  How to Write a Book Review in 7 Steps Book reviews are a great way to connect with fellow bibliophiles. A well-written review can help you discover new books, find bookish communities, and spark cultural conversations. When writing a book review, you want to share what you felt about a particular work—why you liked or disliked it—without spoiling it for future readers. Ultimately, the goal of writing a book review is to help readers decide whether to read the book themselves. Let’s take a look at seven steps to help you write a reliable book review. 1. Read the BookHow can you write a review of a book you’ve never read? Alternatively, why would someone want to read a review by someone who has never read the book? The first and arguably most important first step to writing a book review is to read the entire book. Be attentive to your reading experience and note what captured or lost your attention. 2. Take NotesOnce you’ve finished reading the book, go back and take brief, purposeful notes. What are the major events of the book and what were their effects on you as a reader? Here are some guidelines that can help lay the foundation for your review: - Explain how the book as a whole affected you.
- Explain how the author evokes an emotional response.
- Explain the relationship between form and content.
- Explain the function of each character in the novel.
- Explain the characters’ relationships to one another.
3. Summarize the BookAll book reviews should include some kind of summary. You’ll want to inform readers of what the book is about without giving too much away. To accomplish this, here are some things to include in your summary: - How is it categorized by the publisher?
- How is the book structured?
- Who is the target audience?
4. Form an OpinionYour opinion is the crux of your book review. Be specific! Don’t just say if the book was good or bad, but explain why . Support your opinion with specific examples from the text and move from passing judgement to a thorough explanation. 5. Contextualize the BookYou can often obtain this information from looking at the book’s cover and introduction. Otherwise, you may need to do a little research. Spend some time relating this book to similar works by the author or from the same genre to further your explanation and judgement of it. Some important questions to consider include: - What genre does the book fall into?
- Is it the first of its kind or an imitation?
- Is this the author’s first book or fifteenth?
6. Avoid SpoilersPlease, for the love of literature, don’t ruin the book for others. A good book review does not give away the book’s plot twists or endings but piques the interest of future readers. If you absolutely have to give something away about the book, at least mark your review with a fair warning. 7. Review Your Review!Hooray! You’ve finished writing your review. Now’s the time to step back and revisit your work. You may have to edit your review to add or remove details. Here are some questions to ask during your revisions: - Did you explain every major aspect of the book?
- What was your target audience?
- Did you write this for a class with specific criteria—or for a fan magazine whose audience already knows this type of book well?
- Did you make a clear claim about your opinion of the book? Do you support your claim with evidence?
For a more in-depth review on how to write a book review, visit eNotes’ How To Series . Share this:One comment.  I find your site awesome, I wish you all the best because you deserve it, good luck and congratulations for this great site! Voyance par mail rapide Comments are closed. Discover more from The eNotes BlogSubscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive. Type your email… Continue reading  - Share on Facebook
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 Writing a Book ReviewStudents examine the different formats book reviews can be presented. As a class, they brainstorm what they already know about writing a book review adding to a concept web. They write their own review using the tips giving to them and share it with the class to end the lesson. Start Your Free TrialSave time and discover engaging curriculum for your classroom. Reviewed and rated by trusted, credentialed teachers. - Collection Types
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See similar resources:Book review writing: a guide for young reviewers, writing portfolio: an autobiography assignment, opinion writing, planning writing: bullfrog information paragraph, persuasive writing - introductory paragraph review, cereal box book report, writing a myth, book creator, rave reviews, all about me books. Book Review Lesson Plan: Teach Students How to Write a Successful Book Report- Categories : High school english lesson plans grades 9 12
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 Teaching Students to Write a Book ReviewI’ve always been an avid reader, but I hit a snag around high school and college when it came to choosing books for reading pleasure. I started reading book reviews out of my People magazine and online to help narrow down my choices. Through reading reviews, I was introduced to some of my all-time favorite novels, like The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Book reviews are a useful resource for reading fans, but can also be an alternative assessment tool for teachers. Before students can write a book review, you must introduce them to professionally written pieces. Take them to the computer lab and go to sites that have notable book reviews, like the New York Times or Barnes and Noble Review. If you do not have access to the internet, you can always clip reviews from magazines, like People or from the newspaper. Read several reviews as a class and discuss the format reviewers use when writing about a book. Be sure to point out that reviews provide a general summary, name major characters, introduce the major conflicts in the story, and give either a positive, negative, or neutral opinion of the work. Good reviews will never reveal the resolution to the conflict, so encourage them to avoid giving away the ending! I also use this time discuss how reviewing books, movies, and other media can easily turn into a profession. We discuss how writing and expressing one’s opinions clearly can benefit a future reviewer. Students are in awe at the many different types of reviewers that are in our mainstream media today. There are reviewers for video games, phone apps, computer software, as well as the typical book and movie reviewers. As a class we discuss how much fun a career in reviewing could bring to someone who has an avid interest in the subject matter they are critiquing. Tying a real-world application to the assignment helps middle school kids to see the answer to the eternal adolescent question, “Why do I need to know this” that every teacher seems to encounter on a daily (if not on a daily basis)! How to Implement and Assess Student ReviewsDevelop a structure for the book review, depending on the length you desire the review to be. I usually like students to implement the “Plot Pyramid” structure that they learn early on in the year, which follows the five steps of plot organization: Exposition, Conflict/Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action/denouement, and Resolution. Of course, I have them leave off resolution, so the ending to the novel is not revealed to the reader. This ends up being a four paragraph structure (minus the resolution), and then I have them add an “opinion paragraph” at the end of their plot assessment to make the structure a five-paragraph essay form. If you have advanced students, or if you think your students are ready, you can also require quote integration into the article. Using the Quote Burger Method , assign students to integrate a certain number of quotes within their writing to bring a flavor and voice to the article that mirror’s the book. You will also be able to pick up on who actually read the book, and who is “writing blind”, based on the relevance of their quotes. At the end of the article, students can also rank the book on a four star system (one star being a horrible book and four stars being an awesome book). Students can draw the stars and color them in, or you can use clip art in Microsoft Word….either way, assigning a star ranking adds visual appeal to their review and peaks student interest in the review.   #4299. Book ReviewerLesson Plan Title: Book Reviewer Concept / Topic To Teach: Understand and comprehend as they read a book. The student will be able to write and understand how to do a basic book review. Standards Addressed: 3.4 The student will use strategies to read a variety of fiction and nonfiction materials. a) Preview and use text formats. b) Set a purpose for reading. c) Apply meaning clues, language structure, and phonetic strategies. d) Use context to clarify meaning of unfamiliar words. e) Read fiction and nonfiction fluently and accurately. f) Reread and self-correct when necessary. General Goal(s): Reading and Book Reviews The student will read a book of their choice. They will then learn how to use and complete a book reviewer worksheet so that other students who want to find out what the book is about can go to this work sheet and know what it is about. Specific Objectives: The student will use strategies to read a variety of fiction and nonfiction materials. g) Preview and use text formats. h) Set a purpose for reading. i) Apply meaning clues, language structure, and phonetic strategies. j) Apply these skills in a book review for a fellow student. Required Materials: � A book that the student/s have read. � Pencil � Clip Board � Book Reviewer Paper � Sheet Protector Anticipatory Set (Lead-In): � Read Book: Annie's Pet by: Barbara Brenner � Ask students questions to spark their interest such as: 1) What was Annie looking to buy in the story? 2) How much money did she have in order to buy the pet that she wanted? 3) What item did she buy that was not a very good choice? 4) What two animals did Annie want to buy, but were not for sale? 5) What kind of pet did she get in the end? � Have students go back to their own desks and re-read the book they chose. � Have them come up with 5 questions that they could ask about the story and write them down on a separate sheet of paper. Step-By-Step Procedures: 1. Read Annie's Pet to all students on the carpet and show them how to write out their questions using chart paper. 2. Students will go back to their seats and re-read the story that they chose to do a book review on. 3. The students will then write down at least 5 questions on a piece of paper and answer them. They will be using this in order to do the book review as a tool to remember what happened in the story. 4. Once the students are done with their questions they will get a clip board with the Book Reviewer worksheet on it and start filling it out and drawing pictures in where they are needed. 5. We will come together on the carpet once everything is filled out and completed and briefly share what their book was about. 6. The students will then put their finished book review in a sheet protector and then into a binder where any student could look it up to find out what that particular book is about. Kinesthetic Learners: They will be able to share what their book was about by showing what they book looks like. Visual Learners: As I go along with the lesson I will model everything as I go. For example, with the book reviewer worksheet I will make a transparency of the worksheet so that they will know how to fill it out. Plan For Independent Practice: Have the students come up with the questions and write them down on their own. They will also be picking a book of their choice on their own. Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set): � Students will come together and share a little bit about their story and review. � Students will talk about how the assignment went. � I will share my book Annie's Pet and my entire review of this book. Assessment Based On Objectives: � The student will pick a book on their reading level. � They will write at least 5 questions about the book. � The student will fill out a Book Reviewer sheet and turn it in with the sheet protector (given by teacher). Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities): � Help them pick out a good book for that student. � Help them come up with 5 questions. � Help them fill out their Book Reviewer sheet so that they can share their sheet with their fellow classmates. Extensions (For Gifted Students): I would have these students do a compare and contrast book review with two different books. Possible Connections To Other Subjects: Reading comprehension (compare and contrast), Use of Grammar (when writing review), Good citizens (having to share information with other). The Children's Picture Book Project - Resources & Preparation
- Instructional Plan
- Related Resources
In this lesson students plan, write, illustrate, and publish their own children's picture books. First, students review illustrated children's books to gain an understanding of the creative process and the elements that help make a children's book successful. Next, students use graphic organizers to brainstorm ideas for the character, setting, and conflict of their own stories. Students then pitch their stories to their peers and use peer feedback as they develop their stories. Students create storyboards to plan the relationship between the illustrations and text. Finally, students use a variety of methods to bind their books in an attractive manner and present their books to their peers. Featured ResourcesChildren's Book Review Guide : This handout contains instructions and guidelines for reviewing a children's picture book. Story Map : Use this online tool to analyze the character, conflict, and setting of a picture book. Plot Diagram : Students can use this online tool to plan the plot of their children's picture book. From Theory to PracticeDiana Mitchell explains why lesson plans that focus on children's literature are so successful in the classroom: "When picture books appear in a secondary classroom, students behave differently. They paw over the books, oohing and aahing at the illustrations, the colors, and the topics. Enthusiasm creeps into their talk. They become unabashedly interested in the books . . ." (86-87) Mitchell explains that eventually students question why they are being asked to work with "baby" books, but she asserts that these texts are useful tools in the classroom because they build literacy skills and excitement simultaneously. As she concludes, "Since this is one genre accessible to all of our students, the payoff in terms of what they learn is usually great." Further Reading Common Core StandardsThis resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming. State StandardsThis lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state. NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts- 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
- 2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
- 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
- 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
- 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
- 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
- 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
- Recommended Children's Picture Books
- Children's Book Review Guide
- Plot Pitch Template
- Brainstorming the Conflict
- Tips for Writing a Children's Picture Storybook
- Publishing Tips
- Grading Rubric for the Children's Picture Storybook
Preparation- Ask students to bring in their favorite illustrated children's book from childhood for the first session.
- Gather enough copies of illustrated children's books for each student in your class. Use the books students brought in or check out multiple copies of illustrated children's books from the public library. It is important, however, that you select only acclaimed picture books that have been proven to be successful with young children. Refer to the Recommended Children's Picture Books list to identify books to use for this activity.
- Make copies of the handouts that are used in the lesson.
- Test the Story Map and Plot Diagram interactives on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.
Student ObjectivesStudents will - plan, write, illustrate, and publish their own children's picture books.
- analyze and evaluate a work of literature.
- participate in a review of a story written by a peer.
- use literary devices in an original work of fiction.
Session One: Favorite Book Presentations- Arrange students into groups of three members each.
- Have group members take turns reading their favorite picture books out loud to the other two group members.
- After reading the book, each reader should share three reasons why the book is their favorite from childhood.
- After the reading of each book ask group members to share concrete examples of how the book was or was not effective in each of the following three areas: plot, characterization, and illustrations.
- Encourage students to develop their own guidelines for the characteristics of effective plots, characterization, and illustrations.
- Gather the class and review students' findings, noting the details on chart paper or the board. Save this information for later reference, as students compose their own books.
Session Two: Book Reviews- Review the guidelines that the groups compiled as they reviewed their favorite books in the previous session.
- Pass out the Children's Book Review Guide and additional books for students to review.
- Ask students to review a children's book and explore the general characteristics of children's books.
- If possible, move students to a larger area or a location where they can read the books out loud to themselves.
- After students have completed the review, return to the classroom and arrange the class in groups of three.
- Have students to identify the similarities among all of the books reviewed in the group.
- Gather the class, and have groups share their findings, comparing the results to the list from the previous session.
- Note the details as students share to create a revised list that the class can consult while writing their own texts.
Session Three: "I Remember" Journal Entry- Explain the writing project that students will complete: composing the text and illustrations for their own children's picture books.
- Share the Grading Rubric and discuss the expectations for the activity. Answer any questions that students have.
- Ask students to brainstorm themes that they noticed in several of the books.
- Acceptance of others
- Concern of family dynamics
- Physical growth (especially size)
- Fear of the unknown
- Once the class has compiled a list of several themes, review the list and make any additions or revisions.
- Ask students to hypothesize why these themes resonate with young listeners, encouraging students to share any connections that they recall to the texts or to their own experiences.
- Have students describe the memory as a journal entry. Encourage students to address all five of the senses when recounting their memory.
- Explain that the memory does not have to be complete. If desired, encourage students to imagine or make up details that they cannot remember.
- If additional time is needed, have students complete their journal entries for homework.
Session Four: Brainstorming Sessions- Ask volunteers to share summaries of their memories from their journals.
- After each volunteer reads, connect the memories to the themes from the previous session.
- Remind students of the expectations of the assignment using the Grading Rubric .
- Overview the steps that students will follow: gathering details about their stories, developing plots, storyboarding, writing and illustrating, and then publishing the book.
- Explain that during this session, students will expand on the information from their memory journal entries by brainstorming additional details.
- character map
- conflict map
- resolution map
- setting map
- Read through the Tips for Writing a Children's Picture Storybook handout and compare the observations to the books that students have read. Add or revise the guidelines as appropriate based on students' experiences with picture books. Have students complete the Brainstorming the Conflict chart to test out potential conflicts by identifying the complications that would or could result from attempting to solve them. Encourage students to discuss their findings with one another as they work.
Session Five: Developing a "Plot Pitch"- Allow time for volunteers to share their work from the previous session with the class. Make connections to the class list of characteristics of effective plots, characterization, and illustrations as appropriate.
- Distribute the Plot Pitch Template , and have students follow the information on the sheet to develop the basic layout and details of their stories.
- Encourage collaboration and sharing as students develop their ideas. Circulate through the room, providing support and feedback during this work time.
- Once the basic templates are complete, have students graph their plots using the ReadWriteThink interactive Plot Diagram .
- If time allows, have students draw a sketch of their main character and the setting in which the story takes place. Encourage students to use colors in their sketches as well as labels that identify certain characteristics or details that might be revealed through the text of the story.
Session Six: Pitching the Plot- Review the activities that the class has completed so far and the expectations for the project. Answer any questions.
- Arrange the class in pairs and have partners present their "plot pitch" to their each other.
- Ask students to answer the questions included on the Plot Pitch Template to provide written feedback to their partners.
- If time allows, students can exchange their work with more than one partner.
- Have students review the responses and add details or revisions to their work so far in the time remaining. Alternately, have students continue their work for homework.
Session Seven: Storyboards- Have students prepare storyboard pages by dividing several 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper into four to six boxes. Suggest folding the sheets to create the lines easily. There should be enough boxes to represent each page of the book as well as the cover.
- Ask students to use only one side of the paper so that all thumbnails on the storyboard can be seen at once.
- Have students to sketch the illustrations and text for each page and the cover in a pane of the storyboard. The students' goal should be to create a balance of text and illustrations that tell their story.
- Remind students that these are rough sketches, not their final illustrations. Getting the idea across is the goal.
- Encourage students to experiment with the location, size, and amount of text and illustrations on each page.
- Once students have completed their storyboards, arrange the class in pairs or threes to discuss the planned layout for the books.
Session Eight: Producing the Book- Review the expectations for the assignment using the Grading Rubric .
- Provide an overview of the publishing techniques that are available, using the information on the Publishing Tips handout and the Websites listed in the Resource s section.
- Allow students to continue their work on their pages, writing and illustrating during this session.
- Station yourself near the materials for binding the books. Provide help with the bookbinding process as students reach this stage.
- As the books are completed, encourage students to read their stories to one another as a whole class or in small groups.
- Allow more than one session for this final publication work if appropriate.
Arrange to visit a Pre-K, Kindergarten, or 1st grade class, and have your students read their books to the students. Select the best 5 to 8 books submitted. Divide students into groups of three and assign the following tasks to be completed during the visit: reader, page-turner, and master of ceremonies. Each group can also develop short skits, costumes, or other visual props to enhance the quality of their presentations. Student Assessment / Reflections- Informally assess students’ participation in group and brainstorming sessions, book presentations, and journal writing.
- Use the Grading Rubric to evaluate students’ picture books.
- Rely on the informal feedback from younger listeners to the stories to provide additional assessment if you complete the extension.
- Calendar Activities
- Student Interactives
The Story Map interactive is designed to assist students in prewriting and postreading activities by focusing on the key elements of character, setting, conflict, and resolution. The Plot Diagram is an organizational tool focusing on a pyramid or triangular shape, which is used to map the events in a story. This mapping of plot structure allows readers and writers to visualize the key features of stories. Add new commentExplore Resources by Grade- International
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 Writing a Book Review Lesson Plan and Other ResourcesSubject: English Age range: 7-11 Resource type: Lesson (complete)  Last updated 30 May 2022 - Share through email
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Overview. Teenagers are often outspoken and opinionated. Writing reviews of the literature they read gives them a chance to express their ideas while developing style and voice. This lesson uses discussion of student opinions about yesterday's lunch or a popular TV show serves as an introduction to the genre of reviews.
A general guideline is that the longer the book, the longer the review, and a review shouldn't be fewer than 100 words or so. For a long book, the review may be 500 words or even more. If a review is too short, the review may not be able to fulfill its purpose. Too long, and the review may stray into too much plot summary or lose the reader's ...
Based on the number of questions you answered "yes" for: 0-4- You may want to take some more time reviewing other reviews available. 5-7- You are on your way to writing a great review. With a little bit of love and care, it will be ready in no time! 8-9- Sounds like you are ready to publish. Way to go! 10- Wow.
Tell students that for home work this week they are going to write a review of a book which had a profound affect on them when they were growing up. It could be a children's book or a book they read when they were a teenager. A review is always in part 2 of the writing paper so the word limit is 220 - 260 words. Their review should include ...
Set a purpose for listening by asking students to be prepared to give their input for the book review that the class will be writing together. While reading, stop periodically to discuss the story with students. 4. After reading, tell students to turn to a classmate and share their thoughts about the story.
The real value of crafting a well-written book review for a student does not lie in their ability to impact book sales. Understanding how to produce a well-written book review helps students to: Engage critically with a text. Critically evaluate a text. Respond personally to a range of different writing genres.
Examples: Learn from the efforts of others. Learning how to write strong reviews takes time and not a little effort. Reading the reviews others have done can help you get a feel for the flow and flavor of reviews. This book was about a bird who didn't yet know how to fly. The bird has to decide if it will try to fly, but it was not sure if it ...
Patricia Webb suggests that using the Web supports "collaboration" and "opened up engaging discussions about audience, writing, and texts." Dean Rehberger emphasizes the importance of annotation when he states, "We do, after all, read texts as hypertexts. Rarely reading a book from cover to cover, we use tables of contents, indexes, footnotes ...
Step 2: Writing Tips. Here are a few tips that I've found helpful when I sit down to write about a book. Give them a try! Before you begin writing, make a few notes about the points you want to get across. While you're writing, try thinking of your reader as a friend to whom you're telling a story. Try to mention the name of the author and the ...
Explain the relationship between form and content. Explain the function of each character in the novel. Explain the characters' relationships to one another. 3. Summarize the Book. All book reviews should include some kind of summary. You'll want to inform readers of what the book is about without giving too much away.
This lesson plan will help students learn how to construct an effective book review. After observing the teacher model the process, students will write their own book review about a favorite book ...
Book Review Worksheet. For Students 1st - 2nd. Young readers use this book review worksheet to evaluate a book they have read. After recording the title and author of a book, reviewers color in the appropriate bubble rating the book as exciting, boring, funny, or scary.
View 39,444 other resources for 2nd - 6th Grade Reading: Foundational Skills. This Writing a Book Review Lesson Plan is suitable for 2nd - 6th Grade. Students examine the different formats book reviews can be presented. As a class, they brainstorm what they already know about writing a book review adding to a concept web.
The reviewer's response - likes and dislikes about the book. The suggested audience for whom the book is written. Recommendation to read or not to read, referring back to the text. This section will include language to persuade. With the use of the above scaffold, model the writing an exemplar text.
This lesson plan outlines a 50-minute lesson for 6th grade students on writing book reviews. The lesson introduces the key elements of a book review, has students watch a video modeling how to write one, and then has them practice writing reviews individually and in groups. The goal is for students to learn how to properly structure and write their own book reviews.
Using the Quote Burger Method, assign students to integrate a certain number of quotes within their writing to bring a flavor and voice to the article that mirror's the book. You will also be able to pick up on who actually read the book, and who is "writing blind", based on the relevance of their quotes. At the end of the article ...
√ Differentiated checklists for writing task √ Peer review tasks √ All answer slides √ Plenary. Learning Objective: LO: To identify the features of and write my own book review. Success Criteria: I can read and understand a book review. I can describe the structure of a book review. I can explain the purpose of a book review.
I can describe the structure of a book review. I can explain the purpose of a book review. I can identify key details of a book. I can summarise a story. I can describe my opinion of a book. Lesson details: - Starter activity - differentiated match up task for text types and their purpose (3 levels of differentiation)-Teaching input ...
Lesson Plan Title: Book Reviewer. Concept / Topic To Teach: Understand and comprehend as they read a book. The student will be able to write and understand how to do a basic book review. Standards Addressed: 3.4 The student will use strategies to read a variety of fiction and nonfiction materials. a) Preview and use text formats.
Procedure [50 minutes]: Step 1: Provide the format and review the steps to writing a review article. [15 minutes] 1. Show the third slide. Explain that there are different types of review articles, depending on the work being reviewed and the primary purpose the review article serves.
In this lesson students plan, write, illustrate, and publish their own children's picture books. First, students review illustrated children's books to gain an understanding of the creative process and the elements that help make a children's book successful. Next, students use graphic organizers to brainstorm ideas for the character, setting ...
The lesson plan aims to teach grade 11 students how to write book and article reviews. It includes objectives, subject matter, instructional materials, and a detailed procedure. The procedure will engage students by discussing pictures depicting social issues, presenting background on the text "To Kill a Mockingbird", and defining key features of reviews. Students will read and analyze the ...
pdf, 636.37 KB. Year 3/4 English - writing a book review lesson plan and other resources: - writing a book review lesson plan. - writing a book review model review. - writing a book review writing frame. There is a PDF of all of the files and an editable version of each file (you just need to delete the watermark logo from each of the editable ...
Australian Curriculum Year 3 English Term 4 The One and Only Ivan - Persuasive The One and Only Ivan - Lesson 2: Because, but, so In this lesson, we will read chapters 12-22 of The One and Only Ivan and write using because, but and so. Unit Plan Download Daily Review Download Literacy presentation Download […]