In this unit, students will investigate three areas of the review genre: food, movies, and books. Ongoing formative assessment will guide the way in helping the teacher and students study, evaluate, and write their own reflections of literature and the world around them.

NCTE Standards:

1. Students read a wide range of print to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

Students will:

1. Evaluate and thoughtfully respond to literature and products through the craft of study.
2. Read, review, and reflect on a variety of written works by professionals and peers.
3. Understand the importance of written reviews in our literate lives.
4. Recommend and persuade peers to read and try out different products and book selections.
5. Use self-reflection and formative assessment to improve their quality of writing.
6. Participate with an online book review community.
7. Learn to think critically about objectively about ones own reading and writing.
8. Use technology tools to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences
9. Use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences
10. Use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources

Directions

Step 1: The Final Frontier — Where No Other Writing Had Gone Before 1992

Assessment Note: This is a culminating unit lesson on review writing. A heavier weight and responsibility should be given to content and conventions. Individual conferences should continue to drive instruction for areas of need individually and one on one.

Note that this is not a spin on book reports, which are usually grounded in a summary report. Book reviews require higher-order thinking/application and assume a solid knowledge and understanding of the book.  Through the use of ongoing conferences, we don't need to use a book report for assessing understanding.

1. With the Space Odyssey music playing in the background announce to your class that you have reached the final "frontier" of review writing- the most important review writing of them all- the review study that is becoming popular online- the one they will need to know well for their remaining years on planet Earth- dramatic pause---book reviews. If your students groan, this would be a good time to explain the difference between a book review and a book report.
2. Announce that you have saved the best for last, as your students' writing will reach new levels and go where no other students' writing had gone before 1994- the Internet.
3. Start a conversation with your class on the importance of book review writing. Let this develop into the evolving importance of using technology to promote ideas, such as book selections. Ask students if they have ever read an online book review before. Have students share their experiences with doing so and share your own.
4. On a blank piece of chart paper, write the following question: What makes a good book review?  Allow time for students to discuss and post their thoughts.
5. Pass out book review writing tips (PDF). Compare your thoughts with the printed review tips.  What was missing? Use this information for an area of focus with instruction.
6. You will want to follow this up with a visit to Writing with Writers under Scholastic's teacher links. This is a fantastic resource and should not be overlooked. Author Rodman Philbrick leads writers through a thorough step by step look at book review writing.
7. Another fantastic resource is Scholastic's video booktalk series.  What's especially nice about the reviews is that they are on popular books, short, but well written. Take time to show off this resource with students and invite them to visit the site at home if they would like some new book suggestions.
8. Ask students to turn to a partner to share some of the ideas learned so far on book review writing. Listen in as students are talking and use this time to record what you are hearing and not hearing from the students.
9. Have students return to their desk for a written reflection.

Step 2: Review of Reviews — One Small Step for Books, One Giant Leap for Readers and Writers of All Kinds

Assessment Note: This portion assumes that your students are completing weekly written reflections on what is being read in class and at home. Each of my students use the Reader's Notebook by Fountas and Pinnell to record their reflections.

Look closely at your students' selection of book reviews and responses.  Sometimes poor writing is an indicator of a lack of understanding.  Take this opportunity to consider meeting with the student individually to help select books of high interest and readability. You may need to give an informal running record if a student seems to be lacking comprehension of the book they are reviewing.

1. Provide a copy of book reviews (PDF) for your students and share the resource links. The PDF offered here came from goodreads.com and bookloons.com. Within the first link I was able to find multiple reviews from registered visitors, as well as professional book reviews.
2. Focus on multiple review listings for one particular book. Compare and contrast two reviews that provide different opinions. How are they alike? How are they different?  Use this information to review the reviews. Review more reviews to see if there is a pattern. E.g. Do they provide a summary? Any spoilers?
3. Continue reading book reviews for writing assistance. Incorporate saved book reviews written from former students, if that is available. Post your classes noticed patterns on chart paper (e.g. describes setting, has a central character, conflict, etc.) Utilize the plan a plot chart (PDF) if desired.
4. Ask students to pull out their personal book responses and reviews.  Ask students to read their own work with the eye of a reviewer.  What do they notice?  Have students record this on a separate sheet of paper.
5. Have students select one personal book response to share with a partner. Have the partner take the separate sheet of paper and record their observations as well. If you are concerned that some of your students will be too critical, try implementing the two stars, one wish method.  For every item you recommend for revision, you provide two things that they are doing well.
6. Inform students that they will be reflecting critically on their own book review/response writing before writing a review that demonstrates their very best writing capabilities.

Step 3: Writing for the Web and Beyond — Blast Off!

Assessment Note: Although I stress being mindful of writing conventions for the audience, I don't expect my student's to master skills not addressed yet in the school year or that are developmentally inappropriate. If a student, for example, uses a compound sentence in their writing but forgets to place the comma, that's okay.  You may determine during a conference that this is the one skill you would like to address with the student and make the corrections, but I am not advocating error-free writing for publishing.  We use a "this is my best" approach for assessing where a student is during the school year.

1. Remind students of the importance of revision and editing when publishing for an audience.  Share an example of how a student piece (from another year) made it difficult to read and keep interest.  Discuss how thoughtful consideration of conventions is a courtesy for readers and imperative for larger audiences.  Set guidelines on convention standards for your group and assist your students with spelling strategies, such as circle and return, using a no excuse list for checking, and consulting their spelling dictionary.
2. Pass out setting the stage to each student (PDF) as well as copies of the writing rubric for book reviews (PDF).  Here is an excellent online rubric that you can complete and print quickly: Online book review rubric.
3. Using the setting the stage printout (PDF), have students imagine the opening to a great movie. Remind students that a great beginning grabs the reader's attention and makes them want to read more.  Hold a discussion on how writers set the stage by jumping into a scene of a story, describing what they see, or go straight to the action.  Take a minute to look back at your movie reviews. Just look at the first sentence or two of the reviews you have collected.
4. Have students take time to create their introduction using the printout.
5. Have them pass it to a partner for review and suggestions.
6. Review the rubric that will be used for assessing and ask students to give their best.  Again, remind students that this writing is geared for a large audience and deserves the care of revision and editing.
7. When students have completed their book review, log on to Scholastic's kids section and follow the directions for posting a book review online.
8. Take the book reviews and include it with the others through a class magazine. A cover can be found here (PDF).
9. Optional- In addition, start a conversation on the importance of book sharing with others in the classroom. Invite students to start sharing their reviews for your reading community. I have included a book review template (PDF) that follows the pattern of a popular bookstore.
10. Optional- With the help of a green screen create a book review in the fashion of Reading Rainbow. Utilizing a green screen you can import a picture of the book for the background.  More information on this can be found on my weekly blog site.

Supporting All Learners

Writing a book review allows students the support of writing about a book that meets their individual needs.  From your students that are reading far above grade level to those who are not quite there yet, each child is able to write about a book that interests them as a reader and writer.

Correlating Standards  (NCTE standards):

1. Students read a wide range of print to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

Lesson Extensions

• Invite students to start sharing their reviews for your reading community. I have included a book review template (PDF) that follows the pattern of a popular bookstore. Post these recommendations, with the book, in your classroom.
• With the help of a green screen create a book review in the fashion of Reading Rainbow. Utilizing a green screen you can import a picture of the book for the background.  More information on this can be found on my weekly blog site.
• See if you can pair up with a local bookstore to provide an area for displaying books with your student's reviews.
• Support reading reviews year-long by responding back in writing. This could simply be a post-it note placed in your student's reading log.
• Encourage students to place small notes of recommendation on or inside the sleeves of a book in the classroom.  Students enjoy the nice surprise of an impromptu book review-a la post-it note.

Home Connection

The most important home connection you can make this year is helping students read deeply in and out of school.  Help provide the resources as well as tips to creating a comfortable reading environment at home.  When students authentically enjoy reading, they will want to share the good things that they are reading with others.

Assignments

1. For posting book reviews online, consider waiting until you have a scheduled visit to your technology lab. You can work with your coordinator to help work get published quickly and efficiently.
2. For book report writing, I recommend incorporating other options that supports multiple intelligence research. This includes options such as acting out a scene in a book or creating a comic strip to demonstrate an event in the story.
3. Provide flexibility in your schedule. If your students take the interest somewhere not planned, be open to shifting reviews.

Evaluation

• Does the writing sound authentic or like an assignment?
• What types of books are your students selecting for reviews?  Use one on one conferences to evaluate book selections if they seem too easy or hard.
• Compare your notes from the first lesson on food reviews.  How has the writing improved? What still needs to be focused on? This is a qualitative form of pre-test and post-test assessment.