The first draft of your book review is due Monday, September 20th.
9/1: Visit the following website for sample book reviews and useful tips on writing your review: http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/bookrev/tips.htm
Independent Reading Assignment:
You will be responsible for reading two books per 9 weeks as a part of your independent reading for Language Arts. I encourage you to select a book that is of interest to you, but I do ask that you share your choice with me so that we can discuss whether it is an appropriate choice. After completing your independent reading assignment, you will write a book review that will be published to our class website. The goal is to create an online community of readers, where all students can go to find recommendations about books from their peers.
This quarter, the due dates for your review will be: October 4th
Directions:
Role: For this assignment, you will be a book critic writing a review on the book you chose for independent reading.
Audience: Your review will be posted on the class website and will be read by other students who will visit the site to get recommendations on books they may want to read.
Format: You will write a 5-8 paragraph review of your book which must include the following:
· The name of the author, the title of the work, the length and the year of publication
· A summary of the book, without giving away too much of the story
· Information about the setting and main characters
· Information about the main themes or topics
· At least 3 quotes from the book to support the points you are making
· Your opinion about the book and an explanation of why you feel that way
Topic: You will write about whether or not you recommend this book to other readers. A book review is not simply a summary of your book; a book review requires that you share your views and opinions about the book. This does not mean that you state only whether or not you liked it. You must support your opinions by explaining your reaction to the book and citing specific information to support your opinions.
Task: Describe the book, explain your reaction to it and persuade your peers to read the book or stay away. Prior to beginning your review, look over the notes you took while reading and decide what important points you want to get across in your review. Please refer to the following word bank and use the proper terminology when writing your review: Author, Setting, Conflict, Theme, Protagonist, Antagonist, Genre, Voice, Figurative Language.
Challenge: Research the author. Consider how the author’s personal life or background may have influenced him or her to write this book and include this information in your review.
Writing Assignment Rubric
Assessment Categories | Levels of Achievement | |||
4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
Summary and Literary Elements | The summary is detailed and specific, without giving away too much information about the plot. It includes the name of the author and title of the work, as well as specific information about the plot, characters, setting, theme, conflict and genre. Information about how the author’s background may have influenced him/her to write this text in included. | The summary is detailed and specific, without giving away too much information about the plot. It includes the name of the author and title of the work, as well as specific information about the plot, characters, setting, theme, conflict and genre. | The summary is vague and difficult to follow. The name of the au thor and the title of the work are included, but there is limited information about the plot, characters, setting, theme, conflict or genre. | The summary is a random collection of events and is difficult to follow. The name of the author and title of the work may be included, but key information about plot, characters, setting, theme, conflict or genre are missing. |
| Critique | The reviewer’s opinion of whether the book is a worthwhile read or not is very clear. The reviewer has provided specific information from the reading, including more than 3 quotes from the text, to support his/her stance. The reviewer has also made connections or drawn comparisons to other books in the same genre, or written by the same author | The reviewer’s opinion of whether the book is a worthwhile read or not is very clear. The reviewer has provided specific information from the reading, including 3 quotes, to support his/her stance. | The reviewer has stated whether or not he/she liked the book, but has included little specific information to support his/her stance. The author has included 2 or fewer quotes from the text that may or may not be relevant. | The reviewer has stated whether or not he/she likes the book, but has included little, if any, specific information to support his/her stance. The quotes, if any, are random and not relevant. |
| Organization | The introduction catches the attention of the reader and provides the name of the author and the title of the work. A strongly stated thesis statement is included as the last sentence of the first paragraph. Each body paragraph has a clearly stated main idea and many specific supporting details are organized in a logical way. Transitions are used to connect sentences and paragraphs. The conclusion reinforces the points made in the paper and wraps up the review. | The introduction provides the name of the author and the title of the work, although it may not catch the reader’s attention. A strongly stated thesis statement is included as the last sentence of the first paragraph. Each body paragraph has a clearly stated main idea and a few specific supporting details are provided or details may not be logically organized. Transitions are used to connect sentences and paragraphs. The conclusion reinforces the points made in the paper. | The introduction provides the name of the author and the title of the work, but does not include a thesis statement. Body paragraphs may lack main idea sentences and few supporting details are provided or they are organized illogically. The paper lacks transitions to connect sentences or paragraphs. The conclusion is either missing or it does not adequately reinforce the points made in the paper. | The paper is lacking an introduction and/or thesis statement. Body paragraphs do not have topic sentences and details are organized in a random way. The paper lacks transitions and the conclusion missing. |
| Grammar and Mechanics | The author makes no errors in spelling or grammar that distract the reader from the content. | The author makes 1-2 errors in spelling or grammar that distract the reader from the content. | The author makes 3 or more errors in spelling or grammar that distract the reader from the content. | Errors in spelling or grammar make it difficult to follow or understand the content. |