+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Discovery Education

One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
After reading Ken Kesey's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, class members view the 1975 film version and then craft a critical review in which they compare the two versions and evaluate the success or failure of Milos Foreman's...
+
Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: Writing With Writers: Write a Book Review With Rodman Philbrick

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This online activity invites students to plan, draft, revise, and publish a book review. Important writing tips and a professional writing model, provided by the author Rodman Philbrick, are included. Plus, enjoy the online library of...
+
Handout
University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin Madison: Writing Center: Reading a Book to Review It

For Students 9th - 10th
Advice on steps to take and things to think about while reading a book to be reviewed. These directions will be particularly useful when reviewing non-fiction, but can be modified to work for fiction, too.
+
Activity
University of Glasgow

University of Glasgow: Critical Reviews

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site is designed to be used by psychology students at the university level, but it provides helpful instruction for anyone writing critical reviews of non-fiction. Instruction includes everything from how to be critical to...
+
Handout
University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin Madison: Writing Center: How to Write Critical Reviews

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site provides the viewer with a step-by-step guide to writing critical reviews for non-fiction works. Its steps include analyzing the assignment as well as writing a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Links to other writing...
+
Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Book Reviews, Annotation, and Web Technology

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Contains plans for six lessons that ask students to write group book reviews after reading texts in literature circles. Students also learn about research and documentation as they put together their reports. In addition to objectives...
+
Handout
University of Toronto (Canada)

University of Toronto: Critical Reading Towards Critical Writing

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Aimed particularly towards writing about non-fiction, this site describes ways to think about what you read so you can write more clearly. Focuses on analyzing the "ways of thinking" that an author uses so you can evaluate the validity...
+
Unit Plan
Colorado State University

Colorado State Writing Center: Writing a Book Review

For Students 9th - 10th
A guide on the essential and non-essential elements of writing a book review (critical writing). Includes objectives, material, and information on planning and publication.
+
Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Paying Attention to Technology Reviewing a Technology

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Contains plans for five lessons that ask learners to write reviews of pieces of technology (cell phones, webcams, ink pens, satellite dishes, etc.) like they would write reviews of books. In addition to objectives and standards, this...
+
Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: So What Do You Think? Writing a Review

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Contains plans for four lessons that ask students to write critical literature reviews after reading reviews of movies, music, restaurants, and books. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to...
+
Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Distinguish Between Summary and Critique (English Ii Reading)

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Smmarize a text and distinguish between a summary and a critique, identifying nonessential information in a summary, and unsubstantiated opinions in a critique.
+
Activity
Other

New York Review of Books Archive

For Students 9th - 10th
At this site, you can conduct a search for critical reviews that have been published in the New York Review of Books. Currently (July, 2000), only reviews published since 1996 are available, but that is supposed to change. This is a good...
+
Handout
Other

Tidewater Community College: Book or Article Review or Critique Guidelines

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Many students are not sure what type of information to include in a book or article review. This site provides some general guidelines. It covers not only the type of content to be included but also the format.
+
Activity
Louisiana Department of Education

Louisiana Doe: Curriculum Hub: Ela Guidebooks: Teenage Brain: Review Claims About Social Media

For Students 9th Standards
Review claims made in "Teens: This Is How Social Media Affects Your Brain."
+
Handout
University of Toronto (Canada)

University of Toronto: The Book Review or Article Critique

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site presents a series of questions to ask yourself before writing a book review or article critique. Most appropriate for non-fiction works.
+
Lesson Plan
TES Global

Tes: Schemes of Work: Prose. The Monster Garden by Vivien Alcock.

For Teachers 6th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson plan will engage students in a shared reading of Vivien Alcock's novel, The Monster Garden. As a post-reading activity, 6th graders will learn about book review writing. Then students will...