CEClang.72
TITLE: BOOK REVIEW
AUTHOR: Ginger Parker Stout, Wyoming Girls School;
Sheridan, Wyoming
GRADE LEVEL: 8-9
OVERVIEW: Most English teachers have a variety of ways
to help students write about novels they read. I use
this pre-writing activity, along with others, to help
students fulfill the writing component in a contract
reading unit. Usually the students are on about the
8th or 9th grade level and have fallen into the dismal
habit of writing a book review which is an often times
confusing re-telling of the entire story. This is an
effort to help them identify and describe the bare
bones of novel.
OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:
1. Write one sentence, using carefully chosen words,
which describes the character, plot, setting, and
mood of a novel.
2. Use, if they choose, that one sentence as a spring
board for additional writing about the novel.
3. Identify (during discussion) plot, setting, mood,
character.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
(THE STUDENTS HAVE ALL COMPLETED A FREE CHOICE NOVEL)
1. I ask the students to think carefully about their
novels and choose a word which describes the main
character's age and sex (man, woman, boy, girl)
then choose one word which best describes the main
character as a person.
2. The students choose two words which best describe
another important character.3. The students
choose two words which describe the setting of the
novel.
4. The students choose three words which best
describe the mood of the story.
5. The students choose ten words which describe the
sequence of events in the novel. (I encourage
them to leave out articles and conjunctions.)
6. The students take the nineteen words they have
chosen and ten additional free words and write one
long sentence or two shorter sentences which are,
in essence, all the "important stuff" about their
novels.
7. The students read their sentences aloud.
8. They have at their disposal a sentence which may
be awkward and crying for revision, but handles
the main idea of their novels and is a good
starting point for further writing about reading.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: I find that an element of
mystery helps this pre-writing activity get off the
ground. I don't announce what will happen with the
words the students are choosing, in fact, I evade
answering the obvious "why" questions. I name and
define plot, setting, mood, and character as we choose
words, which is generally review for most students. I
do the exercise on the board along with the students
using a book we have previously read as a class or one
with which the students are familiar. When it is time
for the students to write the sentence, I usually hear
lots of groans, moans, and questions. I take the
opportunity to circulate, help, commiserate, and laugh
with the students as I also struggle with the word
choices I have made on the board.
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org