Mini-Reviews Book Report

Mini-Reviews Book Report is an 11-page resource that provides a detailed lesson plan to teach students in 6th to 9th grades how to write and publish mini-reviews of books they have read. It can easily be modified for 10th-12th graders as well.

This engaging lesson offers students a creative way to express their opinions about the novel or nonfiction book they read and then publish their reviews online. They will write a summary or synopsis of the plot of the book, introduce the main characters, setting, and theme, and write an assessment or evaluation of the book in which they express their opinion about the book and back it up with evidence.

Your students will enjoy this book report because, instead of writing a formal book report, they will publish their mini-reviews online and then can see their reviews on different websites. Plus students get exposed to many new books they might not have known about by reading the reviews written by their classmates and others. This assignment is great for all students in grades 6-9: regular ed, ESL, RSP, and GATE.

The lesson includes the following:

• objectives and learning targets that are aligned with the Common Core Standards

• detailed lesson plan

• suggestions of places for students to post their reviews

• student sample of a mini-review

• a scaffolded template for writing the review

• rubric

Other Resources You Might Be Interested In:

Book Reports:

• Autobiography/Biography Genre Study Book Report and Speech

• Book into Movie Project: Compare and Contrast Book Report and Essay

• Book Jacket Book Report

• Character Analysis Essay, Gift for a Character Book Report, and Oral Presentation

• Historical Fiction Genre Study Book Report

• Historical Fiction Genre Study Literature Circle Project

• Poetry Book Report

• Mini-Reviews Book Report

• Mystery, Thriller, Horror, and Suspense Genre Study Book Report

• Narrative Nonfiction Genre Study Book Report Project

• Poetry Book Report

• Dystopian. Science Fiction, and Fantasy Genre Study Game Board Project

Reading Units:

Creating Independent Readers in your Middle School Classroom which is available as 1 unit or as individual resources

• Part 1: What We Do When We Read

• Part 2: Reading Logs, Setting Goals, and Reflection 

• Part 3: Summary Writing for Short Stories

• Part 4: Metacognitive Logs: Reading Response

Bonus: How to Set Up An Amazing Classroom Library (without Spending Much Money)

Google Slide Shows: 

• Characterization: What It Is and How to Develop It

• Writing with Suspense

• If you have any questions, please email me at gruenwaldy1@gmail.com