Lead Me On - Writing Lively Leads for Book Reviews

The beginning, a very good place to start, is also a very difficult thing to craft. Provide your writers with this handout that identifies, and provides examples of, six different types of narrative leads.

The lightning rod, bifocals, and swim fins: it is difficult to imagine a world without the inventions of Ben Franklin. With the Ben and Me novel study, pupils research fascinating facts about the famous inventor. Scholars also write...

Smart Solutions is the theme of unit comprised of activities designed to challenge minds and stretch writing muscles. Enthusiastic writers create their own comic strip, write a problem-solution essay, an opinion letter, a funny story, a...

Having read and discussed Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle, third graders demonstrate their bullfrog expertise by writing informational paragraphs. Building on the note-taking and paragraph planning from the previous lesson plan, learners...

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of having siblings? Pupils explore this topic with the Beezus and Ramona novel study. Additionally, scholars answer questions about chapter one of the time-honored book by Beverly Cleary...

Big Red is a classic tale of love at first sight ... between a teenage boy and an Irish setter. Using a novel study, scholars write about their impressions of main characters and answer questions about the text, practice vocabulary, and...

Reflect on your reading with a book review form. After finishing a novel or short story, kids choose the correct genre and discuss their favorite part. They also decide which part they would change, and whether or not they would...

After reading "How to write a good book review" and browsing some book reviews, class members generate a list of things they would like to see in a book review. Then young reporters read a book, write a review and post their polished...

Following a discussion about maps, scholars enjoy a read-aloud of the story, Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney. The tale sets the stage for participants to draft a map of their home and bedroom with proper detail and labels. Peers share...

After reading a self-selected book, young reviewers plan, draft, revise, edit and polish a book review as their report on the book. Reviewers record and edit their report which is then placed in the digital library for others to enjoy.