Thursday, October 9, 2014

Welcome!

This year, the Freshmen Honors English teachers asked students to create Book Review Blogs as a first semester SSR assignment.  While pursuing some of her favorite YA fiction blogs like slatebreakers.com earlier this fall, Ms. Seckel had a revelation (ding!) and this project was born!  We encouraged students to discuss their SSR books in groups and find intriguing connections between them.  Each blog should have a unique and compelling theme that connects students' novels. You will find the full assignment below.

Please feel free to read the student blogs listed to the right.  Leave encouraging feedback for individual students or just spend some time finding a great novel to snuggle up with this winter!


The Assignment

English 9H SSR Project: Create a Book Review Blog!

SSR Novel Requirements
You may pick a novel of your choice; however, it must meet the following requirements and be approved:
  • Challenging and at a freshmen reading level
  • CANNOT be a novel you previously read or completed a project on
  • If you choose to read a book that has been made into a movie, you must also watch the movie and include a comparison between the two as an additional part of your book review

Objectives
By the end of this project, you should be able to:
  • Respond critically to a novel or non-fiction book
  • Write a literary review for an authentic audience of your peers
  • Collaborate with peers to make connections between texts  
  • Use technology to generate, produce, publish, and update a shared writing product (blog)

Preliminary Work
  • In groups of three or four, you will create a Book Review Blog!  Each group will focus on a particular theme or angle that will guide each review and play a central role in the development of the blog. 
  • In your groups, discuss your books.  Tell your group members about the plot, characters, narrative style, themes, and time period.  Explain what you liked about the book and elements you might change.  Take notes as each person discusses his or her book.
  • As a group, reflect on how your novels are connected.  Maybe they all have characters who are trying to find their way in the world.  Perhaps all three novels are greatly influenced by the time period in which they take place.
  • Now you need to come up with a theme or “angle” for your blog.  The blog slatebreakers.com is a great example.  Read the “About” section on this website and notice that the writers have a particular perspective from which they create their reviews.  Their blog has a “feminist” slant.  They look at the books they review through a feminist lens.  You will need to choose a particular lens as well.
  • Once you have come up with your overarching theme or angle, come up with categories that are fitting.  On the Slatebreakers blog, the writers address the book cover, which is not always mentioned in reviews.  They also ask the question, “Does it break the slate?” meaning, among other things, “Are the female characters strong and resilient?”  This category fits with their feminist perspective.  Come up with creative categories for your review that fit with your particular perspective.
  • Now it is time to write your reviews and create your blogs!
Blog Requirements
  • You must use the website www.blogger.com to create your blog using your school issued Gmail account.  We are all using this website so that we can easily view and comment on the class blogs.  Detailed information will be provided regarding how to set up your school Gmail account and Blogger account.  Because you will be required to keep your full name and email address hidden for privacy purposes, please follow directions carefully.
  • Each of your individual book reviews should be 500-750 words in length and should include thoughtful and original insight.  Remember, you are including some summary, but this should be from your own perspective.  Please take your blog’s angle into consideration when writing your review.  Include the word count at the end!
  • Each of your reviews should be guided by the same creative categories (see above) that correspond with your theme.  See the blogs below for inspiration.
  • Images, multimedia, and/or video should be used to enhance your review blogs.  You will be graded on presentation and creativity. 
  • You will then be required to view other groups’ blogs and post encouraging feedback.

Peer Comment Requirements
  • Comment on at least 3 blog posts on 2 different blogs
  • Each comment should be a short paragraph in length (at least 5 sentences)
  • Your responses must be respectful
  • You may choose to respond in one of the following ways:
    • Make a personal connection or a connection to your own book review
    • Comment on the strongest aspects of the post
    • Suggest a book, movie, or TV show that the author of the post might enjoy based on his/her book review
    • Share something about the post that sparked your interest or made you think
  • Worth 15 points total (5 points per comment)

Blogs you should peruse for inspiration:
Slatebreakers:  www.slatebreakers.com
A review with GREAT examples of creative categories:
Diversity in YA Fiction: http://www.diversityinya.com/

Book Review Blog Rubric

Group Book Review Blog
Theme of blog is original and clearly represented throughout (10 pts)
Blog is creative, incorporates images/video/media that enhance the overall appeal and demonstrate effort (10 pts)
Title of blog and categories are creative, insightful, and fitting with theme (10 pts)
Group Blog Total:  _______/30

Individual Book Review
Review is 500-750 words (word count included); movie comparison is included if necessary (10 pts)
Summary is clear, concise, and does not dominate review (10 pts)
Includes author’s original insights and perspective (10 pts)
Demonstrates style, creativity, and a clear voice (10 pts)
Overall, review has clearly been revised and carefully edited (10 pts)
Individual Book Review Total:   _______/50