Description
Looking for an alternative to book reports? This differentiated book review project can be used for any novel study or short story! Includes book review templates for both vlog- and blog-style book reviews to empower students to become literary critics. Suitable for distance learning with digital worksheets for Google Classroom®.
Included with this Book Review Project:
- Book Review Project Slideshow Lesson – Microsoft PowerPoint®, Google Slides® & PDF
- Teach the intent behind creating a book review
- Explore two distinct book review styles: video book reviews (“vlogs”) and written book reviews (“blogs”)
- Book Review Informational Handout – Digital & Print
- Includes a step-by-step guide to ensure a well-structured and engaging review
- Option to assign either video and written formats exclusively
- Editable Book Review Assignment Outline – Digital & Print
- Guide students in organizing an insightful literary analysis
- Provide an outline for students to draft their video script or written book review
- 4-Level Rubric – Editable & Ready-to-Print
- Teacher Instructions for using this resource
How to use this Book Review Project Activity:
This Book Review Project is a differentiated activity that encourages students to reflect on and analyze novels studied in class through structured book reviews! By engaging in this analytical process, students will explore key literary elements, such as characters, themes, and conflict, while also forming their own personal opinions and reactions to the novel. This project provides an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking skills as they evaluate the effectiveness of storytelling, author intent, and literary techniques used in their chosen book. By participating in this Book Review Project, students will deepen their comprehension and learn how to communicate their perspectives effectively, whether through a video presentation or a written review.
There are two formats offered with this Book Review Project: a video book review and a written book review. This flexibility allows teachers to cater to different learning styles and preferences, ensuring that all students can engage with the assignment in a way that best suits them. The worksheets and assignment outlines are formatted to give you the option to assign either the video book review or the written book review exclusively, or to provide students with a choice between the two. Additionally, you can challenge students by assigning both formats and encouraging them to experiment with different forms of literary analysis. This approach supports differentiation in the classroom, ensuring that students can express their ideas creatively while meeting curriculum standards.
You can begin this Book Review Project by introducing the Book Review Slideshow Lesson to your students. This interactive lesson provides a detailed overview of book reviews, explaining their purpose, format, and significance in both academic and real-world settings. The slideshow covers the intent behind creating a book review, emphasizing how reviews help readers make informed decisions about the books they choose. It also provides insight into different types of book reviews, such as professional reviews, peer reviews, and online reader reviews, which students may encounter in digital and print media outlets. Some examples of book reviews have also been included to provide students with models of strong analytical writing. These real-world examples allow students to see how book reviews are structured and written for various audiences.
You can also provide this overview by distributing the Informational Handout to your students. This comprehensive handout reinforces key concepts from the Book Review Slideshow Lesson while also providing a step-by-step guide for creating a high-quality book review. Students can use this resource as a reference throughout the project, helping them stay on track as they brainstorm, plan, and create their book reviews. By referring back to the Informational Handout, students will gain a clear understanding of project expectations, ensuring that their analysis is well-structured and thoroughly developed. Additionally, this handout encourages independent learning, allowing students to take ownership of their book review process while building their confidence in analyzing and evaluating literature.
Once students have familiarized themselves with the structure and purpose of book reviews, they can begin the Book Review Assignment Outline. This outline serves as a scaffolding tool to help students organize their literary analysis and structure their book reviews effectively. Whether students are preparing for a video presentation or a written blog-style review, this outline ensures that their work follows a logical and engaging format. By using the assignment outline, students will learn how to articulate their ideas clearly, incorporating key literary elements such as plot development, character analysis, and thematic interpretation. The assignment outline is provided in both editable and ready-to-print formats, allowing teachers to modify the content to align with their specific classroom needs and curriculum expectations.
To enhance the revision process, encourage students to exchange their completed scripts for peer feedback and suggestions. This collaborative element of the Book Review Project helps students refine their ideas, strengthen their arguments, and improve the overall quality of their book reviews. Through peer review, students will engage in meaningful discussions, developing their ability to provide and receive constructive feedback. This process not only supports critical thinking and editing skills but also fosters a classroom culture of collaboration and shared learning. Once students have received feedback and made revisions to their scripts, they can use their final draft as a guide for recording their video review or writing their blog-style book review.
To evaluate this Book Review Project, an editable and ready-to-print 4-level rubric has been provided. This rubric outlines clear success criteria, ensuring that students understand how their work will be assessed. Teachers can use the pre-made rubric as-is or modify the assessment criteria to better align with their specific classroom needs and curriculum expectations. Whether assessing literary analysis, organization, creativity, or presentation skills, this rubric provides a structured framework for fair and objective evaluation. Additionally, using a clear rubric helps students self-assess their work, encouraging them to take an active role in the learning process.
✨ Kindly note that due to copyright restrictions, this resource is not editable. This is a common practice within the online marketplace in order to protect the clipartists and software providers that have authorized their intellectual property for the development of this resource.
See what other teachers are saying about this Book Review Project:
“This was a great grab-n-go guide for book reviews. I only did an essay, but I liked that it went through different ways books can be reviewed. Loved the graphics as well.”
– Rebecca G.
⭒ For classrooms utilizing Google Classroom® ⭒
To access the digital version of these worksheets, simply follow the instructions within the resource to copy the files directly to your Google Drive®.
