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This first grade lesson was created to teach students how to use a blog for the writing process.
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Book Reviews
ProjectInitiator
Rebecca Blackman
Collaborators Jenny DepaDawn Johannsen
TechIntegrationist
Dan Gibson
LearningObjectives
Using a questionnaire, students will write a persuasive book review ofan enjoyable fiction book.
CommonCore
W 1.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or namethe book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for theopinion, and provide some sense of closure.W 1.6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digitaltools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration withpeers.SL 1.1 The student will participate in collaborative conversations withdiverse partners about gradeappropriate topics and texts...SL 1.2 Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order togather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
TechnologyPiece
KidBlog AccountsComputer PodsiPad KidBlog App
Marzano Strategies:Cooperative Learning from Classroom Instruction that Works
● Group students heterogeneously to comment on specific student blog posts.Design Question 2 #8 Previewing New contentDesign Question 3 #14 Reviewing contentDesign Question 3 #17 Examining similarities and differences
Lesson Sequence:1. Prior to using the KidBlog platform, students engaged in digital safety discussions,
computer part lessons, and keyboarding practice through Learning.com2. Teacher introduced the concept of blogging by showing a video. (BrainPOP Jr. Blog
Video)3. Teacher provided students with Blogging rules:
Blogging Rules1. NO addresses, phone numbers, emails, or any other personal information...THINKSAFE.2. If you are not sure about something ASK an ADULT.3. Only use FIRST names.4. Be respectful in your writing.5. Stay on topic.
Week One4. Day one: (30 minutes) students were assigned iPads. Using the AppleTV,
students were shown how to navigate through the posting part of the app. Studentscreated one blog post about their favorite trip.
5. Day two: (45 minutes) Students were shown how to return to a previous blog postand edit. Students edited their last blog post. Next, using an teacher iPad on theAppleTV, students were shown how to create a new blog post. They chose theirown topic and wrote a second blog post once they finished editing the first.
6. Once students were finished, they were invited to try commenting on a blog. Theywere encouraged to look for blogs that had fewer comments. The focus of thesecomments were on helping the blogger add more detail to what he or she wrote.
7. As a class, a discussion was held regarding what a good comment should look like.Students generated many questions with the main idea (stated in first grade terms)being “Does my comment help the student with his or her writing?”
8. Students gave examples of helpful comments and nonhelpful comments.Week Two
1. Day three and four: (20 minutes each) Students were shown examples of otherbook reviews online, written by other students.
Examples: http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/review.php?review_id=7175 http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/review.php?review_id=7000 http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/review.php?review_id=6349
2. Day Four: Students and teacher created a Noticings chart about the examples.3. Day Five: (20 minutes) Teacher showed more examples.
Evaluated Reviews:http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/review.php?review_id=7068
http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/review.php?review_id=8508
4. Students worked with a partner to score each review using a checklist. Partnersshared out why they scored each review the way they did.
Week Three5. Day Six:(25 minutes) Class discussed how to choose a good book. The class
created an anchor chart to help remember what guidelines they decided on.Students then chose a book for their book reviews.
6. Day Seven:(30 minutes) After reading their books, students completed aquestionnaire to organize their thoughts about their book. Students then met withthe teacher to help improve their book review outlines and add ideas to thesummaries.
7. Day Eight:(45 minutes) Teacher passed out iPads and students began blogging.Students started with their summaries based off of their what was written on theirquestionnaire. While they were working, Teacher met with students individually todiscuss their summaries and focus on writing the most important parts of thebeginning, middle, and end. Finally, students were shown how to save their blogs toKidBlog.
Week Four8. Day Nine, Ten, and Eleven: (3045 minutes each) Students were shown how to
access their blogs a second time to continue working. Teacher continued meetingwith students to revise and add to their summaries. Students revised and added totheir blogs.
9. Day Twelve: (30 minutes) Teacher presented students with an example of a firstgrade book review and highlighted how the author discussed his or her favorite part.(http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/review.php?review_id=7828 ) Students did “turnand talk” to discuss what they noticed about the blog. As a class, students sharedtheir noticings. Teacher wrote these on the SMART Board. Students finished theirsummaries and began writing about their favorite parts of the book, as well as theirreasoning.
10.Day Thirteen:(25 minutes) Students finished their favorite parts and revised theirsummaries. Teacher warned the class that they would be commenting on thefollowing Monday. Students conferenced with the teacher to help improve theirreviews.
Week Five11.Day Fourteen: (Two sessions, 30 minutes & 20 minutes) Teacher led a discussion
on how to comment. Students helped generate a list of “rules” for commenting. Itwas decided that a comment should have one thing they liked about the writing, and
one thing the reviewer could fix about his or her book review.12. The teacher then used the Group Picker in SMART Notebook to select groups
randomly. These were the students that were to comment on each others’ blogs.Next, using the Apple TV hooked to the SMART Board, the teacher showed thestudents on her iPad where to access their group members’ posts. Students begancommenting on the reviews.
13. As the comments were sent in, the teacher spoke briefly with each student abouthow they might create a better comment. Once the student had created a commentthat followed the guidelines, the teacher allowed it to be published. At the end,students shared the “good” and “hard” things about commenting. Teacher wrotethese on the SMART Board and the class discussed each one.
Students comment on each others’ blogs.
14.Day Fifteen: (20 minutes) Students illustrated their favorite parts of their stories.15. (30 minutes) Using the teacher iPad, SMART Board, and AppleTV, the teacher
demonstrated to students how to take a picture of their illustrations using the iPadcamera app. Teacher then demonstrated how to upload the picture into their blogposts in the KidBlog app. Students then continued editing their blogs and adding totheir ideas.
16.Day Sixteen: (45 minutes) Students selfevaluated their writing using the checklist.Then they used the checklist to evaluate one others’ writing. They used thesechecklists to write comments for the author of the blog. Next, students took theiriPads and “buddy wrote” to help the other person “fancy up” his or her blog.
Continuation (feedback, assess, & extend) 1. Students receive checklists to selfevaluate their writing.2. Students receive checklists to peerevaluate other’s writing.3. Promote discussion via comments and buddywriting to improve student writing.
SummativeAssessment
Book Review Writing ChecklistBook Review Scale
Classroom Scale
4 My blog has everything in 3.My blog begins with an exciting lead to get the reader interested inthe book.My blog uses WOW words to persuade the reader to read the book.My blog tells the reader two reasons (or more) why they should readthe book.
3 My blog tells the reader the important parts of the beginning andmiddle, and leaves the reader wondering about the end.My blog tells the reader who should read the book.My blog tells the reader one reason why they should read the book.My blog tells the reader what my favorite part was.My blog tells the reader why that is my favorite part.
2 My blog tells the reader the whole story, even the parts that are notmost important.My blog tells who should read the book.My blog tells what my favorite part is.
1 My blog tells one part of the story.My blog tells what my favorite part is.
Smart Goal70% of our class will create a persuasive book review.
Book Review Checklist
Scale Description YES/NO
1 Did you tell the most important parts of the book?
2 Did you tell why you should read the book?
3 Did you tell who should read the book?
4 Did you write about your favorite part?
5 Did you draw a picture about the book?
Finished Student Examples
Commenting
Reflection:I found it successful to have students use a paper questionnaireprior to beginning their blogs. It gave me a chance to meet with thestudents and discuss the various sections prior to having thempublish the reviews online. It also allowed students to organizetheir thoughts prior to putting them online.
I also found it useful to allow the students access to the blogsduring center time in reading. Because it was responding to a bookthey had read, it fit well within the 90 minute reading block.
Overall, I am enjoying this project. While it is not yet complete, itengages the students and provides opportunities for collaboration.
The book reviews allow the students to think more deeply aboutwhy they like a book. It gave them a chance to use Higher Orderthinking skills. Through the comments, students were able tocollaborate in an entirely different way. It also added anaccountability that is not necessarily present in their usual writing.The books they usually create are not published for the entire classto see and analyze. With blogs, students are receiving commentsfrom at least three other classmates. This is an extra incentive tobe sure their writing is the best it can be.
Future Changes:
In the future, I would probably introduce blogging earlier in theyear. An entire two weeks could be devoted just to learning how toblog and comment. This would ensure that students arecompletely comfortable with blogging and the app prior tobeginning the unit on book reviews. The focus could then be moreon teaching students how to write a book review, and less on theact of blogging itself.
To help with differentiation in the future, I would have studentswork in pairs to review and blog about their book. This would allowstudents of various levels to work together.
