Goodreads Book Reviews

TASK:  You will write a 10 paragraph book review on a recent book you have read, following one of the two formats provided by your ELA teachers. Choose the Fiction format if your book is fiction, and choose the Non-Fiction format if your book is non-fiction. The two formats are included in this packet, and you can also review the formats on the class blog, at www.7ela256.blogspot.com

If for some reason you cannot access the internet, then you will handwrite your book review for now.  After Thanksgiving break, you’ll have to stay after school to type it into google docs and then post onto goodreads for full credit.


Book reviews are due on the last day of each month and are scored out of 50 points.

To see a sample, go to Ms. Walsh’s books, choose Sammy Sosa, and read Robert Done from 702’s review.

Formats:  Select your format; then begin.

Your fiction book reviews must contain each of the following literary elements:

   Protagonist: description of the main character (one paragraph)

   Antagonist: description of the opposing force or opposing character (one paragraph)

   Conflict: description of the main conflict in the story (one paragraph)

   Theme: the universal lesson (one paragraph)

   Setting: description of the time and place (one paragraph)

   Plot: a summary of the beginning, middle, and end of the book (3 paragraphs)

   Climax: a summary of the major turning point in the book (one paragraph)

   Resolution: a summary of how the major conflicts in the book are resolved (one paragraph)

Your non-fiction book reviews must contain each of the following literary elements:

   Topic:  description of the topic (one paragraph)

   Main Points:  a summary of the main points (three paragraphs)

   Already Knew:  summary of 4 or 5 facts you already knew before reading (one paragraph)

   Facts You Learned:  summary of 5 or 6 things you learned from the book (one paragraph)

   Most Interesting Fact:  a description of the most interesting thing you learned (one paragraph)

   Author’s Purpose:  explanation of the author’s purpose for writing this material (one paragraph)

   Recommendation:  description of the type of person you would recommend to (one paragraph)

   Rating:  explain if the book did a good, o.k., or bad job of teaching you about the topic (one paragraph)

Typing your Book Review:

1)  Go to www.gmail.com

2)  Go to “documents”

3)  Create a new document

4)  Go to the title bar and title your document. Title your document like this:           

Robert Done’s November Book Review  (Use your own name, instead of          Robert’s.)

5)  Type your Book Review. Follow the format EXACTLY.  Your heading should         look like:

                  Robert Done     (your name)

                  November 2011 (Month and year)

                  Sammy Sosa        (Italicized Title)

                  Terri Dougherty  (Author’s Name)

6)  Share your Book Review with your ELA teacher by typing the email addresses that you share with for your DJs

Posting your Book Review on Goodreads:

1)  Go to www.goodreads.com

2)  Go to “Groups” and select the M.S. 256 Reading Group

3)  Go to “My Books”

4)  Type the book title into the search bar and find your book

5)  Rate your book by selecting one, two, three, four, or five stars

6)  Click on “edit my review”

7)  A screen will appear with a big space to type, titled “What did you think?”

8)  Copy your book review from your google docs and paste it into this space. To do this, you can highlight your book report in googledocs, then hold down the command key and hit the “c” key.  Then go to the goodreads screen and put your cursor where you would type.  Hold down the command key and hit the “v” key.  Your document should appear in the box.

9)  Answer all of the questions on that screen

10)  Hit “save”

11)  A screen will appear asking you if you want to take a quiz on the book, and if you want to post your review into your blog or onto your facebook wall.  You can follow the directions and do these things, or you can just hit    “close” on the bottom right side of your screen.

Marking Period 2 Dialogue Journal Prompts

Please remember to start over with number 1.  Just like we did in Marking Period 1, you may not use the same prompt more than one time in two weeks' time.

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1.  Write a “WANTED” add for the antagonist.

2.  Describe a character that you would like to meet.  This doesn’t mean that you think you would like the character, but that you think the character would be interesting.  Then list four questions that you would ask the character.

3.  Describe the major conflict and explain whose side you are on.

4.  Describe the similarities and differences between the main character and you.

5.  Describe the theme (central meaning/message) of your reading.

6.  Describe your least favorite character and explain why.  Then describe your most favorite character and explain why.

7.  Do any of the characters’ feelings change as you’ve read?  Explain why or why not.

8.  List five facts from what you read.  Then list 5 of your personal  opinions about what you read.

9.  Write about a cause and its effect on the main character.  Then write about a second cause and its effect on the main character.  Then write about a third cause and its effect on the main character.  All together, you should have three causes, and three effects. 

10.  If you could talk to the author, what would you want to tell him or her about yourself?  Why?  How does that relate to what you have been reading?

11.  If you were a character in this book, who would you be?  Why?

12.  If you were the author, what would you have happening next?  Why?

13.  In a few sentences, summarize what you have read today.

14.  Is the setting described well enough that it can put a picture of it in your mind?  Why, or why not?

15.  List at least three problems that your character faces.  Which one is the most life changing so far?  Explain.

16.  List the physical characteristics of the main character (clothing, physical features, etc.)

17.  List three new vocabulary words from your reading. Copy the sentences from the book and underline the context clues.  Then look up the words and copy the definitions.  Lastly, explain how the context clues provide hints about the meaning of the words. 

18.  Pretend that you are a talk show host and two characters are the guests on your show.  Which characters would you choose and why?  List two questions that you, the host, would ask each character.

19.  Pretend you are a famous reporter on TV.  Write a story about what you’ve read for the evening news.

20.  Pretend you are the friend of one of the characters.  Write him or her a letter.

21.  Pretend you get to create the music soundtrack for what you’ve been reading.  What five songs would you include?  Write an explanation for each song.  Why would you include it?  How does the song connect to events in the book?

22.  Pretend that you have magical powers and could put yourself into your reading.  Where would you put yourself?  Why?  How would you being there change the story?

23.  Select a quote from your reading that you liked (1-3 sentences long).  What made you pick that quote?  How does it make you pause and think?

24.  Select a quote from your reading passage and respond to it.  How did it make you feel?

25.  Summarize the book in a way that makes me want to read it!

26.  Think of a problem that a character had to face.  Write the problem and tell how the character solved it or is working to solve it.  If you were that character, what would you do differently?

27.  Who is the author?  What do you know about the author?  What do you imagine the author to be like?

28.  Write a quote (1-3 sentences long) from what you are reading that has meaning for you.  Explain why you chose this quote.

29.  Write a quote (1-3 sentences long) from what you are reading that connects to your life.  What did it mean for the book?  What does it mean for your life?

30.  Write the biography for one character.

Week #7: Vocabulary Test

Test Date:  Friday, October 21, 2011


New Words:

interminable
interrogate
recompense
renovate
resume

Previous Units (you may be tested on any of these words, too!):

adjacent
germinate
barren
disrupt
dynasty
foreshadow
alight
humdrum
hurtle
insinuate

TEST FORMAT:  You will have to do all of the following:

Spelling
Connotation
Matching
Fill-in-the-blank
Write original sentences (using context clues!)

Unit #2 Vocabulary: Week 5

Quiz Date:  Friday, October 7


New Words:
1) foreshadow
2) germinate
3)  humdrum
4)  hurtle
5)  insinuate


Don't forget about words from previous units! You may be tested on these at any time!
6)  adjacent
7) alight
8) barren
9) disrupt
10) dynasty
11) definition
12) synonym
13) antonym
14) usage
15) connotation
16) favorable connotation
17) unfavorable connotation
18)  neutral connotation

Unit #1 Vocabulary Test: Week 4

Quiz Date:  Wednesday, September 28, 2011


1) definition
2) synonyms
3) antonyms
4) usage
5) favorable connotation
6) unfavorable connotation
7) neutral connotation
8) adjacent
9) alight
10) barren
11) disrupt
12) dynasty

15 Steps to Create a Goodreads Account

15 Steps to Create a GoodReads Account

1.    Go on the Internet, using Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Safari or any web browser.

2.    Go to www.goodreads.com.

3.    In the upper right-hand corner, where it says “New here? Create free account” enter your name, your Gmail email, and a password.

4.    Write down the password you choose here: ______________________________________.

5.    When it asks you to look for friends on GoodReads, click “skip this step” to move to the next page. Then select your favorite genres of writing.

6.    On the next page, click “I’m finished rating” to skip this page.

7.    Then click the down arrow next to the “explore” pull-down menu at the top and select “groups,” then type “MS 256” in the “find groups” search window at the top.

8.    The search will return “MS256 Reading Group”; click on it. On the right-hand side, click the square button that says “join this group.”

9.    It will ask “Do you want to join the group MS256 Reading Group?” Select “join.”

10. Now you’re part of the group! Click on the first topic of discussion, “What have YOU been reading.”

11. Your homework tonight is to add one paragraph to this discussion, in which you write about the last book you’re read. Please write at least five sentences about your book. To enter your comment, type it in the “comment” box, then select the “post” button below.

12. Now, go up to the “My books” pull-down menu at the top of the screen, and click on it.

13. Click on “Add books.” Please search for and then add at least three books that you have read recently. You will type in the name of the book or author, then find it in the list. Click “add” next to the book.

14. When you add a book, please write two sentences in the box “what did you think?”

15. Now you have to “friend” Ms. Walsh. Go to the “Friends” pull-down menu at the top, select the “+ add friends” tab, then type in my E-mail address in the box on the right-hand side, ewalsh.english@gmail.com. When you see my name, click on it and add me as your GoodReads friend!

The 26 Dialogue Journal Task Items

The 26 Dialogue Journal Task Items:

1)             Are the characters realistic (do they seem like they could be real people)? Why or why not?

2)             Describe the major conflict. What side are you on?

3)             Describe the most important event. Give at least three reasons why you think it is the most important event.

4)             Describe the setting – when and where what you are reading takes place.

5)             Describe the setting’s time and place. Create a new setting that you think would be better for the story and describe it.

6)             Describe what was either believable or unbelievable about your reading.

7)             Defend your opinion.

8)             Describe the theme (central meaning/message) of your reading.

9)             Explain how you have been surprised by what you are reading.

10)          How have your feelings changed as you’ve been reading?

11)          If you could change what you’re reading, how would you change it?

12)          If you were the author, how would this end?

13)          If you were the author, what would you change? Why?

14)          Describe several insights you’ve gained from your reading.

15)          List five major events in order from which happened first to last.

16)          List the personality characteristics of the main character (feelings, interests, behaviors, etc.)

17)          Predict what will happen next.

18)          Pretend what you are reading is nominated for a national award. Explain why you think it should or should not receive an award.

19)          What have you been reading? What does it remind you of in your own life?

20)          What have you learned about life from what you’re reading?

21)          What passage describes how you want to live your life? Why?

22)          What questions would you like answered about your reading? Would you like the book/article better if you knew those answers now? Why?

23)          Would you recommend this book to friends? Why, or why not?

24)          Write a journal entry as if you were a certain character from your reading.

25)          Write a review of what you just read (summary plus personal opinions).

26)          Write the main idea of what you are reading and what are your reasons for thinking it is the main idea.