The Curriculum Through ICT Program
Ideas Bank

Book Reviews Online
Years 3 - 7Years 7 - 10

THE TASK

Students created a website on the school intranet to share reviews about books nominated for the West Australian Young Readers Book Award (WAYRBA).

Prior to writing reviews, students read a range of children's book reviews written both by students and adults and identified key features. Students then read a WAYRBA shortlisted book and drafted a review on a word processor. Reviews were peer and teacher-edited with reference to the key features the students had identified.

Ater completion, the students created individual web pages which were linked together into a single intranet site. Students from other classes were invited to select their reading choice after viewing the website and to report back on how useful the book reviews had been.

Extension activities involved students adding quizzes and author information to their web pages.

ICT ENRICHMENT

  • Use of a word processor enabled the students to edit and improve their products with ease following peer and teacher review.
  • Publication as an intranet site allowed a wide audience of peers to read the reviews and to select their reading accordingly.
  • As new reviews were added to the intranet site, all users had instant access to the latest reviews, organised by title. This was considered to be impractical with a paper version.

SUGGESTED RESOURCES

ASSESSMENT

  • Achievement of the intended outcomes in reading and writing was monitored through the drafting process as well as in the finished book reviews.

LEARNING AREA OUTCOMES

English
Reading
Writing

Learning activity developed by Joy Loffelmann.
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