This week I taught a lesson on writing a recommendation about a book for a book report. The students write 3 or 4 book reports a term, on award winning novels of different genres. The students reports showed that very few of them understood how to write a recommendation. Many simply wrote: “I do not have one.”

I started a lesson by giving them a simple formula for writing a recommendation. It must include two things: your personal opinion and specific examples from the book to support criticism or praise. I shared a few examples with them. I told them to use elements of story that stood out to them. I told them try writing about the strengths and weakness of the novel.

We then practiced writing recommendations. I had the students create a T chart with the titles: positive and negative.  I read them A Coyote Columbus Story  by Thomas King. While I was reading they had to write down things they liked and didn’t like using specific examples on their T chart. Afterwards each student wrote a positive and negative recommendation.

I have to admit that I selected this book for a secondary reason. I am planning on teaching a unit on Ancient Civilizations of the North America. I used this book as a thermometer of sorts to gage the students reactions to the content of the book. The book uses many Indigenous storytelling methods from oral traditions and presents an Indigenous worldview of the Columbus encounter. All but five of the students were completely baffled by the story. Many were uncomfortable with the ideas presented but most were downright confused. Which is a very good thing for me to know about the class. It gives me an entry point for my unit.