Name: ____________________________________

Period:______________

Reviews Assignment
Your job as a publisher is over. Maybe the company was so successful that you sold it for big bucks.
Or maybe it didnt sell many stories and went out of business. Only the grades will tell.
Lucky for you, you were not unemployed for long. You have been hired as a critic at a newspaper!
Your assignment is to review new or interesting music, movies, and restaurants to let your readers
know what is hot and what is not. Your boss is pretty tough and wants your reviews on her desk by
Thanksgiving (Tuesday, November 24th to be exact).
Here is what you need to do:
1. Write a review of a new music album of your choice. The album must have been released in
2014. Try to find something new to you or listen to an album for an artist you have only
heard a few songs from. You dont need to buy the album. Stream it online, borrow it from a
friend, etc.
2. Write a review of a movie that won the Oscar for best picture. Do you agree with The
Academy? You can find several lists online of the movies that won. You can also find lists of
the Oscar winners that are streaming on Netflix. You can also check these out for free at the
public library.
3. Write a review of a local restaurant. This can be a restaurant of any price range, but it
should not be a chain (McDonalds, Subway, Red Robin, etc.). This one will require you to
spend some money. Maybe you can get a family member, boy/girlfriend, or friend to take
you out!
All reviews will be approximately 1 page, typed, double-spaced in 12 point font.
Unit Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.

Students will be able to defend their judgments with evidence

Students will be able to use descriptive details in their writing.
Students will write original similes and metaphors.
Students will be able to write a short organized essay.

Name: ____________________________________
Period:______________

Reviews Assignment Rubric

Have you given clear reasoning to defend your judgment of each product?
W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
1
2
3
4
No evidence provided Lacking sufficient
Sufficient evidence to Sufficient evidence to
to defend judgment
evidence for most
defend most judgment defend all judgment
judgment in reviews
made in reviews
made in reviews
Does your review have a clear beginning that introduces the product, middle that reviews
the product, and ending that rates the product?
W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
1
2
3
4
Poorly organized;
Organization is flawed Somewhat organized Clearly organized with
missing several parts or missing one part of with all parts of review all parts of review
of the review
the review
included
included.
Do you use proper grammar and spelling in your reviews?
L.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing.
1
2
3
4
8+ conventional
5-8 conventional
3-5 conventional
0-2 conventional
errors
errors
errors
errors
Do you use at least 2 interesting and accurate similes or metaphors to describe the
product in each review?
L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
1
2
3
4
No accurate similes or Less than 2 accurate
2 accurate similes or
2 unique, accurate
metaphors used in
similes or metaphors
metaphors used in
similes or metaphors
reviews
used in each review
each review
in each review