10 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PLUS REVIEW TASK SHEET 

 
CLASS DRAFTING WEEK 8     ​ DUE DATE: WEEK 9 (WEDS) 
 
A  ​REVIEW  is  a  text  type  in  which  the  writer  appraises  and  evaluates  various  aspects  of  a  text  in  terms  of  their  quality,  and  the skill used in their 
realisation by the creator(s).  
 
TASK:  Write  a  600  word  Review  appraising  the  skill  of  the  creators  of  ​I  Kill  Giants  ​in  relation  to  three  aspects:  the  ​characterisation  of  the 
protagonist  Barbara  Thorson​,  the  ​techniques  used  to  illustrate  Barbara’s  inner  life​,  and  ​communication  of  the  theme  of  resilience.  ​Using 
evidence  from  the  text to support your point of view, appraise and evaluate the techniques used in the realisation of these aspects by the creators 
of ​I Kill Giants​, Kelly (writer) and Niimura (illustrator). Use the table below to scaffold your appraisal. 
 
 
 

 
REVIEW  

TITLE: ​Create a title that suggests your overall evaluation of the text 

STAGE  PHASES  NOTES/DRAFT 

(75 WORDS) INTRODUCTION  CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND  Create a single contextual background sentence 
PARAGRAPH: ​This stage has 2  What is the name of the text you are  with the pieces of information 1-7 that links by a 
phases which introduce the  reviewing? Who wrote it? When? What is it  relative pronoun​ to 8 - a broad outline of the plot.  
text you are responding to and  about in terms of a broad outline of the  1. I Kill Giants 
then preview aspects of the  plot?  2. 2008 
text you will go on to appraise    3. graphic novel  
and evaluate.  4. written by 
  5. Joe Kelly 
Reviewers shouldn’t state that  6. illustrated by 
they are going to appraise and  7. JM Ken Niimura 
evaluate particular aspects, but  8. follows the struggles of fifth-grader Barbara 
should rather preview by saying  Thorson, a precocious Dungeons and Dragons 
how good they are.   player, who devotes her time to fighting giants.  
   
(paragraph = topic sentence + 
elaboration [detail] +  PREVIEW ASPECTS OF THE TEXT YOU  Preview 3 aspects of the text. You will need to 
WILL EVALUATE  appraise and evaluate the ​characterisation of 
concluding sentence) 
Briefly foreground aspects of the text you  Barbara Thorson​, ​techniques used to illustrate 
will go on to appraise and evaluate.  Barbara’s inner life​, and ​the communication of 
  the theme of resilience​.  
Don’t state ​“I will be appraising…”​, rather   
make it known by statements such as ​“Joe 
Kelly and JM Ken Niimura’s characterisation 
of Barbara Thorson is realistic, relevant and 
well-thought out on a number of levels.” 
 

STAGE  PHASES  NOTES/DRAFT 

(150 WORDS EACH) BODY  TEXT ASPECT 1 AND ITS QUALITY + SKILL   
PARAGRAPHS: ​This stage has  OF ITS REALISATION BY CREATOR(S)  
3 phases; each of which   
focuses on a different aspect of     
the text to appraise/evaluate in 
terms of its quality, and the  FOCUS: ​THE CHARACTERISATION OF 
skill of its realisation by the  PROTAGONIST BARBARA THORSON 
creator(s).   
 
Identify the text aspect, appraise the quality 
(paragraph = topic sentence + 
of the aspect and the skill of its realisation 
elaboration [detail] + 
by the creator(s)​; ​then, evaluate how 
concluding sentence) 
skilfully the creator(s) have employed the 
 
aspect​, ​and discuss your reaction to it i.e. 
what did the creator(s) do well?   
 
Create a topic sentence: 20%  
Elaboration: 50%  
Conclude with an overall evaluation: 30% 
 

TEXT ASPECT 2 AND ITS QUALITY + SKILL   

OF ITS REALISATION BY CREATOR(S) 
 
FOCUS: ​TECHNIQUES/DEVICES USED TO 
ILLUSTRATE BARBARA THORSON’S INNER 
LIFE  
 
Identify the text aspect, appraise the quality 
of the aspect and the skill of its realisation 
by the creator(s)​; ​then, evaluate how 
skilfully the creator(s) have employed the 
aspect​, ​and discuss your reaction to it i.e. 
what did the creator(s) do well?   
 
Create a topic sentence: 20%  
 Elaboration: 50%  
Conclude with an overall evaluation: 30% 
 

TEXT ASPECT 3 AND ITS QUALITY + SKILL   

OF ITS REALISATION BY CREATOR(S) 
 
FOCUS: ​COMMUNICATION OF THE THEME 
OF RESILIENCE 
 
Identify the text aspect, appraise the quality 
of the aspect and the skill of its realisation 
by the creator(s)​; ​then, evaluate how 
skilfully the creator(s) have employed the 
aspect​, ​and discuss your reaction to it i.e. 
what did the creator(s) do well?   
 
Create a topic sentence: 20%  
Elaboration: 50%  
Conclude with an overall evaluation: 30% 
 

STAGE  PHASES  NOTES/DRAFT 

(75 WORDS) CONCLUSION  OVERALL EVALUATION   

PARAGRAPH: ​This stage has 3  Make a brief overall evaluation of the text in 
phases which can be combined  terms of all 3 aspects (quality + skill). How 
in any order.  well did JK and JMKN use characterisation, 
  techniques/devices and themes in IKG?  
(paragraph = topic sentence +   
elaboration [detail] + 
RECOMMENDATION   
concluding sentence) 
Recommend the text based on reasons. 
Why might this graphic novel be important 
 for people to read?  
 

RATING   
Rate the text using a system such as 5 
stars. 
 
 
 IKG PERSONAL RESPONSE ACHIEVEMENT CONTINUUM 
 
Language & Literacy  Level 8  Level 10  Level 12  Level 14 
Indicators 

Text structure & phases  Follows a teacher-provided  Begins to independently  Independently plans &  Experiments with adding 
scaffold  construct scaffolds to stage  constructs all stages and  new stages and phases to a 
texts  phases of a text   text 

Body Paragraph structure  Topic sentence partially  Topic sentence mostly  Topic sentence effectively  Topic sentence accurately 
  identifies the aspect for  identifies the aspect for  identifies the aspect for  and efficiently identifies the 
Aspect 1:   review, shows brief personal  review, shows brief personal  review, shows brief personal  aspect for review, shows 
Characterisation of  reaction to aspect; and also  reaction to aspect; and also  reaction to aspect; and also  brief personal reaction to 
Barbara Thorson  appreciates authorial skill in  appreciates authorial skill in  appreciates authorial skill in  aspect; and also appreciates 
  aspect realisation.  aspect realisation.  aspect realisation.  authorial skill in aspect 
Aspect 2:         realisation. 
Techniques used to         
illustrate Barbara’s inner  Elaboration partially  Elaboration mostly expands  Elaboration effectively  Elaboration accurately and 
life  expands personal reaction  personal reaction and  expands personal reaction  efficiently expands personal 
  and appreciation of  appreciation of authorial  and appreciation of  reaction and appreciation of 
Aspect 3:   authorial skill in aspect  skill in aspect realisation in  authorial skill in aspect  authorial skill in aspect 
Communication of the  realisation in terms of  terms of composition.   realisation in terms of  realisation in terms of 
theme of resilience  composition.     composition.   composition.  
         
Concluding sentence  Concluding sentence mostly  Concluding sentence  Concluding sentence 
partially appreciates the  appreciates the aspect as  effectively appreciates the  accurately and efficiently 
aspect as worthwhile.  worthwhile.  aspect as worthwhile.    appreciates the aspect as 
worthwhile. 

Foregrounding  Little understanding of  Some demonstration; not  Good intentional and  Excellent intentional 
Connective/noun  language resource   strictly intentional  purposeful demonstration   demonstration for effect  
group/verb group at the 
front of the sentence  
Text connectives​ linking  Little used, basic, illogical  Sometimes logical and  Usually logical and  Always logical and 
(ideas) sentences and  and inappropriate to  appropriate to context but  intentionally purposeful  intentionally purposeful 
paragraphs  context   not strictly intentional 

Nominal groups describe  Basic, unexpanded; minimal  Little intentional expansion  Some thoughtful expansion  Carefully and intentionally 
things and carry appraisal  appraisal  or appraisal  to create effective appraisal  expanded, highly 
Noun + adjectives  descriptive, resulting in 
nuanced appraisal 

Verb groups and  Basic action, saying and  Begins to use more nuanced  Intentionally uses nuanced  Always intentionally makes 
circumstances to describe  sensing verbs; simple  action, saying and sensing  action, saying and sensing  delicate, nuanced choices of 
and carry appraisal   circumstances of place,  verbs to express shades of  verbs to express shades of  action, saying and sensing 
Verb​ + ​adverbs  time, manner and cause;  meaning and carry effective  meaning and carry effective  verbs to express shades of 
resulting in minimal  appraisal; uses a set range  appraisal; uses a wider  meaning in order to carry 
appraisal  of circumstances of place,  range of circumstances of  sophisticated appraisal; 
  time, manner and cause  place, time, manner and  uses an extensive range of 
  cause  circumstances of place, 
  time, manner and cause 

Tense movement  Mixed success; often  Sometimes correct;  Usually correct; some minor  Perfect  
incorrect and more than one  mistakes made that should  mistakes with complex 
type of error  be picked up in self-editing  tense changes 

Evidence of editing  Little to no evidence of  Some evidence of editing;  Clear evidence of editing;  Clear evidence of editing; 
editing; not picking up or  not particularly habitual or  intentional and for effect;  very clearly intentional and 
correcting simple errors of  intentional effect; simple  clear implementation of  for effect; actively seeks 
punctuation, spelling,  errors of punctuation,  teacher written feedback  clarification about teacher 
character names, text title,  spelling, character names,  written feedback 
and writer/illustrator  text title, and 
writer/illustrator persist