Saying What You Think About a Book
A 35-minute Kindergarten lesson on writing an opinion about a book — naming it, saying what you think, and giving a reason.
Saying What You Think About a Book is a free 35-minute Kindergarten English lesson plan for Common Core standard W.K.1 — draw and write to say which book you liked, and that you liked it. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the meaning, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Kindergarten
- Length:
- 35 minutes
- Standard:
- W.K.1
Kindergarten · Writing
W.K.1
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...).
Objective
Students will be able to name a book and say what they think of it, with a reason, by drawing, dictating and writing.
Students are successful when they can
- Names the book they are writing about.
- Says what they think: "I like it" or "It is my favorite" or "I did not like it."
- Gives a reason from the book: "because the bear is funny," not "because I like it."
What you need
- Three books the class knows well
- A drawing-and-writing frame with a box and the lines "My book is ___. I think ___ because ___."
- Three colored dots: blue for the book's name, green for what I think, red for because
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — which one, and why
5 min- Hold up the three known books. Ask each child to point to their favorite.
- Ask two children: "Why that one?" One will say "because I like it." Say: "That tells me you like it, but not why. What in the book do you like?"
- Fish for a reason from the book: "because the dog does silly things," "because the pictures are bright."
Teach — three things in order
11 min- Pick one book and say your opinion piece aloud: "My book is The Hungry Goat. I think it is very funny because the goat eats a sock and a hat."
- Write the three parts on the board in color: blue — "My book is The Hungry Goat." Green — "I think it is very funny" — red — "because the goat eats a sock and a hat."
- Point to each part and name it: the book, what I think, the reason.
- Ask: "Is my reason in the book?" Turn to the page where the goat eats the sock. Fish for "yes."
- Draw a quick picture in the box: a goat with a sock in its mouth. Say: "My picture shows my reason."
- Write a weak version: "I like it because I like it." Ask: "Did that tell you anything?" Fish for "no, you need a reason from the book."
“Name the book. Say what you think. Then say because, and tell me something from the book.”
Guided practice — say it before you write it
9 min- Each child chooses one of the three books. They say their three parts to a partner, touching three fingers: book, think, because.
- Partners check for a reason from the book: "What in the book?"
- Listen in and help children replace "because I like it" with a book reason.
- Children draw their reason in the box on the frame. The drawing holds the idea while they write.
“Three fingers. Book. Think. Because. Tell your partner before you write.”
Independent practice
8 min- Children write or dictate their sentences under the drawing. Accept invented spelling: "I thnk it is funee."
- Read the frames on the printable aloud. Children finish each opinion frame: "My favorite ___ is ___ because ___."
- Scribe for any child who has a full opinion in speech but cannot yet write it.
Close
2 min- Two children read their opinion. The class checks with three fingers: book, think, because.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Gives a circular reason: "I like it because I like it" or "because it is good."
Why: The child knows a because is needed, but the reason feels obvious and inside them, not in the book.
Fix: Ask: "What happens in the book that you like?" Open it and let them point. The page they point to is the reason.
Retells the whole story instead of giving an opinion.
Why: Talking about a book has mostly meant retelling it, so that is what they do.
Fix: Stop them kindly: "I know the story. What do YOU think of it?" Then ask for one reason only.
Draws something unrelated, such as a house, for a book about a goat.
Why: The drawing step became free drawing because it was not linked to the reason.
Fix: Say: "Draw your because." Ask them to say their reason, then draw just that.
If they are not there yet
- Choose between two books only.
- Give a fill-in frame and scribe the reason.
- Give two reasons to choose from: "because the goat is funny" or "because of the bright pictures."
If they finish early
- Give two reasons with "and also."
- Write an opinion about a book they did not like, with a reason.
- Compare two books: "I like ___ more than ___ because..."
Exit ticket
Tell me or write: which book do you like best, and why?
What to look for: Book named, opinion, and a reason from the book. "Because I like it" means the reason is not yet linked to the book. A retell means the child has not separated story from opinion. No book name: point to the blue dot.
Printable practice for W.K.1
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Say What You ThinkDraw in the space, then write on the lines.
Questions about Saying What You Think About a Book
How long does the Saying What You Think About a Book lesson take?
35 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 11 min, guided practice 9 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Saying What You Think About a Book teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.1 — W.K.1, Writing for Kindergarten: “Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...).” In plain terms, draw and write to say which book you liked, and that you liked it.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Three books the class knows well, a drawing-and-writing frame with a box and the lines "My book is ___. I think ___ because ___.", three colored dots: blue for the book's name, green for what I think, red for because and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: gives a circular reason: "I like it because I like it" or "because it is good."; retells the whole story instead of giving an opinion and draws something unrelated, such as a house, for a book about a goat. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Tell me or write: which book do you like best, and why?.” Book named, opinion, and a reason from the book. "Because I like it" means the reason is not yet linked to the book. A retell means the child has not separated story from opinion. No book name: point to the blue dot. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Saying What You Think About a Book?
Yes — 1 printable W.K.1 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Saying What You Think About a Book free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on October 8, 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-10-08. Aligned to W.K.1 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.