Mentor Reviews

Overview

In this lesson, students closely examine short mentor review texts to identify how reviews are organised. They will discuss key parts and practise using sentence starters to describe the structure.

Learning intentions

• Students will analyse mentor review texts to identify key structural elements.
• Students will describe how ideas are arranged in a review (e.g., who/what the review is about, main points, and a concluding recommendation).
• Students will support peers by using small-group reading and discussion routines.
• Students will begin planning a review structure mind map for later writing.

Success criteria

• I can name key parts of a review and explain what each part does.
• I can use evidence from the text to support my ideas (e.g., “In the first paragraph…”).
• I can participate in respectful discussions and build on a peer’s comment.
• I can sort example sentences into the correct parts of a review.

Curriculum links

• Interpreting and analysing texts by identifying features and purpose
• Creating and organising texts using appropriate structure for a familiar purpose (review)
• Speaking and listening: contributing to group discussions and using evidence
• Developing vocabulary for describing text features (intro, opinion, reasons, evidence, recommendation)

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 5 mins – Welcome and WALT

• Display the WALT: “We Are Learning To analyse mentor texts to understand review structures.”
• Remind students of discussion expectations: hands up, wait, and “add on” using sentence starters (“I agree because…”, “I noticed…”).

2. 10 mins – Mentor text read-through (teacher and students)

• Show one short review (teacher-chosen) on the board. Do a first read for meaning.
• Do a second read in a different way: pause at likely structural points and ask quick “What do you notice?” prompts.
• Dyslexia-friendly option: offer an audio version while the class reads along silently.

3. 10 mins – Structure spotlight (whole group)

• Use a simple anchor chart with four labelled boxes:
• “What is being reviewed?”
• “Opinion or rating”
• “Reasons / details”
• “Recommendation or closing”
• Students help you underline or highlight phrases in the mentor text that match each box.
• Emphasise that reviews may use different wording, but the purpose stays the same.

4. 12 mins – Sentence sorting in pairs (active task)

• Give each pair a small set of review sentences on cards (mix of intro, opinion, reasons, recommendation).
• Students sort cards into the anchor chart boxes and justify choices using one sentence stem.
• Teacher circulates and corrects gently, focusing on the structure, not just “right/wrong”.

5. 8 mins – Small-group reading and discussion

• Split into two small groups. Each group gets a second mentor review (or a shorter excerpt if needed).
• Students complete a brief guided talk:
• “Which box does this part belong to and why?”
• “Find one sentence that shows the reason (evidence).”
• Teacher uses quick feedback while listening, and takes notes on who can confidently name parts and justify with evidence.

6. 0–1 mins – Exit ticket (collect quickly)

• Students write one sentence: “A review is organised like this because…” followed by naming two boxes (e.g., opinion + reasons).

Resources

• 2 short mentor review texts (teacher-prepared, Year 3 accessible)
• Audio recordings of the mentor texts (headphones or speaker)
• Anchor chart template with four structural boxes
• Sentence-card sets for sorting (printed, cut-up)
• Highlighters or sticky notes for underlining evidence
• Sentence starter cards for discussion and justification
• Exit ticket slips or a shared response form (paper)
• Timer and visible “now/next” visual schedule

Assessment

• Observe paired sentence sorting: can students place sentences into correct review sections?
• Listen during small-group discussion: can students explain “why” using evidence from the text?
• Review exit tickets: identify which structural elements students can name and justify.

Differentiation

• Support (reading and confidence)
• Provide shorter excerpts for sentence sorting and small-group reading.
• Offer sentence starters with word banks (intro, opinion, reasons, recommendation).
• Use audio versions alongside print; allow pointing/reading along at a comfortable pace.
• Additional support for EAL learners
• Pre-teach a small set of structure words from the anchor chart (opinion, reasons, recommend) using examples from the mentor text.
• Allow bilingual partner discussion before whole-group sharing.
• Support for SEN/dyslexia
• Use larger font text and fewer lines per page.
• Provide a “read and match” checklist: highlight one key phrase per box.
• Extension (advanced learners)
• Ask students to create a visual mind map of the review structure using arrows (e.g., “What is being reviewed?” → “Opinion” → “Reasons” → “Recommendation”).
• Encourage them to add one example phrase for each box from the mentor text.

Extension (optional)

• Create a visual mind map of the review structure using arrows and label each branch with one example from the mentor review.