Peer Review Workshop

Lesson 9: Peer Review and Feedback

Unit: Investigating Social Movements
Grade: 11th
Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: 7 students

---

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.4
  Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.5
  Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.6
  Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
  Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3
  Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

---

Learning Objectives (I can statements)

• I can provide constructive and respectful feedback on a peer’s social movement report.
• I can identify strengths and areas for improvement in written work based on clear criteria.
• I can revise my report by incorporating feedback from peers to improve clarity and coherence.
• I can engage in thoughtful discussions that build upon others’ ideas to refine my understanding and writing.

---

Success Criteria

• I give specific praise and suggestions using evidence from the report.
• I listen actively to my peers and respond with thoughtful questions or comments.
• I make at least two meaningful revisions to my report based on peer feedback.
• I use polite and academic language during all interactions.

---

Materials Needed

• Draft versions of the social movement reports (from previous homework)
• Peer review checklist/rubric (customized to reports)
• Highlighters, pens, sticky notes
• Laptops or tablets (for editing and typing revisions)
• Whiteboard or chart paper for group discussion points

---

Detailed Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• Quick engagement: Think-Pair-Share on “What makes feedback truly helpful?”
• Establish norms for giving and receiving feedback.
• Review the peer review checklist together to clarify expectations.
• Literacy focus: Emphasize clear, respectful communication with sentence starters (e.g., “I noticed…”, “One suggestion is…”, “Have you considered…?”).

---

2. Peer Review Process (30 minutes)

• Students exchange their drafts with one partner (pairing chosen to balance abilities).
• Each student uses the checklist to annotate the peer’s report with comments, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement (clarity, evidence use, argument structure, grammar).
• Encourage students to write at least three comments:
  • One compliment on a strength
  • One question to clarify a point
  • One suggestion for improvement

Teacher Tip: Circulate and support students, modeling feedback language as needed.

---

3. Group Feedback Discussion (15 minutes)

• Come back as a whole class to discuss the feedback experience.
• Ask: What was most helpful? What challenges did you face?
• Highlight examples of effective feedback from the activity.
• Discuss how peer feedback helps improve reports and critical thinking skills.

---

4. Revision Time (25 minutes)

• Students review the feedback received and begin revising their reports.
• Encourage them to focus on at least two major improvements based on peer input.
• Use technology for typing and formatting revisions.
• Teacher provides individualized support, especially for students who may struggle with writing or processing feedback.

---

5. Reflection and Exit Ticket (10 minutes)

• Students write a brief reflection answering:
  • What did I learn about my report from peer feedback?
  • What specific change did I make or plan to make?
  • How did giving feedback help sharpen my own understanding?
• Collect reflections as an informal formative assessment.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• For Diverse Learners:

  • Provide sentence starters and a scaffolded peer review checklist with simple language.
  • Allow verbal feedback options or recorded peer feedback for students with writing challenges.
  • Use pairings to balance strengths; stronger writers support peers.

• For English Language Learners (ELLs):

  • Pre-teach vocabulary related to feedback and critique.
  • Use visual aids and example comments to model.
  • Pair with peers who can provide bilingual support if needed.

• For Students with IEPs:

  • Extended time for revision or peer review as needed.
  • Option for one-on-one teacher conferencing instead of peer feedback.

---

Extension Activities (For advanced learners)

• Students prepare and deliver a brief oral summary of their revisions explaining how peer feedback enhanced their report’s effectiveness.
• Conduct a “feedback on the feedback” session where students analyze the types of comments given and received, assessing for specificity, usefulness, and constructiveness.
• Challenge students to create a mini guide for effective peer review based on their experience, to share with next year’s class.

---

Teacher Reflection Notes (Post-Lesson)

• Were all students actively engaged in giving and receiving feedback?
• Did the use of sentence starters and rubrics increase the quality of comments?
• How effectively did students use the peer input to revise their writing?
• What adjustments might improve the pace or structure of peer review in future lessons?

---

By embedding the Common Core standards focusing on critical writing, collaborative discussion, and revision skills, this lesson actively facilitates student growth in analytical thinking and communication—key competencies in understanding and investigating social movements.