Literature Circles

1
Literature Circles
2
What it is

• A time to book talk
• A time to use higher thinking skills
• A time to read as a small family group

3
What it isnt

• A time to talk
• A time to try to race through a book
• A test on every chapter
• A time to daydream

4
Good Reader Strategies   Before reading     
Preview the book and think about The title The
pictures What you may know about the topic Why
you are reading the book Predict the text Is it
reader friendlytoo hard or too easy

5

• Do you think you are a good reader?
• What makes a good reader?
• Jot down some qualities of a good reader.

6
While you are reading think about      Does it
make sense      Words that you may not
know      Backtrack if you dont understand the
meaning      Confirm or correct your predictions
7
How to conduct a literature study circle...
8
Who?What?When?Where?Why?How?
9
Who?

• You will be reading in a small group of four to
  six students.

10
What?
You will choose a book according to the 5 finger
method.
11
When?
You will meet with a small group of students in
your class for about thirty minutes each day to
read and discuss the book. You will also have a
chance to conference with your teacher.
12
Where?
In the classroomon the floor at your desks..
13
Why?
To enjoy reading!
14
How?
Literature Study Group Schedule
15
  After reading      Think about the authors
message      Reflect on whether the text matched
the predictions      Think about how the text
related to real life
16
Methods of reading

• Prediction
• Discuss the Plot
• Discuss the author
• Discuss what you didnt understand
• Parts you want to think about

• Character analysis
• Compare to your life
• Poignant parts
• Parts that are scary
• Humorous parts

17
Some ideas that we will be using to show whether
you understood the story.
18
Create a character map of a character in the
storyany kind of chart, list or diagram in which
you record interesting details about a particular
character. This will help you remember valuable
details as you read so you can create good ideas
in your own story. It shows how a character is
changing.
mother
teacher
caring
Mrs. Biondi
wife
Hands on teaching
supportive
19
Role sheets
Each person has a job!
20
Question Asker There are two types of
questions Lean questionsOnes that can be
answered with a yes or no   Meaty questionsones
that you can say lots and lots aboutthey dont
necessarily have right or wrong answers
21
Question Asker Your job is to write down some
good questions for your group to talk about.
These could be questions that  

• You had while you were reading
• About a character
• About the story
• About a word
• You would like to ask the author
•  
• ___________

22
Illustrator
23
Illustrator Good readers make pictures in their
minds as they read. This is a chance to share
some of your own images and visions. Draw a
picture that is related to the reading you have
just done. It can be a sketch, carton, diagram,
and stick figure scene. flow chart. It can be
something that happened that remind you of a
feeling that you received from the reading. You
can even label things with words if that
helps.   Show your drawing to the group when it
is your turn. You can let people speculate about
what your picture means so they can connect your
drawing to their own ideas about the reading.  
24

Summarizer
25
Summarizer Your job is to prepare a brief
summary of todays reading. The other members pf
the group will be counting on you to give a one
two minute statement that conveys the key points
of the assignment.
26
Word Wizard    
27
  Word Wizard The words that the writer chooses
are an important ingredient of the authors
craft. Your job is to be on the lookout for a few
words that have special meaning in todays
reading selection. If you find words that are
puzzling or unfamiliar, mark them while you are
reading and then jot down their definition later.
If you find words that are used in an unusual
way or repeat a lot, jot them down, too.   When
your circle meets, help member find and discuss
the words that seem most important in this
text.   Word Page Number Definition And
paragraph
28
    Connector
29
Connector Your job is to find connections
between the book and you, and the book and the
wider world. This means you will be connecting
the reading to your own past experiences, to
happenings at school or in the community, to
stories in the news, to similar events and other
times. You may see connections between this book
and other books by the same author or other
writings on the same topic.  
30
Researcher

• Your job is to find information on any
• topic related to your book. For instance, if
• you were reading, you might
• research farm animals, spiders, or agricultural
  fairs.

31
Other ideas to research

• The geography
• Weather
• Culture
• History of the setting
• Music of the period
• The setting

32
Methods of finding information

• In the preface of the book
• On line
• Encyclopedia

• Interview with people
• Writing to companies or people
• Other novels

33
Rules of literature circles
Come prepared
Speak in a quiet voice
Be respectful of others opinions.
Maintain eye contact when speaking.
34
Meeting timeNow were here.What do we do?
Decide how many pages/chapters you are going to
read.
Read the assigned material
Meet and discuss the material, using your role
sheets.
35
(No Transcript)
36
Sample schedule
37
Do I get a grade on this?Yes
Your grade is based on Participation Standardized
tests Final projects-group or individual Behavior
in group Daily assignments Respect for others
38
Is it fun?It certainly is!