Literature Circles & Book Talks

Our Schedule

• A/B - 7:30 - 8:15: 16 - 4th & 5th Graders 
• A/B - 8:15 - 8:55: 15 - 1st and 2nd Graders
• C/D - 7:30 - 8:15: 11 - 2nd Graders
• C/D - 8:15 - 8:55: 4 - 4th Graders

What are Literature Circles?

• Small groups of 3-5 students
• Each group reads a different book
• Groups meet regularly
• Groups choose the books they want to read
• The teacher serves as a facilitator

What are Literature Circles?

• Discussion topics come from the students
• Students rotate through the roles
• Students use written/drawn notes to guide discussion
• Express opinions in a productive, structured way
• A spirit of playfulness and fun pervades the room

"The overall objectives are for students to deepen their comprehension skills, construct meaning together as a group, debate and challenge each other and, ultimately connect with books on a deeper level."
-Teacher Vision

Literature Circle Roles

• Artistic Illustrator
• Creative Connector
• Discussion Director
• Passage Predictor
• Super Summarizer, Word Wizard 

Artistic Illustrator

• Draw something related to what was read
• Cartoon, sketch, diagram, etc.
• Whatever strikes them as noteworthy
• Character, problem, favorite part
• Allow group members to guess 

Creative Connector

• Text to text
• Text to self
• Text to world
• Text to media

Discussion Director

• Creates a list of questions to discuss with group 
• Best questions are from their own thoughts, feelings & ideas
• Why? How? questions
• Why does Dumbledore give Harry the Cloak of Invisibility?
• How do you think Harry will use it?

Passage Predictor

• Make predictions
• Character, setting, upcoming events
• Illustrate your predictions
• Share and ask other group members

Super Summarizer

• Focuses on the important parts of the text
• Brief statement from what was read
• Key points
• 3-4 sentences

Word Wizard

• Interesting, puzzling or unfamiliar words
• Words that are significant to the story
• Look up words in dictionary
• Use words in a sentence
• Discuss words and definitions with group

Literature Circles in Action

What is a Book Talk?

• More guided than literature circles
• "Talking sticks" to guide conversation
• Generally done with shorter books
• Both fiction and non-fiction can be used

Examples of Book Talk Questions

• What pictures do you have in your mind right now?
• This chapter reminded me of…..
• What do you predict is going to happen next?
• What has surprised you so far?
• What was the most important part of the story? Why?

After Literature Circles...

• A project to present. 
• Diorama, Collage, Poem, Puppets
• Game, Song, Commerical, Interview
• Letter to character, Newspaper article
• Anything you can think of!

Questions??