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Literature Circle Strategies for High School Classrooms
Literature Circle Strategies
for High School Classrooms
Parent Permission Slip (this slip becomes the first sheet in a student's journal for the novel)
Dear Parents, This quarter your student has a choice of novels to read as we begin small group literature circles. Your student, ____________________________________, has elected to read the novel ____________________________________ . Please discuss this book selection with your student and perhaps visit a library or bookstore to preview the novel. Please sign this permission slip to let me know that you give permission for your student to read the novel. Sincerely, Teacher's Signature
Parent Signature: ______________________________ Date: ____________
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Role and Page Assignments
Novel Title: ______________________________
Lit Circle Meeting # 1:
Date: ________
Read Pages: __________
Discussion Director: _____________________________
Summarizer: _____________________________
Vocabulary Reporter: ___________________________
Passage Master: ______________________________
Lit Circle Meeting # 2:
Date: ________
Read Pages: __________
Discussion Director : _____________________________
Summarizer: _____________________________
Vocabulary Reporter: ___________________________
Passage Master: ______________________________
Lit Circle Meeting # 3:
Date: ________
Read Pages: __________
Discussion Director : _____________________________
Summarizer: _____________________________
Vocabulary Reporter: ___________________________
Passage Master: ______________________________
Lit Circle Meeting # 4:
Date: ________
Read Pages: __________
Discussion Director : _____________________________
Summarizer: _____________________________
Vocabulary Reporter: ___________________________
Passage Master: ______________________________
Lit Circle Meeting # 5:
Date: ________
Read Pages: __________
Discussion Director : _____________________________
Summarizer: _____________________________
Vocabulary Reporter: ___________________________
Passage Master: ______________________________
Lit Circle Meeting # 6:
Date: ________
Read Pages: __________
Discussion Director : _____________________________
Summarizer: _____________________________
Vocabulary Reporter: ___________________________
Passage Master: ______________________________
Discussion Director
Name: ______________________________________
Book: _________________________
Assignment: page ________ to page ________
Literature Circle's Name: _____________
Your job is to develop a list of questions that your group can discuss about this part of the novel. Your questions should be ones which require thought and get everyone talking and sharing their opinions and reactions. The best discussion questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns as you read. Do NOT write questions that call for a simple "yes" or "no" answer or a factual detail !
Order for Leading Your Group Discussion
- Call on the Summarizer to read the summary.
- Pose each one of your questions to your group for discussion
- Ask for each member of your group to state their comment/questions about this section of the novel. Lead your group in response to what each person says.
- Call on the Passage Master.
- Call on the Vocabulary Reporter.
- You fill out the Group Record sheet, with input from your group members
- After discussion is completed, assign roles for your next reading and make sure everyone gets a new role sheet, including absent members.
- Call the teacher over. Be ready to discuss items on the Group Record sheet.
Discussion Questions or Topics for Our Lit Circle:
Types of Questions:
- What did you think about......? (name a specific event, action, or character's action)
- Why do you think that.......?
- What do you think will happen......? (ask for predictions of events and characters' actions)
- What is happening at the part where.......?
- What do you think ______________ (event/incident) means?
Passage Master
Name: ______________________________________
Book: _________________________
Assignment: page ________ to page ________
Literature Circle's Name: _____________
Locate 3 passages of the story that your group should reread, discuss, and think about.
- Passages should be important things for everyone to notice, remember, or think about.
- Choose a variety of passages, not all the same type--here are suggestions:
- surprising/startling
- confusing (something you wonder if other people "got")
- descriptive writing: figurative language, strong verbs, etc. (identify literary devices)
- important (maybe a clue? foreshadowing?)
- controversial event (elicits different opinions from group members)
During Your Group Meeting, Do the Following:
- Make sure everyone opens to the right page and help them find where the passage begins.
- Either read it aloud yourself, have everyone read it silently, or ask someone to read it.
- Tell your reasons for selecting each passage; ask for comments. Do they agree with your choices?
Page _______
Paragraph(s) ______
The first 3 words of the paragraph are: ___________________________
This is interesting (or puzzling) because:
An interpretation that can be made from another passage, found on Page _________, Paragraph _______ is
because
In today's reading, a tie-in to my experience and/or knowledge appears on Page _________, Paragraph ______ and is
Summarizer
Name: ______________________________________
Book: _________________________
Assignment: page ________ to page ________
Literature Circle's Name: _____________
Your job is to prepare a brief summary of today's reading. The other members of your group will be counting on you to give a summary that conveys the key points, the main highlights of today's reading assignment. It is a good idea to jot down the main events on scratch paper before you complete this form. Be sure to write your summary in complete sentences !
When you have finished your summary, give this section a short title--something that captures the main idea.
My Title for the Section: _____________________________________
Summary:
My group agreed that my summary was complete and accurate _______yes ________ no (if no, add what is missing on the back of the sheet)
Word Reporter
Name: ______________________________________
Book: _________________________
Assignment: page ________ to page ________
Literature Circle's Name: _____________
Your job is to look up definitions to the words you are given, (or find unknown words on your own if no vocabulary list is provided), and create an excellent sentence using each.
During the Lit Circle Meeting, Do the Following:
- Make sure everyone in your group copies down each word and definition on their vocabulary sheet
- Together create a new sentence and write this on your vocabulary sheet
- Make sure the teacher checks the group's sentence for accuracy
1. Word: _____________________________________
Page _________
Paragraph ________
Sentence from the book:
The definition is:
My excellent sentence is:
2. Word: _____________________________________
Page _________
Paragraph ________
Sentence from the book:
The definition is:
My excellent sentence is:
3. Word: _____________________________________ Page _________ Paragraph ________
Sentence from the book:
The definition is:
My excellent sentence is:
My comment or question about this part of the book is:
Daily Group Record Sheet
Name: ______________________________________
Book: _________________________
Assignment: page ________ to page ________
Literature Circle's Name: _____________
Following the group meeting, the Discussion Director will complete this form with the help of the group members.
1. Two topics which generated the most discussion today were:
2. As a group, we agreed one of the most important or intriguing passages in this section was about: (this may or may not be one that the Passage Master selected)
3. Group Participation Today: (1) means beginning, (2) means developing, (3) means focused, (4) means exemplary
| Member's Name | Completed Reading | Contributes relevant info | Listens to group members | Fulfills duties |
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Remember to give this sheet to the teacher before leaving today.
Need more help? Read questions and answers from fellow students below. If you're question hasn't already been asked, ask it now.