EN - Book circle Grade 8, vt-21

Literature studies. During 6 weeks we will use Literature Circles to encourage conversations among students who have read the same text and help students develop insights by considering texts from different points of view. Abilities that will be practiced: Reading Reading comprehension Speaking Writing

Description of project

During week 2-7 you will read a book in English. Each week you need to read 1/6 of the book and prepare a specific task. You will get time to read, discuss and do exercises in school. But you will also need to read at home.

Goals

Read English fiction: understand and analyse its content. Participate in conversations. Express your own ideas, feelings and opinions (written and spoken). Use a varied language and develop an extended vocabulary.

Evaluation

Your teacher will evaluate your written book circle tasks, your activity during lessons and your discussions in your book circle groups.

Homework

You must read the given pages for each book circle discussion and do your task (see list below). You should also study the words that the word finder presents. Those words are homework for next week. The word finder must look up 5 words, make a word list and create a word activity/ word game and present it to the group.

Literature Circle Roles

Discussion Director • creates questions to increase comprehension • asks who, what, why, when, where, how, and what if

Word Finder • clarifies word meanings and pronunciations • uses research resources

Literary Luminary • guides oral reading for a purpose • examines figurative language, parts of speech, and vivid descriptions

Checker • checks for completion of assignments • evaluates participation • helps monitor discussion for equal participation 

Discussion leader:

Prepare ten questions based on your group's book. Always set the scene (summarize and say page number) before you write your question. At the group meeting, you will lead the discussion. Always address students by name and thank them when they have presented their activity. Start by always asking the summarizer to summarize today’s reading. Next it is your turn to ask your questions to the group.

Word finder:

Note words that are puzzling and unfamiliar while you are reading. Later you write down their definition or translation and make a wordlist on the words. Copy and hand out a wordlist to all the members in the group. Also do an exercise or a word game that helps the group practice the words. These words make out a part of the homework for next week.

Literary Luminary:

Your job is to find important sections or quotations in the book that can be shared with others. Possible reasons for picking a passage to be shared aloud: good dialogue, surprising events, funny, interesting language, confusing elements etc.

Checker:

Checks for completion of assignments and evaluates the group's work.

Supplementary (extra) roles:

Character tracer: Choose a character and list some character traits that the person has shown in today’s reading. Give the page numbers and evidence from your reading which will support your choices. (Ex: ”I think this person is very caring because on page xx he really tries to make Cathy’s life better. He even bakes a cake even though he hates spending time in the kitchen.”)

Creative connector: Find connections between the book and the world outside. Connect the readings to your own life, things you have seen, heard or experienced. Set the scene in the book you are referring to by summarizing it briefly. Then tell the others what this reminds you of. Finally, point out similarities and differences.

Illuminator: Your job is to share visual representations from your book with your group. You can search photographs, videos that reflect a specific event or topic covered in the book. You can also create a drawing, mind map or cartoon. 

Literature Circle Process

1. Choose one of the available texts to read.

2. I’ll arrange the class in literature circle groups, based upon book choice.

3. First Literature Circle Meeting

• Decide how much of the text to read and which role each of you will fill during the next meeting.

• Make sure you have a copy of the correct role sheet. • Read your text and prepare for literature circle meetings.

4. Following Literature Circle Meetings (repeat until the text is finished)

• Use written or drawn notes to guide the group’s reading and discussion, according to the role you are filling for the session.

• Be open and make sure that everyone has a chance to participate.

• Remember that personal stories that connect to the reading and open-ended questions about the text are welcome. • Decide how much of the text to read and rotate the roles that each of you will fill during the next meeting.

• Make sure you have a copy of the correct role sheet. Make sure to alternate roles.

• Read your text and prepare for the next literature circle meeting. 

Literature Circle Role Sheets:

Discussion Director: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson19/RWTa11-2.pdf

Word Finder: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson19/RWTa11-4.pdf

Literary Luminary: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson19/RWTa11-3.pdf

Checker: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson19/RWTa11-1.pdf

Supplementary roles are traditional reading logs written in free form.

Self-reflection:

After each session you will be asked to reflect on your participation:

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson19/groupwork.pdf