Lit Circle Progress• 1st Hour: Handed out

books, got #’s, created calendars

• 4th Hour: Handed out books– Monday: Get #’s, Create

calendars• 5th Hour

– Monday: Explain calendar, Hand out books, Get #’s, Fill out calendars

Agenda 4.12• Journal / Quizzes (1st Hour)• Lit Circle Overview• Weekly Assignments +

Expectations (+ Examples)

• Today’s Activities– Assign groups & give books– Groups:

• Fill out calendar• Write down book number on

sticky note

FRIDAY, April 12, 2013JOURNAL:Do you enjoy reading? Yes/NoIf YES, write about a book you’ve enjoyed and WHY you enjoyed it.If NO, WHY do you think you don’t enjoy reading?

Literature Circles

Mrs. KoylELA 8

Carter Middle School

Literature Circles Overview

• Small reading groups consisting of 3 to 6 students

• Groups read at own pace from week-to-week (per calendar).

• Lasts FIVE WEEKS• Once a week (usually on

Fridays), groups get together to talk about what they’re reading, answer focus questions, and fill out group/individual evaluations.

Literature Circle Meetings• 10-15 minutes

– Silent Reading/Prep– Mini-Lesson (if needed)

• 20-30 minutes - Meet– Share summaries & discuss– Discuss responses– Discuss focus questions

• 5 minutes – Evaluation Forms– Group & Individual

• Turn in folder (assignments, discussion sheet, & evaluations)

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments

EVERYONE is required to create a SUMMARY.• WRITTEN summary: 5-7

sentences min• DRAWN summary: Full page,

colored, with multiple drawings

• POETIC summary: 12 lines min (free verse is fine – should have major event featured every 2-3 lines).

EXAMPLE of WRITTEN SUMMARYA wolf looking for food finds three pigs, each one having their own home made of straw, sticks and finally, bricks. The wolf knocks on each door, threatening to blow their house down. The pigs with the straw and sticks fall victim to the wolf's threat and are eaten. The wolf is not able to blow down the brick house of the third pig. Enraged, he attempts to climb down the chimney. He falls into a pot of boiling water and is eaten.

EXAMPLE of DRAWN SUMMARY

EXAMPLE of POETIC SUMMARYThree little pigs went out to playEach one building a home one day.The first little pig used what he sawAnd that was some farmer's golden straw.The second little pig used some sticks.While the last little pig built with bricks.

Along came the wolf into townAnd he thought he'd blow some houses down.The house of straw was weak indeedHuffing and puffing it blew away like a small seed.The house of sticks was not very strongAnd the wolf blew it down before very long.

Now the last little pig his house was of brickAnd huffing and puffing could not do the trick.The wolf was surprised as he climbed up the sideI've got to get the pig that is inside.He went down the chimney and fell into a potAnd the third little pig sure did laugh a lot.

The moral of the story is build and build well,In peace and harmony you will certainly dwell!

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments

EVERYONE is required to create a SUMMARY.

After that, you have to complete FIVE other response options (any combo):1. Discussion Questions2. Important Quotes3. Connections4. Confusing Things

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments: DISCUSSION

Q’SResponse Option #1: Generate Discussion Questions• Should NOT have answers

found in the book.• Should be questions that each

student in the group can answer differently.

• IF the question has a yes/no answer, it should include, “Why or why not?”

• Include what YOU think…

Discussion Question EXAMPLES• I wonder why...?• Why do you think…? • What is the relationship

between…?• What would happen if…?• How would you change or modify

the plot…?• Do you agree with the actions…?

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments: DISCUSSION

Q’S

Discussion Question EXAMPLES• I wonder why the three little

pigs lived in separate houses? Maybe they didn’t get along?

• Why do you think the wolf was so bad? Maybe he had a rough life? Maybe he was bitter at all pigs in general? Maybe he really like bacon?

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments: DISCUSSION

Q’S

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments: IMPORTANT

QUOTESResponse Option #2: Select Quotes• Select them for a specific

reason (important passage, descriptive imagery, interested you, etc.)

• WRITE OUT the quote (include the page number for easy reference).

• Include at least ONE sentence explaining why you selected it.

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments: IMPORTANT

QUOTESImportant Quote EXAMPLE• Page 4: “Just as the wolf was

coming down the chimney, the little pig lifted up the lid, and plump! in fell the wolf into the boiling water.”

• This passage shocked me because I wasn’t expecting the wolf to actually die. I was also surprised that the pig would be fine with killing the wolf.

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments: CONNECTIONS

Response Option #3: Make Connections• Each connection should be a

paragraph:– 2-3 sentences explaining the

scene/section in the book– 2-3 sentences explaining the

connection.

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments: CONNECTIONS

Connection EXAMPLES• Text-to-Self (something in

your own life)• Text-to-Text (something you

saw or read elsewhere) • Text-to-World (something in

the world)

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments: CONNECTIONS

Connection EXAMPLES• Text-to-Text: In the story, the Big

Bad Wolf eats the pigs and tries to eat the third pig. I read another version of the story, told from the Wolf’s perspective, and it talks about the Wolf being misunderstood and only eating the pigs because he didn’t want to waste the meat after he scared them to death. I thought that was an interesting perspective.

Literature Circle Assignments

CONFUSING THINGSResponse Option #4: Record things you didn’t understand.• This is a great response if

you struggled to understand the section.

• Confusing portions – Put in question form

• Unknown words – include the page number and a definition

• Or anything else you would like help understanding.

Literature Circle Assignments

CONFUSING THINGSConfusing Things EXAMPLES• Were the three little pigs

related? I didn’t understand their relationship.

• “chinny-chin-chin” (throughout story) = chin

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments

EVERYONE is required to create a SUMMARY.

After that, you have to complete FIVE other response options (any combo):1. Discussion Questions2. Important Quotes3. Connections4. Confusing Things

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments – GRADING*

INDIVIDUAL – Weekly Assignments:• Completion – summary, five

responses, headings filled out, evaluation, etc)

• Accuracy – open-ended discussion questions, correctly defined words, etc

• Effort – this is usually pretty obvious• Individual Evaluation FormGROUP – Literature Circle Meetings:• Focus Question Sheet• Group Evaluation Form

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments - ABSENCES

If you are absent throughout the week but PRESENT on the day of literature circles, you are still expected to be prepared.

If you are absent on a meeting day, you are expected to turn in your assignment to your group as soon as you return (and you’ll be exempt the group grade).

Literature Circle Weekly Assignments -

CONSEQUENCESIf your weekly assignment is not completed when your literature circle group meets, you must sit out of the discussion until you have your assignment completed (and points will be taken away).

Literature Circle Behavior Expectations

• Sit with your group.• Do NOT disrupt other groups

(talking too loudly, talking directly to them, etc).

• Stay on task.• If your group finishes early,

you will quietly read and prepare for the next meeting.

Literature Circle Behavior – CONSEQUENCES

If you disrupt other groups or do not stay with your group, you must sit out the discussion and complete ALL the other response options individually.I reserve the right to increase the consequences, including (but not limited to): complete exemption from future lit circle meetings, ASD, etc.

Literature Circles

Any questions?

Literature Circles TODAY: Mtg #1

• Retrieve books & group folder • You have assignment sheet &

individual calendar).• Fill out reading schedule on

calendars calendar. Leave GROUP calendar in folder. Take individual calendars with you.

• Write down your name & book number on sticky note and place in folder.

Literature Circles TODAY: Mtg #1• Fill out CALENDARS. (Hint:

Divide reading by chapters, not pages) – Leave GROUP calendar in folder. – Take individual calendars with

you.• Write down your NAME & BOOK

NUMBER on sticky note and place in folder.

• Next Meeting: Next THURSDAY

Literature Circle Calendar – Reading Schedule EXAMPLE

Literature Circles Discussion Guidelines

• If you disagree with a group member, do it respectfully

• Keeping a conversation going

• Don’t just take turns – discuss.

• Actively listen to fellow group members

• Stay focused on literature circles