Adventure Literature: Book Circles

What are Book Circles?

In Book Circles, small groups of students meet to discuss a book they are all reading. Students pick the book, agree on a schedule for reading, and talk about the book during Book Circle meetings. In a nutshell, Book Circles are a structured reading activity that allows powerful, high-ordered discussion and thinking to go on around good books. Students will:

pick, read and discuss their own books connect with books take responsibility as readers and group members construct meaning together begin to debate and challenge one another

How Book Circles work

Students will choose a book to read from a list of books presented by your teacher. The books may be fiction or non-fiction, but it will be related to the theme of our class – Adventure. Here is how Book Circles work after the group picks a book:

The Book Circle will meet for the first time to decide which role each member will play (see Book Circle Roles and Responsibilities) and schedule their time, chunking the reading, setting dates for discussion, and due dates for assignments/projects. You will have 17 school days plus weekends and holidays to complete the Book Circle requirements (see Calendar).

Each member of the group will read the book on their own according to the reading schedule set by the group and complete their role responsibilities on your Book Circle’s blog site (see Book Circle Roles and Responsibilities) before the discussion dates which will also be set by the group.

The Book Circle will also meet to discuss specified sections of the book decided upon by the group. The Discussion Director is responsible for this time. In addition to discussing the questions the Discussion Director has prepared for the meeting and allowing member to share their own thoughts and raise their own questions, Discussion Director should allow time for members to share their specific contribution to the group by presenting their “Role” project.

Teacher’s Role in Book Circles

The teacher’s role is to facilitate, monitor group progress, and provide an individual and group evaluation at the end.

Book Circle Projects

Book Circle Discussion

Each Book Circle will hold 5-6 group discussions. The length of the discussion could be anywhere from 30-50 minutes. Its organization and flow are the responsibility of the Discussion Director. The Discussion Director should prepare at least 6 questions from the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy for the group to discuss. He or she should also give the other members a chance to share any additional thoughts or raise any additional questions. Finally, the Discussion Director should allow time for members to share their specific contribution to the group by presenting their “Role” project.

Book Circle Blog

Each Book Circle will be responsible for maintaining a blog where each member of the group will post their “Role” responsibility the day prior to the Discussion Day. For example, if your Book Circle was to meet for a Discussion on Wednesday, November 20th, the Connector should post his or her connecting pieces to the blog on Tuesday, November 19th.

Book Talks

On a date determined by your group, your Book Circle will make a Book Talk presentation to the class in the form of a narrated PowerPoint or Prezi. Your Book Talk should include a review of the book, a summary of the plot line (without giving away the end of the book, and a presentation the important themes of the book. Explain how this text will engage learners and what students will take away from this book. If applicable, try to persuade your peers that this book is worthy of their time and a must read in the future. One suggestion is to:

1. Begin your book talk by giving the Author’s name and the title of the book.2. Tell about the main characters and describe the setting (where and when the

story takes place). 3. Talk about how the book begins. Try to make it exciting.4. Read or describe a scene from the book. Pick one that is funny, exciting, or

interesting but DON’T give away the ending.5. Tell others a few things that you liked about the book (but don’t give away the

ending).6. One more thing…Don’t give away the ending. That spoils the book for others

who might want to read it. 7. You may include should include some of your groups work (“Role”

Responsibilities) in your presentation.

Literature Circle Roles & Responsibilities

Discussion Director***This is the only required role.Job Description:Your job is to develop a list of questions that your group will want to discuss about the reading. Through your questions, you must help people recognize important ideas in the book. You must control the conversation so that everyone has a fair chance to express his or her opinion.Qualifications:Must have leadership abilities. Also must have a good understanding of the book in order to ask questions that will evoke thoughtful discussion. Must have good attendance.Responsibilities:

Lead the Book Circle Discussions. Prepare at least six (6) questions from the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy for each of the Book

Circle Discussion Days. Post questions to your Book Circle blog a day prior to each of the Discussion Days. You must make sure that everyone in your group has an opportunity to speak.

Connector:Job Description:Your job is to find connections between the book and the real world: students’ personal lives, people your age, events at school or in their community or the news. Another possible source of connections can be within the selection itself or between the current reading and literature they have read previously.Qualifications:Must have leadership abilities. Also must have a good understanding of the book and of currents events in order to make connections between the reading and the real world. Must have good attendance.Responsibilities:

Provide and explain at least two (2) relevant connections from the book to the “real world” to share with your Book Circle each Discussion Day.

Post connections and explanations to your Book Circle blog a day prior to each of the Discussion Days.Researcher:Job Description:Your job is to dig up some background information on any relevant topic related to your book. This might include:

The geography, weather, culture, or history of the book’s setting Pertinent information about the author and other related works Information about the time period portrayed in the book Information on any topics or events that may have influenced the author The history and derivation of words or names used in the book Information about any character that is based on a historical person

Qualifications:Must have the desire and the ability to research and be able to document your sources in MLA format.Responsibilities:

Share at least one interesting and relevant finding with your Book Circle each Discussion Day. Post finding to your Book Circle blog a day prior to each of the Discussion Days. Must provide your source in MLA format

Summarizer:Job Description:Your job is to help your group see the overall picture by extracting important details.Qualifications:Must be a strong reader and a good critical thinker. Should also be able to read closely and recognize humor, irony, and important ideas. Literary Luminaries consistently have strong instincts about what is significant and what is not.Responsibilities:

Prepare and present a one-page summary for the chunk of the book decided upon by the group for each of the Book Circle Discussion Days.

Post the one-page summary from the book to your Book Circle blog a day prior to each of the Discussion Days.

Illustrator:Job Description:Your job is to create a visual representation of key themes, images, plot, character, scenes, and/or setting from the reading. You may use your own artistic skills to create original artwork or create a collage of magazine pictures or download relevant, appropriate pictures from the Internet.Qualifications:Must have some degree of artistic ability.Responsibilities:

Create and present at least one visual representation for the chunk of the book decided upon by the group for each of the Book Circle Discussion Days.

Post the visual representation to your Book Circle blog a day prior to each of the Discussion Days. Must give the page numbers and a description of each visual representation.

Vocabulary Enricher:Job Description:Your job is to identify important and/or unfamiliar words and provide a definition (taking into account denotation and connotation), synonyms, an original sentence, and the context in which they appear.Qualifications:Must have strong dictionary and thesaurus skills.Responsibilities:

Provide list of 10 important and/or unfamiliar words along with their definitions, synonyms, and original sentence, and the context for which they appear for the chunk of the book decided upon by the group for each of the Book Circle Discussion Day.

Post list of vocabulary words to your Book Circle blog a day prior to each of the Discussion Days. Must give the page numbers of each word.

Literary Luminary:Job Description:Your job is to call attention to key lines, quotes, and details from the text. Your purpose is to help other students by spotlighting something interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important from the text. Include your reasons for picking the paragraphs or sections you did.Qualifications:Must be able to read closely and recognize humor, irony, and important ideas. Literary Luminaries consistently have strong instincts about what is significant and what is not.Responsibilities:

Choose and explain your reason for choosing at least three (3) paragraphs or sentences from the book to share with your Book Circle each Discussion Day.

Post selections from the book and explanations to your Book Circle blog a day prior to each of the Discussion Days.

Must record the page number and paragraph.

Adventure Literature CalendarNovember

Sunday MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY Saturday

11) 12 13 14 15) Reveal Book Circles Schedule their time, Chunk the reading, Set dates for blog

assignments & discussion,

Set date for book talk Get started

18 19 20 21 22

26 NO SCHOOL THANKSGIVINGDAY

THANKSGIVING BREAK

DecemberSunday MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY Saturday

2 3 4 5 6

9 10 11) Early Release 35 min classes

12 13

Blog Set-Up

1.) Go to Wordpress.com2.) Click on “Get Started”3.) Enter VALID email address, username, password, and blog address (use your name, nickname, book = something

you will remember!)a. Give me your username, password and blog address (I won’t share.)b. Enter this info in your phone or in a notebook/binder you will not lose.

4.) Choose “no thanks…”5.) Click on Create Blog6.) Check your email—as directed7.) Activate your Blog8.) Once activated, make sure the URL is what you want it to be. 9.) Change your tagline; something clever about you, the book, or your topic. You can change this. 10.)Next, choose your theme.

a. (There are a LOT of options—choose one that reflects a tone that fits you & your topic. You can change this, so don’t panic if you don’t yet know your topic.)

b. Make sure you do not choose one that costs money—this is noted on the theme image. 11.)You will be asked to Customize your blog—this costs money = do not spend time on this. 12.)Make your first post = choose text for an easy option or images to raise the bar. 13.)Once published, you will be delivered to your Dashboard. The Dashboard is where all the magic happens. 14.) Play around in the Dashboard and gain some comfort with your options. I will give you more tips in class.