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Title of text Characters Setting Look at the illustrations. Check off all that apply: realistic beautiful cartoonish abstract colorful photographs other: Look back through the book. Choose three pasages that you find especially interesting or thought-provoking. Page # or location

Why I find it interesting

Picture Book Literature Circle Preparation Page

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What is the genre of this book? On the lines below, explain your choice. ___ realistic fiction ____ fantasy ___ historical fiction ___ science fiction ____mystery ___other:__________

Find an example of dialogue in the text that shows the emotions or traits of a character. Copy the dialogue:

Emotion or trait: Explain why this dialogue reveals this emotion or trait.

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What is the point of view of the story?

First person (the narrator is a part of the story)

Third person (the narrator is not a part of the story)

Copy a sentence or more from the text to support your response.

Explain the setting of the story.

Time: When the story takes place

Place: The overall location of the story events

How would the story be different with a different setting?

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    Follow these directions for literature circle success. Meet with your group to discuss your roles and the Preparation

Page. Read the assigned text. Complete the Preparation Page. Arrive at your discussion with your text, a pencil, and the

Preparation Page. Participate in the group discussion. Work with your group to discuss the open-ended response. Complete the Open-Ended Response page. Complete any optional activities to enhance your experience. I have these questions about literature circles:

I am looking forward to literature circles because:

Picture Book Literature Circle Student Directions Page

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   Text Everyone must: -Read the assigned text -Complete the Preparation Page -Participate in the discussion Role Name Discussion leader Your role is to lead the discussion. Use the Preparation Page as a guide for what you should talk about. You may want to write 2-3 additional questions for your group to discuss. Be sure to include everyone in the group in your discussion!

Monitor Your role is to make sure that the discussion stays on track. Use the Monitor Sheet to record issues or problems with your group.

Text specialist Your role is to be a specialist in the text. You should know information about the text and the author, find meanings for difficult words, and take care of returning texts when needed.

Organizer Your job is to make sure that everyone stays on track during reading and completing the Preparation Page. Help group members to keep track of papers and texts, manage deadlines, and turn in assignments.

Substitute Take on the roles of absent students. Assist other group members as needed. Your job is also to help keep the conversation going in your group.

Picture Book Literature Circle Roles

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Group  Leader  Guidelines  

 Say,  “Does  everyone  have  the  materials  that  they  need?”  Check  with  the  monitor  to  make  sure  that  people  have  their  items.    Say,  “Let’s  talk  about  the  setting.  What  is  the  time  and  place?”  Call  on  someone  to  share  their  response.    Say,  “Can  anyone  show  us  text  evidence  to  support  that  response?”  Call  on  students  to  show  the  part  of  the  book  to  support  that  response.      Say,  “Let’s  talk  about  a  character  trait.  Would  anyone  like  to  share  a  trait?”  Call  on  students  to  share  their  traits.    Say,  “Could  anyone  share  text  evidence  to  support  this  trait?”  Call  on  students  to  share  the  text  evidence  to  support  the  trait.    Say,  “Would  anyone  else  like  to  share  a  trait?”  Call  on  another  student  to  share  a  trait.    Say,  “Could  anyone  share  text  evidence  to  support  this  trait?”  Call  on  students  to  share  text  evidence.    Say,  “What  is  the  point  of  view  of  the  story?”  Call  on  students  in  a  circle  to  go  around  and  share  their  point  of  view  ideas.    Say,  “Can  anyone  share  a  sentence  to  support  this  response?”  Call  on  students  to  share  their  support.    Say,  “How  would  the  story  be  different  with  a  different  setting?”  Call  on  at  least  two  students  to  explain  their  thinking.    Say,  “Now  let’s  share  our  interesting  passages.  We  will  go  around  in  a  circle  and  share  one  part  that  we  find  interesting.”  Call  on  students  one  at  a  time.  Remind  other  students  to  find  the  places.    Say,  “Does  anyone  have  any  further  questions  about  the  book?”  Call  on  students  to  share  their  further  questions  and  thinking.  Continue  talking  about  the  book  until  time  is  up.  

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If you have additional time, you can extend your learning with these activities.

Readers Theater script. Create a readers theater script based on your book.

Focus on character. Create a character graphic organizer to

show the traits, appearance, and dialogue of a character from your book.

Illustrated vocabulary words. Find five words in the text

that a second grader might not know. Write the word on a piece of paper, explain the definition, and draw a picture to show the meaning.

Create a book cover. You are the illustrator. Create a new

cover for your book. Include the title, the author, and a picture that shows an important scene from the book. Use a different style from the original illustrations.

Plot diagram. Create a plot diagram to show the exposition,

rising action, climax, and falling action of the book. Character emotion chart. Create a chart to show how a

character’s emotions change. Compare and contrast. Work with someone who has read a

different text. Create a comparison and contrast chart to show how your texts are similar and different.

Your own idea. Write your own idea for an additional

activity.

Picture Book Literature Circle Optional Activities

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Name                                    The theme of a story is the central idea or message. What is the theme of the picture book that you have read? Write an essay to explain the theme of the story.

• Explain the theme that you think best fits the book. • Show how the story’s events reveal the theme.

Open-Ended Response

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