Learning

Centered

Student

CHS English 11:

Literature Circles

“Empowering ALL students to

be college and career ready.”

Literature Circles

A literature circle is the student

equivalent of a book club, but

designed with greater structure,

expectation and rigor.

The purpose is to encourage

thoughtful discussion and a love of

reading in young people.

The objective of literature circles is

"to allow students to practice and

develop the skills and strategies of

good readers" (DaLie, 2001).

Literature Circles

1. Literature Circles are student-centered

reading groups guided primarily by student

insights and questions.

2. Students form small, temporary groups for

discussion and other activities intended to

demonstrate student independence,

responsibility, and ownership.

3. Students and groups choose what they

want to read.

4. Groups meet on a regular, predictable

schedule to discuss their reading.

5. Students use written or drawn notes to

guide both their reading and discussion.

Literature Circles

6. Group meetings should be open, natural

conversations about the reading, so

personal connections and open-ended

questions are welcome.

7. Students will perform a variety of roles,

experiencing various perspectives on a

reading.

8. The teacher serves as a facilitator, NOT

instructor.

9. Literature Circles ARE NOT unstructured,

uncontrolled "talk time" without

accountability.

10. Evaluation is by teacher observation,

student self/peer evaluation, and

demonstration of knowledge on

personalized exams/assessments.

Literature Circles:

Reading Logs

Students will complete a reading log for each

unit of readings.

These journal entries are simple, one-paragraph

responses to each selection.

Students may write about anything they wish as

it relates to the reading selection.

Students will be provided with an extensive list

of questions and discussion topics to help

provide inspiration for their journal entries.

Students may choose to approach this activity

with their specific role in mind (i.e. “Summary

and Setting Specialists” may reflect on the

things on which they need to focus for their role

in the discussion.

Reading logs account for 100 total points within

the Literature Circle Unit grade (5 x 20 = 100).

Literature Circles:

Accountability & Assessment

Category Value

Assignments/Assessments 60%

Participation /

Teacher Observations 20%

Peer Review 10%

Self-Reflection 10%

Assignments include, but are not limited to:

1. Reading Logs (100 pts)

2. Literature Circle Role Sheets (100 pts)

3. Any discussion/meeting notes, etc.

4. Unit reviews, work, exams. (Exam: 100 pts)

5. Enrichment Activities (TBD)

6. Self/Peer Reflections & Evaluations (10 pts each)

Literature Circles:

Initial Group Meeting

Reading

Selection

Discussion

Director

Summary &

Setting

Specialist

Diction

Detective

Bridge

Builder

Imagery

Illuminator

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

For the first Unit meeting, determine the five selections your group will read. Assign the

roles for each reading. Remember, choose at least one POETRY SELECTION. Students

may not perform the same role within the same Unit. Once the readings have been

chosen, and the roles assigned, submit to Mr. Davis.

Literature Circles:

Initial Group Meeting

Reading

Selection Meeting #1 Meeting #2 Meeting #3 Meeting #4

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

After your group has determined the reading selections and assigned the roles for each,

set a schedule for completion of all readings and responsibilities. You should allow at

least 2-3 meetings for each reading (one for reading the material, one for work, one for

discussion. The pace with which you complete the readings is up to your group.

Literature Circles: Self-Reflection

Student: Unit:

Group Members:

Reflection Statement Rank (0-2)

Rank yourself on the following scale: No = 0; Somewhat= 1; Yes = 2.

I completed my assigned reading before the meeting.

I brought all required materials to the Literature Circle meeting

(book, journal, etc.)

I shared parts of the reading that were important to me and

explained why they were important.

I asked questions to clarify my understanding of the reading and/or

to help me better understand other group members’ ideas.

was a careful and caring listener by giving my complete

attention to other group members when they were speaking. I responded

to other group member’s ideas.

Total Score / 10

Student Comments:

Teacher Comments:

Literature Circles: Peer Evaluation

Student: Unit:

Group Members:

Student Comments:

Teacher Comments:

Category Rank: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Quality of Work:

Provides work of the highest

quality.

Write the

student

name at the

top of the

column next

to the

number.

Rank each

member on

the following

scale:

2 = strongly

agree;

1 = agree;

0 = disagree

Add up the

total score for

each

student.

Contributions:

Routinely provides useful ideas when

participating in the group and in

classroom discussion. A definite leader

who contributes a lot of effort.

Attitude:

Never is publicly critical of the project or

the work of others. Always has a

positive attitude about the task(s).

Working with Others

Almost always listens to, shares with,

and supports the efforts of others. Tries

to keep people working well together.

Time-management:

Routinely uses time well throughout the

project to ensure things get done on time.

Group does not have to adjust deadlines or

work responsibilities because of this person's

procrastination.

Total Score:

Literature

Circles:

Roles

1. Discussion Director

(Group Leader)

2. Summary & Setting Specialist

3. Detector & Diction Detective

4. Bridge Builder

5. Imagery Illuminator

Dis

cu

ss

ion

Dir

ec

tor

This role involves developing a list of questions that the group might discuss about the section of the novel to be discussed for that meeting.

Questions should be designed to promote lively conversation and insights about the book. They should be open-ended and should not be "yes/no" questions.

A student with this task asks these questions to the group to prompt discussion; overall, the job is to keep the group talking and on-task.

Literature

Circles:

Roles

Discussion Director Sample Questions:

1. What kinds of conflicts are the characters facing?

2. What do you think about the way the author __________________________________?

3. What if ______________________________________ had happened instead?

4. What would you have done had you been in this character’s shoes?

5. What did you think about this event? What do you think will happen next?

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

Questions for the next meeting:

Student Responses:

Questions for discussion:

Discussion Director: Reflection

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

Interesting Point Made by a

Member of My Group:

Support Provided

by the Member: My Thoughts:

Meeting Reflection Challenges Goals

Speaking

Listening

Understanding the Text:

Reflect on the meeting(s) for your chosen reading. What worked? What didn’t? What should

you work for in the future? Etc.

Su

mm

ary

& S

ett

ing

Sp

ec

iali

st

The role of summarizer involves

preparing a brief summary of the

reading that was assigned for

that day's meeting.

The summary should include the

main ideas or events to

remember, major characters,

symbols or other significant

highlights of the passage.

The set designer keeps track of

major shifts in place, time

(setting), in addition to

characters, and helps students

keep track of important events

and progressions in the reading.

Literature

Circles:

Roles

Summary Specialist

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

PLOT: Provide a

5-sentence summary

of the reading

selection:

Setting Specialist

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

SETTING: Determine the setting of the selection. Consider shifts in time/place/mood:

CHARACTERS: List & describe the major characters or real people from the reading.

Dic

tio

n D

ete

cti

ve

The detector searches for a few

significant passages of text that

are thought-provoking, funny,

interesting, disturbing, or

powerful.

The quotations are copied down

with properly cited page numbers.

This role also records important

words for the reading. The

student chooses words that are

unusual, unknown, or that stand

out in some way, while noting

their page number and definition

(and any significance to the

reading).

Literature Circles: Roles

Diction Detective

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

Define:

Significance: Location:

Define:

Significance: Location:

Define:

Significance: Location:

Word/Phrase #1:

Word/Phrase #2:

Word/Phrase #3:

Choose at least three words or phrases with which you were unfamiliar. List the page

number and location of each, define them, and provide their significance to the passage.

Diction Detective

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

Why did you choose this passage?

Significance: Location:

Why did you choose this passage?

Significance: Location:

Why did you choose this passage?

Significance: Location:

Passage #1:

Passage #2:

Passage #3:

Locate your three favorite passages from the reading. Provide the location of each, why

selected each, and their significance to the reading.

Bri

dg

e B

uil

de

r

This investigative role researches and

provides historical, geographical,

cultural, musical or other information

that would help readers connect to the

reading.

This role also involves locating several

significant passages in the novel and

connecting these passages to real life.

The connections might relate to

school, friends or family, home, the

community, or they might relate to

movies, celebrities, the media etc.

Students should also feel free to

connect incidents or characters with

other books that they have read

Literature

Circles:

Roles

Bridge Builder

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

Category Context

Information:

Title

Author

Date of Publication

Historical Context:

Events, etc. occurring at

the time of production

Geographical Context:

Where does the reading

occur? Where was it

written? What is

significant about these

place? Etc.

Cultural Context:

What is the reading

selection’s relationship

within the culture it

depicts (or the ones that

would read it)?

Author:

List 3-5 facts about the

author to help relate the

reading to his/her life.

Complete the following chart in order to provide context for your reading selection. Feel free

to provide whatever facts you choose, but be sure to inform your group members on the

author and reading selection.

Bridge Builder

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

Event from book:

Connect to world: Connect to self:

Event from book:

Connect to world: Connect to self:

Event from book:

Connect to world: Connect to self:

From the reading selection, choose at least three events that relate to reader and the world

in some way. What is the significance of these events on the world and the reader?

Example: To Kill A Mockingbird had a profound effect on the Civil Rights Movement.

Ima

ge

ry I

llu

min

ato

r:

Fig

ura

tive

La

ng

ua

ge

& I

llu

str

ato

r

This role locates various types of

figurative language, including but not

limited to simile, metaphor,

personification, hyperbole, and idiom.

This may lead to discussion about the

author's craft - why the author chose to

use those particular words or phrases,

and whether or not they were effective.

The illustrator provides drawings,

sketchings, or paintings of a scene

relating to reading. Collages from

magazines, images from the internet,

and other media can also be used.

The student with this role then shares

the artwork with the group, explaining

the passage(s) that relate to the art.

Literature

Circles:

Roles

Imagery Illuminator:

Figurative Language Finder

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

Why did you choose this passage?

Significance: Location:

Why did you choose this passage?

Significance: Location:

Why did you choose this passage?

Significance: Location:

Example #1:

Example #2:

Example #3:

Locate and explain at least three examples of figurative language in the selection (simile,

metaphor, hyperbole, etc.). Explain why you selected the passage and its importance to the

reading, in addition to the page number and specific location of the example.

Imagery Illuminator: Illustration

Name: ___________________________ Reading: __________________________

Choose a scene or setting from the reading and create a visual representation of it. Draw,

paint, sketch, collage, photography. You choose.

Resources

Files, etc:

Literature Circle Packet

Literature Circle Self-Reflection

Student Resources

CHS English 11 Planbook

CHS English 11 LiveBinder: Unit 3: “A Growing Nation”

CHS English 11 Online Classroom

Facilitator Resources:

Wikipedia. “Literature Circles.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lit_Circles.

“What are literature circles?” http://www.literaturecircles.com/article1.htm.

ABCTeach: Literature Circles. http://www.abcteach.com/directory/subjects-language-arts-reading-literature-circles-971-2-1.

Resources: http://www.webenglishteacher.com/litcircles.html.

Laura Candler, Literature Circles. http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/litcircles.php.

Candler, Literature Circle Printable Handouts. http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/litcircleblacklines.php.