Literature circle materials

Literature Circle Materials

This is a set of materials that can help students in grades 4-6 have meaningful discussions about fiction books.

The ideaEach week, students will work with their groups to decide which pages to read for

the upcoming week. Encourage them to aim to read enough each week to be able to finish their books in four weeks.

There are four weeks of generic questions that students can use to frame their discussions. Be prepared for some bumps along the way to brilliant conversations! Learning how to talk about a book requires time, patience, and modeling. Not every discussion will be wonderful, especially the first week. Build from what you see and use that as a teaching point for the next week.

Book selectionOffer students choices about which books to read. I did a two-minute book pass—

kids looked at each book for two minutes, and then passed them on. After this, students wrote their top three choices on a slip of paper. I put together the groups based on student choices and my knowledge about which groups of students work well together.

What about when students finish their books?This is the whole point! If students want to read ahead, I let them. Each Monday,

when we have our discussions, I use the last five minutes or so to pull kids who have finished their books to form a new group. It gets a little messy, but we survive. I made the “Master List” of questions to allow for groups that are at different points in their books.

What about students at very different reading levels?This can be a problem. I usually try to find books that are a middle ground for

reading level. Because most kids are motivated to read and keep up with their conversations, students who are a level or two below the book will often manage to do fine. I also have assigned kids to partner read with a more capable reader (usually a friend). If you have access to books on CD, these can really help the struggling reader to keep up with the group and engage in more complex discussions.

Choice TimeI like to keep a close watch on readers, especially during the first few weeks. I use a

“Choice Time” approach. Each day, students have about 15-30 minutes of Choice Time to work on assignments. I create a menu of activities for each week that includes 2 required items (usually our shared reading activity and the Literature Circle questions) and 2 optional items that students can select from a list of 4-6 choices. During Choice Time, I can meet with students who are having trouble, offer hints on different activities, or listen in on readers.

E. Kissner 2011

When students don’t complete their assignmentsStudents who don’t read or complete their notes for their discussions are directed to

write paragraphs to answer the questions. While the other students are meeting and discussing, they are sitting alone and writing paragraphs. For my students, just one experience with this is enough to encourage them to put in more time the next week!

Shared ReadingI incorporate Literature Circles into my class when we are reading short stories

together. For example, in Week 1 of Literature Circles, we all read the short story “Juggling” by Donna Gamache to talk about dialogue and story elements. The literature circle work became their independent practice.

Week 1In the first week of literature circles, help students to cope with difficult dialogue in

their books. Use “Understanding Dialogue” and “Looking Closely at Dialogue” to look at how authors show which character is speaking.

Week 2This week, dialogue will move to an independent skill, as students answer a

question about dialogue in their literature circles. Whole class lessons will focus on making inferences about characters. Model this

with high quality picture books or a shared short story. Students often have trouble identifying how they use background knowledge to make inferences.

Week 3Students should be well into their books by now! This is a chance to look at how

characters are changing. Students often don’t think about how characters change their attitudes throughout a book. Use the “Character Change” chart to talk about how characters can change traits, emotions, and attitudes throughout a book.

This is also an excellent time to work on theme. Use the picture books or short stories that you have read throughout the sessions to talk about different themes and how different books can show the themes.

Week 4In Week 4, we put the pieces together to make meaning of our books. How did the

story progress? What could we learn from the story? How do we compare our stories?

Week 5 and beyondLiterature circles can become a useful background activity, even after your

classroom focus changes. Try continuing with the master list of questions.

E. Kissner 2011

Literature Circle AssignmentWeek #1

1. Read pages _________ - __________. (You may read ahead if you like, but limit your discussion to these pages.) You will have time to read during class, but you should also plan to spend time reading at home.

2. Complete the notes for your discussion group. Remember, your answers do not have to be in complete sentences, but you should include page numbers of specific details.

a. If you do not have your notes completed, or you forget them on the day of your discussion, you will need to write paragraph answers for ALL of the questions.

3. Participate in your group’s discussion.

Questions 1. What is the setting (time and place) of your book? Which setting details are the most interesting to you?

2. Choose a character. Identify at least two traits of that character. Be sure to cite specific evidence from the text to support your details.

3. Choose a favorite sentence or quote from what you have read so far. Be ready to explain how it is important to the reading and why you like it.

4. Do you like this book so far? Why or why not?

E. Kissner 2011

Character Traits: An Incomplete List

kindconsideratethoughtfulcaringwarm-heartedfriendlysociableloyalgenerous

brave courageousnoblefoolhardy (doing things that are not wise)bolddaring

meancold-heartedsternthoughtlessrudeimpoliteunsociableunkindstingy

intelligentcleversmartquick-witteddevious (clever in a scheming way)

responsibleprudentcarefulpersistentstudious

irresponsiblelazycarelesssloppymessydisorganized

shytimidmeekhumblenervous

confidenttalkativeoutgoingimpulsive

imaginativecreativeinventivepractical

E. Kissner 2011

Looking Closely at Dialogue

Directions: Look at the photocopied page from the literature circle book. With your partner, decide which characters are speaking. Assign each a color. Then, show the different colors

Character name Color

What were some of the speaker tags that were used in this selection?

How could you tell who was speaking? Use specific text details!

Write down your favorite piece of dialogue. Use correct punctuation!

E. Kissner 2011

Understanding Dialogue

Read the passage below. Use a colored pencil to underline the dialogue.

Julia: blueAnna: yellowRobert: greenMr. Myers: orange

This scene is from a story in which two girls become friends as they work on a reading project.

When we got to Anna’s house, we were both hungry. We hadn’t eaten anything since our lunch at school.

“Want to make a milkshake, Julia?” Anna asked.“Sure!” I said. I wasn’t ever allowed to use the blender by myself at

home. “Let’s see,” said Anna. “I do this with my brother Robert all the time.

Ice cream, some milk, and some strawberries.”“Wow,” I said. I was beginning to realize something about Anna. She

wasn’t quiet and boring at all. She was funny. And she could cook!Anna measured it all into the blender. “And now,” she said, “all we

have to do is plug it in.”But there was one tiny problem, one tiny thing that Anna had forgotten

to do. She plugged in the blender and pressed the button. The blender roared to life.

Suddenly, pink goop erupted. It was like a strawberry ice cream volcano. Globs of it went everywhere, onto the ceiling, the floor, all over us.

Anna pulled her finger away from the button. The blender went silent. We stared at each other in horror.

“I forgot the lid,” Anna whispered.Footsteps came into the kitchen. An older boy, about eighth grade or

so, stood in the doorway. “You two are in so much trouble.”“I didn’t mean to,” Anna squeaked. To me, she said, “This is my

brother, Robert.”“You both look ridiculous,” Robert said. “Anna, you’re going to be

grounded for years. I bet you’ll never see the light of day again. When Dad

E. Kissner 2011

sees this, he is going to go completely off the deep end.” The more Robert spoke, the more Anna’s eyes widened in horror.

“When I see what?” said another voice, and Anna’s dad came in. He just stood there and looked for a moment, taking in the pink globs on the ceiling, the stalactites of ice cream hanging from our faces, the goop all over our clothes.

I almost ran out of the room right then. I never get into trouble. Now here I was, in someone else’s house, with a brother and a father I had never met, about to get into trouble with a girl I hardly knew. I was having trouble breathing, I felt so panicked.

But then something surprising happened. Anna’s dad laughed.Robert laughed, too. They both thought the whole thing was funny!“Hm,” said Anna’s dad. “Is there something you’ve learned here,

Anna?”“Always use the lid?” “That’s a good rule to remember,” he said. “And you’ve gotten your

new friend covered in this—what is it, milkshake? Hello, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Mr. Myers, Anna’s dad.”

“I’m Julia,” I said. I wished that I could sink through the floor.“I’ll tell you what,” Mr. Myers said. “Anna, Julia, I’ll help you clean up

this mess. Then let’s go out and get some dinner and some real milkshakes. Julia, will that be okay with your mom?”

“I’ll call her,” I replied.So then we had to clean the milkshake off the ceiling, the floor, the

sink, and every surface in the kitchen. It had even gotten onto the light!

Think about it!

Find three different speaker tags used in the passage. Write them below.

Find a piece of dialogue where a speaker tag is not used. Circle it. How did you know who was speaking?

E. Kissner 2011






Questions 1. Find an example of dialogue that shows what a character is like. Explain how the dialogue shows the character’s traits.

2. What is the main problem in the book? How is the character attempting to solve it?

3. Find a place where you agree or disagree with a character’s decision. Explain the event, and your feelings about it.

4. Which character in this book is the most like you? Why?

E. Kissner 2011

Inference Chart

Inference A statement that isn’t directly stated in the story, but that you can figure out

Story CluesWhat clues in the story helped you to figure this out?

Background knowledge How does this relate to your own experiences?

E. Kissner 2011






Questions 1. Share an inference that you made. Explain the text details and background knowledge that helped you to make the inference. (Your inference should be somewhere in the second half of the book.)2. Find a word or phrase that is tricky to understand. Explain what the word or phrase means. (Be sure to write down the page number.)

3. Find some details that describe the setting. How is it important to the story? Would the story be different in a different time and place?

4. What big ideas can someone learn from this book? Come up with at least one to share.

E. Kissner 2011

Character Change Chart

Title of text

Emotion: How a character feels Trait: A word to describe the character’s personality

Attitude: How the character feels about another character, a place, an event, etc.

Character What changed? Explanation

_____ emotion

_____ trait

_____ attitude

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

_____ emotion

_____ trait

_____ attitude

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

_____ emotion

_____ trait

_____ attitude

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

E. Kissner 2011

E. Kissner 2011

Themes

The theme of a text is an underlying message or moral. In other words, it expresses what the author wants you to learn or think about after you read.

Many of the same themes are expressed over and over again in fiction. Some common themes are listed below.

How we relate to each other

Others may help us, but we must figure out who we really are on our

own.

Family is more important than popularity, wealth, etc.

Sometimes we must go against what everyone else is doing and make

our own path.

A true friendship can withstand tests.

Fighting doesn’t solve problems.

Working together solves problems.

Helping others is its own reward.

How we relate to nature

Nature can be a healing force.

We need to pay attention to the natural world.

People need to take care of nature.

If you love something, let it go.

Life in general

Good can come from bad.

Persistence and effort pay off in the end.

Cheaters never win.

Honesty is the best policy.

There are more important things than money and success.

Good will triumph over evil.

You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes things still work

out.

E. Kissner 2011

E. Kissner 2011






Questions 1. Discuss the theme of the book. What is the big message? Why do you think this?

2. Choose a character who changed—either in emotions, traits, or attitudes. How did the character change? Why was this important?

3. How is the conflict resolved?

4. What is the most important event from the book? Why do you think that this is important?

E. Kissner 2011

Literature Circle Questions

Anytime Questions

A1.

A2.

A3.

A4.A5.

A6.

Choose a character. Identify at least two traits of that character. Be sure to cite specific evidence from the text to support your details.Choose a favorite sentence or quote from what you have read so far. Be ready to explain how it is important to the reading and why you like it.Find an example of dialogue that shows what a character is like. Explain how the dialogue shows the character’s traits.Which character in this book is the most like you? Why?Share an inference that you made. Explain the text details and background knowledge that helped you to make the inference.Find a word or phrase that is tricky to understand. Explain what the word or phrase means. (Be sure to write down the page number.)

Questions for the beginning of a bookB1.

B2.

B3.

What is the setting (time and place) of your book? Which setting details are the most interesting to you?How does the author begin the book? Is it an effective introduction? Be ready to explain your ideas.Why is the conflict in this book? What guesses do you have for how it will be resolved?

Questions for the middle of a bookC1.

C2.

C3.

C4.

What is the main problem in the book? How is the character attempting to solve it?Find a place where you agree or disagree with a character’s decision. Explain the event, and your feelings about it.Find some details that describe the setting. How is it important to the story? Would the story be different in a different time and place?Choose a character who is not the main character. How is this character important to the story. What role do they play? Would the story be different without this character?

Questions for the end of a bookD1.

D2.

D3.D4.

Discuss the theme of the book. What is the big message? Why do you think this?Choose a character who changed—either in emotions, traits, or attitudes. How did the character change? Why was this important?How is the conflict resolved?What is the most important event from the book? Why do you think that this is important?

E. Kissner 2011

Literature Circle Questions





Questions Notes

E. Kissner 2011

Choice Time Assignments

These assignments need to be completed by _____________________________. You will have time in class to work on these, but you will need to do some work at home as well.

Required

Questions and reading for Literature Circle Week ___________. (You will have time for this in class, but you may need to complete some work at home as well.)

Choose 2 of the items below

You should spend your time wisely during Choice Time. If you finish all of your required tasks, you may start an additional one.

E. Kissner 2011

Choice Time Assignments: Master List

Teachers Note: Select 4-6 of these choices for your students for each week. Simply copy and paste them into the chart on the previous page. (Remember to save each one as a separate document for ready access next year!) It works well to have some items required one week (such as an Inference Chart) and then optional in weeks to come.

Complete an Inference Chart.

Complete a Character Change chart.

Complete a Character Emotion chart. (Find more about this on my blog post.)

Draw a picture of a character from your book. Write five traits of the character around the picture.

Create a picture of the setting in your book. Label at least five specific details from the text.

Create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two characters in your book.

Create a poster to show the theme of the book. Your poster should include the title, the theme, and at least two details that support the theme.

Create a poster to persuade other students to read your book.

Create a one-page Readers Theatre script to show some of the action in your book. (Note: You may work together with others in your group to prepare this to present. It will count for everyone.)

Suppose that two characters from different stories that we read (or your literature circle books met. Imagine what their conversation would be like. Write down a page of their imaginary discussion.

Write a letter to a character in your book. Include three paragraphs. You may ask questions, offer advice, or tell about yourself.

E. Kissner 2011

http://emilykissner.blogspot.com/2011/04/changes-in-character-emotions.html

Education

Literature circle materials