Contributed by Caitlin B

Rationale

Peer led literature circles area an effective tool in helping students reflect on their thinking while they read a text.  It is especially helpful for struggling readers as they can focus their reflection based on a specific task or role.  For example, the connector's job is to find connections between the section of reading and the world around them.  As students practice their reflection in other roles they are empowered to take ownership over their reading experience and dive into rich discussions. 

Links to other rationale:  G:\literature circles\Literature Circles in High School.htm, http://www.litcircles.org/research.html, http://www.literaturecircles.com/research.htm

Procedure

i.  Activities:  Student Led Book Clubs with Structured Choice (unit sketch)

--Teacher Book Talks: periodically, a week or two before the unit, begin to book talk your selection of texts to the class.  Be sure to include a passage and leave the selection out in plain sight for students to peruse at will.

--Overview of schedule:  At the beginning of the unit, explicitly go over the day to day schedule of what the literature circles will look like

Example Daily agenda:

1.  Five minute review of assigned section of reading and assigned role.

2.  Meeting begins with summary provided by the wordsmith.  Then the wordsmith present their words and subsequent meanings.  Up next is the literary luminary who presents their passages and interpretations.  After this is the connector, who will share their connections to the text.  Lastly, the discussion director will facilitate the discussion.

3.  The teacher will assign the day's group assignment.  The entire circle will work cooperatively to complete the daily assignment and then share with the class as a whole. 

4.  Students will remind each other of the assigned reading for the night, the assigned roles, and will pick up the corresponding role handouts.

--Use a short text, such as "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros, to model each job.  Students should participate in providing examples for each job.

--Allow for students to browse through the options for the literature circles.  Have them rank their preference for book on a choice sheet and use this to create each circle.  You can also let students choose their circles, but repeat of titles chosen may be a problem.

--Once students have chosen their books and been assigned to their circles, ask them to set up their reading schedule for the unit.  Tell them the number of days allowed for the unit and help them plan accordingly.  They should also at this time record who will be performing which job each night.  They will turn this schedule in to you so that you can provide copies for each member, and retain one for yourself.

--Begin following the daily agenda for the remainder of the unit.

--The last few meetings should have the culminating assignment as the group assignment.  You may need to model book talks again for the class.

Links to resources:

--Daily Roles/Jobs:  lit circle jobs.doc

--Group Assignment (example):  Biographical and Historical Context.doc

--Student set schedule and timeline:  lit circle jobs.doc

--Culminating assessment: BOOK TALK Rubric.doc, observation rubric.doc

ii. Resources:  Limited selection of young adult fiction including, but not limited to:

Myers, Walter Dean (1999).  Monster.  Amistad-Harper Collins, NY.

Knowles, John (2003).  A Separate Peace.  Scribner, NY.

Crutcher, Chris (1993).  Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. Harper Collins, NY.

McCormick, Patricia (2000).  Cut.  Scholastic, NY.

Hinton, S.E. (2003).  That Was Then, This is Now.  Penguin Group, NY. 

Draper, Sharon (1994).  Tears of a Tiger.  Simon & Schuster, NY.

iii.  Research:

Alvermann, Donna, Stephen Phelps, & Victoria Ridgeway.  (2007). Content Area Reading and Literacy: Succeeding in Today's Diverse Classrooms.  Boston: Pearson, p. 271-272.