Literature Circles “At a Glance”
Why Literature Circles?
Literature Circles provide you and your classmates an opportunity to guide your own learning.
You set your own goals and are accountable to one another. You will challenge each other with
questions, passages, and discussions that interest YOU.
You will choose a group project that reflects your knowledge and understanding of the novel.
Our hope is that Literature Circles will enhance your enjoyment of this novel.
Reading Assignments/Role Sheets
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By Friday, October 17, you must be through Chapter 13 (page 134).
By Friday, October 24, you must be through with Chapter 20 (page 206).
By Wednesday, October 29, you must be through with the novel (page 281).
You and your group will decide each day on the reading assignment for that night. Each group
member will be given a Role Sheet to take home and complete along with the night’s reading
assignment.
The roles will rotate each day. The Discussion Director is the group leader for that day and will
be responsible for leading the discussion as well as completing the Daily Group Record Sheet at
the end of the day.
Literature Circle Folders
Each group will be given a folder. This folder will remain in the classroom, to be picked up by
the Discussion Director at the beginning of the class period. The Role and Page Assignment
Sheet will be stapled into the front cover, and copies of the Role and Group Record sheets will
be found inside. Each day, the Discussion Director will be responsible for collecting completed
Role sheets and handing out new ones.
Assessment
Each day, your Literature Circle will have the potential to earn up to 100 points – 12 points for
the teacher’s evaluation of your work, 48 points for your own evaluation of your group, and 10
points for each completed Role sheet.
Literature Circle Number: ________
Class Period: __________
Literature Circle Members:
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
Daily Grade:
Daily Grade Record Sheet
/100
Today’s Discussion Director: _____________________
Literature Circle # _______
Date: ____________________________
Today’s Assignment: page___________ to page ____________
Following the group meeting, the Discussion Director will complete this form with the help of the group members.
You will complete the first group participation chart, and your teacher will complete the second one.
1. Two topics which generated the most discussion today were:
a.
b.
2. As a group, we agreed one of the most important or intriguing passages in this section
was about:
3. Group participation today:
Member’s Name
(1) beginning
Completed
Reading
Contributes
Relevant Info
4. Teacher’s evaluation of group: (1) beginning
Whole
Group
On task for
duration of class
Everyone
participating
(2) developing
Listens to Group
Members
(2) developing
Group First,
Teacher Second
(3) exemplary
Fulfills Duties
(3) exemplary
Low Voices, to
Group Only
Role and Page Assignments
Story/Novel Title: _____________________________________ Literature Circle #_________
Literature Circle Meeting #1
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #2
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #3
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #4
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #5
Date: _________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Read Pages: _________-________
Literature Circle Meeting #6
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #7
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Vocabulary Reporter: ______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #8
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #9
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #10
Date: _________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Read Pages: _________-________
Literature Circle Meeting #11
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #12
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #13
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #14
Date: _________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Literature Circle Meeting #15
Date: _________
Discussion Director: ______________________
Summarizer:
______________________
Word Reporter:
______________________
Passage Master:
______________________
Read Pages: _________-________
Discussion Director
Name: _________________________
Date of Discussion: _____________
Assignment: page ________ to page _________
Literature Circle # _____________
You have two tasks as the Discussion Director.
1. The first is to develop a list of five questions that your group can discuss about this part of the novel.
Your questions should be ones which require thought and get everyone talking and sharing their
opinions and reactions. The best discussion questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and
concerns as you read. Do NOT write questions that call for a simple “yes” or “no” answer or a
factual detail!
2. Your second task is to lead the Literature Circle discussion.
Order for Leading your Group Discussion
-
Call on the Summarizer to read the Summary.
Pose each one of your questions for group discussion.
Ask for each member of your group to state their comment/questions about this section of the
novel. Lead your group in response to what each person says.
Call on the Passage Master.
Call on the Vocabulary Reporter.
Fill out the Group Record Sheet, with input from your group members.
After discussion is completed, make sure everyone gets a new role sheet for the next Literature
Circle Discussion. Be sure everyone knows the reading assignment that you have agreed upon.
Call the teacher over. Be ready to discuss items on the Group Record Sheet.
Discussion Questions for Our Literature Circle:
1. ______________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________________________
Types of Questions to Ask:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What did you think about . . . ? (name a specific event, action, or character’s words/actions)
Why do you think that . . . ?
What do you think will happen . . . ? (ask for predictions)
What is happening at the part where . . . ?
What do you think ___________________ (event/incident/comment) means?
Passage Master
Name: _________________________
Date of Discussion: _____________
Assignment: page ________ to page _________
Literature Circle # _____________
Your job as Passage Master is to locate three passages in the story that your group should reread, discuss,
and think about.
Passages should be important things for everyone to notice, remember, or think about.
Choose a variety of passages, not all the same type. Here are suggestions:
- surprising or startling passages
- confusing passages (ones that you wonder if other people “got”)
- descriptive writing (figurative language, strong verbs, etc.)
- passages that foreshadow an event that has yet to occur
- controversial events (passages that will elicit different opinions from group members)
During your Group Meeting, do the following:
-
When the Discussion Director calls on you, make sure everyone opens to the right page and help
them find where the passage begins.
Either read the passage aloud, have someone else read it aloud, or have everyone read it silently.
Tell your reasons for selecting each passage, and ask for comments.
Passage #1
Page _________
First three words in passage ___________________________
This passage is interesting because/I chose this passage because:
Passage #2
Page _________
First three words in passage ___________________________
This passage is interesting because/I chose this passage because:
Passage #3
Page __________
First three words in passage ___________________________
This passage is interesting because/I chose this passage because:
Summarizer
Name: _________________________
Date of Discussion: _____________
Assignment: page ________ to page _________
Literature Circle # _____________
Your job is to prepare a brief summary of today’s reading. The other members of your group will be
counting on you to give a summary that conveys the key points of today’s reading assignment. It is a
good idea to jot down the main events on scratch paper before you complete this form. Be sure to write
your summary in complete sentences, and to proofread for grammar and spelling!
When you have finished your summary, give this section a short title – something that captures the main
idea of this section.
Read your summary to the group when called upon by the Discussion Director.
REMEMBER, SUMMARIES CONTAIN ALL OF THE MAIN POINTS IN THE SECTION!!!
My title for the Section: ________________________________________________________________
Summary:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My group agreed that my summary was complete and accurate
If no, add what is missing on the back of this sheet.
_____yes
_____no
Word Reporter
Name: _________________________
Date of Discussion: _____________
Assignment: page ________ to page _________
Literature Circle # _____________
Your job is to choose five unknown words in the assigned section, look them up, and write an excellent
sentence using each word.
-
During the Group Discussion, you will do the following:
When the Discussion Director calls on you, share your words, sentences, and definitions with the
group.
Together, create a new sentence using each word and write it on this sheet.
Make sure that your sentences reflect the meaning of the word.
1. Word _____________________________
Page ___________
Paragraph __________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
My excellent sentence: __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The group’s excellent sentence: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Word _____________________________
Page ___________
Paragraph __________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
My excellent sentence: __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The group’s excellent sentence: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Word _____________________________
Page ___________
Paragraph __________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
My excellent sentence: __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The group’s excellent sentence: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Word _____________________________
Page ___________
Paragraph __________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
My excellent sentence: __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The group’s excellent sentence: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Word _____________________________
Page ___________
Paragraph __________
Definition: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
My excellent sentence: __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The group’s excellent sentence: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________