QUARTER 1
Name ________________________________________ Class period _________________
LITERATURE CIRCLE MEETING PREPARATION
Score: ______/35
Due dates:
#1 _________________________
#3 _________________________
#2 _________________________
#4 _________________________
FINAL COPY OF TDA DUE NO LATER THAN: _____________________________________________________
Meeting #1: INFORMATION GATHERING
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Identify two “big ideas” (e.g., friendship, fairness) that are showing up in the text.
For each big idea, record a quote from this section of the text to prove that this big idea is present and
explain it.
10 points (5 per idea/explanation)
Meeting #2: INFERRING THEME
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Look at the big ideas from the first literature circle meeting and choose ONE (or a new one that has
occurred to you since the first meeting).
Write a statement of the literary theme that you believe the author is attempting to convey with 2-3
sentences of explanation as to why AND a direct quote from this section of the text to prove your
theory. It must be CLEAR how the quote applies.
10 points
Meeting #3: REFINING IDEAS
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Write a short paragraph to explain why your previous statement about the theme was correct OR write
a short paragraph explaining how you have modified your idea.
Provide a quote from this section of the text to support your response and EXPLAIN why you chose it.
5 points
Meeting #4: TDA PEER EDITING
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At this literature circle meeting, you will be doing a PEER EDIT for a rough draft of a TDA response.
You must show an ATTEMPT to appropriately cite your source (the novel).
Draft is worth 10 points for completion.
Final copy of TDA
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Your final, TYPED copy of your TDA will be due TWO class periods after Literature Circle meeting #4.
You must use MLA format for heading, header, and title.
25 points (20 points for TDA checklist; 5 points for formatting of paper—1/2 point deduction per
formatting error)
QUARTER 1
LITERATURE CIRCLE #1—INFORMATION GATHERING
Date of meeting: _________________________________
Score: _______/10
Pages to be read: _______ to _______
Big idea #1: _________________________________
Proof from text: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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Explanation of how quote applies to big idea: ____________________________________________________________
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Big idea #2: _________________________________
Proof from text: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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Explanation of how quote applies to big idea: ____________________________________________________________
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QUARTER 1
Score: _______/10
LITERATURE CIRCLE #2—INFERRING THEME
Date of meeting: _________________________________
Pages to be read: _______ to _______
Big idea: __________________________________
Statement of literary theme that relates to the big idea: ____________________________________________________
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Explanation: _______________________________________________________________________________________
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Proof from text: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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QUARTER 1
Score: _______/5
LITERATURE CIRCLE #3—REFINING IDEAS
Date of meeting: _________________________________
Pages to be read: _______ to _______
Explanation of why you think your literary theme from the previous meeting is correct OR why/how you have changed
your mind:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Proof from text: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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QUARTER 1
Score: _______/10
LITERATURE CIRCLE #4—TDA DRAFT/PEER EDIT
Date of meeting: _________________________________
Pages to be read: _______ to END
Peer editor: _______________________________________________
PEER EDITING CHECKIST
Skill
Yes
No
Did the writer provide the title of the
book (underlined) and the author’s
name in the introduction?
Did the writer state the theme in the
form of a sentence in the introduction
and provide a preview of at least
three reasons WHY in the last
sentence of the introduction?
Did the writer explain the theme in at
least three different, distinct ways
that each have their own body
paragraph?
Did the writer provide evidence from
the text IN EACH BODY PARAGRAPH
to support his/her reasons?
Did the writer EXPLAIN the text
evidence that was included in each
body paragraph?
Did the author write a conclusion?
Comments
QUARTER 1
Name: ________________________________________________________ Date: _________________
WRITING IN RESPONSE TO LITERATURE
GRADES 7-8
Structure
Not
Yet
0
Starting Yes
To
1
2
Lead
(2)

I effectively introduced, developed, and concluded by identifying an opinion, topic, or controlling
idea related to the text(s).
□
□
□
Ending
(2)

I provided a concluding section that follows from and supports the analysis presented.
□
□
□
Organization
(2)
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I organized my ideas in a way that effectively supports the focus and creates a logical flow of ideas
I used skillful transitions to link ideas
□
□
□
Elaboration
(8)

I included thorough analysis of explicit and implicit meanings from text(s) to effectively support
claims, opinions, ideas and inferences.
□
□
□

I included substantial, accurate, and direct reference to the text(s) using relevant key details,
examples, quotes, facts, and/or definitions.
□
□
□

I included substantial reference to the main idea(s) and relevant key details of the text(s) to support
the writer’s claim.
□
□
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
I addressed all parts of the task demonstrating in-depth understanding of the text(s)
□
□
□
Craft
(2)

I effectively used precise language and thematic/domain vocabulary drawn from the text(s) to
explain the topic and/or to convey experiences/events.
□
□
□
Conventions
(2)

I read the piece to check for accuracy, and to ensure spelling, sentence formation, grammar, usage,
capitalization, and punctuation errors does not take away from the meaning.
□
□
□
Punctuation
(2)

I included actual quotes from texts; correctly punctuated the quotes; and correctly cited material from
the text.
□
□
□
______/20
Name _________________________________
Date ________________
QUARTER 1
Class ____________________
Quarter 1 Literature Circles—ROUGH DRAFT
Writer’s Checklist
PLAN before you write
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Make sure you read the question carefully.
Make sure you have read the entire passage carefully.
Think about how the question relates to the passage.
Organize your ideas on scratch paper. Use a thought map, outline, or other graphic organizer to plan your
essay.
FOCUS while you write:
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Analyze the information from the passage as you write your essay.
Make sure you use evidence from the passage to support your response.
Use precise language, a variety of sentence types, and transitions in your essay.
Organize your paper with an introduction, body, and conclusion.
PROOFREAD after you write:
 I stayed focused on answering the question.
 I used evidence from the passage to support my response.
 I corrected errors in capitalization, spelling, sentence formation, punctuation, and word choice.
Prompt:
In novels, authors convey literary themes—or messages—through the plot, characters,
setting, narration, and/or symbols. Write an essay to analyze the theme of your
literature circle selection. Use at least three pieces of evidence from the novel to
support your idea.
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