Literature Circles

The goal of a literature circle is to

teach each other about the book, to
think together about the book to
reach a deeper understanding, and to
challenge one another to think
beyond the simple plot of the book
Glue this back cover to your
itself.
interactive notebook page.

Each day, the members of the group

will have TWO jobs:
1. TO share the work that they did and
whatever they thought or learned
the night before; and
2. TO ask every other member of the
group what he or she might have
done or thought about or drawn or
researched or asked if he or she
had had that job.

In short, each person is expected to

discuss every job every day.
Connector Illustrator
 Literary Luminary Quick Questioner
O Good readers make connections as O Good readers see pictures in their
they read. minds as they read. This is a chance
to explore and share some of your
Good readers
O Consider identify
whether you and think to
can relate O Good readers think of questions
about
the important,
story special, another
or to a character, own images and visions either to
while they read.
interesting,
character powerful,
that funny, or of,
youre reminded highlight their importance or to help
confusing
or scenesthat
even a theme and you
dialogues
noted inas Oyou
Didbetter
you wonder what
envision a scene
a scene that
they read.
another book. meant? Why
confused you. something happened?
What might happen next? Why the
Identify
O Your job at least
is to find3 and
important
write O Chose at least two scenes that
author used a certain style? What
scenes
down ator quotations
least for your
three (5) really stand out in your mind as key
the big ideas (themes) are? What
group to talk about.
connections betweenCopy
thethe
book to the action, character
might have happened if something
quotes
and (and
other cite that
books theiryouve
page development, or themes of the
numbers),
read text toand write
text), a (5 that
movies were different?
story. Draw 3, 4, 5, or 6 panel
detailed
youve sentence)
seen, eventsanalysis
that Ostory
Writeboards
down at least five
carefully, in detail,
explaining
youve the importance
observed, and theof each
real
questions
depicting as that
muchyou have
of the imageabout
as
of these
world scenes.
(text to world).
theare
you part of theofbook
capable youre
sharing.
Note that
O Write you areexplanation
a detailed discussing of working on, or other questions
O Caption each drawing not only
challenging
each or critical
connection and itsscenes, not
importance that might start your group
just randomly
both picking
to the book youre a reading
single line with a written description of the
thinking, and try to answer
or two.
and to the world or broader ideas. scene, but also with a detailed
your own questions.
explanation of why each scene
O Note that you are asking deep,
genuine questions, not simple facts
 Resear
cher
O Good readers go beyond the text to
understand the history, context, or
background, in which a novel is set,
or to learn more about something
mentioned in the text.
O This research might include the
geography, the weather, the
culture, the history, or anything
else that interests you.
O Using the internet or a book,
find some background
information on any topic
related to the book. Remember
to cite your sources! Write a
summary of what youve
learned to share with your
group.
Summarizer
O Good readers think often about,
and keep track of, the important
details and main ideas as theyre
reading.
O Your job is to prepare a summary of
todays reading.
O Please write in complete
sentences (as bullets or a
paragraph) the 10 or so main
events of the chapter(s) in
chronological order.
Alternative 1: Annotator
Alternative 2: Double Entry
Journaler

O Good readers recognize when they
read words that they dont know,
and they stop to figure out the
meanings.
O As a group, note words that
you didnt know (with page
numbers).
O The word wizard will learn and
teach those words during your next
meeting. First use context clues
and note your inferences, then
they look for the words in the
dictionary and write their actual
definitions.
Theme Theorizer
O Good readers pay attention to the
big ideas that a story is hinting that
they should think about. (NOTE:
Themes are NOT lessons; they do
NOT include the words should or
should not.)
O Themes are expressed as questions
or phrases that describe ideas.
O Try to identify the story themes
that run through the book. Cite
specific conversations or
actions that contribute to the
development of the theme
through the entire book.
O Write short descriptions of
each theme that you see in
these chapters, and the text
that supports or develops
them.
 Word
Notice Noter
Wizard
O Good readers pay attention to
signposts that tell them important
information and raise questions
that help them build
understanding.
O Not all signposts occur in every
chapter, but look for the ones that
might be there. Write both the
Signpost AND whatever answers to
the questions that you think about.
O Contrasts and Contradictions
O When a character does or
says something that contrasts
with what youd expect or
contradicts something he or
she said earlier, NOTE the
scene and ASK (and answer)
Why is the character doing
that?
O AHA! Moment
O When a character realizes,
understands, or finally figures
out something, NOTE the
scene ASK (and answer) How
might this change things?
O Tough Questions
O When a character asks
him/herself very difficult
questions, NOTE the questions
and ASK (and answer) What
does this make me think
about?
O Words of the Wiser
O When a character (usually
older and wiser) takes the
main character aside and
offers serious advice, NOTE
the advice and ASK (and
answer) What is the life
lesson and how might it affect
the character?
O Again and Again
O When you notice a word,
phrase, situation, or image
mentioned over and over
again, NOTE the repeated
thing and ASK (and answer)
Why does this keep
happening again and again?
O Memory Moment
O When the author interrupts
the action to tell you about a
memory, NOTE the memory
and the scene that it
interrupts, and ASK (and