LITERATURE CIRCLES

Overview – expectations and process

MONDAY

Literature Circles - Individual and group

responsibilities and expectations:

Overview of the 6 literature circle roles:

Discussion Director

Passage Picker and Vocabulary Enricher

Summarizer and Connector

Illustrator

Investigator*

Travel Tracker

MONDAY: ROLES-DISCUSSION DIRECTOR Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________Discussion Director_____________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Discussion Director: Your job is to develop a list of open-ended questions that your group might want to discuss about

part of the book. Don’t worry about the small details; you task is to help people talk over the big ideas in the reading and

share their reactions. Your role is NOT to “give the right answers” but to promote deep understanding and lively

conversation. Usually the best discussion questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns as you read.

You can list them below during or after your reading. You may also use some of the general questions below to develop

topics for your group.

Possible discussion questions or topics for today:

1. ______________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________________

Discussion Sentence Starters:

Let's discuss (a specific moment from the book or a relationship between two characters)

Let's compare (two people, ideas, places, feelings, etc)

What is your understanding of (a specific incident or confusing part of the book)?

How does the theme of _____________________ play a role in this chapter?

Sample Questions:

What was going through your mind while you read this?

How did you feel while reading this part of the book?

What was discussed in this section of the book?

What parts are still unclear to you? Or what didn’t you understand about a character or situation?

Did anything in this section of the book surprise you?

What are the one or two most important ideas or developments?

Predict some things we might discuss the next time we meet.

Topic to be carried over to the next session:

_____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________

MONDAY: ROLES-DISCUSSION DIRECTOR

Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________Discussion Director_____________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Discussion Director: Your job is to develop a list of open-ended questions that your group might want to discuss about

part of the book. Don’t worry about the small details; you task is to help people talk over the big ideas in the reading and

share their reactions. Your role is NOT to “give the right answers” but to promote deep understanding and lively

conversation. Usually the best discussion questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns as you read.

You can list them below during or after your reading. You may also use some of the general questions below to develop

topics for your group.

Possible discussion questions or topics for today:

1. ______________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________________

Discussion Sentence Starters:

Let's discuss (a specific moment from the book or a relationship between two characters)

Let's compare (two people, ideas, places, feelings, etc)

What is your understanding of (a specific incident or confusing part of the book)?

How does the theme of _____________________ play a role in this chapter?

Sample Questions:

What was going through your mind while you read this?

How did you feel while reading this part of the book?

What was discussed in this section of the book?

What parts are still unclear to you? Or what didn’t you understand about a character or situation?

Did anything in this section of the book surprise you?

What are the one or two most important ideas or developments?

Predict some things we might discuss the next time we meet.

Topic to be carried over to the next session:

_____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________

MONDAY: ROLES-PASSAGE PICKER & VOCABULARY

ENRICHER

Literature Circles Role Sheet _____________________________________________________________

____________________ Passage Picker and Vocabulary Enricher*____

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Passage Picker: Your job is to help your group revisit memorable parts of your section in the novel. You will need to

identify 2 or more interesting, powerful passages from your section. These passages need to impact the story line or have

some important literary device that needs explaining. You should look for things like irony, humor, metaphor, symbolism,

inciting moments (plot chart) or characterization.

Vocabulary Enricher: Your other job is to be on the lookout for a few especially important words in today’s reading. If

you find words that are puzzling or unfamiliar, mark them while you are reading and then later jot down their definition,

either from a dictionary or from some other source. You may also run across familiar words that stand out somehow in

the reading – words that are repeated a lot, are used in an unusual way, or provide a key to the meaning of the text. Mark

these special words, and be ready to point them out to the group. When your circle meets, help members find and discuss

these words.

Page # and Paragraph Passage or Word Definition or Explanation

Topic to be carried over to the next session: _____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________ *You may need to use additional paper!

MONDAY: ROLES-PASSAGE PICKER & VOCABULARY

ENRICHER

Literature Circles Role Sheet _____________________________________________________________

____________________ Passage Picker and Vocabulary Enricher*____

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Passage Picker: Your job is to help your group revisit memorable parts of your section in the novel. You will need to

identify 2 or more interesting, powerful passages from your section. These passages need to impact the story line or have

some important literary device that needs explaining. You should look for things like irony, humor, metaphor, symbolism,

inciting moments (plot chart) or characterization.

Vocabulary Enricher: Your other job is to be on the lookout for a few especially important words in today’s reading. If

you find words that are puzzling or unfamiliar, mark them while you are reading and then later jot down their definition,

either from a dictionary or from some other source. You may also run across familiar words that stand out somehow in

the reading – words that are repeated a lot, are used in an unusual way, or provide a key to the meaning of the text. Mark

these special words, and be ready to point them out to the group. When your circle meets, help members find and discuss

these words.

Page # and Paragraph Passage or Word Definition or Explanation

Topic to be carried over to the next session: _____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________ *You may need to use additional paper!

MONDAY: ROLES – SUMMARIZER & CONNECTOR

Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________Summarizer and Connector__________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Summarizer: Your job is to prepare a brief summary of today’s reading. Your group discussion will start with your 1-2

minute statement that covers the key points, main highlights, and general idea of today’s reading assignment.

Connector: Your other job is to find connections between the book and the outside world. This means connecting the

reading to similar events at other times and places, or to other people or problems that this book brings to mind. You

might also see connections between this book and other writings on the same topic.

Summary:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________

Key Points:

1. ______________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________________

Connections: What did today’s reading remind you of?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________

Topic to be carried over to the next session: _____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________ *You may need to use additional paper!

MONDAY: ROLES – SUMMARIZER & CONNECTOR

Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________Summarizer and Connector__________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Summarizer: Your job is to prepare a brief summary of today’s reading. Your group discussion will start with your 1-2

minute statement that covers the key points, main highlights, and general idea of today’s reading assignment.

Connector: Your other job is to find connections between the book and the outside world. This means connecting the

reading to similar events at other times and places, or to other people or problems that this book brings to mind. You

might also see connections between this book and other writings on the same topic.

Summary:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________

Key Points:

1. ______________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________________

Connections: What did today’s reading remind you of?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________

Topic to be carried over to the next session: _____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________ *You may need to use additional paper!

MONDAY: ROLES – ILLUSTRATOR Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________Illustrator___________________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Illustrator: Your role is to create an artistic rendering of significance for each group meeting. You may draw from

characters, events, mood or other inspiration, but it must be significant and justifiable. You may be abstract or concrete,

but either way your job is to explain your art to your group at each meeting. Art may be in the form of drawing, painting,

collaging, sculpting, crafting or other mediums. You need to include your explanation in written form on this sheet.

Explanation of Art:

Topic to be carried over to the next session:

_____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________

*You may need to use additional paper!

Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________Illustrator___________________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Illustrator: Your role is to create an artistic rendering of significance for each group meeting. You may draw from

characters, events, mood or other inspiration, but it must be significant and justifiable. You may be abstract or concrete,

but either way your job is to explain your art to your group at each meeting. Art may be in the form of drawing, painting,

collaging, sculpting, crafting or other mediums. You need to include your explanation in written form on this sheet.

Explanation of Art:

Topic to be carried over to the next session:

_____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________

*You may need to use additional paper!

MONDAY: ROLES – INVESTIGATOR

Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________Investigator__________________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Investigator: Your job is to dig up some background information on any topic related to your reading. Choose one of the

following. Once one of the following investigations has been done, you must choose from the remaining investigations.

The geography, weather, culture, or history of the book’s setting

Information about the author – his/her life and other works

Information about the time period portrayed in the book

Pictures, objects or materials that illustrate elements of the book

The history and derivation of words or names used in the book

Music that reflects the book or its time

This is not a formal research report. The idea is to find bits of information or material that helps your group understand

the book. Investigate something that really interests you – something that struck you as puzzling or curious while you

were reading. Whatever you find to share with group must be printed off and included when you turn in your role sheet.

Sources for information:

The introduction, preface, or “about the author” section of the book

Library books and magazines

Online computer searches

Encyclopedia

Interview with people who know the topic

Other novels, nonfiction or textbooks you’ve read

Topic to be carried over to the next session:

_____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________

*You may need to use additional paper!

MONDAY: ROLES – INVESTIGATOR

Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________Investigator__________________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Investigator: Your job is to dig up some background information on any topic related to your reading. Choose one of the

following. Once one of the following investigations has been done, you must choose from the remaining investigations.

The geography, weather, culture, or history of the book’s setting

Information about the author – his/her life and other works

Information about the time period portrayed in the book

Pictures, objects or materials that illustrate elements of the book

The history and derivation of words or names used in the book

Music that reflects the book or its time

This is not a formal research report. The idea is to find bits of information or material that helps your group understand

the book. Investigate something that really interests you – something that struck you as puzzling or curious while you

were reading. Whatever you find to share with group must be printed off and included when you turn in your role sheet.

Sources for information:

The introduction, preface, or “about the author” section of the book

Library books and magazines

Online computer searches

Encyclopedia

Interview with people who know the topic

Other novels, nonfiction or textbooks you’ve read

Topic to be carried over to the next session:

_____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________

*You may need to use additional paper!

MONDAY: ROLES – TRAVEL TRACKER Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________Travel Tracker*_________________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Travel Tracker: When you are reading a book in which characters move around often and the scene changes frequently,

it is important for everyone in your group to know where things are happening and how the setting many have changed.

So that’s your job: to track carefully where the action takes place during today’s reading. Describe each setting in detail,

either in words or with an action map or diagram you can show to your group. You may use the back of this sheet or

another sheet. Be sure to give the page locations where the scene is described.

Describe or sketch the setting

Where today’s action begins

o Page where it is described ______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Where today’s key events happen

o Page where it is described ______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Where today’s events end

o Page where it is described ______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Topic to be carried over to the next session:

_____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________

*You may need to use additional paper!

MONDAY: ROLES – TRAVEL TRACKER

Literature Circles Role Sheet _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________Travel Tracker*_________________________________

Name _________________________________________ Circle___________________________________________

(group’s name)

Book _________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting Date _____________________ Assignment Pages ____________________ to ___________________________

Travel Tracker: When you are reading a book in which characters move around often and the scene changes frequently,

it is important for everyone in your group to know where things are happening and how the setting many have changed.

So that’s your job: to track carefully where the action takes place during today’s reading. Describe each setting in detail,

either in words or with an action map or diagram you can show to your group. You may use the back of this sheet or

another sheet. Be sure to give the page locations where the scene is described.

Describe or sketch the setting

Where today’s action begins

o Page where it is described ______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Where today’s key events happen

o Page where it is described ______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Where today’s events end

o Page where it is described ______________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Topic to be carried over to the next session:

_____________________________________________________________

Assignment for next session: Pages ______________ to ________________

*You may need to use additional paper!

Literature Circles:

Practice – look through the role sheets and

choose one for practice with.

Read the article

silently and

finish reading for

homework.

Literature Circles:

All of the Discussion Directors, Passage Picker and Vocabulary Enrichers, Summarizer and Connectors, Illustrators, and Investigators sit together.

Complete / compare the role sheets over the article with the people at your table.

Be prepared to share during the whole-class discussion (about the passage but also about the role – what do you think about that role?).

Literature Circles:

Whole class discussion of article (similar to

Socratic) (a model for literature circles).

Discussion Directors or Summarizers will start

the conversation.

Turn in practice role sheets (to Inbox) at the end

of class.

Literature Circles:

See the list

and sit with

your group.

Literature Circles:

Plan with your team.

The Lit Circles Reading Group Information is

due today.

Write your names, roles, book title, and chapter /

page numbers on this handout.

If any member of your group is absent, write his/her

name on the sheet and leave role blank.

Literature Circles:

Sit with your team.

Finalize group planning as needed.

Read your novel*

Your first discussion meeting is ________.

Literature Circles:

Sit with your team.

Read your novel.*

Complete your assigned role sheet.*

Your first discussion meeting is _________.

*Individual role sheets may be completed for homework and are due each time we have a discussion day.

Overview of reflection / evaluation sheet - due at the end of each meeting day.