Literature Circles is an exciting reading program that allows students to take control of their own learning.  In this program, the class is divided into reading groups, with each group consisting of five or six students.   Each group then has the opportunity to select its own book to read, as well as the pace at which it wishes to read it (all under teacher supervision, of course).  During the reading of their selected literature, students complete various "jobs" emphasizing skills such as high-level questioning, vocabulary development, and writing.  Similar to a book club, students then get together for an opportunity to share their jobs and discuss the books they are reading.

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Literature Circles Handouts

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Connector

Your job is to find a connection between the section of the book your group is reading and the world around you. This means connecting the reading to your own life, to happenings at school or in the community, to similar events at other times and places, or to problems your reminded of. 

Literary Luminary

Your job is to locate a few special sections of the text that your group would like to hear read aloud. The idea is to help people remember some interesting, powerful, funny, or important sections of the text. 

Discussion Director

You have two tasks as Discussion Director:
1. Develop a list of five questions that your group can discuss about the pages read this week
2. Lead your group in a fun and inquisitive discussion of this weeks reading assignment.

Illustrator

This is your chance to share some of your own images and visions. Draw some kind of picture related to the reading you have just completed. It can be a sketch, cartoon, diagram, flowchart, or stick-figure scene.

Vocabulary Extender

Your job is to be on the lookout for  few especially important words in this week's reading. If you find words that are puzzling or unfamiliar, mark them while you are reading, and the later jot down their definition.

Summarizer

Your job is to prepare a brief summary of this week's reading. Your group discussion will start with your
1-2 minute statement that covers key points, main highlights, and a general idea of this week's reading .

Student Questioning Packet

This packet is designed to assist students in creating questions using Blooms as a guide. This should be used when students are Discussion Director. Each student was given one of these packets in their Lit. Circles Folder.

Student Assignment Sheet

Students use this sheet to help them keep track of their job and the groups current reading assignment. This MUST be filled out each week and turned in when a group completes a book.