lit circles 2013
DESCRIPTION
A full day session, held in Ashcroft, on implementing literature circles, grades 3-12. These groups are focused on helping students have grand conversations, grow thoughtful responses and read, read, read!TRANSCRIPT
Literature Circles: Grand Conversations, Thoughtful Responses
Ashcro', Dec. 10, 2013 Faye Brownlie
www.slideshare.net
There is great success in engaging students with text and conversation
using literature circles
Literature Circles
STUDENTS Within these groupings,
choose their own
books
are never assigned
roles read at
their own pace
engage in conversations
keep journals about readings
and conversations are taught comprehension
strategies
Literature Circles are…
- Reader response centered - Part of a balanced literacy program - Groups formed by book choice - Structured for student independence, responsibility, and ownership - Guided primarily by student insights and questions - Intended as a context in which to apply reading strategies and writing skills
Day 1: Introduction of book conversations
• Model and practice with poems or short texts
• Ask the students: “What comes to mind when you
read this? SAY SOMETHING.”
This is My Rock ���- David McCord
This is my rock And here I run To steal the secret of the sun;
This is my rock And here come I Before the night has swept the sky
This is my rock, This is the place I meet the evening face to face.
Day 1: Start with the books • choose 5 or 6 books with multiple copies
• choose books that cover a wide range of reader interest and level of difficulty
• choose books that lead to further reading (series, author)
Day 1: Introduce the books • read an excerpt
• describe the kind of reader who might enjoy this
• Describe the font, text features etc. including “notice that’s”
Start Reading!!!
Students choose 2 texts each. (One as a back up)
Day 2: Meeting with the groups • meet with a group who are reading the same book, while the other students continue reading
• students come to the meeting with a brief passage prepared to read aloud
• After a student has read, others respond by: SAYING SOMETHING
about what they thought.
Left side Right side Notes Early Stages
1. Title of the book One sentence I can read from the book Writing is very limited in the early stages.
2. Title of the book (After reading a pattern book) A sentence of my own following the pattern of the text
3. Title of the book My opinion
(e.g. The part I like best… My favorite character is…)
End of grade 1/ Beginning grade 2
4. Summary (what happened)
My thinking about what happened Initially, expect a lot more writing on the left side than the right.
Later 5. Two events My thinking about these events Gradually expect the length of the
writing to become more balanced on each side
6. A quotation from the text My interpretation thinking of the meaning of this quotation
By intermediate, expect 1-2 sentences about an event and a paragraph of personal response
Create Criteria
SHARE
Read and respond to selected student responses. Students can respond to one another. Not all responses need to be responded to by a teacher.
Write in front of the students and have them analyze your writing to create criteria. Students write to meet this criteria. Later, ask for volunteers to have their responses analyzed, based on co-created criteria. Keep the criteria posted for revision and reflection.
Examples S T R A T E G I E S
Venn diagrams
Containers for
characters
Learning journeys
Talk shows
Tableaus
Composing a rap
Mini-dramas
Setting
Characters
Reader’s Theatre
Comprehension Strategies
Gr. 6/7 Hope, Courage, Survival, PersecuJon
• When the Soldiers Were Gone -‐ Vera W. Propp • Daniel’s Story -‐ Carol Matas • Jesper -‐ Carole Matas • Willow and Twig -‐ Jean LiRle • The Old Brown Suitcase -‐ Lillian Boraks-‐Nemetz • Goodbye, Vietnam -‐ Gloria Whelan • So Far from the Bamboo Grove -‐ Yoko Kawashima Watkins,
Jean Fritz
Ideogram
• Variety of visual representaJons • QuotaJons from books read
• Voice shown -‐ personal opinions and reflecJons on the theme
• ConnecJons to outside sources • EmoJonal connecJon to theme -‐ for you and the reader
Literature Circles: Residential Schools
• A unit co-‐developed by – Marla Gamble, gr. 6 Classroom Teacher, Prince Rupert, BC
– Marilyn Bryant, Aboriginal EducaJon Program Resource Teacher
– Raegan Sawka, LUCID Support Teacher (Learning for Understanding through Culturally Inclusive ImaginaJve Development) • Lesson 2: co-‐designed and co-‐taught: Marla & Faye
• 1st lesson – Slide presentaJon on First NaJons background in the
geographic area with some reference to residenJal schools • 2nd lesson
– Whip around (followed by a write-‐around with 1st paragraph) – Fishbowl on 1st paragraph of Fa#y Legs – C. Jordan-‐Fenton & M.
Poliak-‐Fenton (Annick Press) – Co-‐created criteria for effecJve group – Envelopes of 5-‐6 pictures from Fa#y Legs – Make a story – Share some stories – Walk and talk – 4 minute write – story behind the pictures
• My name is Olemaun Pokiak – that’s OO-‐lee-‐mawn -‐ but some of my classmates used to call me “FaRy Legs”. They called me that because a wicked nun forced me to wear a pair of red stockings that made my legs look enormous. But I put an end to it. How? Well, I am going to let you in on a secret that I have kept for more than 60 years: the secret of how I made those stockings disappear.
Barb Turney, Bulkley Valley • Universal Design for Learning • Inquiry • Deep thinking • Personal connecJons
With Universal Design In Mind What was the impact of residen9al schools on Aboriginal culture?
?
What do you no9ce?
CONNECTING
What are you wondering?
What ques9ons do you have?
Processing
Literature Circles • What opened your eyes?
• What touched your heart?
• What made you think more deeply or differently? • Journaling & Reflec9ng
Transforming
Phrases and words were used to describe the impact of Residen9al Schools on the person.
Hot Seat The Outsiders – gr.8 with Brent Spencer
The Glass Castle – gr.12 with Amy Stevenson
• Students choose a role • May generate quesJons in advance that ‘could’ be asked of them
• Begin with teacher as moderator
• Audience of the class poses quesJons to the panel; can interview in role
• Quick write between groups
The Outsiders – S. E. Hinton • Three quesJons for quick writes: – What is the big deal about the Greasers?
– Do the Greasers feel more than the Socs? – What will your character be doing in 10 years Jme?
• Brownlie, Fullerton, Schnellert – It’s All about Thinking – Collabora5ng to support all learners in Math & Science, 2011
• Brownlie, Schnellert – It’s All about Thinking – Collabora5ng to support all learners in English & Humani5es, 2009
• Brownlie, Feniak, Schnellert -‐ Student Diversity, 2nd ed., Pembroke Pub., 2006
• Brownlie, Jeroski – Reading and Responding, grades 4-‐6, 2nd ediJon, Nelson, 2006
• Brownlie -‐ Grand Conversa5ons, Portage and Main Press, 2005
• Brownlie,Feniak, McCarthy -‐ Instruc5on and Assessment of ESL Learners, Portage and Main Press, 2004
• Brownlie, King -‐ Learning in Safe Schools – Crea5ng classrooms where all students belong, 2nd ed, Pembroke Publishers, 2011