Literature Circles

Next week in grade 5 we will be starting literature circles. Literature circles are groups of 3 to 5 students that gather on a regular basis to discuss the book they are reading in class. The purpose of literature circles is to get students to think about, discuss, and even debate on quality literature. Here’s how it will work:

• The first step involves choice. The students will be given a selection of novels to choose from. They will rank the novels in the order of preference and then I will choose the literature circle groups based on that ranking. Each group will read a different novel.
• Once the students have been assigned a group, they will meet to develop a reading plan. The groups will meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and must have their book completed by Easter. They will decide what chapters to read each night and prepare a schedule to keep them on track.
• Each student will be assigned a role each time they meet. The roles are Circle Leader, Super Summarizer, Word Wizard, Passage Pro, and Travel Tracker. There will be one role for each student in the group. These roles should be rotated around the group so that each member is responsible for each role by the time the novel is done. Each student will be responsible for completing the reading assignment and preparing their role sheet before the next meeting of the group.If a student fails to prepare their part, it negatively impacts the success of the literature circle.
• At each session, the groups meet with their books and completed role forms. They discuss, ask questions, and sometimes debate what they’ve just read using their role forms as guides. When their discussion is finished, they complete a reading response activity as a group.

Literature circles have many benefits, such as getting students to read and think about good literature and discuss what they read and have fun at the same time. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me!