L ITERATURE C IRCLES Grade 11 English Adapted from Allen

R ESPONSIBILITIES Over the next four weeks you will be: 1. Reading a novel of your choice 2. Writing in a journal 3. Meeting with a small group who is also reading your novel 4. Writing in your journal (again) explaining how discussion has helped you understand the novel better, or reinforced your original thoughts

F IRST S TEP …. 1. Choose your novel: Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte Lord of the Flies, by William Golding Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood Brave New World, by Aldus Huxley

N OVEL C HOICE 1. Read through your novel choices on the pink hand out 2. Indicate your top three choices, by putting a number 1 beside your first choice, a 2 beside your second, and a 3 beside your third 3. Make sure your name is on the top right corner of your paper before handing in NOTE: you may not get your first pick, but you will be assigned one of your top 3 choices.

P REPARING FOR G ROUP M EETINGS The next three weeks of classes will follow this schedule: Before every meeting you will have 2 classes to read your assigned section, write a 1 page journal response, and complete an ‘assigned role’ Every 3 rd class you will be meeting and discussing your novel and your journal writing with your literature circle After each meeting you will write a ‘final response’ explaining what your group discussed and how your understanding of the novel changed or was reinforced through hearing others’ perspectives

S ETTING UP YOUR L ITERATURE M EETINGS 1. With your literature groups you will need to set your reading goals and each group members’ responsibilities for the next 3 weeks of class 2. You will be participating in 4 meetings, so you must decide on the following: a. How many pages or chapters must be read for each meeting b. Who will be designated each role (Discussion Director, Literary Luminary, Illustrator, Connector, Vocabulary Wizard) for each meeting--- You may NOT repeat any of these roles.

D ISCUSSION D IRECTOR As the discussion director you are required to develop 3 questions about the section of the book you are assigned Questions should be based on ‘big ideas’---theme, character, plot, language, style, symbolism, etc. NOT insignificant facts or questions that require only one answer Why do you think a character acted the way they did? How has a specific character influenced another? Has the setting affected the mood, character(s), storyline) Symbolism? Theme? If anything was surprising, shocking, interesting, revealing, etc---you may want to question how that particular event or moment affected the rest of the story, characters, or the reader themselves. If you make specific connections between the text to the world you live in, you may ask a question that requires your group to discuss that connection further. NOTE: you are REQUIRED to provide responses to your own questions. This will help you lead your group in discussion and their responses will help assist you in your final journal response.

L ITERARY L UMINARY The literary luminary identifies 3 passages or quotations that they feel are significant to the development of character, setting, plot or theme Reasons for selecting a passage include: it contains important, information, it is surprising, controversial, funny, well written, confusing, thought provoking, etc. Literary luminary is expected to provide a rationale for their passage selection---why did you include it? How is it significant, confusing, thought provoking, etc. ? By providing your own rationale, you will be able to lead group discussion, and have an easier time writing your final journal response NOTE: you will need to write down the page number of your passage or quotations, read the passage out loud to your group, encourage them to provide their own comments, and share your rationale

I LLUSTRATOR The illustrator is required to create a visual representation relating to a ‘big idea’ in your assigned section of reading. The visual can be a metaphor or a symbol for a main idea, theme, character personality, setting, plot development, etc. Your representation could be a comic strip, drawing, collage (cut outs from magazines), diorama, etc. With your drawing you will have your group speculate on the meaning of your representation Then you will provide your own rationale for your choice NOTE: You MUST also provide a written rationale explaining the connection of your visual to the big idea identified from the novel ---it needs to be a solid paragraph (at least ½ a page)

T HE C ONNECTOR As the connector you must find 3 connections between your reading and the outside world Connections can be made to: Your own life (or others experiences that you have witnessed first hand) The school The community you live in Other people you know Problems people face Other books, films, articles you have read Events occurring around the world (events you have read about in newspapers, seen on the news, learned about in other classes) NOTE: You are required to provide 3 written paragraphs explaining how the ideas from the text connect to the world/society you live in ***Encourage your group to elaborate on your connections in order to write your final paragraph effectively.

V OCABULARY W IZARD As the vocabulary wizard you will be reading to increase your own vocabulary and will be working towards using your new language in everyday situations You must select 5 words from your assigned reading section to bring to the group You will record the 5 words and the page number you found them on You must include the dictionary definition of the new vocabulary And…. You must create 5 sentences (not from the novel) using the new words to demonstrate you understand their meaning

M EETING R ESPONSIBILITIES 1. You must come prepared to participate!!! 2. Prepared means: you have read your assigned section, completed your journal, and your assigned role for the week. 3. If you are not prepared, you will be working on your own and unable to meet the expectations of group discussion

D URING THE MEETINGS Bring your novel, journal entry, and assigned role Each student takes turns reading and discussing their journal and assigned role Each student participates in discussion Each student needs to take notes on what is discussed during each meeting (these notes will assist you in writing your final journal response)

T O BE HANDED IN …. 1. Your Journal; each section (4 in total) must contain: a. 1 page journal response b. Assigned role c. Notes from your meeting d. Final journal response Follow your notes handed out in class, and refer back to other student exemplars for assistance.

0 Out of Range 1 2 Below Level 3 4 At Level 5 Above Level Oral Communication During Group Meetings Student did not communicate their roles, answer questions, and/or contribute their ideas Student rarely communicated their roles, answered questions and contributed ideas Students usually communicated their roles, answered questions, and contributed ideas Student always communicated their roles, answered questions, and contributed ideas Required Elements Many required elements were not included, or many assignments were incomplete Journal included some required elements Journal included most required elements: 4 indv. roles, 4 complete journal entries, and 4 final journal entries Journal included all required elements: 4 individual roles 4 complete journal entries, and 4 final journal entries Journal Entries Journal entries are incomplete Journal entries were vague, general and undeveloped. Support was general/ vague/ superficial/or illogical Journal entries were clear, concise and thoroughly developed. Support was logical, specific and relevant Journal entries were creative, insightful, and thoroughly developed Individual Roles Individual entries are incomplete Individual roles were vague, general and undeveloped Individual roles were clear, concise and thoroughly developed Individual Roles were creative and insightful. They were thoroughly developed and included own discussion to bring to the meetings Final Journal Entries There was no explanation of how the new knowledge, ideas, and perspectives reshaped their thinking. Student did not understand the task Explanation of how the new knowledge, ideas, and perspectives reshaped own knowledge, ideas, and beliefs was vague/ generalized/ undeveloped, and support was irrelevant or illogical Explanation of how the new knowledge, ideas, and perspectives reshaped own knowledge, ideas, and beliefs was clear, adequately developed, and support was logical and relevant Explanation of how the new knowledge, ideas, and perspectives reshaped own knowledge, ideas, and beliefs was creative/insightful/ or thorough