1. Roles and Responsibilities
Literature Circles

2. Secretary
Keeps track of attendance and complete or missing assignments
These records will determine individual versus group grades on the final projects.
Needs to be someone with excellent attendance and work habits who can honestly and accurately assess the work of others

3. Discussion Director Conducts mini-seminars at each meeting
Develops a list of questions for group discussion
Skilled at writing open-ended questions and asking questions that extend the discussion

4. Character Analyst Describes the main characters’ personalities
Describes the personalities of important supporting characters
Supports descriptions with specific examples from the reading
Notes how characters change during the story
Notes the important relationships in the story and explains their significance
Skilled at analyzing personality

5. Connector Relates reading to other literature
Relates reading to seminar discussions
Relates reading to historical events in other parts of the world
Relates reading to current events
Relates reading to personal experiences or experiences shared by the group
Skilled at seeing relationships, reading between the lines, and thinking outside the box

6. Historian Thoroughly explains the historical context
Thoroughly explains cultural and political forces
Finds connections to past and current historical events
Responds to new information and/or changes that occur in the reading
Skilled at identifying important political, economic, technological, and societal events or advances

7. Expectations Roles may be rotated within the group
Each group member will have new information to present each time the group meets
There will be no discussion with other groups
Discussion will stay focused on the literature
Participation grades will be given periodically based on teacher observation