Literature+Circles

Literature Circles Build Excitement for Books! "If you give people a good book to talk about, you can build a community out of a diverse group. A common language grows out of it." ~ Nancy Pearl, //Book Lust//



Sunshine State Young Reader Award Program: This is an excellent program to use while incorporating literature circles into your classroom. http://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra.html
 * Where to find the BEST books for LCs: **

American Library Association's Youth Media Awards site: http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/presskits/youthmediaawards/alayouthmediaawards


 * Check out these guides for observing your students during Literature Circle conversations. **



Harvey "Smokey" Daniels suggests that teachers initially provide structure to literature circles by assigning (or volunteering) to take a role in the group while reading a particular text. These roles can be switched during the reading or students can take on a different role during the next literature circle. The choice is yours. Make the choice that best fits the needs of your students. This is simply a way to begin these "book club" experiences and can obviously be removed once the children know what the expectations are of readers while reading a common book. The following is a list of his roles. Remember, these are suggestions. You could, in your own classroom come up with other roles as needed!

**Discussion Director** **Vocabulary Enricher/Word Wizard** **Literary Luminary** **Illustrator** **Connector** **Summarizer** **Travel Tracer**

Independent reads for HOT Questions/Facilitating a literature circle group activity: CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING The Crossover by Kwame Alexander 2015 Newbery Medal Winner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6JjwS1boq4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkTn3l2FnIY&feature=youtu.be



The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 2014 Newbery Medal Winner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtPdqV2crQ0

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

https://safeshare.tv/x/ss599496db1942a

[]

[]

Literature Circle Book List 2018 Hello, Universe by Erin Kelly Entrada 2018 Newbery Medal Winner

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill 2017 Newbery Medal Winner 2017-18 SSYRA book selection Grades 6-8

Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper https://youtu.be/zbfLI3dzVBg http://books.simonandschuster.com/**Stella**-**by**-**Starlight**/Sharon-M-Draper/9781442494978?mcd=vd_youtube_**book**

A Wrinkle in Time Newbery Award Winner Movie Trailer 2018- https://youtu.be/E4U3TeY2wtM

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan 2016 Newbery Honor Medal 2017 Grades 6-8 SSYRA Winner!

El Deafo by Cece Bell 2015 Newbery Honor Medal



One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia

Newbery Honor, Scott O'Dell award, National Book Award Coretta Scott King Award winner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5V4GcqniHk

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper 2012 Sunshine State Young Reader Award WINNER (SSYRA) **http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=6432706&height=267&width=200** http://books.simonandschuster.com/Out-of-My-Mind/Sharon-M-Draper/9781416971702 (e-reader?) http://www.wpbf.com/news/south-florida/education/High-school-senior-with-cerebral-palsy-crowned-homecoming-king-then-walks-for-first-time/-/8788820/17340886/-/fw5olv/-/index.html

The element of CHOICE is vital to true Literature Circles! Performing a "book pass" is one way to share books to choose from and students make a selection that is right for them! Teachers make some choices first about quality books that may be of interest to students and serve curriculum purposes as well. Then, a book talk (by the teacher or using online resources) can be done so that students glean a little bit of insight into what the books are about... then literally, the books are passed around so that students can further look at the book and make the right choice! Teachers can also create cooperative groups with the book selections at each table so that students can discuss their possible selections with peers.

]