Digging Deeper into Literature Discussion Groups/Book Clubs

1. Digging Deeper into Literature Discussion Groups/Book Clubs Summer Literacy institute 2013

2. Gradual Release of Responsibility: a structure for successful instruction Teacher Responsibility “I do it” Focus Lesson Guided Instruction “We do it” Collaborative “You do it together” Independent “You do it alone” Student Responsibility Fisher & Frey, Better Learning Through Structured Teaching, 2008

3. Literature Discussion Groups • You do it! • Launch • Norms • Read • Discuss • Debrief • Small group • Put one post it on the board about what classroom implications this activity had • Take Away • Whole group Because My Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play 'TheStar−Spangled Banner' at Woodstock by Sherman Alexie http://www.spraksikring.com/kurs/AlexieStudyGuide.pdf Room by Emma Donogue- http://emmadonoghue.com/books/novels/room-the-novel.html Olive Kitteridgeby Elizabeth Strouthttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/books/review/Thomas-t.html

4. Teaching Students Accountable Talk Students need to be taught HOW to agree, disagree, clarify, add on Use student friendly language- what would students actually be saying Example

5. Conversation Starters • Book Marks • Sample 1 • Sample 2 • Anchor Charts

6. Accountable Talk http://www.learner.org/resources/series182.html?pop=yes&pid=1981 Teacher/Student: Record the talk Discuss—what do you notice? How can you foster this kind of conversation in your classroom?

7. Setting Norms Students can work together to set norms for their book clubs Have students create a poster for their book club with 3-5 norms they will need to be successful Remind students to take this out at the beginning of each meeting time to prepare for their meeting

8. Component 1: Intro/Selection of Book • Book clubs should still contain student choice as much as possible • Choice within book club group that is already established • Choice, then put into book clubs based on choice • Book talk books to get students excited and interested • LMC Specialist • Amazon • Book trailers • Reading first chapter • Student recommendations

9. Component 1 Cont… • Students need to be taught HOW to prepare for book club meetings • Read assigned text • Flag your thinking • Respond in reading logs • Model, Model, Model! • Practice with short texts before sending off to practice with book club books

10. Component 2: Silent Reading • Time for students to independently enjoy book club books • As they read, students are using comprehension tools taught in previous mini-lessons • Flagging their thinking, responding • Teacher is conferring with individuals or may be pulling mixed strategy groups • Setting a calendar • Students may be assigned to read to a certain point by teacher • Students may determine their own stopping point (if reading different books within a book club) • Students may determine stopping points as a club

11. Component 3: Teacher Conference • Teachers are conferring 1:1 as students are reading and guiding their thinking to a higher level • Conferring might include • Responding to the Story • Did any of the characters remind you of anyone you know? • Questioning the Author • What do you think the author is trying to tell us in this part? • Assessing Comprehension • What is the theme of this story? • Discussing Student Reading Log Entries

12. Component 4: Group Discussion Remind students to review norms May occur after the text or several times within, depending on length of text Teacher role: mentor students to conduct their own discussions- scaffold as needed and gradually release Remind students to use conversation prompts

13. Component 5: Peer Discussions Extension of literature discussion groups with the teacher Students continue discussion once teacher has left Students need be taught to assess their discussion at a group level and an individual level Accountability: Consider the use of a self reflection/rubric for students to use at end of discussion groups

14. Component 6: Text Mapping & Focus Groups • Goal is to promote deeper thinking & comprehension • Text or story maps • Individually, small groups, or teacher guided groups • Focus Groups • Teacher identifies a specific focus for comprehension to work on with a particular group • Author’s style, text feature, character analysis

15. Component 7: Literature Extensions • Work alone or with group to extend their thinking beyond the text • Examples • Reading another book by same author • Writing a letter to the author • Interviewing the main character of the book • Research the author or illustrator • Write a poem relate to reading • Character analysis of several characters • Writing an alternate ending • Creating a timeline of events • Student chosen ideas

16. Book Club Types • Author Book Clubs • Series Book Clubs • Genre Book Clubs • Leveled Book Clubs • Topic Book Clubs (non-fiction) • Example: Social Issues • Other ideas?

17. Ways To Organize Book Clubs Same levels Mixed levels Same text Mixed text Same topic Mixed topic

18. Guided Book Clubs Still based on student choice Book talk 4-5 books Students write down top 3 Teacher selects based on choice/level May be teacher selected topic, OEU driven topic, or student selected topic

19. Book Club Scheduling Teacher scheduled Group scheduled Individually scheduled

20. So What Are YOU Doing? Still needs to include a mini-lesson Conferring, meeting with groups Sample 1 Sample 2

21. Holding Students Accountable • Student created norm chart • Teacher rubrics • Create your own rubric • Student self evaluations • Reflective responses (notebooking) • Student Activity Guide

22. Troubleshooting Successes? Challenges?

23. Resources to investigate further