literature circles

These are the guidelines for the literature circles I used with students the last time I taught World Literature (in 2010).  How can we use and update them to help us in our work?

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Here are the roles/responsibilities for the Literature Circles.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please remember to organize your notes by reading assignment (so that each section of your group's binder follows the order of the book), and please also remember to write the PAGE NUMBER(S) where you find the question, passage, word, connection, or idea worth researching. That way we can find it later.

LITERATURE CIRCLES
During this unit you will be in charge of studying a novel as a member of a group. Each group has determined a reading schedule that will enable them to complete the novel by the due date we set in class. Because this will require work outside school, every member of every group has exchanged contact information and agreed to fulfill their commitments. Each of you has also agreed with your colleagues to take responsibility for the following tasks for each reading assignment:

• DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Identify at least three "deep" questions for each reading that would be worth thinking about out loud with the group;
• OUTSTANDING PASSAGES: Choose at least two passages that stand out, either because they are important to the book (like foreshadowing or character description), or examples of literary elements we have discussed (like symbolism or allusion), or just outstanding writing that you want your group to see;
• VOCABULARY: Write down and define any unfamiliar words or familiar words that are used in unfamiliar ways (for example, on the 7th line of p.7 in the novel Of Mice and Men, George says, “Well, I ain’t gonna remind ya, fear ya do it again.” Fear is a familiar word, but the use here—which is grammatically incorrect but designed to be authentic dialogue—means “for fear” or “I am afraid”). There is no minimum or maximum number of vocabulary words, but you should make CERTAIN that every member of your group understands every word you read—there will be a test to make sure…
• CONNECTIONS: Identify at least three connections per reading between the book and other books you have read, current events, or your own life.
• RESEARCH: Look up background information (online and at the library) on the author, the publication of the book, and any factual references in the book (such as places, people, events and terms) that will help you understand it.

Your group is responsible for keeping a binder with sections for each of these roles (i.e., one tab for discussion questions, one for passages, one for vocabulary, one for connections, and one for background research). Each section should be divided by reading assignment, so that it is easy to find exactly what we’re looking for when we need it (and we WILL need it!). Below each set of questions/passages/words/connections/research you bring to your group for each reading assignment, you should have a header titled DISCUSSION NOTES. This is the place to write down new ideas that come up during your conversation with your group. Because our purpose is to share information to get new ideas, you must have at least two new ideas per section per reading.

Upon completion of the novel and your notes you will be graded—and you will grade the other members of your group—and you will be assigned the final projects for this unit. It will be difficult if not impossible to complete the final projects without diligently maintaining your binder, so be sure you keep it up to date.