March 2, 2009 Second Grade starts literature circles this spring with the book Charlotte's Web. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to share with others their perspectives on literature. We begin this week, on what has become a 2nd grade tradition at SMT, to read the novel Charlotte's Web. Each student brings home a ziplock bag containing the book as well as a blue folder with their job schedule and accompanying worksheet to complete for homework. About three nights a week (usually Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights) each child will have the important job to complete their worksheet so that the following day’s literature circle discussions will go smoothly. Parents may want to discuss literature with their child and to collaborate on the form they will have to fill out at night. It is important that each student takes care of their book, as they will be responsible for this SMT property. Each child must bring their book and blue folder to school the next day for use during discussion time. We will have literature circles usually Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday during Reading over the next couple months. I hope every student will cherish this literary experience! They are very excited to begin reading Charlotte’s Web and to perform the play in early May. Sincerely, Ms. Sloan P.S. If a student prefers to read from their own copy of Charlotte’s Web, that would be fine, as long as the pagination matches our SMT edition. There are six worksheets for literature circles, one for each of the following roles: Discussion Director, Passage Picker, Artful Artist, Connecting Captain, Word Wizard, and Reflector. Worksheets are individually assigned to students and completed for homework the previous night before the literature circle meets. Word Wizard I notice author’s choose each word carefully. Name ____________________________ Date __________ Book ___________________________________________ Read pages _____ to _____. Look for words that are: -new -interesting -strange -hard -different -important -funny -confusing Write a brief definition to the right of each word. I noticed _______________ on page _____ because ___________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ I notice _______________ on page _____ because __________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ I noticed ______________ on page ____ because _________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Artful Artist I can illustrate the author’s words. Name _______________________ Date __________ Book ______________________________________ Read pages _____ to _____. Draw anything about the reading that you want to share. When your group meets, let them guess and talk about your picture first. Then you can tell about it. Write about your picture: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Connecting Captain When I read it reminds me of other things. Name _________________________ Date __________ Book ________________________________________ Read pages _____ to _____. On page _____ when ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ it reminded me of ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Draw a picture below of what the passage reminded you about. Passage Picker I can pick my favorite passage to share. Name _________________________ Date __________ Book ________________________________________ Read pages _____ to _____. Pick a part of the reading that you want to read aloud to your group. Be sure to mark the part you want to share with a bookmark or a post-it note. Copy it below. Page ____ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I picked this part because ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Discussion Director I can talk about what I read. Name _________________________ Date __________ Book ________________________________________ Read pages ____ to _____. What was the reading about? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Write three questions about this reading below. These questions should initiate or start the group discussion. Why_____________________________________________________________________________________________ How_____________________________________________________________________________________________ What If_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Reflector I can think & write about our participation during group discussion. Name _________________________ Date __________ Book ________________________________________ Read pages _____ to _____. Reflect on what you learned or how you think differently because of the group discussion. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Write a compliment to a student (or students) about their participation in the group. Be sure to write a compliment to all students in your group by the end of the week. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Compliment your group's kindness shown during today's literature circle. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Literature Circle Evaluation Form Name __________________ Date ____________ Book ____________________________ Rubric - Evaluate by circling a number. Preparation Completed entire task worksheets. 4 3 2 1 Completed task worksheets on time. 4 3 2 1 Writing is focused on the topic and has purpose. 4 3 2 1 Descriptive details and/or pictures are given. 4 3 2 1 Sentences are complete and clearly written. 4 3 2 1 Participation Stayed on focus when discussing own worksheets. 4 3 2 1 Spoke loudly enough and clearly. 4 3 2 1 Made eye contact when talking. 4 3 2 1 Helped the group stay on focus. 4 3 2 1 Listened to others. 4 3 2 1 Disagreed without hurting others’ feelings. 4 3 2 1 Numbers 4 – Fully 3 – Most of the time 2 – Some of the time 1 - Barely or not at all |