Engage in Literature Circle discussion.

Aim: Students engage in Literature Circle discussion which is a student centered activity with teacher acting as coach and facilitator.
Objective: Using the Characteristics of Good Conversation and Accountable Talk, students will engage in Lit Circle discussions.
Expected Outcomes: Students are expected to make connections; explore language; investigate aspects of the reading such as geography, history, customs and culture; synthesize information; make predictions; move beyond the text to suggest changes in story, for example; analyze characters, critique aspects of the writing and identify and discuss elements of the story. It is also expected that students will display shared responsibility for the discussion which will be conducted in an ordered manner and coordinated by the group leader. Also the session will be video taped for a future lesson, whereby students will observe the tape, critique their performances and make suggestions for self improvement
Materials: Lit Circle texts, handouts on Lit Circle roles and procedures (Accountable Talk, Characteristics of Good Conversation), role sheets (Discussion Director, Creative Connector, Vocabulary Enricher, Summarizer, Literary Luminary and Investigator) self-evaluation sheets.
Do Now: Without looking at the handout, list the characteristics of good conversation in your class work notebooks.
Mini-Lesson: Students share characteristics of good conversation which are confirmed and to added from handout on good conversation.
Group Work: Students engage in Lit Circle discussion with each student having a specific role (roles were designated by group themselves) and each group having a different text, selected by group members. Teacher observes discussion, providing any needed clarification and guidance. At the end of the designated discussion time groups review and finalize summaries.
Sharing/Evaluation: Groups share summaries to which other students and teacher respond. Then students complete self-evaluation sheets, which are collected by teacher to be used as part of the overall evaluation process.
Homework: Next reading for Literature Circles.