Literature circles in the elementary classroom are one of my favorite ways to boost students’ reading engagement and get them excited about reading! After successfully launching literature circles in my 4th grade classroom, I knew that when I moved down to 2nd grade, I had to find a way to make literature circles work there as well. After establishing routines and creating new resources, my students THRIVED IN LITERATURE CIRCLES and I will never teach without them again!
The KEY TO LITERATURE CIRCLE SUCCESS is HOW you introduce them!
I have been fortunate enough to coach many 2nd-5th grade teachers on how to implement literature circles, and I have put together a FREE LITERATURE CIRCLES TRAINING that will teach you my step-by-step process to planning, organizing, implementing, and managing literature circles. You can access the FREE training on LITERATURE CIRCLES MADE SIMPLE HERE!
But if you want just a quick overview of literature circles before diving into the one-hour training, here’s the gist….
SMALL GROUP ROUTINES ARE KEY!
- Students have to know how to work in small groups in order for literature circles to run smoothly. In both my 2nd grade and 4th grade classrooms, students were well accustomed to working together in small groups. After the first two months of school (usually November) is when I began teaching the literature circles jobs. We didn’t actually begin literature circles until December or January.
PRACTICE THE JOBS AHEAD OF TIME
- Around November (second month of school where I live) I introduce the concept of literature circles.
- I use a specific process to teach the different jobs.
- I created six jobs for grades 2/3 and eight jobs for grades 4/5. The wonderful thing about the job sheets is that they are differentiated, so really, I could use what best suited my students’ needs.
- For primary grades (2nd/3rd), I introduced one literature circle job a week. For upper graders, I introduced two jobs per week.
- We would use our grade level anthology to practice each job. After completing a reading section together, I would give all students the same job sheet and we would complete it whole class. This allows students to ask questions for clarifications. It also allowed me to model what a complete job sheet looked like vs. an incomplete job sheet.
- Once we have gone through all the jobs, students are ready to begin literature circles.
Here are the eight literature circle jobs:
- Discussion Director
- Creative Connector
- Passage Predictor
- Super Summarizer
- Artistic Artist
- Word Wizard
- Spotlight Seeker
- Events Evaluator
- I have ran literature circles in the classroom with both homogeneous and heterogeneous reading groups. I prefer to group students who are reading at a similar level because this allows me to differentiate and challenge my students that need a push.
- For 2nd and 3rd grade, I like to start literature circles by reading the same short chapter book as a whole class.
- For 4th and 5th grade, students get to go “book shopping” and select their books and we begin literature circles.
- We begin with a pre-reading activity to get students excited about their books (“Book Cover of Predictions” activity is my favorite).
- Once groups have their books selected, I pre-plan out the pace of reading for each lit. circle group. I use a Student Planning Page to divide up the reading for each book, as well as pre-assign jobs. This makes transitions smooth from group meeting to group meeting, because students already know what job is next.
- For older students, and ones that can work really well together, I have let them independently choose which job they want to do next. The rule is that they just can’t repeat a job before doing all the others.
BEGINNING LITERATURE CIRCLES
- For the first day of literature circles, I assign students their literature circle job and have them get together in their group to read the first chapter (or two). For 4th and 5th graders, this is usually the only time they read their book together in class. However, in 2nd and 3rd grade my structure is a little different and students have reading time in class and job completion time in class. Whatever they don’t finish becomes homework.
- After the initial reading together, students go back to their desks and independently complete their job. If they don’t finish it in time, I assign it as part of their homework.
- The next day, students meet together in their literature circle group and share their completed job sheets. Students use “Literature Circle Discussion Prompts” to use for any extra discussion time.
- I use a Group Agenda, so students know their order and stay on track with the time.
- When lit. circle time is up, I collect job sheets and give out the new jobs for the next portion of reading. I like to organize the jobs in a file crate that students can easily access the job sheets.
- I assign the next chunk of reading for each group and students complete that independently during class reading time or as homework.
MANAGING LITERATURE CIRCLES
- When students are meeting in their literature circle groups, I like to float from group to group to listen to their discussions. Remember, literature circles are student led, NOT teacher led!
- The Discussion Director writes down notes on their job sheet to report about group time. I also use Group Rubrics so students can rate their group members’ participation and job completion. These can be used towards participation grades or just as an informal check-in tool.
- When groups finish up their books, I like to give them a final book project.
LITERATURE CIRCLES RESOURCES…
If you are ready to jump in and start literature circles in your classroom, I have created a comprehensive Literature Circles Made Simple resource, that includes ALL THE TOOLS you need to effectively launch literature circles!
This resources includes differentiated versions of each job sheet, so you can pick and choose what bests suits your students’ needs! Group rubrics, planning pages, job slides, and more are all included to help you run literature circles with ease! There are also included Google Slides™ versions of each job sheet, planning pages, and more!
I LOVE literature circles and I LOVE that they can be done in both primary and upper grades! I hope you will give them a try in your elementary classroom!
Mzunguko wa fasihi katika darasa la msingi ni moja ya njia ninazopenda kuongeza ushiriki wa wanafunzi katika kusoma na kuwafanya wawe na shauku ya kusoma! Baada ya kufanikiwa kuanzisha duru za fasihi katika darasa langu la darasa la nne, nilijua kwamba nilipohamia darasa la pili, ilibidi nipate njia ya kufanya duru za fasihi zifanye kazi huko pia. Baada ya kuanzisha utaratibu na kuunda rasilimali mpya, wanafunzi wangu walifanikiwa katika Mzunguko wa Fasihi na sitakuwa na kufundisha bila wao tena! Ufunguo wa KUFAULIKA KWA Mzunguko wa Fasihi ni Jinsi Unavyowatambulisha! "Nimekuwa na bahati ya kuwafundisha walimu wengi wa darasa la pili hadi la tano jinsi ya kutekeleza duru za fasihi, na nimeweka pamoja ""Mazoezi ya bure ya duru za fasihi"" ambayo itakufundisha mchakato wangu wa hatua kwa hatua wa kupanga, kuandaa, kutekeleza, na kusimamia duru za fasihi." Unaweza kupata mafunzo ya bure juu ya Mzunguko wa Fasihi uliofanywa kwa urahisi hapa! Lakini kama unataka tu muhtasari wa haraka wa duru za fasihi kabla ya kupiga mbizi katika mafunzo ya saa moja, hapa ni kiini.... MENENDO ya Kikundi Kidogo Ni Muhimu! - Wanafunzi wanapaswa kujua jinsi ya kufanya kazi katika vikundi vidogo ili vikundi vya fasihi viendeshe kwa utaratibu. Katika darasa la kwanza na la pili, wanafunzi walikuwa na uzoefu wa kufanya kazi pamoja katika vikundi vidogo. Baada ya miezi miwili ya kwanza ya shule (kwa kawaida Novemba) ni wakati mimi kuanza kufundisha kazi za duru za fasihi. Kwa kweli hatukuanza duru za fasihi hadi Desemba au Januari. "Kama ""mwaka wa kwanza wa masomo"" (mwezi wa pili wa shule ambapo mimi kuishi) mimi kuanzisha dhana ya makundi ya fasihi." - Mimi kutumia mchakato maalum kufundisha kazi tofauti. - Niliunda kazi sita kwa madarasa ya tatu na nane kwa madarasa ya nne na tano. Jambo la ajabu kuhusu karatasi za kazi ni kwamba wao ni tofauti, hivyo kweli, ningeweza kutumia kile bora suited wanafunzi wangu mahitaji. - Kwa madarasa ya msingi (2nd-3rd), nilianzisha kazi moja ya mzunguko wa fasihi kwa wiki. Kwa wanafunzi wa darasa la juu, nilianzisha kazi mbili kwa juma. - Tungetumia anthology yetu ya kiwango cha darasa kufanya mazoezi ya kila kazi. Baada ya kumaliza sehemu ya kusoma pamoja, ningewapa wanafunzi wote karatasi ileile ya kazi na tungeikamilisha darasa lote. Hii inaruhusu wanafunzi kuuliza maswali kwa ajili ya ufafanuzi. Pia iliniruhusu kuiga jinsi karatasi ya kazi kamili ilivyokuwa ikilinganishwa na karatasi ya kazi isiyo kamili. - Mara tu tunapokwisha kupitia kazi zote, wanafunzi wako tayari kuanza duru za fasihi. Kazi za mzunguko wa fasihi ni: Mkurugenzi wa Majadiliano, Mshirika wa Ubunifu, Mtabiri wa Kifungu, Mfupisho Mkuu, Msanii wa Sanaa, Mchawi wa Maneno, Mtafutaji wa Mwangaza, Mhakiki wa Matukio, na Mtaalam wa Mafunzo. Mimi hupendelea kugawanya wanafunzi ambao wanasoma katika kiwango sawa kwa sababu hii inaruhusu mimi kutofautisha na changamoto wanafunzi wangu ambao wanahitaji kushinikiza. Katika darasa la pili na la tatu, kila darasa linaweza kuanzisha mzunguko wa fasihi kwa kusoma sura moja fupi ya kitabu. "Kwa wanafunzi wa darasa la nne na la tano, ""kuchagua vitabu"" ni njia ya kuanzisha ""mafunzo ya vitabu.""" - Tunaanza na shughuli ya kabla ya kusoma ili kupata wanafunzi msisimko kuhusu vitabu vyao (Book Cover of Predictions shughuli ni favorite yangu). - Mara tu vikundi vinapochagua vitabu vyao, mimi hupanga mapema mwendo wa kusoma kwa kila kitabu. Kikundi cha mduara Mimi hutumia Ukurasa wa Mipango ya Wanafunzi kugawanya usomaji kwa kila kitabu, pamoja na kazi za kuagiza mapema. Hii hufanya mabadiliko ya laini kutoka mkutano wa kikundi hadi mkutano wa kikundi, kwa sababu wanafunzi tayari wanajua ni kazi gani inayofuata. - Kwa wanafunzi wakubwa, na wale ambao wanaweza kufanya kazi vizuri pamoja, nimewaacha wachague kwa kujitegemea ni kazi gani wanataka kufanya baadaye. Kanuni ni kwamba hawawezi kurudia kazi moja kabla ya kufanya nyingine zote. Katika siku ya kwanza ya mzunguko wa fasihi, mimi huwapa wanafunzi kazi yao ya mzunguko wa fasihi na kuwafanya wakusanyike katika kikundi chao kusoma sura ya kwanza (au mbili). Kwa wanafunzi wa darasa la nne na la tano, hii ni mara ya kwanza na ya mwisho kusoma kitabu chao pamoja. Katika darasa la pili na la tatu, wanafunzi wana muda wa kusoma na wakati wa kumaliza kazi. Chochote wasichokimaliza kinakuwa kazi ya nyumbani. - Baada ya kusoma kwa pamoja kwa mara ya kwanza, wanafunzi hurudi kwenye dawati lao na kukamilisha kazi yao kwa kujitegemea. Ikiwa hawawezi kuimaliza kwa wakati, ninawapa kazi hiyo kama sehemu ya kazi yao ya nyumbani. - Siku inayofuata, wanafunzi hukutana pamoja katika kikundi chao cha mzunguko wa fasihi na kushiriki karatasi zao za kazi zilizokamilishwa. Wanafunzi kutumia <unk>Literature Circle Majadiliano Prompts<unk> kutumia kwa ajili ya muda wowote wa ziada ya majadiliano. - Mimi hutumia Ajenda ya Kikundi, hivyo wanafunzi wanajua utaratibu wao na kukaa kwenye kufuatilia na wakati. - Wakati kuwaka. Wakati wa mzunguko umekwisha, nakusanya karatasi za kazi na kutoa kazi mpya kwa sehemu inayofuata ya kusoma. Mimi kama kuandaa kazi katika sanduku faili kwamba wanafunzi wanaweza kwa urahisi kupata karatasi kazi. - Mimi hutuma sehemu inayofuata ya kusoma kwa kila kikundi na wanafunzi huikamilisha kwa kujitegemea wakati wa kusoma darasani au kama kazi ya nyumbani. KUSHIKIA MAZUNGU YA KUWAZO - Wanafunzi wanapokutana katika vikundi vyao vya kuzunguka fasihi, napenda kuelea kutoka kikundi hadi kikundi ili kusikiliza majadiliano yao. Kumbuka, duru za fasihi zinaongozwa na wanafunzi, HAVIWA zinaongozwa na walimu! - Mkurugenzi wa Mazungumzo anaandika maelezo kwenye karatasi yao ya kazi kuripoti juu ya wakati wa kikundi. Mimi pia kutumia Kikundi Rubrics hivyo wanafunzi wanaweza kiwango cha ushiriki wao wa kikundi wanachama na kukamilika kazi. Hizi zinaweza kutumika kuelekea viwango vya ushiriki au tu kama chombo cha usajili kisicho rasmi. - Wakati vikundi kumaliza vitabu vyao, Napenda kuwapa mradi wa mwisho wa kitabu. VYO VYA KITABU... Kama uko tayari kuruka na kuanza duru za fasihi katika darasa lako, nimeunda rasilimali kamili ya Mzunguko wa Fasihi uliofanywa rahisi, ambayo inajumuisha Vifaa vyote unavyohitaji kuzindua duru za fasihi kwa ufanisi! Rasilimali hii ni pamoja na matoleo tofauti ya kila karatasi kazi, hivyo unaweza kuchagua na kuchagua nini bests suits wanafunzi wako mahitaji! Vichwa vya habari vya kikundi, kurasa za kupanga, slaidi za kazi, na mengine mengi yamejumuishwa ili kukusaidia kuendesha duru za fasihi kwa urahisi! Pia ni pamoja na Google Slides TM matoleo ya kila karatasi ya kazi, kurasa za mipango, na zaidi! NINAPENDA duru za fasihi na NINAPENDA kwamba zinaweza kufanywa katika madarasa ya msingi na ya juu! Natumaini utajaribu kufanya hivyo katika darasa lako la msingi!