Procedure
- Inform students about the make-up of the Literature Circle groups as determined from their lists of choices from the previous lesson. Distribute the books. (5 min.)
- Pre-reading: Direct students to record the titles of their novels in their Reader Response Journals. Have them think about the title, the illustration on the book cover, and the book summary inside or on the cover, and write individual responses to these or make some predictions about the story. Encourage them to support their responses with reasons. (10 min.)
- Literature Circle: Have students meet in their Literature Circles to discuss their written responses and predictions. (10 min.)
- Sustained Silent Reading: Have students read silently. (20-30 min.) At least some of the time during SSR, teachers should read silently, preferably a book appropriate to the unit theme. Teachers should model such strategies as Reader Response; they should use quotations to support responses and identify unusual vocabulary. The teacher's book should be different from those selected by the students so that the teacher is not seen as part of one group only. The teacher's book may be an adult novel.
- Post-reading: Encourage students to respond to what they have read and to meet in their Literature Circles to discuss their responses. They should compare what actually happened in the book to their earlier predictions. Ask students to identify any prejudicial actions or words in what they have read and to discuss the possible impact of these prejudices on the characters. Encourage students to quote or retell examples from the text that support their responses. Such discussions promote the development of Personal and Social Values and Skills. (10-15 min.) Time and students' interests and needs will determine if both pre-reading and post-reading activities are required.
Some Questions for Teacher Reflection
- Was the method of determining Literature Circle groups effective? Did the students perceive it as fair? Are there students who would prefer to be in other groups? If so, why and how can I help them to understand that the groups were determined by their choice of book? What would I do differently next time?
Possible Mini-lesson Topic
- Define or discuss the concept of prejudice using examples from previous read-alouds or the teacher's own reading selection. Explain to students how to construct a chart on which to collect their data about prejudicial actions and words in a variety of their reading selections (see the chart that follows). (If this mini-lesson is used, teachers will need to plan for follow up in future lessons.)
| Book Title: | Author: |
| Examples of Prejudicial Actions and Speech | Support From Within the Text (Quotations) | Possible Reasons for the Actions or Speech | Possible Impact on Characters in the Book |
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