Links to websites over books you are reading.

Link to Atlanta Presentation with all handouts

    Lit Circle Directions
   Multigenre Web Powerpoint

Literature Circles
Today you will be introduced to several books. By the end of the day, you will each choose the book that you wish to read and discuss for the next three weeks This will be done on a first-come, first serve basis as there are a limited number of students allowed in each lit circle. Think carefully as choose your book. Also, consider the other people who will be reading this book along with you as part of your circle. Some of these people will be students from St. Xavier University in Chicago. You will discuss with each other on a blog. Each circle will have to determine a reading schedule and responsibilities. You will have eight class days to read with your circle and discuss the book and then 5 class days to put together your multigenre web. The project is due ----. Thus, much of your reading will have to be done at home.

The Book Project Requirements are as follows:

Individual requirements:

· One Journal sheet per student for each day of discussion.

· One Reflective letter  per student over your book

· At least four contributions to the group Multigenre paper

Group requirements:

· One Daily Group Record sheet for each day of discussion.

· A group website which contains your hyper-linked Multigenre paper.

Evaluation:

Group Discussion Sheets……………………………………………………………10%

Individual Journal sheets…………………………………………………………..20%

Approach Paper……………………………………………………………………………..30%

Multigenre Project ………………………………………………………………………40%

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READING JOURNAL INSTRUCTIONS

These reading journals will assist your group in discussing your book in literature circles. You must have a journal for each reading assignment. You will need a minimum of 5 journals. Each entry must contain two or three quotations and responses to the quotation and at least one of the following elements. Each element can only be used three times in your journal. In addition, you must write out your discussion role of the day.

1. A vocabulary word, defined, with a sentence and a cartoon.

2. A drawing of a significant scene in that day’s reading.

3. Two good discussion questions for your group to discuss

4. A bit of research over some topic in that day’s reading.

5. A connection between something in your reading and another piece of literature, history, personal experience.

At the top of each page, please put your name, the title of the book, the author’s name, the page you are on, and the number of the entry for your book.

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Writing a Reflective journal

(This assignment is taken from  "The Quotes Project," presented by Anne J. Arvidson, Exeter-West Greenwich High School at the Baltimore 2001 Idea Exchange. Used with permission)

Several times this school year, you will be asked to write a reflective journal over books read in class. This page explains the assignment 

The Reflective Letter 

An ongoing assignment over every novel or nonfiction book you read in this class is the Reflective Letter.  After finishing your book, you will writer to me about the thoughts, feeling, observations and new insights you experienced while reading your novel/nonfiction book. Also write to me about other aspects of this assignment such as your journaling or discussion roles or project.  Some things to think about for your letter may include, but are not exclusive to:

 

ü      Tell me what you worked on the hardest or struggled with in doing this assignment

ü      Share with me what you think you did well: what worked, really worked

ü      Show me where you were drawn into the novel/book and where you were pulled away from the novel/book. Identify in your opinion the author’s – or the story’s – greatest strength and weakness

ü      Discuss in what ways the novel/book is similar to your life

ü      Explore what value, besides entertainment, this book has

ü      Share your overall impressions of the novel/book

ü      Discuss if you found yourself changing your mind about the book and/or the assignment

ü      Tell me what you as a reader and as a student need to focus on for the next assignment

 

Your REFLECTIVE JOURNAL is your chance to “talk” with me about your book, your project, and your experiences in completing this assignment.  It is also a chance for you to look at the way you read while you are reading and help you become a better reader. With your letter, make me see your work – and your learning – through your eyes.

 

Important Stuff

 

v     All aspects of this assignment must be typed and put on your website.

v     Reflective letters should be a minimum of two (2) double spaced pages.

v     Font size must be 12 point

v     Font style must be plain (Times New Roman, Comic Sans, Arial, Tahoma for example).  It is too hard and takes too much time to read fancy fonts.

v     You may use passages from the novel to support things you say in the letter.

v     Any quotations or passages taken from the novel must be in quotation marks – and be sure to copy the passage exactly as it appears in your novel.

v     All passages must include the page number from which they are taken.  Cite page numbers as (235), or (16), or (105).

v     This assignment is due on the day it is due – late penalties will be given

v     The Reflective Journal is a required component of this assignment.

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Multigenre Papers – Forms of Fiction
A multigenre paper is a collection of different types of writing. Genre means a kind or type of something. Each group will write a multigenre paper about their book. Your report will consist of different types (genres) of writing about your selected based on information from your book, conclusions from your group discussions, and personal observations.

While you are reading, you will be recording information about your book and experimenting with genres in your discussion journal. While you are reading and discussing, you will also fill out the Character Analysis Sheet. Once you have finished your book and discussions, as a group brainstorm your ideas using the Inspiration program. Your final paper will be a complete and thorough analysis of your books in multiple genres.

The possibilities for genres are endless. Most will be written, but some may be graphic. For example, setting could be covered with a travel brochure or magazine ad using pictures downloaded from the internet.

We will practice some genres in class at the beginning of some periods. In addition we will look at some student multigenre papers from Blending Genre, Altering Style by Tom Romano.

As you are discussing your books in Literature circles, also discuss ideas for genres. Once you have created an initial piece, see what ideas in it will lead to other types of writing that you can hyper-link to it and then to other pieces. Your final group paper will be published on a website with all of the pages hyper-linked to each other. We will probably use Angelfire sites to do this web, and I will give you the password and username to get in and put in your webs.

1. An Introduction, Preface, or Forward

2. A Minimum of 4 genres from each group member

4. A conclusion, which ties your whole paper together.

5. A list of any sources used for details or evidence to support your analysis.

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