I have frequently used lit circles as the opportunity for my students to practice whatever strategy we have been studying. When we get back to school, I will be focusing on asking questions, and segueing that into QAR. I'll have students mark the text with their questions, then bring that back to their "book club." This has them discussing questions, which means students are actively applying the strategy and learning from each other during conversations involving the strategy and the book.
I can focus the conversations on many ideas within the strategy. For example, after modeling with a picture book or poem, we'll probably start with direct instruction on thick and thin questions. If they were reading On My Honor, they will have marked questions that arose for them. The lit circle can analyze the questions and decide whether they are thick or thin. As we move along, the students will then connect the answers to the questions they bring, in order to decide if they are "In the book" or "In my head." While I do like the more traditional roles of lit circles, I use a book club format for strategy practice more often. This is usually because of time constraints. I feel that I get more bang for my buck because children are delving more deeply into the book by sharing observations, while also practicing individually whatever strategy they are learning. Merry Christmas! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy New Year! Maura Fifth Grade/New Jersey -- -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: sheila eisen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Hi! > > I'd be interested in reading more about using strategies with literature > circles. What a great idea! Is there research on this, or a theorist? My > district used to do lit circles, but then we switched to direct strategy > instruction with shared and guided reading, and I'm not sure if anyone still > does lit circles. Tell me more -- anyone! I'm starting my 2-week break and > have time to do some reading/planning! > > Sheila > > > --- On Fri, 12/21/07, gina nunley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > From: gina nunley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] mid yer strategy instruction > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Friday, December 21, 2007, 5:35 PM > > First, Deb in Florida, I was wondering if your district > > uses Strategic Instruction Model in any form? > > > > Also....to all strategy teachers.... > > So we're at the middle of the year, and I wondered what > > people are doing? I used strategy "jobs" for > > literature circles in my last unit and now I am wondering > > how I want to revisit, reteach, rethink strategy > > instruction with the kids. I am thinking it is time for > > direct teach again because not everyone is > > "owning" the strategies as they read. My one > > thought was to focus on "Does it click or does it > > clunk?...Use you strategies to fix it up." and have us > > practice choosing the strategy that most helped clarify our > > clunk. Has anyone done anything like this in lesson form? > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live. > > http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_122007 > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at > > http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
