Good day 6th Graders,
Please make sure you have all your materials. Today we will be sorted into our houses and learn about literature circles. We will also begin reading chapter 1.
Thank you ,
Mr. Trumble
Mr. Trumble
Do Now:
- Empty out your ELA Folder
Homework:
- Read the Hero's Journey
******Pass Out Hogwarts Letters*******
To do List:
- Glue in Title page & Make tab
- Glue in the Overview of Roles
- Glue in Reading assignments page
- Glue in Hero's Journey
- Review Lit Circle Procedures:
- The Reading
- The Jobs
- The Discussion
- The 45 Second Summary Challenge
- Best Question
- Review the Overview of Roles
- Pass out books
- Read Hero's Journey
- Read Chapter 1
- Writing Chapter 1
Activity #1
Intro to Literature Circles
Standards
RL6.3 Describe how a story's plot unfolds in a series of episodes
RL6.4 Determine the meaning of unknown words & phrases
What are Literature Circles?
RL6.4 Determine the meaning of unknown words & phrases
What are Literature Circles?
Literature circles are a way to collaborate, discuss, and share our ideas about a text. Each member of the group has a different job or role.
Activity #2
Lit. Circle Discussions
The Rules for Lit. Circle Discussions:
- While we read each chapter you will be expected to complete your job for that chapter. Each member of the group will have a different job, and the jobs will rotate each chapter so you will never have the same job twice in a row.
- If we do not finish reading a chapter in class it will be your responsibility to finish the reading, and complete your job for homework.
- At the start of each class the following day you will engage in a literature circle discussion about the reading.
- The Discussion Director is in charge. They lead the conversation.
- You will take turns sharing, and engaging the rest of your group in a discussion about your topic/job.
The Order for Sharing:
1. The Summarizer
2. The Character Captain
3. The Vocabulary Enricher *
4. The Conflict Evaluator *
5. The Mood & Tone Analyzer *
6. The Discussion Director
1. The Summarizer
2. The Character Captain
3. The Vocabulary Enricher *
4. The Conflict Evaluator *
5. The Mood & Tone Analyzer *
6. The Discussion Director
- When you share it is your job to get the rest of the group involved.
- USE QUESTIONS TO ENGAGE THE REST OF YOUR GROUP MEMBERS!
- The best way to ask questions: what do you think, how did this make you feel, etc. Use open ended questions.
- Be sure to use the 4 C's of 21st Century Learning
- Each member is expected to contribute to the discussion
Activity #3
The 45 Second Summary Challenge
Directions:
Welcome to the 45 Second Summary Challenge. In this challenge you will work with the members of your house to write a summary of the chapter. You will have 15 minutes to write. Each person will write their own summary in their notebooks. Your summaries can be exactly the same, or you can write them in your own words.
Each house will choose a representative to read their summary out loud. The representatives from each house will take turns reading their summaries out loud. They will have just 45 seconds to read their summary. I will act as the impartial judges and award points for the best summaries.
The summary will be written on the page right next to your Lit Circle job. (We will set this page up together)
Your summaries should include:
- the main idea (think mood/big idea)
- the most important details from the chapter
- reflection (Your own thoughts about the events of the chapter)
As you are working I will come around to provide you with support. I might ask you questions like:
- What does your summary need to start with?
- Have you written the main idea?
- What did you write for your main idea?
- What details are you including?
- Why are those details important?
- Have you used any transitional words to connect your thoughts and sentences?
- Are there any places where you should use transitional words or phrases.
- What are your thoughts on the events of the chapter? (reflection)
- What do you think about what you read?
- How do these events show that Harry is a literary hero?
- Capitals, Periods, Grammar, & Sentence Structure
YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO FOLOW THE RULES OF WRITING.
- Indent the first sentence
- All other lines are lined up on the margin line
- Words go on the line
- Put spaces between your words
- Proper capitalization
- Punctuation
- Spelling matters (You should not be spelling words from the book incorrectly, especially character's names)
- Neatness
How will I earn points for my Hogwarts House?
Points are at the discretion of the judge but here is an approximation of how the points might work out.
1st Place = 30 pts
2nd Place = 20 pts
3rd Place = 10 pts
4th Place = 5 pts
As we get farther into the unit, the point values will go up.
How will I be individually evaluated?
Your summaries will regularly be written in your notebook as practice, and they will count as a classwork grade. However, two times throughout the unit your summaries will be handed in digitally (in google classroom) as a quiz grade so I can formally assess your writing.
Activity #4
Best Question
- When we play "Best Question" your classroom teacher acts as the judge.
- Each house picks 1 representative to read the question they think is best, and then the student leads the discussion.
- After all 3 houses have led the discussion for their question the teacher will award house points for the question they think is best.
- The points are entirely up to the teacher, and they may choose to award more or less points based on the strength of your questions.
- Some days all Houses will earn points, while other days only one house might earn points. It all depends on you and the quality of your efforts.
