All English II students enrolled in my class will read one of the novels below. Students will work in novel groups with others reading the same novel.
|
|
Activity One: Why Literature Circles?
Click on the button to read and annotate the article on literature circles. Be prepared to discuss. If you don't have answers, you better have questions. |
Literature Circle Roles:
|
Discussion Leader: Your job is to develop a list of questions (10-12) you think your group should discuss about the assigned section of the book. Use your knowledge of levels of questions to create thought-provoking literal, interpretive, and universal questions. Try to create questions that encourage your group to consider many ideas. Help your group explore these important ideas and share their reactions. You will be in charge of leading the day’s discussion. |
Diction Detective: Your job is to carefully examine the diction (word choice) in the assigned section. Search for words, phrases, and passages that are especially descriptive, powerful, funny, thought-provoking, surprising, or even confusing. List the words or phrases (8-10) and explain why you selected them. Then, write your thoughts about why the author might have selected these words or phrases. What is the author trying to say? How does the diction help the author achieve his or her purpose? What tone do the words indicate?
|
Bridge Builder: Your job is to build bridges between the events of the book and other people, places, or events in school, the community, or your own life. Look for connections between the text, yourself, other texts, and the world. Also, make connections between what has happened before and what might happen as the narrative continues. Look for the characters’ internal and external conflicts and the ways that these conflicts influence their actions. |
Reporter: Your job is to identify and report on the key points of the reading assignment. Make a list or write a summary that describes how the writer develops the setting, plot, and characters in this section of the book. Consider how characters interact, major events that occur, and shifts in the setting or the mood that seem significant. Share your report at the beginning of the group meeting to help your group focus on the key ideas presented in the reading. Like that of a newspaper reporter, your report must be concise, yet thorough. |
Artist: Your job is to create an illustration related to the reading. It can be a sketch, cartoon, diagram, flow chart, or other depiction. You can choose to illustrate a scene, an idea, a symbol, or a character. Show your illustration to the group without any explanation. Ask each group member to respond, either by making a comment or asking a question. After everyone has responded, you may explain your illustration and answer any questions that have not been answered. (This can be done by hand or digitally, but do NOT choose this job if you will not do a good job. This is an option, not a requirement.)
|
Travel Tracer: When you are reading a book in which characters move around often and the scene changes frequently, it is important for everyone in your group to know wherethings are happening and how the setting may have changed. That’s your job: carefully track where the action takes place during today’s reading. Describe each setting in detail, either in words or with an action map or diagram. While you may use this sheet, you may find that you need to use an additional sheet. If that is the case, be sure to staple any additional sheets to this role sheet. Also, always give the page locations where the scene is described.
|
Activity Three: Character Mind Map
|
Activity Four: Tone
Choose one passages (2-3 paragraphs in length) to annotate for tone. You will be creating a tone related images. Click on the button below and scroll down to Activity Two to see examples. This MUST be completed on paper. |
Activity Five: Examining the Characters' Worlds Each novel has it's own activity for today. The Alchemist groups will be looking at the steps in a hero's journey and determining which step Santiago are currently on. A Thousand Splendid Suns and Things Fall Apart groups will be examining the setting by comparing/contrasting the novel and the poem linked at the top of the page. Use details from both to write about the pros and cons of living there. |
Activity Six: Analyzing Theme
For each of the novels we are reading, I have listed common motifs, or threads that run throughout. Choose the one for your novel that you can develop into a theme. Then find five pieces of evidence from the novel that support that theme.
|
Activity Seven: Writing a Thematic Analysis
You will choose a theme from the novel you just completed to analyze in a piece of formal writing. This is called a thematic analysis. You will determine a theme, identify evidence, and explain how the evidence supports your theme.
Final Assessment: Festival of TablesEach group will be responsible for creating a unique table-scape that represents their novel. Every element of your table should represent something important from the text. Your table will be judged against the other tables in our class and the other Honors classes by a panel (not just Mrs. Erdman and Mrs. Parrish) and your ranking will factor into your grade. This will be a test grade and you should do your best!
|
Your group should consider the following when preparing your table:
* 4 place settings * at least two culturally relevant dishes to share * include a menu with thematic names for your dishes ( (menu will include more dishes than you will actually prepare and serve) * a beverage * a centerpiece/focal point * party favor/ goody bag per place setting * consideration to color, texture, etc. (think symbolically) * utensils (cups, forks, napkins, etc.) * tablecloth * place holders for guests * theme, motifs, symbols, characterization, etc. are represented * video/slideshow-scrolling to explain your table choices. |