We’ve spent the last month really getting a grip on fiction and nonfiction texts that are out there and how we might be able to partner them together. We can think of it as the ‘mix and match’ concept with books. Now let’s take a detailed look on how we can use our time with these books more intentionally with our kids.
This fall your students will be participating something called the Literature Circle. This is done using a mentor text which students will visit more than once taking time to pull out different bits and pieces of good stuff. Students will either have the option to select a job or they may be assigned a role to play. There are lots of different kinds of jobs to pick from, here are just a few.
These roles have a clear connection to the skills that we want them to develop. They target deeper thinking skills like making inferences, public speaking and also work toward growing collaboration with their peers. The collaboration is critical as they will take time to work on their own piece of the Literature Circle and then return to share what they have found.
To best develop these skills necessary to do each job well, students need ample opportunity to practice each role. That’s where the ‘Lit Chat’ comes into play at home. When families share a book together or are reading a variety of texts on the same topic this is a great tool to initiate additional discussion as well as working toward deeper comprehension.
Let’s see how that might look! What if your household is reading some combination of texts on World War II such as; Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, and The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Students at a variety of levels can bring to the ‘Lit Chat’ information that their text includes. A Discussion Director might raise a question such as, “What was life like for those who were hiding in your text?” “Who was hiding in your text and why?” The Passage Picker might share a specific passage that was meaningful to them and explain why it touched them. The Connector might seek to find a way to connect the ideas or concepts given with the different texts. A Word Wizard might ask questions that lead to further research or investigation for specific vocabulary like concentration camp, Nazi or invasion to look for answers in other resources.
By using a ‘Lit Chat’ technique at home students will get the opportunity to practice these collaborative skills and collect additional information that was not in their own text. Also, when students are interacting with their own text in such an intentional way their comprehension of the text will be greater. A casual ‘Lit Chat‘ may take place toward the end of the day around the dinner table when ideas can be shared, illustrations maybe displayed and new questions can be raised. If you want more structure to your ‘Lit Chat’ a graphic organizer might help. The Venn Diagram makes it easy to pick a specific detail, event or character in each text and then compare. KWL charts give students an opportunity to discuss prior knowledge and build on from that foundation as they drink in more information with their “wonderings” and “discoveries”.
There are many resources available on the concepts of Literature Circles and Graphic Organizers.
I was incredibly blessed to see Jeff Anderson, author of 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know , speak and hear first hand just how fun grammar and writing can become when given good directions and the right tools! Be sure to check him out! Lynne Dorfman and Rose Cappelli share lots of details and information in Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing Through Children’s Literature, K-6. They are passionate about using books as mentor texts which encourage readers to get all that they can from each and every book they read.
In addition, these are powerful resources that make a connection between students, books and writing. I really appreciate the www.goodreads.com site as it will help you find books that are of a specific topic or genre that your students enjoy. Put in your student interests, select a genre and you will get suggested books in return! (Good for moms too!)
www.choiceliteracy.com www.jkrbooks.typepad.com
Hope you all are taking time for, JOURNAL FOR FIVE ! Remember that we need to show our kids that we are ALL writers. Everything from notes to Grandma to the grocery list on the frig is considered writing.
Looking ahead to August: Getting to the Core of the Common Core Standards. We all love measuring and marking our kids on the closet wall just to revel in their growth. Understanding the CCSS will help us to see the bench marks that we should be shooting for in their education. Take a look at www.corestandards.org/ela-literacy as you begin making plans for this coming fall.
earlywritersquest 
Laura, what is your intended use of common core in this class? I must admit the last portion of your email set off some red flags. Silva
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Silva, I come to this blogging project with a different perspective than most. Not only do I work privately with students who struggle with reading challenges in an educational therapy/tutor role, but I also teach in a homeschooling co-op. I have worked for years as a consultant to homeschool families assisting with testing, curriculum selection, teaching techniques and much more. One of my goals for this year is to bring us all up the learning curve as it pertains to CCSS. As teachers of our children, it is good to understand the world going on around us. There are lots of good things in those Common Core State Standards. While homeschoolers in Illinois are truly blessed to be unregulated and unrestricted in our choices, we do need to be aware. Take some time to check out the website that I attached. It is not overwhelming or scary. It is informative. As a homeschooling parent, I wanted to make sure that I kept my kids on track with their education. I needed to know that I was doing a good job preparing them for their future years, whether it was for college or a career. Thank you for your question and concern…I welcome them both. The concept behind this blog is that we would be able to create a collaborating community of homeschool parents where “iron sharpens iron”. Let’s grow and learn together.
I like your ideas for bringing literature circles into the home. I never thought of encouraging families to have a family lit circle. I think this strategy would empower students as they can ‘teach’ their family and ask questions to their parents. Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Laura,
What an excellent resource your blog is for teachers of multiple contents, as well as parents! Last week when you had mentioned the idea of Lit Chats in class, I wrote this down as something I definitely want to implement for my students at home. Getting our students to talk about what they are reading and to get excited about their book can most definitely be contagious! I love the comparison you made last week to a family seeing a movie, then getting in the car to chat about it. Reading shouldn’t be any different! Thank you for this idea and inspiration! I am in the process of putting something together for my parents at Back to School Night. Can’t wait to read your next post!
I’m really glad I stumbled upon your blog! I felt like you had a lot of great ideas to share in this post and I look forward to seeing future posts. Thanks!
Hi Laura,
This post is full of useful information for both parents and teachers! I love how you used pictures to help support what you were writing (that makes it easier for me and I’m sure others to understand). Your explanation of Literature Circles and then discussing ways a ‘Lit Chat’ can be done at home is a great tool for parents to use to stay involved with their child’s reading. I am looking forward to your post about Common Core! Keep up the amazing work!!