Literature Circles Resource Center
Author: Katherine L. Schlick Noe, Ph.D.

 
 

By: Jaime Holley

This site is helpful in preparing a literature unit using literature circles because it gives you lots of information from how to get started with literature circles to how to choose books for literature circles.  This site was useful in preparing a themed literature unit for several reasons.  First, because I am new to literature circles, the site was able to give me the necessary background information needed to start my unit.  Secondly, I was able to get ideas for how to extend student's thinking beyond the basic "How did you like the book?" question.

Structure for Literature Circles:  This section is helpful because it gives you examples of literature circles units that have been used in actual classrooms.  It gives you the teacher's notes and explains how the teacher went about starting literature circles, how they introduced the books and examples of their daily schedules.

Making discussions work:  This section was helpful because it gives you guidance on how to have quality discussions about books.  It gives you information on the positives and negatives about different discussion formats, how to teach students to have meaningful discussions, how to help students prepare for discussions and how to debrief your discussions.

Extension Projects:  This section was helpful in developing ideas for projects to extend student's thinking.  It allows you to click on a project idea and then gives you a description of the project and pictures of the final project.  Seeing examples of projects is something that I find helpful as a new teacher.

This site would be useful to teachers who are planning a literature unit and would like to incorporate literature circles.  The site is beneficial to new teachers who have never used literature circles and also to more seasoned teachers who are looking for new ideas.  This site would help me to reach all my learning targets because it gives me the necessary background information to help make literature circles a success for the students.