In 5th grade, students will be doing a variety of different things to engage in reading and reading activities. Students will be reading short stories, novels, and poetry. Some of the books we will discuss as a class and others students will be discussing in Literature Circles (scroll down to see exactly what is done in these groups). Sometimes we all read the same book in Literature Circles and other times there may be five different books going on at one time. We will also be doing a Readers' Workshop this year which will allow students a great deal of flexibility in not only choosing their own books but also reading at their individual reading level. Another things we will be using are a lot of short stories that will range from suspense to comedy to horror. Students will do many different things to test their reading comprehension - in the past I have used questionnaires, free writes, quizzes, class discussions, book analysis, songs, raps, and skits. 

 

 

(Below are the jobs for Literature Circles.)

 

Discussion Director

 

Your job is to develop a list of questions (at least 6) that your group might want to discuss about this part of the book. Do not ask questions about small details (example – What color were Sara’s shoes?). Your job is to ask questions about the major ideas that will generate discussion (example – What are Sara’s feelings toward her brother?). You want to help the other students talk over the big ideas and share their reactions. Usually the best discussion questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns as you read.

 

1) What are Sara’s feelings toward her brother?

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

 

Passage Picker

 

Your job is to locate a few special sections of the book (at least 4) that your group would like to hear read aloud. The idea is to help people remember some interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling, or important sections of the book. You decide which passages or paragraphs are worth hearing, then write down a sentence about why you chose it. You can read the passages aloud yourself or ask a group member to read them aloud. Some possible reasons for picking a passage: Important, Surprising, Funny, Confusing, Informative, Controversial, Well Written, or Thought-Provoking.

 

     Location                       Reason for Picking

 

1)      Page       43___                      _I chose this paragraph because I thought it was a 

    Paragraph     3__                   funny scene between Sara and Aunt Willie.

2)      Page _________                     _________________________________________

Paragraph _____

3)      Page _________                     _________________________________________

Paragraph _____

4)      Page _________                     _________________________________________

Paragraph _____                   

 

Word Wizard

 

Your job is to be on the lookout for a few special words in today’s reading. While you are reading, write down words (at least 6) that are puzzling or unfamiliar. Also, write down the page number and paragraph where you find each word. After you finish reading, use a dictionary to write down the definition to each of these words. You may also run across some familiar words that somehow stand out in the reading – words that are repeated a lot, used in an unusual way, or are key to the meaning of a passage. You can use these words as well. When your group meets, be prepared to help members find and discuss these words.

 

Page #        Paragraph #                  Word                   Definition

 

   122                5                         cascade                A fall of water over steep rocks, or one of a series of such falls.                                                    `

 

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Summary Specialist

 

Your job is to prepare a brief summary (1/2 -1 page) of today’s reading. The other members of your group will be counting on you to give a 1-2 minute summary to them that tells the key points and the main highlights of today’s reading assignment.

 

 

Drawing Doctor

 

Your job is to draw some kind of picture related to the reading. It can be a sketch, cartoon, or stick figure scene. You should draw a picture of something that is discussed specifically in your book. Any kind of drawing is okay – you do not have to be a good artist to do this. However, you must draw your picture using different colors and show that you put time into it. When it is your turn to share, show the group members your drawing without saying anything. They should each comment on what they think your drawing represents. Once everyone has given their thoughts, you can explain what your picture means, where it came from, and what it represents to you.