Discussion+Board+2015

**8D - 2015** This time, our literature circles will take a little bit of a different approach. We’ll still work and discuss in groups, we’ll still assign specific roles, and we’ll still meet to discuss our books but, the task will also involve some online interaction.
 * Literature Circles **

The circles will revolve around a specific website: www.galscircles.wikispaces.com. This site will be the basis for our literature circles. Here, discussions about each book will be posted. We’ll talk about how to use the site in class but have a look around if you have a few minutes.


 * The Books:**

The circles will revolve around the following novels:


 * //The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time//**: Mark Haddon
 * //Flowers for Algernon://** Daniel Keyes
 * //The Secret Life of Bees//**: Sue Monk Kidd
 * //The Lightening Thief//**//:// Rick Riordan
 * //Persepolis//**: Marjane Satrapi
 * //Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie//** Jordan Sonnenblick
 * //Stargirl://** Jerry Spinelli
 * //We All Fall Down//** Eric Walters


 * The Meetings:**

Each group will meet to discuss their novel a total of **six** times. Just like our short story lit circles, each group member will have a role to complete. Depending on the length of the novel, some reading might need to be completed at home in order to be ready to contribute. The meetings will use the following schedule.


 * **Time** ||  **Activity**  ||
 * 5 mins ||  Pre-journaling  ||
 * 25 mins ||  Silent Reading  ||
 * 10 mins ||  Post Reading Journaling  ||
 * 15 mins ||  Small Group Discussion/Meeting  ||
 * 5 mins ||  Post Discussion Journaling  ||


 * The Online Message Board:**

At the end of each session, the individual who is the questioner will need to post one question to the online discussion board. This question will need to be based on the theme of the reading that session and but will also need to be open ended and philosophical so others, who aren’t reading your novel, will be able to answer it.

After each session, you will need to answer one other group’s question online.
 * The Roles:**

Each week, you’ll be asked to take on a specific task in order to help organize your group’s discussion and your group’s online posting. Each role is expected to contribute a different piece of information.

- Make sure everyone who wants a chance to speak gets that chance. - Ensure guiding questions are addressed with some depth. || - Find specific examples that support your points. || - Make a connection between the specific reading and another book, TV show, movie, song, etc. - Find specific examples that support your points. || - Find one thing about the specific reading that you really liked. Explain why. - Find one thing about the specific reading that you really didn’t like. Explain why. || - Play the devil’s advocate when no one else will. - Remind people to support their decisions with specific examples when they fail to do so. - Post the online question for other people to answer ||
 * ** Role ** ||  ** Meeting Task **  ||
 * ** Facilitator ** || - Make sure the group stays on task.
 * ** Summarizer ** || - Start the meeting with a detailed summary of the specific reading.
 * ** Connecter ** || - Make a connection between the specific reading and an event in your own life.
 * ** Judge ** || - Choose what you think is the most pivotal event of the specific reading. Explain why.
 * ** Questioner ** || - Identify one part of the specific reading that you didn’t understand.


 * The Assessments:**

For this assignment, you’ll be assessed in four different ways:

1) Are you on topic during your group’s discussions? 2) Are you prepared with your assigned reading completed? 3) Do you have your specific task ready to go?
 * In Group Participation:**

1) Have you thoroughly answered the question of **one other** group each week?
 * Online Participation:**

A Prezi is an online graphic organizer that sort of takes PowerPoint to the next level. They usually revolve around a visual metaphor and they move and change as the presentation evolves. For our Prezi, we will use the “Iceberg” visual metaphor. You will need to include for aspects in your Prezi: 1) **The Tip:** A summary of the novel 2) **Below the Surface #1:** A discussion of how the setting helps advance the theme 3) **Below the Surface #2:** A discussion of how the characters advance the theme 4) **Below the Surface #3:** An in-depth discussion of the major theme of the novel ** Assessment **
 * A Prezi:**
 * KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING**

- During group discussions the student shows that he or she has read and thought about the novel - The student’s summary is thorough and specific


 * THINKING**

- The student’s online posts are in-depth and thoughtful - The student’s discussion of the theme is in-depth, meaningful, and shows a deep level of comprehension - The student always finds specific support to prove his/her ideas


 * COMMUNICATION**

- Online posts are well written and show understanding of language conventions - Prezi is well written and easy to understand and shows understanding of language conventions - Prezi is well organized and easy to understand


 * APPLICATION**

- The student does an excellent job linking the setting to the theme - The student does an excellent job linking the characters to the theme