Explore Our World Theme: Who We Are C.I: Each of us is inspired by the lives of others Explore Our World: Inspired Book Club Students will use books to make connections to the theme, central idea, learner profile and the real world. Pre-assessment: Brainstorm and discuss characters that have made good/bad choices from previously read books (these can include class read alouds or student self-selected books). Discuss how these choices were affected by other influences…people, environment, education, knowledge, etc. Give students a preview of each book and let them record their preference order with an explanation of why they would like choices #1 and #2. I like to read the jacket or the first page/chapter of each book to get them excited about the choices. I also like to express that these are some of my all-time favorite stories. Every time I read them I learn something new about the characters and myself. Books: {All summaries obtained from www.scholastic.com} Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli: “He wasn't born with the name Maniac Magee. He came into this world named Jeffrey Lionel Magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name. And Maniac Magee became a legend. Even today kids talk about how fast he could run; about how he hit an inside-the-park "frog" homer; how no knot, no matter how snarled, would stay that way once he began to untie it. But the thing Mania Magee is best known for is what he did for the kids from the East Side and those from the West Side. He was special all right, and this is his story, and it's a story that is very careful not to let the facts get mixed up with the truth.” Number the Stars by Lois Lowry: “Ten-year-old Annemarie and her best friend Ellen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943, and their life is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews are "relocated," Ellen moves in with Annemarie's family and pretends to be one of them, yet her life is still in danger.”
Transcript
Explore Our World Theme: Who We Are C.I: Each of us is inspired by the lives of others
Explore Our World: Inspired Book Club
Students will use books to make connections to the theme, central idea, learner profile
and the real world.
Pre-assessment: Brainstorm and discuss characters that have made good/bad choices from previously
read books (these can include class read alouds or student self-selected books).
Discuss how these choices were affected by other influences…people, environment,
education, knowledge, etc.
Give students a preview of each book and let them record their preference order with
an explanation of why they would like choices #1 and #2. I like to read the jacket or
the first page/chapter of each book to get them excited about the choices. I also like
to express that these are some of my all-time favorite stories. Every time I read
them I learn something new about the characters and myself.
Books: {All summaries obtained from www.scholastic.com}
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli: “He wasn't born with the name Maniac Magee. He came
into this world named Jeffrey Lionel Magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did
his name. And Maniac Magee became a legend. Even today kids talk about how fast he could run;
about how he hit an inside-the-park "frog" homer; how no knot, no matter how snarled, would stay
that way once he began to untie it. But the thing Mania Magee is best known for is what he did for
the kids from the East Side and those from the West Side. He was special all right, and this is his
story, and it's a story that is very careful not to let the facts get mixed up with the truth.”
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry: “Ten-year-old Annemarie and her best friend Ellen often
think of life before the war. It's now 1943, and their life is filled with school, food shortages, and
the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews are "relocated," Ellen moves in with
Annemarie's family and pretends to be one of them, yet her life is still in danger.”
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate: “Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living
at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him
through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever
thinks about it at all. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends Stella, an
elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste
of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line. Then he meets Ruby, a baby
elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home, and his own art, through new
eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it's up to Ivan to make it a change for the
better.”
Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck: “Set during the years 1929–1942, and told in
eight engaging episodes, this fresh and funny novel recounts a boy and his sister's annual summer
trips to rural Illinois to visit their eccentric grandmother. Grandma Dowdel, a remarkable larger-
than-life character, continually astounds her grandchildren with her nonconformist behavior and her
gutsy, take-charge attitude. What happens when Joey and his sister, Mary Alice — two city slickers
from Chicago — make their annual summer visits to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois
town?”
Lesson: Students will choose a novel and discuss books during Book Club discussions. They will
decide the number of chapters and designate assignments based on literature circle
role sheets (see attachment). The sheets are there to facilitate discussion and give
students a focus while reading. This gives each student a role in which they will be the
“expert” in. There will be a 2 week time period open to complete the discussions. The
group must communicate with the teacher about designated times and due dates so
that the teacher is free to attend the discussion (to avoid conflict with too many
groups).
When the books are done students will use the Character Reflection board to create a
project showcasing a characters best and/or worst traits. They need to support their
thoughts with evidence and connect it to the theme. How does the character’s traits
make him/her an inspiration (whether positive or negative) to others?
This lesson is differentiated with the use of choice. The teacher could help guide
student choices if necessary (time frame, role sheet requirements, etc.) to further
meet students’ needs if absolutely necessary.
Essential Questions:
How are the lives of specific characters from these novels inspired by the lives of
others in the book?
How have certain characters inspired other characters?
How has a character inspired you?
How would the lives of characters have been different if the inspiring character did
not exist?
Are characters always inspired by others in a positive way? In other words could
their inspirations be negative?
Is it important to embrace all Learner Profile attributes to be a positive inspiration in
a person’s life?
Teacher Background/Connections:
This is a given, but all novels should be read and evaluated by the teacher before
beginning this assignment. Other novels could be chosen to fulfill the same purpose. I
strongly believe you should not teach a novel you don’t love unless it is required by your
district.
We will begin this assignment after learning about the effects of Explorers on Early
America in social studies, and human body systems in science. Although it is a bit of a
stretch I feel in discussion many connections could be made between the influences of
explorers and the characters in the book. Due to the open-endedness of the theme
and central idea connections could be made across the curriculum. Connections can be
made across the curriculum that are not LITERAL, but figurative.
Teacher’s Role: Facilitate discussion and step in to take the discussion to a deeper level. Be an active
participant when necessary, but don’t just lead the group. Guide students into thinking
in different ways and look at different perspectives.
Learner Profile: All attributes of the learner profile will be used. Students will even create a project
showcasing strongest and/or weakest learner profile traits in a chosen character.
Assessment: Students will fill out a peer assessment using the book club rubric. Students will also
be evaluated based on the final project, participation in discussions and completion of
role sheets. Peer LP assessment could also be used.
An additional source, Characterization: Learner Profile, could be used as an
assessment or a practice of evaluating a character’s (or student’s) strongest and
“weakest” traits.
Resource Sheet for Literature Circles/Book Clubs Twelve Principles of Literature Circles
In his book, Literature circles: Voice and choice in the student-centered classroom, Harvey Daniels* suggests using Socratic elements to enhance discussion when using Literature Circles with students. Literature Circles and Socratic discussion share the goal to increase understanding (comprehension) and enjoyment of reading. The difference between them is the role of the leader.
In Socratic discussion the leader asks the initial question, and then intervenes during the discussion only when needed to increase participation, clarity, and depth.
In Literature Circles each participant has a distinct role. Independent reading and collaborative learning are key concepts for LC.
1 Students choose their own reading
2 Small temporary groups are formed based on book choice.
3 Different groups read different books.
4 Groups meet on a regular, predictable schedule for discussion.
5 Kids use written notes to guide both their reading and discussion.
6 Discussion topics come from the students, not the teacher.
7 Group meetings strive to become open, natural conversations about books.
8 Students take on rotating tasks of distinct roles.
9 The teacher serves as a facilitator and not as a group member or instructor.
10 Evaluation is by teacher observation and student self-evaluation.
11 A spirit of fun about reading pervades the room.
12 When books are finished, readers share with their classmates and new groups form around
new reading choices.
He also describes Active and Close Reading, Qualities of Good Discussion Questions, and Assessment of Literature Circles. He suggests students read the text twice, once aloud as in Guided Reading, then independently with text marking for a closer look. *Harvey Daniels, Literature circles: Voice and choice in the student-centered classroom. Your, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Project Free Choice (Please get approval from teacher)
Evaluating a character’s choices using the Learner Profile… Directions: Select one box from each column to create a project displaying your chosen character’s personality as it connected to the Learner
Profile. You will need to support it with evidence and include a synthesis explaining how these traits made them an inspirational character
(either positive or negative).
*Don’t forget to find a creative way to display or express the evidence and how the character was
inspirational to others or inspired by others.
Maryanne Lipovsky 2013
Maryanne Lipovsky 2013
performance peer Assessment:
Name: assignment:
Central Idea:
inquirer
Thinker
communicator
Risk-taker
knowledgeable
principled
caring
Open-minded
Well-balanced
reflective
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
connect your book
to another book (don’t forget book titles)
connect the book
to your own life
connect the book to
what you see in
the real world
Lipovsky 2012
Lipovsky 2012
Column One:
Project Presentation 5
Visually neat, creative and/or appropriate for presentation 5
Conventions 5
Column Two:
Element present, insightful and relates to character 5
Column Three:
Learner Profile Attributes/Attitudes Used 5
Shows depth of understanding of LP 5
Evidence supports LP and other characteristics 10
Connect LP to Theme 10
Total: +50
4 3 2 1 Prepared for class – Has
materials and assignments
completed well.
Participates fairly. (Doesn’t take
over or not talk)
Actively listens to others
Able to appreciate another’s
perspective
Shows respect even if they
disagree.
Able to explain ideas with
evidence from the text and
explain how the evidence
supports the idea.
Looks beyond and deeper, such
as, to the characters motives or
cause/effect events.
Prepared for class – Has
materials and assignments
completed.
Participates fairly. (Doesn’t
take over or not talk)
Actively listens to others.
Able to appreciate another’s
perspective.
Shows respect even if they
disagree.
Able to explain ideas with
evidence from the text.
Is moving to the deeper ideas
about characters and events.
Mostly prepared for class –
Has most materials and
assignments.
Participates fairly most of the
time. (Doesn’t take over or
not talk)
Sometimes actively listening
to others.
Sometimes able to appreciate
another’s perspective.
Sometimes shows respect
even if they disagree.
Does not return to text for
support of ideas unless
directed.
Ideas about the text are very
vague or general, ex. - it’s a
good or bad story.
Unprepared for class –
Missing materials and/or
assignments uncompleted.
Takes over or does not
participate.
Does not use good listening
skills.
Unable to appreciate
another’s perspective-
Argumentative.
Unable to show respect if they
disagree.
Gives very short, superficial
ideas with no text support.
Ideas about the text are very
vague or general, ex.- it’s a
good or bad story.
Evaluating a character’s choices using the Learner Profile…
