Classroom book clubs traditionally involve student-led discussions about books, but often teachers feel that these clubs need more direction and accountability. In this lesson, students in grades 7 and 8 form literature circle groups and read either Esperanza Rising or Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Students read sections of their book and use a Critical Thinking Map to then guide group discussions about prominent social issues. Students complete collaborative homework using a class wiki. Groups join for a culminating discussion evaluated by their classmates.
Lesson Plans For Book Clubs
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This is the fourth installment in a series of posts with ideas and suggestions for running effective literacy circles or book clubs with students from second grade through high school. You can read the others in this series here.
As stated in previous sections of this series, mini lessons are not a necessary part of literacy circles/book clubs. If students are discussing at deep levels and collaborating effectively, our biggest role is to sit back and observe while enjoying the ride. However, when book clubs are not going well, teachers need to intervene with purposeful instruction based on observations and assessments. Remember the quote from the beginning of this series:
After teaching a mini-lesson on any topic below, students should read with that purpose in mind and be challenged to discuss this focus first in their book club. For instance, after a mini-lesson on theme, students should read trying to determine the theme of their book; during their group, theme should be the first topic of discussion.
This list could also be given to each student to peruse prior to and during the reading of their novel; students can use the topics to inspire what they write about or to guide what they make note of to share at group time. Students need to understand that as they read, their job is to notice things that they want to share and discuss with their group. Literature circles/book clubs are a time for very purposeful independent reading in a book shared with others. Students are expected to come to group with reactions and thoughts to share.
In discussing the need for book clubs, Raphael et al. state: "To learn to read well, all students need to read thought-provoking, age-appropriate books. They also need to respond thoughtfully to these books in talk, writing, and as they read other texts." (159) Book clubs are opportunities for students to choose what they read, when they read, where they read, how they read, and with whom they read. The key concept here is choice. In order to carry out book clubs successfully, students must work together to negotiate places and times to meet, along with the pacing and discussion of the books. They take on responsibility for their own literacy learning. They learn to value one another as readers and learners. Further Reading
Planning for book clubs can feel intimidating, but creating routines that help keep the book clubs simple will allow them to serve their true purpose; which is allowing students time and space to discuss books in a student led setting. Book clubs are truly the best way to involve and interest students in reading. From the most reluctant reader to your eager bookworms, each student will learn and grow from the time they spend in your classroom participating in book clubs.
There does not have to be a lot of prep involved when you are getting ready for book clubs. Choosing books, deciding on a schedule, and deciding how students will organize their materials are a few important things to consider.
As you get ready for your first book club, choosing a book that your students will love is always the fun part. To help your students feel comfortable with the reading, participation, and routines of book clubs, you can choose one book for the whole class to ensure that everyone is on the same page (literally and figuratively) and you can model as much as possible before you break into smaller, completely student-led groups.
Staying organized is an important part of book clubs, You may choose to use folders or notebooks for your book clubs. Students can keep important pages together, such as: book club expectations, planning pages, reminders of their job descriptions, how to use accountable talk in groups, and their notes throughout the week.
At this time, students have had a chance to participate & observe some great book club discussions. An ideal time to complete a book in your book clubs is about a month or so, meeting about 4 times. This gives students a chance to read the entire book and have some really great discussions about it. So by this time, you can break them up into small groups to try out a REAL book club for the last meeting of your whole group book.
You will see student comprehension strengthen immensely through book clubs in your classroom. Students are not just reading & answering questions, but discussing, answering each other's questions, & digging deep into the meaning of high-interest books with their peers.
I have been thinking about starting book clubs with my fourth graders this year and was so excited to see this post. I quickly grabbed the resource from tpt. I'm wondering if you would possibly share some titles that you've used with your class that have worked well. Thank you so much for the help! I'm excited to get started!!
Hi Taryn! So glad this is helpful to you! At the beginning of the year you could take an interest survey to see what your students like to read. I like to start with Judy Blume's "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing." It's funny & keeps them engaged. I also like Andrew Clements, Jerry Spinelli, Roald Dahl, & Kate DiCamillo, to name a few. I hope your class loves doing book clubs!! They are such a fun & meaningful activity!
When I introduce book clubs, I explain why I selected the books and seek to generate interest by sharing a brief summary of each one along with an excerpt I particularly love. I also provide students with links to reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, and class time to choose a book.
Book Club for Middle School also offers several complete thematic units with accompanying blackline masters. Each unit includes daily lesson plans that teach and reinforce comprehension, literary analysis, writing, and interpersonal skills. Students explore significant themes through reading, writing, discussing, and a variety of other activities. Reproducible "think sheets" support students' informal writing during the unit, including creating daily reading logs. Evaluation sheets provide convenient formats for evaluating students' progress, including student goal setting and self-assessment.
Book Club: A Literature-Based Curriculum distills years of classroom-centered research into a practical guide for implementing Book Club in your grade 3 through 6 classroom. The handbook shows you how to seamlessly integrate instruction in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Features include comprehensive background information, teaching tips, detailed lesson plans based on award-winning trade books, assessment rubrics, and reproducible blackline masters.
Lesson plans form the instructional core of the Book Club program. The lesson plans in our teacher's handbook were developed by teacher-researchers during eight years of classroom research and provide you with strong models for your own teaching. Examples of students' work show you what you can expect from your own students as they gain competence in responding to literature. Reproducible "think sheets" support students' thinking and writing about literature and help them plan and evaluate their own work.
The Book Club lesson plans are built around high-quality children's literature. Book Club: A Literature-Based Curriculum provides lesson plans for three individual titles, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit, and The Fighting Ground by Avi. Another lesson plan within the book is for an author study unit. This particular unit discusses Song of the Trees, Mississippi Bridge, The Friendship, and The Gold Cadillac by Mildred Taylor. Last but not least a lesson plan for a multi-book unit which encourages students to read Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Monkey Island by Paula Fox, Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry, and Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. All books discussed within Book Club: A Literature-Based Curriculum touch upon important topics such as prejudice, respect, survival, and kindness. Learn more information about the novels discussed in Book Club here.
The lessons are based on the curricular target areas of language conventions, literary elements, comprehension, and response to literature. The curriculum was developed using the curriculum guidelines for our particular school districts, current reading research, and our experience with a wide range of commercial programs. Individual lessons were created to match the content of each book.
These lesson plans provide a guide to help students develop a complete understanding of each book and also develop their reading skills and strategies. Each lesson plan gives a goal, assigned reading pages, and one or more writing prompts. The body of each lesson outlines how to guide a class through the reading, writing, student-led book club discussions, and community share discussions that occur as part of Book Club.
One of the most important strategies for successful book clubs, is finding a balance between holding students accountable and allowing them to just enjoy the books. If you give them too many things to do, it slows down the reading process and can take the joy out of reading.
When my students finished their book clubs, they wrote an essay on a lesson they learned via a character, so they had to focus on both character and theme. They also did a group project/presentation. They created a trailer for the book and had to plan a presentation where they taught the class about some of the literary elements of the text.
Book Club Books (6 copies of each trade title)Book clubs provide an authentic opportunity to bring students together for in-depth discussion of captivating trade books they have self-selected and read. Book clubs help students extend thinking, learn more about themselves as readers, and grow as thoughtful users of literacy. 2ff7e9595c
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