Literature Circle Closure

"Pack-A-Wagon"

When all the Circles are finished reading and discussing their book(s), the teacher can use the "Pack-A-Wagon" activity to summarize the unit on pioneers and their lives. This activity involves a hands-on experience where students have to pack a wagon with the supplies they will need for either the journey or for setting up a homestead.

A whole group brainstorming session or "buzz groups" can be used to generate some ideas of what would be needed.

The teacher will need to get several different sizes of boxes. The main box will need to be a refrigerator box and will serve as the "wagon." The smaller boxes can represent items in the wagon, such as salt pork or flour. Actual items may be used instead of boxes, such as blankets.

The list of items needed should be quite long. The teacher may remind the students that once on their journey or homestead, they may not have a chance to get additional items so they should pack what they need in sufficient quantities.

This experience can be done in small groups (if there are enough boxes) or as a whole group. If small groups are used, it may be a good idea to disperse the Circles so that students are given an opportunity to share their knowledge from a variety of literary works used in the Circles.