This is a fifth grade literature based unit. We are using the social studies theme ěSlaveryî. Literature circle are small groups of students who meet daily to read literature on their instructional reading level, write about what they have read by completing a job, and then meet to discuss the literature. We have divided our unit into four groups based on their reading level. The levels are AG, on grade, one below grade, two grades below. We will use literature for sixty minutes, everyday for two weeks. The students in their groups of five will read different pieces of literature. The on grade and above will have one novel as their central text. The lower grades will have additional books because they are easier to read and shorter.
All the groups are following the same outline and this is the format we will be following for our individual groups:
1. Each group has divided their book/books into eight sections. Each section will take two days to complete. Therefore, our unit will be for eighteen days including our launching activity and closure.
2. The first day of each section the students will be reading and planning their designated jobs. Every day will include the jobs: discussion director, passage picker, word wizard, character sketcher, and one other that we may choose.
3. For our first section we will be modeling/making a complete literature circle with all the questions provided. The next time and for the rest of the unit, we will provide the students with a couple sample questions and then they are responsible for making up their own discussion questions.
4. Each new section we will be rotating the jobs between the students.