Encourage all students to participate (name tags will be provided so that students can respond to one another by name); you might have to reign in a few talkers and encourage a few silent students. If you prefer, ask students to write their names on half of a 3 x 5 card (available near teachers' mail boxes), and fold them to stand up on desks. Having desks in a circle will be helpful.
Open-ended questions will be better for discussion than fact-based questions.
In addition to the ideas below from Delaware, consider these questions:
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why? Would you read another book by the same author? What in the book reminded you of another work you have read? What parts of the book resonated with your own experiences or those of a friend?
You may ask one question, and the discussion take off from there!
Using the excel file shared with you, send an email to Kristin Reagan and Peggy McNash listing any absent students. If a student makes no comments, seems clueless, or admits he has not read, add those students' names to the email as well.
Thanks!
Linda Gravitt offers these suggestions for "Responding to a Literary Work." If you are nervous and talking about books is out of your bailiwick, cut and paste these starters into a document, print, and cut them into strips. Duplicate as needed. Each student draws one from a hat and can use the starter to articulate his or her first comment. Or just post them on your SmartBoard.
I liked the way . . . .
I hated it when . . . .
I was surprised that . . . .
I was confused . . . .
I never realized before that . . . .
I thought it was dumb that . . . .
My favorite part is when . . . .
My favorite line or passage is . . . .
_ reminds me of . . . .
I wonder how . . . . .
At this point in the story, I think that . . . . .
Before I got to this part of the story, I thought that _, but now I think that .
Look at each book for what it is, rather than what it is not. Make positive comments first. Express what you liked about the book and why. After all have had the opportunity to comment on what they appreciated about the title, begin discussion about difficulties you had with the book. Try to express these difficulties in questions rather than broad declarative statements (i.e.: Would a father really abandon his child at the airport?). Avoid booktalking. This is not a time for summary. Try to compare the book to other books with the same themes.
All perspectives and vocabularies are accepted. There is no "right" answer or a single correct response. Listen to what is said, rather than who said it. Respond to comments, rather than just waiting for an opportunity to share your comments. Talk to each other, rather than the discussion facilitator. When commenting, address the whole group.
Encourage all students to participate (name tags will be provided so that students can respond to one another by name); you might have to reign in a few talkers and encourage a few silent students. If you prefer, ask students to write their names on half of a 3 x 5 card (available near teachers' mail boxes), and fold them to stand up on desks. Having desks in a circle will be helpful.
Open-ended questions will be better for discussion than fact-based questions.
In addition to the ideas below from Delaware, consider these questions:
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why?
Would you read another book by the same author?
What in the book reminded you of another work you have read?
What parts of the book resonated with your own experiences or those of a friend?
You may ask one question, and the discussion take off from there!
Using the excel file shared with you, send an email to Kristin Reagan and Peggy McNash listing any absent students. If a student makes no comments, seems clueless, or admits he has not read, add those students' names to the email as well.
Thanks!
Linda Gravitt offers these suggestions for "Responding to a Literary Work." If you are nervous and talking about books is out of your bailiwick, cut and paste these starters into a document, print, and cut them into strips. Duplicate as needed. Each student draws one from a hat and can use the starter to articulate his or her first comment. Or just post them on your SmartBoard.
I liked the way . . . .
I hated it when . . . .
I was surprised that . . . .
I was confused . . . .
I never realized before that . . . .
I thought it was dumb that . . . .
My favorite part is when . . . .
My favorite line or passage is . . . .
_ reminds me of . . . .
I wonder how . . . . .
At this point in the story, I think that . . . . .
Before I got to this part of the story, I thought that _, but now I think that .
Here are some ideas from the State of Delaware site: http://state.lib.de.us/Center_For_The_Book/DE_Reads/Discussion_Questions/Book_Discussion_Guidelines.shtml
BOOK DISCUSSION GUIDELINES
Look at each book for what it is, rather than what it is not.Make positive comments first. Express what you liked about the book and why.
After all have had the opportunity to comment on what they appreciated about the title, begin discussion about difficulties you had with the book. Try to express these difficulties in questions rather than broad declarative statements (i.e.: Would a father really abandon his child at the airport?).
Avoid booktalking. This is not a time for summary.
Try to compare the book to other books with the same themes.
All perspectives and vocabularies are accepted. There is no "right" answer or a single correct response.
Listen to what is said, rather than who said it.
Respond to comments, rather than just waiting for an opportunity to share your comments.
Talk to each other, rather than the discussion facilitator.
When commenting, address the whole group.