27. It’s hard to strike a balance between questions that are open-ended and inclusive, but not so broad that certain members (ahem!) They are finding it difficult to break away from taking turns, …I talk…then you talk…then you… rather than having a conversation. How original and unique was this book? I have two cardinal rules in selecting the best book club books: choose mostly books available in paperback and pick books that will foster great discussion. 26. They can mark page numbers down, predictions, opinions, wonderings, words they don’t understand etc. If you got the chance to ask the author of this book one question, what would it be? The one that I plan to us is the video modelling what a book club discussion is supposed to look like – with real students discussing a real text. Would you read another book by this author? 3. Some of the rules may seem like common sense but making sure everyone is on the same page helps avoid unnecessary conflict.Having established rules can be especially important if you are starting a book club that's open to the general public. 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. The second post details how to establish expectations and create a schedule, and the third post discusses accountability and assessment procedures.. Each month the group chooses a new book … 21. I’m ready and listening…share your wisdom…please! Did the characters seem believable to you? 15. All this time is being spent on the book club and the real meat of the club – talking about what they’re reading – is falling flat. -Students are already expected to have a Reader Response ready and topic of discussion for the book club meeting (completed after they read). I talked to our presenter after the session about the conversation dilemma and she actually directed me toward a great resource that our school has: Teaching and Comprehending Fluency: Thinking, Talking and Writing about Reading (with DVD). In it they list some of the benefits of book clubs in the classroom: Book clubs: Promote a love for literature and a positive attitude towards reading; Reflect a student-centered model of literacy (employing the Gradual Basically, after reading the section of our read aloud text, a few student volunteers and I had a conversation in front of the class about what had happened. I’ve found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are open-ended and that get people to share their personal opinions. If the book has been published with different covers, which one do you like best? Book clubs for middle school and high school have become the new version of literature circles. Toward the end of class, students have time to reflect on the discussion, set future goals, and decide how many pages to read before their next discussion. 6. A Teaching Perspective by Joan Saunders 1. Bring the printable questions along for help. There have been some glimmers during their conversations, I just find that given the students I have – I expected more! Find a printable list to bring to your meeting here! Her discussion prompted me to go back to my classroom and try out this strategy with my two Grade 8 classes. If you were to write fanfic about this book, what kind of story would you want to tell? What did you already know about this book’s subject before you read this book? What do you think of the book’s cover? 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. The questions allow students to explore plot, character, structure, conflict and other important literary concepts. Please call 703-248-5034 (TTY 711) or stop by the Youth Services Desk for more information. 38. Think about the other people in the book besides the author. Which characters in the book did you like best? Which short story/essay did you like least? Uncharted Territory…Starting My First Book Club (and an Amazing Giveaway!) What kinds of illustrations would you include? I’ve been in a lot of book clubs, and I know it’s not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. Click on the "About Me" tab to learn more about me! My class is a group of very verbal kids (and then some not so verbal kids). Just pick and choose the discussion questions that work best for you and your book group, and get the conversation going! In middle school, sometimes it hasn’t been until second semester, simply because I’ve had to wait until a point I thought they could handle it, and a point where I thought I could manage it. Students read sections of their book and use a Critical Thinking Mapto then guide group discussions about prominent social issues. All library book discussion groups meet in the library’s Conference Room (unless otherwise noted) and light refreshments are usually served. Was it easy to see where the author got his or her information? During one of our weekly #2ndaryELA Twitter chats, we discussed Online Student Book Clubs. I’m going to try this one tomorrow. I can’t wait to show it to my students and see what they have to say about it, especially in comparison to their own groups. Don't worry! Why did this quote stand out? Create a book group playlist together! Advance registration is required for the Middle School Book Club. Which character in the book would you most like to meet? I struggle to shut them up ( you know what I mean) on a good day, having to ask them to put their hands down because we’ll just never get to finish the lesson (sometimes their connections are not always on topic and once that train falls off the rails…). Choice of book club style c. Choice of what to talk about in the book club meeting d. and then take those to book club to use as they discuss. What artist would you choose to illustrate this book? Tags: book club discussions, firegirl, middle school book club, middle school book clubs, starting a book club. Thursday, April 16, 2020; 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 16:00 17:00; Google Calendar ICS; View fullsize. This post is the first in a three-part series about how to run a book club in your classroom. 4. Book Club Discussion Questions October 20, 2015 By Sheila 7 Comments While it’s always helpful if you can find reading guides for the precise title your book club is reading, sometimes they’re not available. 32. The Giver is a wonderful middle and high school level novel that invokes tons of in-depth discussion and raises thought provoking questions about a life without memories, feelings or pain, a life of sameness and predictability and how that might be better or worse than the life we live.. Proudly powered by WordPress. However, without my prompting, I am listening to very basic comprehension types of statements without any real excitement! What aspects of the author’s story could you most relate to? 16. Lessons, Activities and Ideas For You Amazing Middle School Teachers. What do you think of the book’s title? Classroom book clubs traditionally involve student-led discussions about books, but often teachers feel that these clubs need more direction and accountability. When you're starting a book club it helps to set some ground rules to help ensure that all of your attendees feel welcome and want to return. Tags: book club discussions, firegirl, middle school book club, middle school book clubs, starting a book club Oh, the quest for the right book club questions! How honest do you think the author was being? 14. It was a start – but just not enough! 24. 13. Do you think any of the stories could be expanded into a full-length book? At your first book club meeting, or whenever new people join your reading group, it's good to spend a bit of time getting to know each other. What did you think of the book’s length? 30. 9 Comments. I have been struggling with one thing, which is getting students to discuss their novels in a meaningful way, without my prompting. Oct 12, 2018 - How to start and run elementary school book clubs. How would you feel to have been depicted in this way? Theme: Mystique by digitalnature. This list of book club books has non-fiction, chick-lit, young adult and middle grade titles, history books and parenting books. can railroad the entire discussion into a prolonged analysis of their dating life, their blog, whether they should get bangs… (There’s one in every book club.) The DVD that comes with the book has lots of other resources on it as well! I guess maybe I was a little naive, as this is my first book club. 12. 2. Why DO Book Clubs in High School? She hits the clubs, wears designer knock-offs and has Big Hair. Oh, one other idea that I got from the book was to have students use a “think mark” – basically just a folded piece of paper – to write ideas down as they come across things in their reading. Classroom book clubs traditionally involve student-led discussions about books, but often teachers feel that these clubs need more direction and accountability. Then, this is one of the main items on the discussion agenda during the meetings. -Showing them the DVD of the book club discussion as a model and talk about what the students are doing well. What do you think about the author’s research? I first discovered this topic after seeing teacher-author Penny Kittle speak about them at the Reading For The Love Of It literacy conference in Toronto last February. If you could hear this same story from another person’s point of view, who would you choose? I’ve found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are open-ended and that get people to share their personal opinions. It’s sad. Book clubs are fun. They seem to be enjoying their novels and I know that they’re engaged in the read aloud text: Firegirl. Did the book’s pace seem too fast/too slow/just right? Book clubs in school represent a more authentic and organic means of literary study because they are more student-directed whereas literature circles are more teacher-directed. Middle School Book Discussion w/ Author Rebecca Behrens. Which places in the book would you most like to visit? 18. 31. I’m completely open to your ideas! Choice of the book to read b. 20. 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. Share a favorite quote from the book. Their latest book club discussions included: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne and Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. Middle School Book Club Questions Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead The prologue and epilogue are the “before” and “after” of the story. There are new titles and ones that are bit older. Why or why not? Simply put, I’ve assembled a list of the kinds of questions that are likely to get people talking. What Changes/Decisions Would You Hope For If The Book Were Turned Into A Movie? Students vary the length of their book clubs depending on what their self-chosen topic of discussion is and figure out how their group works best in the process. Example: Lydia Bennett (Pride & Prejudice) considers Cosmo great literature and Sex & the City serious drama. 1. Well, we had a short after school PD session on Guided Reading for K-8 yesterday, and it got me thinking about how I’m doing things in this book club and what they are actually getting out of it. How did they compare to this book? Book clubs give students choice: a. I tried to model what the dicussion should look like, asking questions, building meaning etc. What similarities do these stories share? Why do you think the author chose to tell this story? Posted in Book Club, Freebies, Literacy, Middle School, Professional Reading, Tags: book club discussions, firegirl, middle school book club, middle school book clubs, starting a book club. Join LiveGirl for our virtual April book club discussion featuring bestselling author, Rebecca Behrens. I read the chapter on book clubs and got a couple of great ideas from it. 19. Now: Students are still given time every day to either read or discuss, they need to discuss every third day for sure and they can decide how long they want their discussions to last. If you’re ready to start a book club, here’s 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction and nonfiction alike. 2. You can read the others in this series here. What other title might you choose? Now I won’t be too hard on them (or me, I guess). Students are struggling to keep the conversation going for more than 5 or 10 minutes in their book clubs, after their assigned reading. 35. Some of these are the best book club books from my own book clubs over the years and others are ones I WISH my book club had read. What else have you read on this topic, and would you recommend these books to others? 8. Our Middle School Book Club took advantage of additional free time over the holiday break to read two books! What do you think the author’s purpose was in writing this book? I’m really hoping that it’s going to put some spark into their book club discussions. How does it relate to the book’s contents? 33. Students love them! Explain why the information in the prologue is necessary to Bridge’s story. -Students have “Guidelines for Book Club” to encourage listening and making sure that everyone has a chance to speak. How well does it convey what the book is about? Students complete collaborative homework using a class wiki. Or they will pretend and make up the reading and/or homework. 25. Actress and activist Emma Watson runs Our Shared Shelf, a feminist book club with over 100,000 members. What ideas was he or she trying to get across? How to find the best book club books While you occasionally want to read the hot new bestseller with your book club, the truth is that a lot people just cannot afford to buy new hardbacks all the time. Book clubs are an excellent teaching and literacy strategy 2. What other books did this remind you of? I’ve also included a few questions that are meant for specific types of books, like fiction or nonfiction. And, I’m going to try the think mark idea tomorrow. If prompted, they can come up with all sorts of ideas, connections and predictions. What other books by this author have you read? So, help me out! 39. 17. Book Club Discussions: Moving Beyond the Text To Make Meaningful Connections. My class is a group of very verbal kids (and then some not so verbal kids). So we’re about half way through our book club and things are going okay. What songs does this book make you think of? What other strategies can I try, to make the second half of this book club more engaging than the first? How well do you think the author built the world in the book? Download all of these in an easy book club printable here. I just thought they’d dive in, like on Oprah and divulge their thoughts and wonderings, building elegantly on one another’s ideas. Some kids will NEVER read and will NEVER do their book club work or homework. 23. Most of these are non-specific, designed to work for any book, (although, of course, some will work better than others for particular books). 40. During book club discussions, students refer to their notes on these questions and their prepared task, along with conversational moves I’ve provided to ensure a thoughtful, civil discussion. Check out this guide with FREE resources for book club success! Which short story/essay did you like best? Thanks for visiting my blog! Available Copies of Books Were the sources credible? Were there points where you thought he shared too much? If too short, what would you add? Next up for the group is When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Jan 5. The Giver Book Discussion and Color Less Activity. Recent literacy research has revealed that choice is the key ingredient in a successful reading program, especially for reluctant readers. If it’s too long, what would you cut? I have put together a list of 10 book club discussion questions that will work for any book, and still encourage lively and engaging conversation. They seem to be enjoying their novels and I know that they’re engaged in the read aloud text: I talked to our presenter after the session about the conversation dilemma and she actually directed me toward a great resource that our school has: Teaching and Comprehending Fluency: Thinking, Talking and Writing about Reading (with DVD). What did you like least about this book? NYC’s District 75 published their Middle School Units of Study, Developing Autonomy when Engaging with Literature, online. 10. 36. The group highly recommends both books. How do they tie together? What gaps do you wish the author had filled in? 37. I’ve been in a lot of book clubs, and I know it’s not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. When I realized that this was going to be a struggle (after the first book club meeting) I modelled a conversation for the class. By far, having book clubs or literature circles using reading signposts in middle school ELA has worked wonders. 9. What did you like best about this book? 3. My students agreed. What feelings did this book evoke for you? Ugghhh…What was I thinking? See more ideas about book club books, school reading, reading workshop. If you were making a movie of this book, who would you cast? Even if you do have a reading guide, these questions will still help engage your book club members and provide great conversation starters. So we’re about half way through our book club and things are going okay. I asked them to give me honest feedback about using the signposts as springboards for discussion during the meetings. Update a character or two from a book set in the past. The questions presented here are applicable to any type of book or genre, including fiction, literature, historical novels, plays, children's books, or short stories. How does the epilogue bring the story to a satisfying end? Did they remind you of anyone? Place the characters in today's culture—and invent a new life. 7. The perfect book club is made up of three key things: a great reading selection, yummy snacks, and a lively discussion. Registration. 11. 34. Groups jo… Her eyes are always peeled for Mr. Big. Posted in Book Club, Freebies, Literacy, Middle School, Professional Reading. 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