currently in progress

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currently in progress
By Maryann Ramseyer

This is my first year teaching and I was very disappointed with the first four or five weeks of my language arts lessons. My fifth graders were bored with the scholastic reading basal series and the dialogue surrounding
our readings were bland and shallow.
The last book selection in the first basal set is Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. I was appauled to see them only pull out two chapters from the actual novel. I chose to find a classroom set of the books. I split my kids into four groups, with six kids per group, and I set up literature circles. It took awhile to get the system down and get the

conversation rolling - but we just finished the book yesterday and my kids were MAD because they didn't want it to end. We are now writing "sequels" or epilogues to the story and the kids are full of ideas and WANT TO WRITE!!!

The kids rotated six different jobs around their groups (typical jobs based on various Harvey Daniels adaptations). This worked great because then if there was a job or two they didn't care for it only came around to them every sixth session.

It worked well to have the whole class read the same book in their first literature circle experience. It was easier for me to keep track of also and easier to do whole group explainations.

Most of my kids are also below grade level reading, but I started a process where I would read a chapter (or sometimes 1 1/2 or 2) in class and we would discuss it as a whole. Then they would be assigned to read the next chapter or two. They would do their lit circle job for those one or two chapters, then the next day would discuss and share them in their lit circle groups. Then as a class we would rerash the most important points and then I would read the next chapter and the cycle would start all over.

Like I said, I am just currently doing this, but I am very pleased with the results up to this point. I would be glad to share the exact jobs I have the kids do, the names and responsibilites, or anything else I could to help.