Literature Circles Day 2.

Well, I was equally impressed with my class today as I was yesterday.  Today I met with my first 3 literature circle groups.  Basically, while I am meeting with a group the rest of the class is at their desk reading, writing response journals, preparing for their discussion group or working on other literature response activities I have set out for them.  Half of my students did not actually meet with their group today, yet they worked for close to an hour straight on the activities for their novel.  And, it sounds like they are really liking the books they have selected... I just hope this enthusiasm lasts. I plan to keep going with literature circles for about 4-5 weeks - maybe longer if they are still enjoying it.  I already have a couple students who are finished/near finished their books and will be ready to select a new one by the end of the week.

I really enjoyed my discussion with the Among the Hidden (Shadow Children #1) group today.  They have some really interesting thoughts on what it must be like to be Luke - the third child hidden by his family in a society that only allows 2 children per family.  They were quite concerned with how scared the family was of the government and what would happen if Luke were found.  I really get excited when my students dig in deep to the core issues in a book and don't just fixate on the surface issues.  If you haven't read Among the Hidden, it's a quick, but engaging read that fits into my favourite genre - dystopian fiction, and at it's core deals with the rights and freedoms an individual is entitled to in society.

Books We Love - The Diamond of Darkhold

I finished reading the Fourth Book of Ember, The Diamond of Darkhold last night.  I started it on Thursday night, so my inability to read books a couple chapters at a time seems to remain stong.  I thought this was a good book to wrap up the series, but it wasn't my favourite of the four.  There were moments that the plot seemed manipulated a bit to fit the situation, and I HATE when children's book authors feel the need to write a final chapter giving the happily ever after of the characters and what happens to them as adults.  I think that is better left to the reader's imagination, even if it does drive my students crazy.  They couldn't believe that the first book ended when it did.  But the fourth book continues the themes of the first 3: survival, hope, community, and persistence, and Lina and Doon continue to be unsatisfied with the hard times faced by their community and have the drive to do something about it.  All in all, I have been impressed with the entire series.

I have read the City of Ember to several of my classes and am now reading The People of Sparks to my class this year.  They have enjoyed both, but I am not sure I want to read them out loud again - it may be time to move on, and put They City of Ember into my literature circle collections.  The City of Ember allows for students to practice inferring as their are lots of moments where things are left partially explained and the reader needs to fill in the rest.

I am currently on the hunt for some good read-alouds that will get my students thinking and discussing big issues.  I am also making a list of 'dystopian' novels for young adults and would like to do a novel study on that theme.  I would need a long list, with many titles at different levels for it to work out...