WORD WATCHER: in Your Role, You Will Lead a Rich Conversation About the Words in the Text

WORD WATCHER: in Your Role, You Will Lead a Rich Conversation About the Words in the Text

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

WORD WATCHER: In your role, you will lead a rich conversation about the words in the text you are reading. To accomplish this goal, you should prepare by doing the following while you are reading:

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

Find new and/or unfamiliar words in the text. Define them using context clues and dictionaries, then explain how the words add meaning to the sentence and paragraph where they are located.

Identify examples of WORD CHOICE that make a difference. For example, does the word provide a “layer of meaning” or a “double meaning” or does it make you think about something in a deep way? Is the word choice particularly poetic or descriptive? Explain!

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

Use the first three columns of the chart below to prepare for the discussion, and then complete the last column during your group’s conversation. Use additional paper to continue this chart, if needed, to prepare for your discussion. Find and prepare for at least five words to use for each conversation/meeting.

WORD: / Page Number/ Location: / Meaning of the Word (the definition) /
Reason for Discussing the Word: / Group Observation
From the Discussion:

DISCUSSION DIRECTOR: In your role, you will lead a deep discussion about text-dependent questions, both “inferential” questions and “right there” questions, using passages that you identify for your group. To accomplish this goal, you should look for literary and plot elements to discuss, such as:

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

Where are the phrases/ sentences that tell the reader about the setting?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the point of view?
How does the text give the reader a point or lesson about real life (a theme)? Explain.
Describe (insert character’s name) and how he or she is changing or not changing in the text. Does that make the character dynamic or static?
Is (insert character’s name) important in the text? Why or why not?
Where is the story interesting? Where is it boring? Why?

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

Use the first two columns of the chart below to prepare for the discussion, and then complete the last column during your group’s conversation. Use additional paper to continue this chart, if needed, to prepare for your discussion. Prepare for at least five questions to use for each conversation/meeting.

Question: / Right there or inferential: / Text Location: / Group Observation:

LITERARY LUMINARY: In your role, you will lead a rich conversation about craft, structure, figurative language, and literary elementsfor your group. To accomplish this goal, you are to write questions that must be answered in response to a passage of text you either read aloud to the group or that you have the group read silently, such as the following:

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

How does the writer use symbols or symbolism in this passage?
What’s the tone of this passage? Why?
How do the chapters or chapter titles (such as ______) affect the reader’s experience in reading the book?
How does the author use figurative language well in this passage?
What does this passage mean to you? Is it important to the plot?
Why does the writer describe the characters (or setting) in this way?

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

Use the first two columns of the chart below to prepare for the discussion, and then complete the last column during your group’s conversation. Use additional paper to continue this chart, if needed, to prepare for your discussion. Prepare for at least five passages to use for each conversation/meeting.

Questions/observations about craft, structure, figurative language, and analysis of literary elements based on specific passages/text: / Location of Passage
to be read/shared: / Group Observation
From the Discussion:

CONNECTOR: In your role, you are to help your group find connections between the text and other books or short stories, movies, or nonfiction information. To accomplish this goal, you should write questions that must be answered by comparing and contrasting the text with another source, such as the following:

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

How is (a character, setting, situations, etc.) in the book like and/or not like other books that you have read or movies you have seen?
What events or characters are realistic? Which are not? Why?
What ideas/topics in the book would you like to know more about?
What sources would you use to find out more about the topics, time period, or other ideas in the book?

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

Use the first two columns of the chart below to prepare for the discussion, then complete the last column during your group’s conversation. Use additional paper to continue this chart, if needed, to prepare for your discussion. Prepare for at least five connections to use for each conversation/meeting.

Questions/observations that support making connections: / Location of Passage for Connection: / Group Observation
From the Discussion:

CHECKER: In your role, you are to evaluate your group members for completion of assignments, help monitor discussion for equal participation, evaluate the group’s ability to discuss and work together, and offer each group member some constructive feedback for improvement. To accomplish this goal, you should prepare by doing the following:

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

Think about what good participation looks like. Consider the following specific criteria that you will use to evaluate the discussion, then add to this list for your group. What will it take to earn a + score during discussion?
On task talking.
Taking turns for asking questions, making observations, and responding to each other.
Conversation that is respectful and polite.
Discussion that does not get too loud.
______
Identify what having read the assignment looks like. Choose three to five specific criteria for you to look for and tell your group members before discussion begins. What will it take to earn a + score during discussion?

______
______
______
______
______

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools

Student Leadership Roles for Discussions

Use the chart below for the evaluation of your group members. Students should either receive a + or a – for participation and for reading.

Name / Job / Completed Role Sheet (yes or no) / Participation/
Cooperation / Evidence of Reading / Justification for Scores Given/Constructive Feedback (Should Focus on Improvement)

Evaluation of Group Interaction: ______

CHECKER Role Drafted by Stephanie Goldman, WindsorKnollsMiddle School, FrederickCounty (Maryland) Public Schools

For Lit Circle/Book Club Conversations with Common Core Goals ● Inspired By Pathways to the Common Core (Calkins, Ehrenworth, & Lehman)
Developed by Carol Y. Mowen, Walkersville Middle School, Frederick County (Maryland) Public Schools