The Hobbit: An "Elements of Critical Thinking" Literature Circle Book Club
Students will read the timeless tale "The Hobbit" by J. R. R. Tolkien and participate in a Literature Circle based book club discussion, rotating responsibilities and presenting their findings to the group.
Mrs. Russell, M.S. Ed.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(367)
What's included
7 live meetings
7 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. The student will read approximately 40 pages per week and complete his/her "job" in order to be ready to present to the group each week.Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
*Please note: Due to the student-led discussion format of this class, the smallest size that will work well is 4 students. I will cancel the class if fewer than 4 students enroll. Invite your friends! That said, the class will not work well with more than 8 students. I will keep a firm cap on the limit as well, in order for everyone to have the best possible educational experience. Q: What Are Literature Circles? A: In literature circles, small groups of students gather together to discuss a piece of literature in depth. The discussion is guided by students' responses to what they have read. You may hear talk about events and characters in the book, the author's craft, or personal experiences related to the story. Literature circles provide a way for students to engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss, and respond to books. Collaboration is at the heart of this approach. Students reshape and add onto their understanding as they construct meaning with other readers. Finally, literature circles guide students to deeper understanding of what they read through structured discussion and extended written and artistic response. Q: What is this book about? (from Amazon description) A great modern classic and the prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum. “A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible . . . All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts.” – New York Times Book Review Q: Is there any homework? A: You will be asked to read approximately 40 pages per week and complete your "job" in order to be ready to present to the group each week.
Learning Goals
This specific course is geared toward higher level thinking. Each literature circle role is directly connected to the 11 elements of critical thinking: big ideas, rules, trends, patterns, language of the discipline, ethics, relationships over time, details, unanswered questions, across disciplines and multiple perspectives.
Other Details
Supply List
A copy of the book https://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-J-R-Tolkien/dp/054792822X Documents provided by the teacher, to be printed off by the student in preparation for class each week.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
- Google Classroom
Joined August, 2018
4.9
367reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
My name is Carie Beth Russell. I live in the Kansas City area with my husband, two daughters and two cats. I am a former elementary teacher and gifted education specialist. I have been “home” since my second daughter was born, but have remained active in the field of education by teaching educational summer camps, tutoring and teaching at a homeschool enrichment program.
My professional priorities center around student-led learning. It’s my strong conviction that supporting children as they learn, rather than dictating how and what they learn, is the way to encourage their inborn patterns of curiosity, wonder and problem-solving that will serve them well in all stages of being human.
While my own children attend public school, we very much view education as something we own and must take personal responsibility for. We work hard at educational advocacy within the public school context. I teach my daughters to communicate with their teachers, ask for what they need and request amended or extended: depth, duration and scope of projects, units, skills and personal areas of interest.
Gifted Education services often provide these things for students who have been identified as such, but these standards and the definition of “giftedness” vary from state to state, based generally on funding, and doesn’t allow for many students to qualify. This leaves an enormous group of students who have “need of different” but no access to a more open-ended and curiosity-led education. Please understand that when I say enormous, I mean ALL.
Out School, and other platforms like it, allow students to adapt their learning modalities and pursue interests and learning pathways that intrigue their own very unique minds. Teaching students to participate in Student Led Learning, in its various formats, allows them to continue on in their own investigations of an amazing planet and human experience, studying past, present and future as they forge their own distinct path. Reviews
Live Group Class
$126
for 7 classes1x per week, 7 weeks
60 min
Completed by 40 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-15
4-8 learners per class
