*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.

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.  

Q:  What is this book about?

A:  *“Aven is a perky, hilarious, and inspiring protagonist whose attitude and humor will linger even after the last page has turned.” —School Library Journal (Starred review)

The paperback edition of the bestselling middle grade novel about a spunky girl born without arms and a boy with Tourette syndrome navigating the challenges of middle school, disability, and friendship—all while solving a mystery in a western theme park.
 
Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again.
 
Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.

Autumn 2017 Kids’ Indie Next Pick
Junior Library Guild Selection
Library of Congress's 52 Great Reads List 2018

*Taken from Sterling Publishing website

Q:  Is there any homework?  

A:  You will be asked to read approximately 35 - 40 pages per week and complete your "job" in order to be ready to present to the group each week.  

Q:  Am I going to be graded on this?  

A:  I will be taking notes each week on a rubric that allows me to assess your overall participation and the completion and depth of your assigned weekly role.  This can be shared with your parents upon request.