I just finished a reading fiction unit where the students worked in book clubs. They learned how to talk to their peers and share about what they read. So, I wanted to continue this. Therefore, I decided to do book clubs every week! I introduce to you Poppin' Readers!
My students were placed in two groups. I have a really small class this year, so the two groups were made of 4 and 5 students. We have a program at school we use called Starwalk. It is a site full of electronic books. Each student has their own username and password. Then, they login and can find a variety of books to read. I typically choose the books for them because they are not leveled and it is hard for my students to choose a just right book.
I began by sharing with my students the steps they will take to be prepared for their Poppin' Readers meeting on Friday. I posted this in the room above the computers to help them remember! I allowed them to read during our in class reading time. I also encouraged them to take notes in their reading journals to help them remember what they read.
Then, I explained to them that there were going to be two groups. I posted the book and the students that would be reading that book on the wall, too. My students were SO excited about this. They couldn't wait to get on the computer and read. I even had a few students choose to read it at home as part of their reading homework!
Friday finally arrived. (I couldn't wait until Friday to have our first Poppin' Readers meeting!)
I popped some popcorn. It made the room smell delicious! Their sweet little mouths were watering when they entered the room - they couldn't wait to snack and read!
I placed them in their two groups, but before they got to work I reviewed the various roles the students might have while meeting in their group.
The first role is the Poppin' Leader! The Poppin' Leader is in charge of keeping the group in check. They begin reading the book and make sure that the other students are doing their jobs. They also choose who gets to read next. At the end, they write down their group members' names and give them a score based on their work ethic. However, the other group members get to add the leader's name at the end and rater him or her. This will keep everyone in check! I can also see as a teacher whether they are doing what they are supposed to do.
The second role is the Poppin' Connector. This person is in charge of making connections to the story. He or she can make personal connections and share them, and he or she can encourage other students to make a connection. They record the connections on this paper!
The third role is the Poppin' Questioner! This person asks questions before, during, and after reading. This allows students to pause and think while they are reading. The Poppin' Questioner is also encouraged to ask questions that help the students comprehend what they are reading.
The fourth role is the Poppin' Word Master. This person records words students do not know. When they come to an unknown word, the Poppin' Word Master writes it down, and the students use context clues to determine what it might mean. They write down their definition, then they look up the real definition when they are done reading to check for understanding. They are also supposed to reread the section that has the unknown word to apply what they learned.
The fifth role is the Poppin' Artist. This person draws pictures to help people visualize what they are reading. They may draw them while they read or after. Then, the students discuss what they pictured in their head.
The sixth role is the Poppin' Manager. This person is in charge of collecting all the materials and keeping them organized. He or she is also in charge of returning the materials when they are done meeting.
The seventh role is the Poppin' Predictor! This person makes predictions when they read. He or she can predict before they read, and then encourage students to pause while they are reading to make another prediction!
The last role in this packet is the Poppin' Recommender! This person writes a recommendation for the book. He or she also gives the book a rating using the 1-5 scale, with 5 being the best!
All of these roles are placed on cute popcorn pieces to help students remember what their job is! It states the name of their job and gives a brief description. I made mine into necklaces so they could wear them while they read! I also printed them on yellow paper to resemble popcorn!
There are also some placed on cards you could print to have students hold on to during their meeting.
Here are some snapshots I took of my students working today. They had a blast! They are already looking forward to doing it next week. :]
You can find all of these resources in my Poppin' Readers packet on TpT! Click the picture below to grab your set today! I hope you find this useful. Please share how you use literature circles in your room!
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