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What books are you/have you considered using in lit circles?
I would like to supplement my meager collection of lit circle titles, but I would like some ideas for titles. What titles have been particularly successful or would you really love to have? I teach high school.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jim Burke on -
For everyone's info, the Book Club will next host Smokey Daniels and Stephanie Harvey leading the discussion about their new book about "inquiry circles." Very interested in learning more about this after hearing them speak on it at NCTE last November.
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Permalink Reply by Amy on -
When I did a Holocaust unit last year with my seventh graders, I borrowed the teaching trunk from the Holocaust Museum. In this trunk were a mix of books (over 100) related to the Holocaust and which offered different reading levels. The students chose which books interested them and the lit circles were formed as a result of their choices. They loved this! Yes, each student had a role to fulfill, and there were sheets to fill out, but the group discussions are what the kids remember. I would bring them back the last ten-fifteen minutes of class to discuss common themes among the books and answer any questions.
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Permalink Reply by McFaul on
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Looking For Alaska
Whale Talk
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Skin I'm In (readers who struggle)
Acceleration (readers who struggle)
Rats Saw God (more challenging vocab & level of humor)
The Lovely Bones
Dancing Naked (readers who struggle)
The students LOVE Rats Saw God and Looking for Alaska; Whale Talk is ideal for your jocks, and Perks is very enjoyable as well. I have used all of these.
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Permalink Reply by suzy winter on -
I teach 7th grade - any ideas for great books in this age range? Last year I was fortunate to receive a grant in which I bought a variety of books to use in lit. circles.
We used: We Beat the Streets
Among the Hidden
Ida B. (for my low readers)
Chosen
That Was Then, This is Now
The LIghtening Thief.
All thematic in a way - archetypical hero. But - I'm always searching for more great books. So - any ideas?
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Permalink Reply by Deborah on -
I have had excellent results with the trilogy by Scott Westerfeld, Uglies, Pretties, and Specials. It deals about choices, the future, beauty, body enhancements and negatives, like cutting, making your own choices or going with the expected. It is so easy to tie in with today's world. The fourth book, Extras is not a part of the trilogy, but does use the same characters in a cameo role. I love it also because he based it on teenagers desire to have the most 'friends' on facebook, that your identity is tied up with how many friends you have.
The Hunger games is another great book to use.
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