Lit Circles/Book

Club Framework
A framework for grades 6-8
Contents of this slide deck...
Here’s what you’ll find in this slideshow::

1. Links to resources
2. Suggested use of Lit Circles/Book Clubs
3. Questions for discussion and individual answers
4. Book choice titles and reviews (and alternative “vanilla” books)
5. Permission slips for parents
Table of Contents
Links to
01 Resources
Book Titles and
04 Reviews
And “vanilla” alternatives
Suggested Use
02
Printable
Discussion 05 Permission Slips
03 Questions
Resources
01
40 Great Discussion Questions
Reading Journal
Lit Circle Roles
 Role Description

Discussion Leader Write interesting questions about our reading.

Possible Lit. Circle Roles Keep discussions on task.

Word Wizard Find unfamiliar words and their definitions for the
group.

Star Summarizer Create a summary for the reading to share with the
group.

Character Catcher Record how characters change or stay the same

throughout the text, quotes

Time Keeper Sets a timer or watches the clock. Decides how to

split the discussion time and gives polite warnings
to wrap-up when it is time to move forward.

Theme Finder Finds possible themes for each section and brings
ideas to the group discussion.

Recorder Writes ideas and answers down for the group.

Real-Life Connector Connects events in the book to real-life scenarios.

Illustrator Illustrate a highlight from the week’s reading.

Suggested
Use 02
● Should be a supplemental activity throughout
the year - not just one designated unit

● Create time once a week (or biweekly) for

circles to meet, but students should read every
day if possible

● Use lexile scores from Reading Plus to help

kids find books
 Click here for an approximate schedule of lit
circles throughout a trimester.

Keep in mind:
- This will take longer during the first trimester since it will
take a longer amount of time for students to understand
the process
- Each grade level may pace this differently
- You can introduce projects earlier or later in the
trimester depending on your group and what topic you
want to focus on as a desired outcome
Here are some suggestions for each trimester as well:
Tri 1
- Introduce purpose and goals of lit circles
- Teach genre, how to pick books, model each role, etc…
Tri 2
- Compare themes, characters, events, setting
between novels
Tri 3
- Comparison cont’d….
- If you are reading a novel as a whole class at the same
time, you can have students connect them now that
they have more literary knowledge
Other Best Practices:
- At the end of each trimester, you can focus on one element
of reading to focus on for a project (i.e. theme, character
analysis, additional research, real-world application, etc….)

- Create scaffolded group roles for students with IEPs and

504s to help make the tasks be more accessible

- Start by having students doing structured role assignments,

but this can change to open-ended discussion as students
feel more comfortable in their groups
Discussion
Questions 03
 04
Book
Titles and
Reviews
 Title Author Copies Lexile Book
Reviews

6th Grade Book A Night Divided Jennifer A. Nelson 20 810 Click Here

Blackbird Fly Erin Entrada Kelly 15 660

Darius the Great is Not Adib Khorram 15 710

OK
Choices

I’m Not Dying with You Kimberly Jones 20 740

Tonight

Let’s Go Swimming on Natalie C. Anderson 15 650

Doomsday

Other Words for Home Jasmine Warga 20 930

Schooled Gordon Korman 20 740

The Weight of our Sky Hanna Alkaf 20 830

Wednesday Wars Gary D. Schmidt 20 990

 Title Author Copies Lexile Book
Reviews

7th Grade Book Long Way Down Jason Reynolds 15 720 Click Here

Blackbird Fly Erin Entrada Kelly 15 660

Darius the Great is Not OK Adib Khorram 15 710

Choices
Internment Samira Ahmed 20 660

Let’s Go Swimming on Natalie C. Anderson 15 650

Doomsday

Monster Meyers and Meyers 20 670

Our Wayward Fate Gloria Chao 20 870

The Next Great Paulie Fink Ali Benjamin 20 710

The Remarkable Journey of Dan Gemeinhart 20 730

Coyote Sunrise

With the Fire on High Elizabeth Acevedo 20 810

 Title Author Copies Lexile Reviews

8th Grade Book

Long Way Down Jason Reynolds 15 720 Click
Here
An Abundance of Katherines John Green 20 870

Beautiful Boy David Sheff 20 580

Educated Tara Westover 20 870

Choices

Fever 1793 Laurie Halse Anderson 20 580

Petey Ben Mikaelson 20 600

The Someday Birds Sally J. Pla 20 890

The Sun is Also a Star Nicola Yoon 20 650

We Should Hangout Josh Sundquist 20 700

Sometime

Patron Saints of Nothing Randy Ribay 20 840

Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens 20 880

 05
Printable
Permission
Slips
Click below to access the editable permission
slip:
Permission Slip Link
6th Grade Reviews for Permission Slip
7th Grade Reviews for Permission Slip
8th Grade Reviews for Permission Slip