Love Literature Circles? Want to make them more successful? Tired of missing important teaching moments while doing Literature Circles? Try them virtually. I’ll equip you with everything needed to start tomorrow. I have a plethora of handouts and ideas that allow you to be involved in every meeting at once. Presenter(s): Erika Tyner

1. Created by Erika Tyner
Copyright 2015
bb Virtual Literature Circle Teacher To-Do's
*Prior to beginning Literature Circles
● Teach most of the Fiction Elements to be covered during the year and how to provide Text Evidence
● Post-it Notes Mini Lesson
● Online Format Mini Lesson-using a “Sandbox” and a short text
Virtual Literature Circles
● Choose books to be offered to the class. (Teacher should have at least 3 copies of each title.)
● Choose dates for each Meeting. (Works nicely if scheduled on Fridays.)
● Make copies of the Literature Circle Packet (includes Log and Information).
● Students chose 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice book.
(Let students knowthat if they do not receive their 1st choice this session,they will next session. This is
important for a student’s motivation and ownership of book.)
● Book Ceremony - Give students theirbooks making sure to put a post-it note in the book with their name
in it. Record this, along with their assigned letter on the Teacher Log.
● Packet Set-up
● Students will set-up their packets by stapling 6 sheets ofpaper to the copied Literature Circle
Packet. The front sheet is for the “Work for Each Meeting” and the back is for the Post-it Notes
for each meeting, to be place in the packet after the meeting has taken place.
Notebook Paper What students write on the Front What students write on the Back
1st sheet Meeting 1 - Initial Response Meeting 1 - 4 Post-it Notes
2nd sheet Meeting 2 - Most Powerful Event Meeting 2 - 4 Post-it Notes
3rd sheet Meeting 3 - Questions to a Character Meeting 3 - 4 Post-it Notes
4th sheet Meeting 4 - Character Analysis Meeting 4 - 4 Post-it Notes
5th sheet Meeting 5 - Prediction of Ending Meeting 5 - 4 Post-it Notes
6th sheet Meeting 6 - Recommendation Meeting 6 - 4 Post-it Notes
● Dates of Meetings announced and recorded
● Go over the required work (one page assignment and 4 post-it notes)
● Students set up post-it notes and put in front of book
● Pre-meeting - Groups will get togetherand decide what chapters will be read for each meeting. They will
record this on their log. (Note: If there are 6 meetings, students can simply divide the chapters by 6.)
● Literature Circle Sessionbegins the following week and continues through Week 6.
● Every Monday,the teacher should remind students ofthe work for the week
● After each meeting, students fill out “Response for Each Meeting” in the packet.
● Collect Books and Packets
● Grade Packets using Rubric
● Record Information in the Teacher Log