Comprehension Going Forward--Chapter 5

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Professional Readings Chatboard

Comprehension Going Forward--Chapter 5

by dc

Jul 1, 2011

Building a Better Book Club, by Leslie Blauman

What did you all think of this chapter? I really liked her approach and I plan on buying her book just to read more about her Book Lover's Book. She seems to have her kidskeep a simple book log, notes, and responses all in one notebook that she uses for accountability and assessment, as well as for the kids to "capture their thinking".

What do you all use to capture kids' thinking? Do kids write on a worksheet on a clipboard? Do they write in a journal? A piece of paper? Sticky note?

I also liked that she does whole class novel studies. I have seen the power of doing that more and more and enjoy our whole class novel studies in third grade. I have seen more kids "turned on" to reading chapter books just from this approach. The trick is to balance the reading enjoyment with the discussion, so you don't tip away from the power of the book itself with too many "teachable moments". She recommends doing only one or t...See More

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dc The first one sent accidentally!

Jul 1, 2011

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Teri On 7/01/11, dc wrote: > Building a Better Book Club, by Leslie Blauman > > What did you all think of this chapter? I really liked her > approach and I plan on buying her book just to read more > about her Book Lover's Book. She seems to have her kidskeep > a simple book log, notes, and responses all in one notebook > that she u...See MoreOn 7/01/11, dc wrote: > Building a Better Book Club, by Leslie Blauman > > What did you all think of this chapter? I really liked her > approach and I plan on buying her book just to read more > about her Book Lover's Book. She seems to have her kidskeep > a simple book log, notes, and responses all in one notebook > that she uses for accountability and assessment, as well as > for the kids to "capture their thinking". > > What do you all use to capture kids' thinking? Do kids > write on a worksheet on a clipboard? Do they write in a > journal? A piece of paper? Sticky note? > I've tried worksheets and journals and sticky notes. Not sure which I like best. I think maybe it depends on the class???? I think I'm going to try a modified interactive student notebook next year and I'll have response pages incorporated into that.

> I also liked that she does whole class novel studies. I have > seen the power of doing that more and more and enjoy our > whole class novel studies in third grade. I have seen more > kids "turned on" to reading chapter books just from this > approach. The trick is to balance the reading enjoyment > with the discussion, so you don't tip away from the power of > the book itself with too many "teachable moments". She > recommends doing only one or two (max) whole class book > studies a year. I do many more than that. She then uses > those book studies as anchor studies for her book clubs. > This was the part of the chapter I liked best--it validated something I had planned to try this coming year. A colleague and I had discussed having some sort of "anchor text" although we didn't call it that. Now I am even more determined to begin the year this way. I have a novel picked out for my senior reading students (a novel called Meg by Steve Alten about a 60 foot prehistoric shark that wrecks havic in the modern day Pacific) but now for my juniors. I was going to use Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (the original British version, which is just different enough to "hook" the kids who have already read it) but Blauman said the anchor text should be at a level to challenge the students. Harry Potter is too easy for that. So now I'm stuck. Any suggestions for a novel for 11th grade reluctant readers????

> How many of you do whole class novel studies? Do any of you > do "book clubs" in the same way that she does? She sits > outside of the book clubs and listens in, while scripting > their conversations and discussions. She is available as a > resource but only when they ask for her help. Interesting! >

I love book clubs/literature circles and have used them successfully, but I have never scripted their conversations. Something else to try this coming year :)

Jul 1, 2011

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judy5ca This chapter was affirming (notice their thinking and discuss). I loved her idea of linking to an anchor novel. That actually happened (accidentally) with my first novel read aloud 2 years ago. Last year I switched 1st novels and there were few connections. I'm going to work harder to pick a good anchor for the 1st read next year (or go back in tim...See MoreThis chapter was affirming (notice their thinking and discuss). I loved her idea of linking to an anchor novel. That actually happened (accidentally) with my first novel read aloud 2 years ago. Last year I switched 1st novels and there were few connections. I'm going to work harder to pick a good anchor for the 1st read next year (or go back in time, LOL).

I tried "book clubs" 2 years ago and I was quite unhappy with the way I made it work. Last year I just couldn't figure out a way to fix it. I have lots of book sets and really need to come back to the fold. I want the kids to independently discuss the book (and I teach what a discussion entails), but I'm rarely happy with their independent discussion. Control freak?

Judy

On 7/01/11, dc wrote: > Building a Better Book Club, by Leslie Blauman > > What did you all think of this chapter? I really liked her > approach and I plan on buying her book just to read more > about her Book Lover's Book. She seems to have her kidskeep > a simple book log, notes, and responses all in one notebook > that she uses for accountability and assessment, as well as > for the kids to "capture their thinking". > > What do you all use to capture kids' thinking? Do kids > write on a worksheet on a clipboard? Do they write in a > journal? A piece of paper? Sticky note? > > I also liked that she does whole class novel studies. I have > seen the power of doing that more and more and enjoy our > whole class novel studies in third grade. I have seen more > kids "turned on" to reading chapter books just from this > approach. The trick is to balance the reading enjoyment > with the discussion, so you don't tip away from the power of > the book itself with too many "teachable moments". She > recommends doing only one or two (max) whole class book > studies a year. I do many more than that. She then uses > those book studies as anchor studies for her book clubs. > > How many of you do whole class novel studies? Do any of you > do "book clubs" in the same way that she does? She sits > outside of the book clubs and listens in, while scripting > their conversations and discussions. She is available as a > resource but only when they ask for her help. Interesting! >

Jul 1, 2011

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