#5thchat is for people interested in chatting about topics in education, especially as they relate to Grade 5. The goal is to connect people who enjoy learning & sharing, plus supporting & creating partnerships worldwide!
Good evening! Thanks for joining the chat tonight. I am Todd and I teach 5th grade in Charlotte, NC. Please introduce yourself. Question 1 will be posted soon. #5thchat
A1- This, honestly, is a weak area for me. I have always tried to do too much and failed. Staring again tomorrow letting kids take the lead- using #learnlap idea #5thchat
It was an area I struggled with a lot in the past, but decided to take it on this year and stick with it. Had some rough spots, but it is getting better and is worth the effort. Learn Like A Pirate @PaulSolarz gave me some great ideas and motivation. #5thchat
A2: Deeper understanding of the text, enthusiasm for sharing the story, collaborative presentation at the end. Fun! I like being in book clubs, but we have beverages. #5thchat
A2- Although I have not had much experience when doing mock book clubs in my college courses I think it improves social and emotional skills as well. Students are able to connect with the text and each other as well as learn how to communicate better #5thchat
I am finding this, too. Once the reading start, the discussions that follow are amazing. Usually much more enthusiasm and genuine interest in the book and the discussion. #5thchat
I just put out whatever I have multiple copies of. Right now it's historical fiction, I had 10-12 choices of books, and they ended up forming 5 groups. #5thchat
I’ve slacked in book clubs because the issues bogged me down. One or two students taking over/dominating, lack of participation by a few, absent students getting behind, disruptions to the day... #5thchat
A3- when I’ve tried to lead or guide instruction, students didn’t meet my goals- makes sense- I never liked reading something someone forced me to read! #5thchat
A3 From my POV, I think one big concern is holding all students accountable for the work within the circle. As a teacher, it is hard to give up that control - my job is too let them know it's ok to experiment #5thchat
A3 At the beginning of the yr, some Ss didn't keep up with the reading & weren't prepared to discuss at their group meetings. At this point they more or less police themselves, though #5thchat
A3: Someone not carrying their weight/doing their job. Kids seems to manage each other in most cases though, helping pick up the slack for those who don't get it done. #5thchat
Ss love having a choice in what they read! I try to have at least 3 Ss reading the same book, so if someone is absent, there is still someone to talk to! #5thchat
Yes, these are problems I had, and still have some days. One thing I did/do was start small. 10-15 min. of reading, then 10-15 discussion. This way I knew I could squeeze this in to almost any day. Sometimes I still have to do this just to keep up the consistency. #5thchat
Honestly they just call each other out if they can tell someone didn't read! The next week they'll hound that person over the week to make sure they're doing the reading. Peer pressure, I guess! #5thchat
A4: I assess habits of work mostly. The skills they're learning/practicing usually transfer to other assessments, so I don't typically do an assessment, unless there's a specific skill we're working on. #5thchat
Yes, it is hard to cover every group in one discussion. I usually do two per discussion. With longer novels there will be plenty of time to get to each group a couple of times, shorter novels can be a little more challenging. #5thchat
A4 I make informal observations while the groups meet to assess comprehension, but usually assess after the book is finished with questions about the characters & their traits, or ask Ss to write an opinion piece or review on the book. #5thchat
Students had interactive journals in Google Classroom to show evidence of addressing the standards and discussion of the text. We also had blog posts and Twitter Chats: https://t.co/ggPLhr7EEfhttps://t.co/ne6hhDf2Y2#5thchat
I’m also planning to include some books that are also in #GetEpic and #tumblebooks because sometimes there are audio copies of the book that students can listen to at home. #5thchat
A5: My literature circles have always been fiction based, but I actually don’t know why they couldn’t (or haven’t) included other genres or formats. That could really increase engagement! #5thchat
A4 I don't attach any formal assessment/grade to lit circles. I listen to their discussions so I know where to focus my strategy groups, mini-lessons, etc., but that's all #5thchat
This is definitely a big reason for doing mostly fiction. I am thinking of trying it with science articles because all the students can access the same article through @DiscoveryEd. #5thchat
A5: Absolutely, it all depends on the goal for the group, what skills I am teaching, and what students help me choose. All about engagement and learning! #5thchat
A5 - Cheating. No answer. But I would love to read the thoughts on this. Particularly around poetry. It would be great for students to share ideas but they struggle so with Poetry #5thchat
This is a great idea. At first, I felt like I needed to grade everything the Ss do. Your tweet makes me feel good about not doing this. I think an emphasis on grading lit circles would ruin it for Ss and Ts. #5thchat
I struggle with lit circles in 6th with only 45 min but I'm enjoying reading through #5thchat and all the great answers. I need to try circles with short stories!
A6- I think you teach and practice a lot of speaking and listening skills. It also requires critical thinking to respond in a group and discuss the text. #5thchat
A6: Once, I used the Notice & Note strategies in a Lit Circle with informational articles to give the Ss insight in what to look for and the discussion grew from there. #5thchat
A6: Product must include story elements, character analysis, summary of plot, advertisement. So those are what I teach during small group check. They can create anything! A play, a video, stik-bots, prezi, claymation. Their ideas are amazing! #5thchat
Just started my free trial on @Flipgrid ! Will probably add it to my "EdTech This Week!" blog post this weekend! :) https://t.co/U5KKWCdkSd
Just watched videos, kids really express their thoughts clearly! #5thchat#FlipgridFever
Last Dec. our read. Spec. Introduced #signposts by kylene Beers and Robert Probst. 2 days later I read #LearnLap and listened to multiple podcast interviews of @PaulSolarz who also uses them in chats- so I’M starting there 😀#5thchat
I did the signposts once too from Notice and Note. They are great strategies. I am trying to move away from requiring them and seeing if the students notice any of the signposts on their own. #5thchat
A6: We have whole class circle time where we do a debrief about what we are reading independently (40 book challenge) address skills in our readers/writers notebooks and have mini-lessons on strategies, skills, Notice and Note, and Common Core, carries into groups. #5thchat
A7- time- there is never enough and so many things to do- but I’m ready to let go of somethinge else because I think these book chats will be so beneficial and foster the reading growth #5thchat
A7: Getting to know Ss and empowering them to run the clubs with me as a guide. There are a lot of demands on our time in the classroom, and these routines/procedures take time to establish and practice. #5thchat
A7 At the beginning of the yr, teaching them how to have a discussion without leaving anyone out, one person monopolizing, staying on subject, etc. It gets better with coaching #5thchat
A8- I’ve always used role sheets in the past, but I want to try this without that extra work for them. I want their focus to be on enjoying the book together. My Ss might pass out tomorrow when they discover that this won’t entail more work! #5thchat
Yes, I have started to move away from following the role sheets exactly. Ss know they are there as a guide and if the conversation is starting to drift or slow down. #5thchat
A8: We don't use roles, take turns being the lead and all students are encouraged to have a voice. From time to time, I step in to encourage cooperation and problem solve. But, as students become advocates for their own learning and invest in their voice it is easier. #5thchat
A8: 7 Thinking map jobs: Tree-Main idea and details of each chapter, Circle-Defining characters, Flow-Sequence, Bridge-Analogies with vocabulary words, Bubble-Character analysis, Brace -Parts of the whole: Who, what, when, where, why, Double Bubble-Compare/Contrast #5thchat
