Students enjoyed this
format for literature circles. In interviews
afterwards the students stated that it was better
when each person could bring up ideas and vocabulary
to discuss. |
Students look back
into the book for context clues as they work to
understand unfamiliar words. |
When the students read that
Ben liked to create rebuses, stories that substituted
pictures for words, they too wanted to create one. The fifth
graders are buddies to our junior kindergarteners so it was
decided that the students would make a story for their
buddy.
As a final extension project
the students were to create a visual that depicted an
important event or events in Ben’s life. They were to have a
written component which explained the importance of the
event to Ben’s life and/or ours. The students created a
variety of items, including mobiles featuring Ben’s
inventions, a model of a printing press, an odometer, and
his stepladder chair, games on Ben’s life, and various
dioramas.
Mobile of
Inventions |
Game on Ben’s
Achievements |
A Working Model
of an Odometer |
A Game on
Ben’s Life |
Click
HERE for a Literature
Circles Discussion Log. (word document)
Click
HERE for a
Literature Circles Discussion Log. (pdf format)