What makes a book worth reading?
What makes THIS book worth reading?
Book Club is one part an advanced form of Lit Circles, one part responding to reading, and one part fun. We spread the reading out over 4 weeks, and I encourage students to bring snacks and drinks with them to class on Book Club days (well, except for that unfortunate incident with salsa). As they work through the book, chances are good they’ll need 45 minutes the first day, 30 minutes for each of the next two days, and somewhat less time for discussion the last day.
Students hand in discussion questions the day before Book Club meets. This makes them accountable for their reading. You will have to teach them how to write higher-order discussion questions – how to get away from “who, what, when, where, how” and into “why,” “to what extent,” “what does this suggest,” and other open-ended questions that lead to good discussion. Providing question stems may prove handy.
Discussion is assessed by triangulating data. Students will assess their own discussion. Their book club buddy will assess them. And the teacher will walk around the room with a checklist, listening and assessing.
Here are the handouts: