The inclusion of historical facts about elections in our country makes this a strong contender for this year’s Literature Circles. The Election subtheme, however, is losing steam as proposals are made to move Grace for President to other subtheme groups. The book would make a wonderful addition to the Dream Quest or Lending a QUESTing hand sub-themes. As the meeting draws to an end, the process is far from complete. Notes taken during the meeting and the books under consideration are stored in the faculty room. Armed with information from this discussion, the quest continues as teachers keep gathering books that complement each other and add depth to the subthemes. Over the next few weeks, more books are added to the collection. Shameless lobbying occurs as books are highlighted and discussed in lunch meetings between bites of sandwiches. Zealous notes in favor of one book over another are left on the staff table, generating enthusiasm for favorite authors or subthemes. Grace continues to remain a strong favorite as we discuss and debate the characters and books over lunch and after school.
History
The character of Grace in Grace for President is reminiscent of another Grace from a series of books used twelve years ago at UCDS. The book Amazing Grace, by Alice Hoffman, was included in the collection of books that inspired Early Elementary Literature Circles as we know them today. At the time, UCDS teachers were providing kids with many opportunities to discuss literature. The first floor of our elementary building housed two classes of K-1 students and four classes of 1-2 grade students. In the K-1 classes, like all classes, there were a wide range of readers, from children who were still solidifying letter sounds to the readers devouring Magic Tree House books as fast as Ms. Pope could write them. In addition to having each child read and discuss books at an individualized reading level, teachers were interested in providing kids with the opportunity to discuss literature with a group of kids that was not solely based on reading level. As the entire class gathered to listen to the latest Read Aloud story, it was apparent that inspired conversation and clever insights were not the exclusive property of the strong readers; beginning readers had much to share! In the spirit of UCDS, it was important that kids with big ideas have an opportunity to shine regardless of individual reading levels. In the upper grades, chapter books were assigned as homework to serve many purposes, from building decoding
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and comprehension skills to complimenting Theme-related studies in science, social studies or literature to introducing a variety of cultures. The teachers in the K-1 classes were inspired by this practice of sending home required reading as a way of easing their kids into the world of HOMEWORK! After trying a few different methods, they settled on having 5 or 6 kids meet together to discuss a story that was read to them at home. The requirement that an adult read the assigned book was an important one as it helped shift the focus of the assignment from a reading activity to a discussion activity. Because the story was read aloud, all students were coming to class with a level playing field in terms of reading ability. Also, because the story was read by someone else, discussions were beginning at home. By the time kids met with their groups, they already had important practice thinking about the book and explaining their ideas. The project was going so well that the teachers decided to use it to address an important issue that had come up in class. Circle times and play times were increasingly dominated by a strikingly vocal and assertive group of boys. The teachers were looking for ways to encourage some of the quietest girls to speak up for their own ideas. They carefully collected books that they hoped would serve the girls’ needs. Dubbing the collection, The Brave Girl Series, the teachers had the kids rotate through the books. The series included Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, Brave Irene by William Steig, Eleanor by Barbara Cooney, Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs and Flossy and the Fox by Patricia McKissack and Rachel Isadora. In addition to discussions about the books, each had a variety of projects (art, drama, writing, etc) to go with it. Girls were inspired enough by such characters as Amazing Grace to insist, “A girl can be Spider Man if she wants to!” The discussions were so successful that teachers of the youngest students (PreK-K) decided to try it the next year. Using the theme Balance, the teachers collected piles and piles of rich picture books. As the books were shared, subthemes began to unfold. It was clear a new UCDS tradition was emerging. It is a tradition that continues to grow and evolve, and with it, our understanding of young children’s keen ability to connect with books continues to grow and evolve. Twelve years after the Brave Girl Series, a new group of children head home with books that support the new passions, needs and themes. With enthusiasm, students race home eager to read with a grown-up. The stage is now set for kid-driven discussions, brave conversations and exciting discoveries. s
Literature Circles are a weekly event in the Early Elementary. Each week, students take a new Literature Circle book home and read it several times with a parent.
Students are encouraged to record their favorite passages, pages and observations on sticky notes, which they share with peers back at school. Conversations are exciting and unpredictable! Each week’s meeting is culminated with an artistic exploration that can take many forms.
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