Victorian Literature Circles - Meeting Information

In this unit, you have self-selected one work of Victorian fiction. You and the members of your small group will create a nightly reading
assignment agenda that will help keep you on track to finish the book over the next few weeks. Most reading will be done independently.

Periodically, you will meet with your small group in Literature Circle Meetings to touch base and recap what you have read up to that point.

Expectations for Effective Literature Circle Meetings:

1. Literature Circle Meetings will last for 30 total minutes. Discussion Directors are charged with preparing enough questions and follow-up
questions to facilitate this discussion and fill the time.
2. All group members are prepared, having completed the appropriate reading as well as individual roles.
3. All group members listen politely and challenge each other to think more critically.
4. Group members use the text as a reference, instead of speculating or stating opinions about the narrative.
5. Group members work collaboratively to fill the entire discussion time and leave the meeting with a deeper understanding of the material.

Follow These Steps to Get Set-Up With Your Group:

1. First, nominate one group member to create one shared Google Drive folder (created by one person and shared with all group members
and the teacher).
a. Title your master folder with the book title and last name of group members-- ie Dracula- Hasebroock, Krymski, Turkowski.
2. Within this master folder, create four smaller sub-folders titled: Meeting #1, Meeting #2, Meeting #3, Meeting #4.
3. In each Meeting folder, you will individually upload documents with your contributions for each of the Literature Circle Roles detailed on the
next page.
a. Each document should be titled as the Literature Circle Role and your name, i.e. Discussion Director- Ms. Hasebroock.
b. All documents must be submitted to the shared meeting folder before the start of the scheduled meeting.
 Literature Circle Roles
At each scheduled 30-minute Literature Circle meeting, you will assume one unique role, and serve in each capacity at least once
throughout the unit. Roles with an asterisk* are required at every single meeting (if your group has 3 members).
*Discussion Director *Completion Checker and Note Taker
Creates questions to stimulate conversation Ensures that all group members have completed the agreed-upon
Questions should cover the 5 Ws: Who, What, Where, reading
When, and Why Helps monitor discussion to encourage equal participation; answers
Consider also making connections to other British literature or questions as well
literary eras Takes notes in the checklist on the one best thing that each group
Uploads questions to shared Google Drive Meeting folder in member offered during the discussion
advance of the scheduled meeting Completes Checklist and submits to teacher via email
Facilitates the entire 30 minute conversation (abby.hasebroock@ignatius.org)

*Literary Luminary Victorian Historian

In advance of the meeting, selects one passage from the Since much of the information in the text relates to Victorian life, this
reading and annotates the authors argument, persuasive individual will research a unique aspect of the period and provide
appeals, imagery, or other literary and poetic devices contextual information
Also defines 5 unknown vocabulary terms (see chart) Consider: linguistics, geography, cultural practices, travel and transit,
Submits a screenshot or PDF of annotated passage to political power and governance, imperialism
shared Google Drive Meeting folder From the reading, find one particular moment that illustrates the Victorian
During the meeting, reads aloud passage to small group and era and annotate the passage
guides group members annotations in their own texts Then, conduct research on this and share your source
In addition, contributes to small groups discussion You might use a literary criticism, database source, or reputable video
(not Wikipedia, not Google)
Submits a screenshot or PDF of annotated passage and key ideas from
source (with citation!) to Google Drive Meeting folder
For groups of five, you may also add the role of Contemporary Connector
The Contemporary Connector will find a current event and relate it to an event in the reading

Literature Circle Meeting Roles

 Use this chart to organize which group members will take on which roles. List the Meeting Dates in the left-hand column.
Meeting Date Discussion Director Literary Luminary Victorian Historian Completion Contemporary
(Name) (Name) (Name) Checker/Note- Connector
Taker (Name) (Name)

Meeting #1:

Meeting #2:

Meeting #3:

Meeting #4:

Discussion Director Directors Name: ________________________________

Use this form to create questions and follow up questions that you intend to ask while facilitating the Literature Circle Meeting.
 Question Starters
Knowledge
What is.?
Where did?
How did _______ happen?
Why did?
How is?
How would you explain?
Can you recall or select?
Comprehension
How would you classify?
Can you compare/contrast?
Can you interpret in your own words this
quote?
What facts or ideas show?
What is the main idea of?
What do you think about?
Application
What would you do if?
How would you solve ___?
What approach would you use to?
What facts would you select to show?
Follow Up Questions
Analysis Do you agree with what ___
What are the features of? said?
How is ____ related to ____? How would you counter what
What is the theme of? ____ stated?
What inference can you make regarding? What judgement would you
How would you categorize? make about?
Can you make a distinction between? How would you
Synthesis prove/disprove?
What are the similarities between? Why did the character/author
What would be an alternative to? choose?
What could be done to minimize/maximize? What would you cite to
Can you predict? defend the actions of?
Evaluation What information is missing
Do you agree with the action of? from?
What is your opinion of? How would you evaluate the
How would you rate? goals of?
Why was it better that? Is it valid to assume that?
Based on what you know, how would you
explain?

*In advance of the scheduled meeting, submit a google doc of your questions to the shared Google Drive Meeting folder.
This document should be editable so your small group members can contribute to it.
Make sure your name as Discussion Director is in the document.
Literary Luminary (Part I) Name: _______________________________________________
Directions for this Role:
You will annotate in your own book
(paper copy or eBook) one particular
passage that is intriguing and cleverly
crafted. Complete a close reading by
evaluating the authors argument,
introduction of key characters,
organization, syntax, and diction.

Victorian authors wrote fiction to escape

the troubles of the day, but also
commented on social issues. Identify
what the author is attempting to achieve
in the selected passage.

How to Submit:
Take a screenshot and upload this
image to the appropriate shared Google
Drive Meeting folder.

Here is a sample of a well-annotated

passage from The Strange Case of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for your
reference
Literary Luminary: Vocabulary Chart (Part II) Luminarys Name: ______________________
Use this sheet to identify five vocabulary terms or concepts from your recent reading, the page numbers each appear on, the part of
speech, and a dictionary definition. Add this document to the shared Google Drive Meeting folder.
Literature Circle Meeting Number and Date: ________________________________________
Vocabulary Term Page Number Part of Speech Definition
Sample: 1 adjective severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.
austere

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
 Completion Checker Checkers Name: __________________________________________________
Use this chart to record group members contributions and ensure that all are participating. Email this completed checklist to me:
abby.hasebroock@ignatius.org. It is not necessary to submit this to the shared Google Drive folder.
Literature Circle Meeting Number and Date: ______________________________________________
Group Member Literature Circle Completed
Role Completed Best Comment During Discussion
First and Last Name Meeting Role Reading/Explanation

Yes / No Yes / No

Yes / No Yes / No

Yes / No Yes / No

Yes / No Yes / No
Victorian Historian Historians Name: __________________________
Use this chart to draw connections between one historical moment in the text and a source that offers contextual information on research
on this time from the Victorian era.

Literature Circle Meeting Number and Date: ______________________________________________

Screenshot of Annotated Passage Contextual Information/Research Key Ideas

 Major Developments in the Reading
Use the space provided to keep track of major plot developments and conflicts as you read. You might create a Chart for each
chapter, a timeline, or a flow chart.