This document provides information about implementing literature circles with an Aboriginal perspective. It discusses using the Strong Readers books from Strong Nations Publishing for guided reading sessions three times a week. Two possible formats for literature circles are described: having everyone read at the same time or having the teacher read with one group while others read independently. The importance of creating criteria for literature circle discussions with students is also mentioned. The document lists some graphic novels and books that could be used, including a story called "My Name is Olemaun Pokiak". It also lists some resources written by Faye Brownlie and others on topics like literature circles, student diversity, and thinking in subject areas.

1. Literature Circles with an
Aboriginal Perspective
St.
James-­‐Assiniboia
Oct
7,
2014
Faye
Brownlie

2. yesterday’s
song
-Duncan
Mercredi,
1997
i wish i could slip into muskeg and spruce
encircling myself with northern lights
wolfsongs and nighthawks rustling the
underbrush
catching the smells of the past still on me
even though my feet are concrete hardened
and my spirit tells stories of neon and blues
i am the son of muskeg and spruce
i still dance to the music of yesterday

10. Books used:

11. Strong Readers – Set B
Strong Nations Publishing
• www.strongna?ons.com
• 6
packs
• New
this
year:
Set
B,
levels
11-­‐20

19. Portage
and
Main
Press
978-­‐1-­‐55379-­‐392-­‐2

20. • Begin
aNer
spring
break
(term
1
and
2
guided
reading)
• Pre-­‐teaching,
modeling
and
prac?ce
takes
?me
• Three
?mes
a
week
for
45
minutes
• Use
resource
support
to
support
emergent
readers
Set
Up

21. • Teacher
reads
with
one
group
while
other
groups
read.
• Students
use
s?cky
notes
to
mark
a
place
in
the
book
they
want
to
discuss.
• Discussions
are
focused
on
ques?ons,
connec?ons
and
inferences.
• Students
also
rate
the
book
and
give
reasons
why.
Possible
Format
1

22. • Opening:
Possible
Format
2
Review
criteria
for
discussion.
• Everyone
reads
at
the
same
?me
(20
minutes).
• During
reading,
teacher
reads
with
students
to
give
feedback
and
no?ce
areas
of
growth.
• Everyone
discusses
books
at
the
same
?me.
• Closure:
How
did
it
go
today?
Reflect
on
our
discussions.

23. Create
Criteria
Together
• Create
an
anchor
chart
about
literature
circles.
• What
does
literature
circle
discussions
look
like?
• What
does
literature
circle
discussions
sound
like?
• Refer
to
chart
at
the
beginning
and
end
of
sessions.

24. Graphic Novels

25. Graphic Novels

27. Tales

28. • My
name
is
Olemaun
Pokiak
–
that’s
OO-­‐lee-­‐
mawn
-­‐
but
some
of
my
classmates
used
to
call
me
“Faay
Legs”.
They
called
me
that
because
a
wicked
nun
forced
me
to
wear
a
pair
of
red
stockings
that
made
my
legs
look
enormous.
But
I
put
an
end
to
it.
How?
Well,
I
am
going
to
let
you
in
on
a
secret
that
I
have
kept
for
more
than
60
years:
the
secret
of
how
I
made
those
stockings
disappear.

36. Grand
Conversa?ons,
Thoughful
Responses
-­‐
a
unique
approach
to
literature
circles
-­‐
Faye
Brownlie
Portage
and
Main
Press,
2004
Student
Diversity,
2nd
ed
-­‐
Brownlie,
Feniak
and
Schnellert
Pembroke
Publishers,
2005
It’s
All
About
Thinking
–
in
English,
Social
Studies
and
Humani?es
–
Brownlie
and
Schnellert,
P
&
M
Press,
2009
Pulling
Together
–
Schnellert,
Datoo,
Ediger,
Panas
Pembroke,
2009