This document outlines a literature circle unit on fantasy novels for a 5th grade class. Students will be divided into small groups to read novels on different reading levels. Each group will have roles such as vocab visionary and discussion director. As a group, they will discuss vocabulary, summaries, and connections between the stories and real life. Daily lessons will build literacy skills. Assessment includes role logs, classwork, and a final group book report project. The goal is for students to practice skills through interest-based reading and discussion.

1. Fantasy Theme
Literature Circle
Plan
Heather Duffield

2. Literature Group
Details
• Appropriate grade-level - Fifth
• Theme connection - Fantasy novels
• Subject - Language Arts/Reading
• Book Levels - Based on Fountas and
Pinnell reading levels
• Timeline - no more than four weeks
– Students divide pages and assign per reading block
– Time is given in class, but students can sign books out to
catch up on reading

3. Book List
• Afternoon of the Elves
by: Janet Taylor Lisle (S)
• The Borrowers
by: Mary Norton (S)
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
by: C.S. Lewis (T)
• Tuck Everlasting
by: Natalie Babbitt (U)
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by: J.K. Rowling (V)
*Books are leveled alphabetically (A= , Z=High School / College)

4. Book Rationale
• These books had different
plots to interest different
students but were all still
related to one
genre/theme
• Included levels from “S” to
“V” in Fountas and
Pinnell’s alphabetic
reading level system to
include different students’
needs

5. Group Roles
• Vocab Visionary: records important or unknown words
and researches the meaning to relate it to the story
context
• Discussion Director: leads the discussion of each
meeting by asking the questions or starting activity
• Summarizing Secretary: summarizes the meetings to
make sure all are on the same page and records any
important topics/questions that were discussed
• Elaborating Evaluator: makes sure everyone
completes their duty within the group, connects the
theme and events in the reading to real life, and fills-in
for missing group members.

6. Group Role Tasks
• Student Role Responsibilities:
– After reading, group discussion will focus on:
• important or unknown words found
• reading progress
• summarizing main events and important details
• connecting the events in fantasy genre to real life
events

7. Role Task Logs
– Each role will keep a daily reading log based on their
role:
• Vocab Visionary: Word Log of important and unknown words
found in passage and their meaning
• Discussion Director: Progress log to keep track of group’s
reading and page assignments
• Summarizing Secretary: Summary log to recap the group’s
main thoughts of each block’s reading assignment
• Elaborating Evaluator: Connection Log to record the
connections the group makes between the story’s plot and
themes to their lives

8. Skill Building Tasks
• After discussing elements from each role
task, students will practice literary skill
building
• Skill Worksheets/Graphic Organizers:
- Each day, there will be a language arts skill
reviewed to apply to the reading
- Examples of literary skills practiced:
- Identifying characters, plot, setting, themes, and their
meaning
- Cause and effect / sequence of events
- Identifying elements from the particular genre (fantasy)
- Identifying author’s purpose, views and beliefs

9. Assessment Plan
• Each day:
– Gather information by observing and interacting
with groups and individuals
– Collect and assess skill building assignments for
class work grade
• Each week:
– Collect “Role Logs” and review to assess group
and individual progress (also a class work grade)

10. Final Assessment Project
• Book Report
– Students divide sections evenly but work together
to revise final project that will include:
• Title and Author
• Plot, Setting, and Characters
• Connections or messages of story to the real life events
• Themes
• Final opinion evaluation from each member of their
likes / dislikes and reasoning
– Students will create a way to present report to the
class by using projects like:
• Poster or cereal box
• Power point presentation
• Video-taped (or acted out) commercial for book, etc

11. Benefits of Literature
Circles
• Students read stories they are
interested for comprehension
• Students practice many reading skills
including: fluency, reading for meaning,
applying already known literary skills to
everyday reading and group work skills
• Discussing themes, ideas and opinions
with peers to gain new perspectives