When I first tried literature circles activities, I was excited… and also completely overwhelmed. What roles should students have? How do I group them? Should I use one novel or several? I pieced it together through trial and error—but now I’ve taken everything I learned and created a clear, simple lit. circle roadmap for you.
How to Start Literature Circles Without Feeling Overwhelmed
This blog post will walk you through the basics, but if you want a printable version that includes planning pages, student roles, and teacher tips, and more, I’ve put much of it into one free lit circle download you’ll find linked below.
Timing matters when starting literature circles activities
Look at your school calendar. Note when fire drills, rallies, guest presenters, etc. are scheduled. Aim for your meetings to fall on days with no distractions. Allow time in the classroom for students to work on their roles and understanding the reading.
Select your books and have extra copies
Have the books on hand and always have extras. Break down the page numbers of each book into chunks that correspond with the number of lit. circle meetings you’ll have.
Show students what literature circles activities look like
Allow time before the first meeting to go over expectations, each role page, how to have a discussion, asking deeper questions, and more. This is key to setting up your class for success. See more in the free packet.
Before starting literatures circles, model how to discuss a book
This can be done with a read aloud, a short story, etc. The important thing is to show students what it means to discuss a book. Help them notice interesting topics to discuss.
Check lists help students stay on track
Include self-monitoring lists so students know how much they have to complete and how close they are to being ready for their next meeting. This is a key step to success.
Brainstorm how to deal with problems
If there’s a student who dominates conversation, has difficulty speaking in the group, or if someone gets off track, discuss how these common problems can be addressed. You are front-loading useful skills that may come in handy and increase success with lit. circles. You’re also letting students know your expectations, which is always a good thing. Read this blog post about the most common problems teachers face when running literature circles activities.
Teach how a lit. circle meeting ends
Make sure students know what to do to wrap up the meeting AND what they’ll do when they’re done with their book club packet pages for the meeting. A check list is helpful here, and the last item should state “Quietly start on the next section of your book to prepare for the next meeting.” If it’s the last meeting, have a final project for students to begin.
💡 Want a printable version of this plan with everything done for you?
My free Getting Started With Literature Circles guide includes:
- step-by-step launch instructions
- role sheets that explain each job
- a meeting tracker
- how to have a productive discussion
- how to ask higher-level thinking questions
- mini-lesson topics
- list of novels with page breakdowns
- invaluable, detailed teacher tips
👉 Click here to grab it now and make your first round of lit circles stress-free.
Happy Reading!
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