This project was constructed as a pre-service unit under the Grassroots Development Program (Stem~Net). The class which was used for the implementation of this project consisted of grade 8 Language Arts students at St. Peter’s Jr. High, Mt. Pearl. While this is the case, it is clear to anyone who understands the nature of Literature Circles that such a project is in no way limited to one age or grade level. The project is divided up into five phases, which are identified in the lessons below. The phases are: (i) General Introduction; (ii) First Group Experience; (iii) Literature Circles + Presentation; (iv) Novel Study; and (v) Virtual Literature Circles (on-line discussion forum). Therefore, we can see that there is a further subdivision of the project into two larger components: (i) the classroom component; and (ii) the internet component.
The classroom component of this project is designed to familiarize students with the concept of literature circles and to internalize the discussion roles to such an extent that they can respond personally without having to depend on the use of the rather constrictive role sheets. The internet component constitutes the actual Grassroots Development Project – it is basically the final product of the project in terms of being on the internet. However, by itself, the site is useless. It depends on the students’ abilities in using the resource that the site provides. That is, as the site is designed to emulate the experience of literature circles at their highest level (when the roles are internalized and real literary discussion is employed), it requires users (at least at the beginning stages of its development and use) who are familiar with the concept of literature circles.
Just
as literature circles themselves are suited to multi-level contributions (i.e.
multi-ages, multi-abilities, etc.), such is the site Virtual Literature
Circles. That is, while the
group which was used to develop this project are grade 8 students, the website
opens their literary discussions up to the entire world – literally! Anyone who has read a text can participate in a discussion
about it, despite his/her age, sex, grade level, etc. University students can have serious and meaningful
discussions about literature with students in grade 8 or 9, etc.
Back to Virtual Literature Circles
