1. Picture Book Literature Circle
Preparation Page
Title of text
Characters
Setting
Look at the illustrations. Check off all that apply:
realistic
beautiful
cartoonish
abstract
colorful
photographs
other:
Look back through the book. Choose three pasages that you find
especially interesting or thought-provoking.
Page # or
location
Why I find it interesting
E.
Kissner
2013

2. What is the genre of this book? On the lines below, explain your
choice.
___ realistic fiction
____ fantasy
___ historical fiction
___ science fiction
____mystery
___other:__________
Find an example of dialogue in the text that shows the emotions or
traits of a character.
Copy the dialogue:
Emotion or trait:
Explain why this dialogue reveals this emotion or trait.
E.
Kissner
2013

3. What is the point of view of the story?
First person (the narrator is a part of the story)
Third person (the narrator is not a part of the story)
Copy a sentence or more from the text to support your response.
Explain the setting of the story.
Time: When the story takes
place
Place: The overall location of
the story events
How would the story be different with a different setting?
E.
Kissner
2013

4. Picture Book Literature Circle
Student Directions Page
Follow these directions for literature circle success.
Meet with your group to discuss your roles and the Preparation
Page.
Read the assigned text.
Complete the Preparation Page.
Arrive at your discussion with your text, a pencil, and the
Preparation Page.
Participate in the group discussion.
Work with your group to discuss the open-ended response.
Complete the Open-Ended Response page.
Complete any optional activities to enhance your experience.
I have these questions about literature circles:
I am looking forward to literature circles because:
E.
Kissner
2013

5. Picture Book Literature Circle
Roles
Text
Everyone must:
-Read the assigned text
-Complete the Preparation Page
-Participate in the discussion
Role
Discussion leader
Name
Your role is to lead the discussion. Use the
Preparation Page as a guide for what you should
talk about. You may want to write 2-3 additional
questions for your group to discuss. Be sure to
include everyone in the group in your discussion!
Monitor
Your role is to make sure that the discussion stays
on track. Use the Monitor Sheet to record issues or
problems with your group.
Text specialist
Your role is to be a specialist in the text. You
should know information about the text and the
author, find meanings for difficult words, and take
care of returning texts when needed.
Organizer
Your job is to make sure that everyone stays on
track during reading and completing the
Preparation Page. Help group members to keep
track of papers and texts, manage deadlines, and
turn in assignments.
Substitute
Take on the roles of absent students. Assist other
group members as needed. Your job is also to help
keep the conversation going in your group.
E.
Kissner
2013

6. Group
Leader
Guidelines
Say,
“Does
everyone
have
the
materials
that
they
need?”
Check
with
the
monitor
to
make
sure
that
people
have
their
items.
Say,
“Let’s
talk
about
the
setting.
What
is
the
time
and
place?”
Call
on
someone
to
share
their
response.
Say,
“Can
anyone
show
us
text
evidence
to
support
that
response?”
Call
on
students
to
show
the
part
of
the
book
to
support
that
response.
Say,
“Let’s
talk
about
a
character
trait.
Would
anyone
like
to
share
a
trait?”
Call
on
students
to
share
their
traits.
Say,
“Could
anyone
share
text
evidence
to
support
this
trait?”
Call
on
students
to
share
the
text
evidence
to
support
the
trait.
Say,
“Would
anyone
else
like
to
share
a
trait?”
Call
on
another
student
to
share
a
trait.
Say,
“Could
anyone
share
text
evidence
to
support
this
trait?”
Call
on
students
to
share
text
evidence.
Say,
“What
is
the
point
of
view
of
the
story?”
Call
on
students
in
a
circle
to
go
around
and
share
their
point
of
view
ideas.
Say,
“Can
anyone
share
a
sentence
to
support
this
response?”
Call
on
students
to
share
their
support.
Say,
“How
would
the
story
be
different
with
a
different
setting?”
Call
on
at
least
two
students
to
explain
their
thinking.
Say,
“Now
let’s
share
our
interesting
passages.
We
will
go
around
in
a
circle
and
share
one
part
that
we
find
interesting.”
Call
on
students
one
at
a
time.
Remind
other
students
to
find
the
places.
Say,
“Does
anyone
have
any
further
questions
about
the
book?”
Call
on
students
to
share
their
further
questions
and
thinking.
Continue
talking
about
the
book
until
time
is
up.
E.
Kissner
2013

7. Picture Book Literature Circle
Optional Activities
If you have additional time, you can extend your learning with these
activities.
Readers Theater script. Create a readers theater script
based on your book.
Focus on character. Create a character graphic organizer to
show the traits, appearance, and dialogue of a character from
your book.
Illustrated vocabulary words. Find five words in the text
that a second grader might not know. Write the word on a piece
of paper, explain the definition, and draw a picture to show the
meaning.
Create a book cover. You are the illustrator. Create a new
cover for your book. Include the title, the author, and a picture
that shows an important scene from the book. Use a different style
from the original illustrations.
Plot diagram. Create a plot diagram to show the exposition,
rising action, climax, and falling action of the book.
Character emotion chart. Create a chart to show how a
character’s emotions change.
Compare and contrast. Work with someone who has read a
different text. Create a comparison and contrast chart to show
how your texts are similar and different.
Your own idea. Write your own idea for an additional
activity.
E.
Kissner
2013

8. Name
Open-Ended Response
The theme of a story is the central idea or message. What is the
theme of the picture book that you have read? Write an essay to
explain the theme of the story.
• Explain the theme that you think best fits the book.
• Show how the story’s events reveal the theme.
E.
Kissner
2013

9. E.
Kissner
2013