Less than $5 8th Grade Reading Literature Circles (by price, high to low)

Reading Ender's Game? Don't know where to get started? We got you covered.

This flip book goes through all 15 chapters of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and has questions to ensure comprehension. It also includes a character map, historical context and background information on the author to help your students successfully navigate through the text. Answer key is included and the questions are easy to answer while reading the book. Easy to use and easy to grade. It makes a great study guide for students.

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Ender's Game Vocabulary Lists and Quizzes

Ender's Game Vocabulary Crosswords

Ender's Game Characterization Flip book

Ender's Game Introduction Power Point

Reading Esperanza Rising? Don't know where to get started? We got you covered.

This flip book goes through all 13 chapters of Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan and has questions to ensure comprehension. It also includes essential questions, a character map, historical context and background information on the author to help your students successfully navigate through the text. Answer key is included and the questions are easy to answer while reading the book. Easy to use and easy to grade. It makes a great study guide for students.

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Esperanza Rising Introduction Power Point

Esperanza Rising Characterization Flip book

This flip book goes through all 5 Acts of William Shakespeare's play. It also include a character map and background information to help your students successfully navigate through the text. Answer key is included and the questions are easy to answer while reading the Act or after the play is done. Easy to use and easy to grade. It makes a great study guide for students.

*** Check out my other Romeo and Juliet Products***

Romeo and Juliet Vocabulary

Romeo and Juliet Jeopardy

Romeo and Juliet Quizzes

Shakespeare Tragedies

My students LOVED this book, so we recently added it to our literature circle choices! I designed this activity to be a structured student-led discussion after the group finished reading the novel. I typically use it as their final assessment grade!

This file contains two different packets of Socratic Seminar packets- packet A and packet B. Each packet contains three different discussion questions that require students to answer and provide two quotes from the text to back up their answers. Students are also required to come up with three additional questions they will ask if there’s time in their seminar. Finally, the packet has a page where each student will monitor a partner in the opposite circle. They will make a check each time their partner speaks, and paraphrase meaningful comments their partner makes. The file also contains a rubric for you to use while your students are discussing!

When you print out the file, you’ll see packet A on the top half of the sheet, packet B on the bottom half, and then the rubric as the last page of the file. Remove the rubric and print one out for each of your students. Copy the rest of the pages, cut them in half, and staple them. Each student will receive one half-sheet booklet; packet A or packet B.

Give your students adequate time to plan for their Seminar! I usually give them a full class period (40 minutes for me), but you could have them do it for homework, or over the course of a few days. The day of the Seminar, you’ll assign partners with opposite packets. Let A discuss for as long as they need (usually 30-ish minutes for me!), then flip-flop your circles and have B discuss afterwards.

My students LOVE Socratic Seminars! I have found the fishbowl discussion format works much better when you give each group three different questions so you don’t hear the same discussion two times, which is how this product is set up. I have used Socratic Seminars in small literature circle groups, as well as with the whole class at once. Please ask if you have questions!

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This resource features everything you need in order to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom for any novel that follows the model of the hero's journey. It is the PERFECT addition to any hero's journey unit for middle or high school students!

Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as they are referred to in this resource) are high-order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class texts. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. They are also a great way for students to work together and build upon one another's ideas without the assistance of a teacher. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, with this resource, the work has been done for you and you will have several days of student-led learning during your unit on the hero's journey!

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom
• Engaging Introductory Activity for Conversation Building
• 7 Editable Discussion Questions that you can tailor to any novel
• “Fishbowl” Preparation Sheet
• Conversation Builder Prompts
• Observation Sheet
• Detailed Rubric

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Save 20% off this resource when you purchase as part of a bundle of hero's journey products by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Hero's Journey BUNDLE

Also, check out these great products for your unit on the hero's journey:

⭐ Hero's Journey ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Hero's Journey Anticipation Activity

The Alchemist

⭐ The Alchemist "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

⭐ The Alchemist Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

⭐ The Alchemist Bell Ringer Journal Prompts

⭐ The Alchemist Quote Posters

⭐ The Alchemist Socratic Seminar Materials

Divergent

⭐ Divergent "Silent Conversation" Quote Pass Activity

⭐ Divergent (Roth) Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials

⭐ Divergent Faction Acrostic Poem Assignment

⭐ Divergent Faction Personality Quiz

⭐ Divergent Final Project - Long Lost Sixth Faction

⭐ Divergent Mock Choosing Ceremony - Lesson Plans and Materials

⭐ Divergent Unit Test

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Are you looking for an interactive, student-led activity/ assessment for the end of Carol Matas's Daniel's Story?

This file contains 2 different packets of Socratic Circle questions- packet A and packet B. Each packet contains 3 different questions that require students to answer and provide two quotes from the text to back up their answers. Students are also required to come up with 3 additional questions they will ask if there's time in their circle. Finally, the packet has a page where each student will monitor a partner in the opposite circle. They will make a check each time their partner speaks, and paraphrase a meaningful comment their partner made. Lastly, the file contains the socratic circle rubric.

When you print out the file, you'll see packet A on the top half of the sheet, packet B on the bottom half, and then the rubric as the last page of the file. You'll need to cut each packet page in half after you print them out, as each booklet you give to the students is only half a page. They are labeled A and B. Give half your class A, half B, and allow them to plan! The day of the circle, you'll let A discuss for maybe 20-30 minutes, then flip-flop your circles and have B discuss.

My students really enjoy Socratic Seminars! I have found it works better when you give each group three different questions, so you don't see the same discussion 2 times, which is how this packet is set up. I used the Socratic Circle as their "final test grade" for Daniel's Story. The students need to have finished the story to answer the questions included in the packet.

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Did you know that you can receive $ credit towards future TeachShare purchases by reviewing this product? Please leave a review at the product page or through "My Purchases" under "My Account" at TpT. Thank you!

NOW WITH NEWLY ADDED MATERIALS!!

Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as I like to call them with my students) are fantastic, higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class text. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, this student-tested resource includes everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding Walter Dean Myers' acclaimed novel, Monster... and no preparation is required by you at all!

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom

• Fun Introductory Lesson Plan on Academic Conversations - NEWLY ADDED!

• 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fish Bowl”

• “Fish Bowl” Preparation Sheet

• Conversation Builder Prompts

• Observation Sheet

• Rubric

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Save over 20% on this resource when you purchase as part of a growing bundle of all Monster products by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Monster (Myers) Activity BUNDLE

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Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on Monster:

⭐ Monster (Myers) Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

⭐ Monster (Myers) Literature Guide

⭐ Monster (Myers) Quizzes for Entire Novel

⭐ Monster (Myers) Social Media Materials

⭐ Monster (Myers) ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Monster (Myers) vs. Murder on a Sunday Morning Compare Contrast Project

⭐ Monster (Myers) Breaking News Article Assignment

⭐ Monster (Myers) Literature Guide and Quizzes BUNDLE

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Studying The Adventures of Tom Sawyer? Are students having problems with some of the vocabulary words? Then this product is for you! Includes 5 crossword puzzles covering the entire book. Pairs great with Tom Sawyer Vocabulary Lists and Quizzes Great to help students with vocabulary words as they read the text! Comes complete with answer key.

Need more Resources for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

Tom Sawyer Vocabulary Lists and Quizzes

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Introduction Power Point

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Flip book Study Guide

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Characterization Flip book

This resource features lesson plans and materials to conduct a formal set of Socratic Seminars for Shakespeare's most beloved comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as referred to in this resource) are higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class texts. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, this student-tested resource includes everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream... and no preparation is required by you at all.

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom

• Engaging Introductory Activity for Conversation Building

• 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fishbowl” conversation

• “Fishbowl” Preparation Sheet

• Conversation Builder Prompts

• Observation Sheet

• Rubric

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Save 20% off this resource when you purchase as part of a bundle of all A Midsummer Night's Dream products by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ A Midsummer Night's Dream Activity BUNDLE

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Also, check out these great products to complement your unit on A Midsummer Night's Dream:

⭐ A Midsummer Night's Dream ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ A Midsummer Night's Dream Anticipation Activity

⭐ A Midsummer Night's Dream Bell-Ringer Prompts

⭐ A Midsummer Night's Dream Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials

⭐ A Midsummer Night's Dream Essay Prompts & Rubric

⭐ A Midsummer Night's Dream Literature Guide

⭐ A Midsummer Night's Dream Puzzles

⭐ Shakespeare ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Introduction to Shakespeare Powerpoint

⭐ Shakespeare Scavenger Hunt

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⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, two seventh graders, Alex and Sarah, display remarkable resilience by choosing to help at their local community center instead of attending school. Through this experience, they learn valuable lessons about community, empathy, and the human capacity to overcome adversity. Alex finds solace in drawing, capturing the emotions around him, while Sarah uses storytelling to comfort younger children. Their actions not only aid in their personal coping but also bring hope to those around them. This story is a poignant exploration of young people finding strength and unity in the face of unspeakable tragedy.

There are thought provoking questions (and suggested answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

*This is one story taken from a book eight, which can be found here.

Help Your Students Explore Bullying & Resilience with "The Invisible Scars"

A Powerful Story & Engaging Activities for Grades 5-8

"The Invisible Scars" is a compelling short story about Avery, a middle school student struggling with the long-term effects of bullying. This relatable narrative provides a springboard for meaningful discussions about mental health, self-esteem, and the importance of seeking help.

This comprehensive resource includes:

• A moving short story (approx. 2,000 words) that tackles the sensitive topic of bullying and its lasting impact on a young person's life.

• Engaging activities designed to deepen students' understanding of the story's themes, including:

  • Thought-provoking discussion questions to spark classroom conversations about bullying, resilience, and support systems.
  • Creative writing prompts that encourage students to explore the story's themes through different perspectives and genres.
  • Project-based assignments that allow students to research, analyze, and create presentations, campaigns, and more.

• A comprehensive vocabulary list to enhance students' reading comprehension and vocabulary development.

"The Invisible Scars" will help your students:

• Develop empathy and understanding for individuals who have experienced bullying.
• Recognize the signs of bullying and its impact on mental health.
• Identify healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with difficult emotions and situations.
• Understand the importance of seeking help from trusted adults and mental health professionals.
• Develop their critical thinking, writing, and communication skills through engaging activities.

This resource is perfect for:

• Language Arts classes
• Social Studies classes
• Guidance lessons
• Advisory periods
• Anti-bullying initiatives

Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as I like to call them with my students) are fantastic, higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class text. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, I did the work for you! This packet includes everything you need to conduct a formal and structured set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding the novel, The Contender by Robert Lipsyte - NO PREPARATION NEEDED • Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom • 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fish Bowl” • “Fish Bowl” Preparation Sheet • Conversation Builder Prompts • Observation Sheet • Rubric

This flip book goes through all the main characters of the play. It includes graphic organizers for your students to fill out in order to better understand character development. It makes a great study guide and a good way to have your students understand the differences and similarities between the different characters of the novel. Offers differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all your students! Rubric included for easy grading. This is the GOOGLE DRIVE version.

Perfect for literature circles or book clubs! This product contains 36 unique task cards with thought-provoking questions for novel study arranged by 6 active reading strategies (Predict, Connect, Visualize, Question, Evaluate, Clarify). The uses for these cards are endless but I suggest laminating the cards and using them during literature circles or book clubs! _________________________________________________________________________ Also, check out more great active reading strategy resources by Language Arts Excellence: Active Reading Strategy Signs for the Classroom Active Reading Strategy Book Marks Save 25% by purchasing the Active Reading Strategy Bundle by Language Arts Excellence! Active Reading Strategy Bundle

This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

"Echoes of Hope: The Children of Sarajevo" is an inspiring story of resilience and creativity amidst the devastating siege of Sarajevo. A group of children, led by Luka, Maja, Amir, and Zlata, transform a war-ravaged hideout into "The Nook," a sanctuary of learning, art, and music. They preserve the city’s spirit through storytelling, makeshift classes, and concerts, becoming a symbol of hope. Post-siege, "The Nook" evolves into a community center, its mural a poignant reminder of courage. The children, now adults, impart lessons of unity and creativity to future generations, showcasing the enduring power of the human spirit.

There are thought provoking questions (and suggested answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

Embark on a poignant journey with "Rising Tides, Resilient Hearts," a heart-rending tale of resilience in the face of nature's relentless force. This narrative follows Ana and Lani, two young girls from the imperiled island of Kiribati, as they grapple with the reality of their sinking homeland. With the rising tides threatening to erase their ancestral roots, the community faces a heart-wrenching decision. Through the bonds of friendship and the echoes of ancestral wisdom, our young heroines navigate the emotional tides of leaving their beloved island. This story not only reflects the global issue of climate change but also illuminates the enduring spirit of a culture on the brink of displacement. Witness how love, memory, and the power of storytelling become the vessel for preserving a disappearing world, inspiring young readers to understand and embrace the challenges of change.

There are thought provoking questions (and possible answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

Aisha, a 13-year-old girl living in Gaza city, chronicles her experiences through a diary during a period of intense conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza. As bombings, power outages, water shortages, and infrastructure damage disrupt daily life, Aisha describes her fears for her family's safety and her disrupted education. She finds resilience through community support and small acts of normalcy like playing games with friends. Temporary ceasefires provide glimpses of peace amid the violence. But tensions frequently boil over into clashes and protests at the border, unleashing new rounds of bombardment. Aisha conveys the mental and physical toll of living through endless cycles of war and deprivation in Gaza. Yet she retains hope for justice and freedom in the future, fueled by the strength of her community. Throughout her diary, Aisha gives an intimate account of what it's like to come of age in Gaza against a backdrop of conflict and hardship.

There are thought provoking questions (and possible answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

These book discussion task cards are an easy, low-prep way to engage students in any fiction text (novel, short story, picture book, etc.) they may read while supporting critical listening and speaking skills.

With a wide variety of questions, this set of 32 discussion cards covers many reading comprehension skills including:

• Inferencing & Text Evidence
• Making Connections
• Plot Elements
• Theme
• Tone/Mood
• Author's Purpose
• and many more!

What You Get:

32 task cards that can be printed two ways:

1. single-sided (Question side only)
2. double-sided (With a fun, patterned front cover)

This set of 32 unique task cards contain engaging thought-provoking questions meant to prompt lively discussion for literature circles or books clubs in your middle or high school ELA classroom. Questions are mainly reader-response and are fully aligned to the Common Core. They can be used at any point during the reading of a novel or short story and are great as both full-class lesson plans or for time-fillers at the end of class. I also like to use these cards as bell-ringer activities to check in on my students' thoughts and understanding of the novel as we go. These are the perfect task cards to add to your teacher's toolbox and use all year long! __________________________________________________________________________ Also, check out these great resources that can be adapted for any novel by Language Arts Excellence: Differentiated Essay Prompt Task Cards Novel Soundtrack Assignment Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials Adaptable for ANY Topic Differentiated End of Term Reflection Activities Book Recommendation Form Differentiated Essay Prompts for use with ANY Novel Active Reading Strategy Task Cards

This mix-and-match reading log is designed to empower students to become mindful and engaged readers. It offers a variety of engaging components that can be used as stand-alone pages or combined in a mix and match fashion to create personalized reading journals.

Google Drive Folder includes a PDF and a digital Google Slides version.

Here's what you get in:

• "Books to Read" List: Spark excitement with a dedicated space for students to track books they're eager to dive into.

• "Book Hall of Fame": Celebrate literary discoveries with a page to record and cherish favorite books.

• "Favorite Authors": Encourage a love for specific authors by providing a space for students to keep a log of their favorite authors.

• "Reading Reflections": Deepen comprehension with a dedicated space for students to rate and review each book they finish.

• "Recommendations": Foster a sense of community by allowing students to share their thoughts and recommend books to peers. These can be kept private or can be shared with the class to grow a class of readers!

• Reading Trackers: Choose between two engaging options:

• Monthly Tracking Sheets: Students color in pictures of books as they complete them, creating a visual record of their reading journey.

• Grid-Style Tracker: This flexible tracker allows for color-coding genres and marking each finished book, offering a long-term overview of reading progress.

Benefits:

• Supports mindful reading: Encourages students to reflect on their reading experiences and develop a deeper appreciation for literature.
• Promotes accountability: Helps students stay on track with their personal reading goals.
• Print or Digital format: Adaptable to individual preferences and classroom needs.
• Interactive and engaging: Makes reading a fun and rewarding experience for students.

This reading log is the perfect tool for teachers and parents to cultivate a lifelong love of reading in young minds!