Global Literature Circles haven't been too different from our regular Literature Circles. There are really only a few differences:
(1) We use iPads to read our books instead of actual books.
(2) We use the Kindle app to record our written notes instead of paper or Google Docs.
(3) We have an authentic audience of other students who will read our written notes, instead of just the teacher.
Global Literature Circles have been fun! Students have enjoyed reading comments made by students from a classroom in Minnesota that we are reading "with." Students don't read at the same time, but they do read the same book, sign into the same account, and share the same comments with each other. I have done this by creating a personal Kindle account (and a personal Amazon account) where I have taken all of my personal information out, and shared my User ID and password with all of the students. At the beginning of each class period, students "Register" each iPad and begin reading from where they left off, making sure to read any new comments left from the other students. As students read, they add comments, questions, and URLs of the websites they visited to help make confusing parts of the book more clear. At the end of the period, everyone "Deregisters" each iPad so that the students from the other class can repeat the process. Only 6 devices can be registered for a given book at a time (but there seems to be no limit on how many devices one account can be signed into at once). If some of us forget to deregister, then some of us won't be able to log in the next time.
On our first day, these were the directions I gave:
(1) We use iPads to read our books instead of actual books.
(2) We use the Kindle app to record our written notes instead of paper or Google Docs.
(3) We have an authentic audience of other students who will read our written notes, instead of just the teacher.
Global Literature Circles have been fun! Students have enjoyed reading comments made by students from a classroom in Minnesota that we are reading "with." Students don't read at the same time, but they do read the same book, sign into the same account, and share the same comments with each other. I have done this by creating a personal Kindle account (and a personal Amazon account) where I have taken all of my personal information out, and shared my User ID and password with all of the students. At the beginning of each class period, students "Register" each iPad and begin reading from where they left off, making sure to read any new comments left from the other students. As students read, they add comments, questions, and URLs of the websites they visited to help make confusing parts of the book more clear. At the end of the period, everyone "Deregisters" each iPad so that the students from the other class can repeat the process. Only 6 devices can be registered for a given book at a time (but there seems to be no limit on how many devices one account can be signed into at once). If some of us forget to deregister, then some of us won't be able to log in the next time.
On our first day, these were the directions I gave:
Each day after, my students were asked to read 30 pages, so that our classes could always be overlapping by 15 pages. That way, we read 15 pages of their notes and they read 15 pages of our notes. For those visual learners:
| Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday | Our Class We read pages 1-15. We read pages 16-45. We read pages 46-75. We read pages 76-105. We read pages 106-135. We read pages 136-165. We read pages 166-195. We read pages 196-225. | Our Partner Class They read pages 1-30. They read pages 31-60. They read pages 61-90. They read pages 91-120. They read pages 121-150. They read pages 151-180. They read pages 181-210. |
This is a way to have students share comments and virtually talk with each other. Kindle offers teachers a great way for children to read together despite large distances between them! I hope you'll give it a try in your classroom!