The completed companion shows an original three-sentence passage, two rounds of responsibility assignments, and a contribution-link check. A learner can draft a reply to C01 using S3 and inspect C02 as a separate model. The check confirms that the referenced contribution and sentence exist; a teacher still reviews the interpretation.
Share one text and practice discussion responsibilities
ReadWriteThink describes learner-led literature discussions, role modeling, and practice before independent responsibilities. Use those principles without copying its named role forms or treating its historical technology instructions as current requirements. ReadWriteThink: Literature Circles—Getting Started
Give everyone the same original passage, with sentence IDs:
| ID | Original fictional text |
|---|---|
| S1 | Lea found an unopened letter on the shared desk. |
| S2 | She left it there and asked whose letter it was. |
| S3 | Omar said he was waiting for a letter but could not confirm this one was his. |
All readers have access to all three sentences. This is shared-text discussion, not a distributed-fact puzzle in which each learner holds a different missing piece.
Ask readers what Lea's action might suggest and what remains uncertain. Keep interpretation distinct from a fact the passage states. It does not say Omar owns the letter or that Lea opened it.
Prepare four responsibilities without restricting who may speak
Use these original preparation cards:
| Responsibility | Preparation task |
|---|---|
| Question starter | Prepare an open question and the sentence that prompted it |
| Evidence locator | Identify relevant text and what it does or does not establish |
| Connection builder | Prepare to extend or question another contribution with a text link |
| Process observer | Notice a specific interaction to discuss during reflection |
These are a local preparation design, not a mandatory role set for every book club. Model each task and allow practice before expecting independent use. Everyone may ask questions, cite evidence, and respond; the process observer is not required to remain silent.
Rotate four anonymous participants across two rounds:
| Participant | Round 1 | Round 2 |
|---|---|---|
| A | Question starter | Evidence locator |
| B | Evidence locator | Connection builder |
| C | Connection builder | Process observer |
| D | Process observer | Question starter |
Each round has one learner per responsibility and one responsibility per learner. After two rounds, each has practiced two roles, not all four. Keep actual choices, preparation, utterances, and observations blank until recorded.
Model a contribution that another reader can answer
Use two labeled sample contributions in a separate model guide:
| Contribution ID | Model comment | Responds to | Text support |
|---|---|---|---|
| C01 | Lea may be respecting privacy because she leaves the letter and asks whose it is. | Opening discussion | S2 |
| C02 | Building on C01, we still cannot say the letter belongs to Omar; he cannot confirm it is his. | C01 | S3 |
C01 offers an interpretation with evidence, not a direct statement of Lea's motive. C02 extends it by identifying an ownership limit. The second comment does not need to reject the first to contribute something new.
Ask learners to inspect both links: C02 → C01 and C02 → S3. A comment can cite a sentence yet still fail to engage with another reader. The response target shows how this contribution develops the discussion.
Keep the model separate from the actual contribution log. Actual entries need their own ID, speaker label, prior contribution being addressed, sentence reference, and comment or teacher note. Do not record C01/C02 as something a student actually said.
Use a recurring 30-minute session
| Phase | Minutes | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Establish purpose | 4 | Shared discussion question and text scope |
| Prepare | 6 | Individual question/evidence/connection/observation preparation |
| Discuss | 12 | Actual response chain with text links |
| Reflect | 5 | Specific contribution example and a next step |
| Agree next reading | 3 | Actual text/section and preparation agreement when supplied |
The suggested total is 4 + 6 + 12 + 5 + 3 = 30 minutes. Repeat the routine with the next role rotation and an agreed text or section. The short original passage is practice material; a full club's reading choice remains an actual group decision to record.
Leave next-reading selection, section, timing, and agreement blank until the group makes them. A lesson plan with a field named “agreement” does not establish that readers chose a book or accepted a reading deadline.
Keep model comments separate from learner evidence. Record an actual interaction before reflecting on participation.
Copy a prompt for this example
Create a complete HTML companion for a book-club discussion. Give everyone the same original three-sentence text: S1, Lea found an unopened letter on the shared desk. S2, she left it there and asked whose letter it was. S3, Omar was waiting for a letter but could not confirm this one was his.
Show two clearly labeled model comments. C01 suggests that Lea may respect privacy, using S2 as its clue. C02 responds to C01 that the letter's ownership remains unconfirmed, using S3. Distinguish these supplied models from learners' blank comments. Provide fields for a draft reply, the comment it responds to, and its sentence reference. Check that the referenced comment and S1, S2 or S3 exist and that writing is present. Leave interpretation and quality of reasoning for teacher discussion. Reveal the C02 model separately.
Include two role rotations. In round 1, A starts a question, B locates evidence, C builds a connection, and D observes the discussion process. In round 2, A locates evidence, B builds a connection, C observes the process, and D starts a question. Changing the displayed rotation does not record actual participation, and everyone may speak.
Display the 30-minute routine: 4 minutes for purpose, 6 to prepare, 12 to discuss, 5 to reflect, and 3 to agree on the next reading. Reset clears draft fields. Put the shared text and model discussion above the learner reply controls. Use readable type, clear field labels and keyboard focus, and stack the sections on a phone. Return one self-contained HTML file.
For the next discussion rehearsal, NOS can display this prepared HTML passage and response chain. Ask a reader to name both the prior comment and supporting sentence, then record the group’s actual next-reading agreement in the maintained lesson plan.