Demo lesson presented at Fordham University's Developing Digital Literacies Institute on July 29, 2014. Using a variety of digital tools (e.g., goodreads.com, Google forms, Google docs) allows students to make responsible choices, take ownership of their learning, and demonstrate their understanding in multiple modes. This session will focus on reinventing independent reading to encourage more collaboration, both online and face-to-face.

1. Lauren Zucker
English teacher, Northern Highlands Regional High School
Doctoral candidate, Fordham University
Email: lzucker2@fordham.edu
Twitter: @LGZreader
Structuring Student Books Clubs
to Encourage Collaboration,
Online and Face-to-Face

2. public, suburban high school in Allendale, New Jersey
computer labs & laptop carts; no BYOD or cell phones
Northern Highlands Regional H.S.

5. How can I structure independent
reading to be more collaborative?
Which digital tools can I use to…
How much control should I give up? Or, how much
autonomy and responsibility can my students handle?

6. What skills do they need?
Collaborate, online and face-to-face
Use social networks (and other digital resources) for
personal and academic goals
Develop autonomy and make responsible decisions
Read, write, speak, listen & view in a variety of contexts

7. Research Influences
Henry Jenkins (2009) - “participatory cultures”
Kristen Turner and Troy Hicks (2013) - “No Longer a
Luxury: Digital Literacy Can’t Wait”
Kelly Gallagher (2009) Readicide - avoid under- & over-
teaching; 50:50 ratio of choice to whole-class
Cathy Davidson (2011) Now You See It - collaborative
grading to increase student engagement
All-ED.org (2014) - Rhonda Bondie’s collaborative rubric-
making
See “References” slide for full citations

8. Context
Last school year’s experiment: independent reading and
book clubs
9th grade, core English classes, general level
Book clubs were the last unit of the school year
I’m eager for suggestions to improve this new unit

9. Creating a Classroom of Readers
Reserved weekly, in-class time for independent reading
Developed profiles on Goodreads.com; created virtual
shelves (read and to-read), rated books
Shared reviews informally through partner discussions and
“book talks,” and formally, on Goodreads.com
Reader

10. Used recommended book lists
ALA’s YALSA division’s “Outstanding Books for the College
Bound”
Students conducted research on choices
Goodreads.com
Amazon.com (“search inside” feature)
the school & local libraries (online catalogue, physical trips)
Involved parents
alerted parents of independent reading structure, asked them to
assist students in making choices
Selecting Books

11. Book Club Group & Book Selection
Students indicated their top choices (of genre) through a
brief, google forms survey
Groups met in person to research books and determine a
top choice
Notified parents of the group’s potential choice
I remained flexible! (e.g., Pluto, Introduction to Philosophy,
The Watch that Ends The Night)

15. Assigned locations for each group & a folder location
Students generated a reading schedule
“Scribe” took notes on the discussion and kept the group
on task (ABC’s)
Homework: all group members wrote and shared a Q.Q.C.
each day
Students wrote individual “Reflections” at the end of the
period; 10 minutes of writing (in lieu of reading quizzes)
Next year: fishbowl activity to model discussion?
Discussions: Clear Roles & Routines

16. Sample Reading Schedule

17. When a Discussion Stalls

18. QQC Instructions

19. Sample QQC
Question:
“What is my philosophy? From pages 114 to 116, Margreet de Heer asks the reader what
his or her philosophy is: "What do YOU think...?" (116). My philosophy is live life to the
fullest. Throughout the book, all of the philosophers have gone into extremely deep
thoughts and ideas about reality, humans, and nature. This isn't necessary to me. My goal
in life is to have fun, but be responsible at the same time. I don't have to understand
everything about the universe to have fun. I just need to do whatever makes me happy,
but I must take responsibility for all of the actions I take. Overall, I found this book very
interesting, even though I did not agree with everything, and I am excited to see what
answers we will find in the future.”
Student response to Philosophy: A Discovery in Comics by Margreet de Heer

20. Sample QQC
Quotation:
“‘Sage just wanted to be herself. To be something that half the people on the planet
become when they're born" (Katcher 319).’
This is a really strong passage for me. Most people know their gender when they are born
because that's what the doctor tells them and that's what society knows. If you have this
part, you are a boy and if you don't you are a girl. Why does what a doctor wrote on a
piece of paper have to define who sage has to be for the rest of her life. Can't she act like
who she wants to act like. So, she decided a little later in life that she was born the wrong
gender. She is just being herself. Everybody else gets to be themselves, but just because
who she is isn't accepted by society doesn't mean she shouldn't be allowed to live her own
life.”
Student response to Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

21. Sample QQC
Connection:
“‘I've always been stubborn and self-willed’ (de Heer 52).
I can relate to de Heer because I too was also very annoying and independent as a child. I
never really wanted help with anything I did, even when i knew i would not be able to do
it alone. Not only did this make me feel older, but it gave me a sense of confidence.
However, unlike de Heer, when i needed to make a decision i always needed different
insight and opinions in order to make sure i was doing the right thing. This connection
makes me realize that i was not the only one who wanted to be more like an adult when i
was young. In fact, I'm sure all kids at one point wanted to act more independent and
mature then they really were.”
Student response to Philosophy: A Discovery in Comics by Margreet de Heer

22. Sample Reflection Questions

23. Assessment & Feedback
Final Project
groups wrote proposals and pitched their projects to me
groups were allotted up to 10 minutes to present
Student-created rubrics
groups worked collaboratively to develop rubrics for their projects
brainstormed the kinds of skills I want them to develop (reading,
writing, listening, speaking, viewing)
Collaborative feedback and self-assessment
groups shared their rubrics with the class
groups graded all other groups and themselves; wrote
explanations justifying each selection

24. Sample Final Projects
blog on Katcher’s Almost Perfect with information for teens
on transgender youth
Prezi presentation on Wolfe’s The Watch that Ends the
Night (historical fiction about the Titanic)
poster presentation on the graphic novel Pluto, introducing
characters and conflicts
presentation on attempting to build a plastic toy car
(inspired by Thwaites’ The Toaster Project)
video book trailers

27. Bondie, R. (2014, May 19). Key Exercise: How to create a rubric. Key Exercise:
How to create a rubric. Retrieved from http://www.all-
ed.org/learn_how_assessment?article_id=217
Davidson, C. N. (2011). Now you see it: How the brain science of attention will
transform the way we live, work, and learn. New York: Viking.
Gallagher, K., & Allington, R. L. (2009). Readicide: How schools are killing
reading and what you can do about it. Portland, ME.: Stenhouse Publishers.
Goldberg [Zucker], L. (2014). Contemporary literacies beyond the english
classroom: A teacher seeks out participatory culture. New Jersey English Journal,
29-34.
Hicks, T., & Turner, K. H. (2013). No longer a luxury: Digital literacy can’t wait.
English Journal, 102(6), 58–65.
Jenkins, H., Purushatma, R., Weigel, M., Clinton, K., Robison, A. (2009).
Confronting the challenges of a participatory culture: Media literacy for the 21st
century. Retreived from
http://mitpress.mit.edu/sites/default/files/titles/free_download/9780262513623_Co
nfronting_the_Challenges.pdf
References

28. Goal-planning and Reflection
Reflect in writing on ideas you might take away or adapt for your
own practice
Access this presentation on www.slideshare.net (search my
username: LaurenZucker)
Create a professional account on Goodreads.com (mine is
LGZreader) and start building your virtual shelves
Play around with Google Forms on your Google Account
(Create a “Form” in Google Drive)
Browse YALSA’s “Outstanding Books for the College Bound” list
at http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/obcb