American Realism
Literature Circle Project
English 11
With a group, you will conduct some research to support your understanding and analysis of
some pieces of American Realist literature (1861-1910). You and your group will then create and
perform a presentation of this information to your classmates.
You will be graded based on your individual contribution to the group as well as on the final
product. Part of your grade will also come from your evaluation of yourself and your group
members and your reflections throughout the process.
Requirements:
1. As a group, choose 1-2 longer or 3-4 shorter works of literature to read and analyze (total
of 50 or more pages).
a. These pieces of literature will relate to the topic you already chose.
b. Group members can all read the same piece(s) of literature, or each group member
can read something different.
2. Literature must come from the Realist period (1861-1910) and must be American. You
can choose fiction (novels, short stories), poetry, or non-fiction (speeches, essays).
3. Each group member will help conduct background research relevant to the literature
chosen by the group. Remember that literature is your main focus.
a. As a group, determine exactly what you need/want to know to help you
understand the literature you’ve chosen.
b. The group will determine who is responsible for which pieces of information.
4. As a group, plan and perform a presentation of your information. This can be an informal
talk presented from notes; a video; or some other form pre-approved by your teacher.
Visual aids optional. 8 min. max. Be sure to include:
a. The historical context of the literature: could include relevant biographical details
of the author, relevant historical details of the author’s time period or the
literature’s setting, etc.
b. A short summary of the literature you read (less than two minutes of your overall
presentation).
c. The importance of the literature you read. For example:
i. How does it show the development of its genre? The elements of
Romantic literature?
ii. What literary techniques are being used/developed? (genre, theme, dialog,
plot, symbol, any other major literary techniques)
iii. Discuss one or more themes of the work and how they are developed.
iv. How has this work influenced other authors/literature/ideas? Be specific
and name names.
d. How this literature contributes to our understanding of what it means to be an
American: understanding of that time period or our own.
5. Keep track of everyone’s assignments using the Work Plan and Presentation Plan. Report
on your progress using the Weekly Reflections and the Self-Evaluation.
Monday
17 (Day 1)
Project info
Work Plan Pt 1 Due
Work day
Tuesday
18 (Day 2)
Project info
Work Plan Pt 1 Due
Work day
Wednesday
19 (Day 1)
Work day
24 (Day 2)
Work day
25 (Day 1)
Work day
26
NO SCHOOL
Dec 1 (Day 2)
Work day
2 (Day 1)
Work Plan Pt 2 Due
Work day
3 (Day 2)
Work Plan Pt 2 Due
Work day
8 (Day 1)
Work day
9 (Day 2)
Work day
10 (Day 1)
Work day
15 (Day 2)
Presentation Plan Due
16 (Day 1)
Work day
Practice presentations
17 (Day 2)
Work day
Practice presentations
Thursday
20 (Day 2)
Work day
Work Week Reflection
Due (on Skyward)
Vocab 11 due
27
NO SCHOOL
Thanksgiving
Friday
21 (Day 1)
Work day
Work Week Reflection
Due (on Skyward)
Vocab 11 due
28
NO SCHOOL
4 (Day 1)
Work day
Work Week Reflection
Due (on Skyward)
Vocab 12 & Unit 2
Review due
Vocab Unit 2 Test
11 (Day 2)
Work Week Reflection
Due (on Skyward)
Vocab 13 due
5 (Day 2)
Work day
Work Week Reflection
Due (on Skyward)
Vocab 12 & Unit 2
Review due
Vocab Unit 2 Test
12 (Day 1)
Presentation Plan Due
Work Week Reflection
Due (on Skyward)
Vocab 13 due
19 (Day 2)
Practice presentations
Vocab 14 due
18 (Day 1)
Practice presentations
Vocab 14 due
Monday
Jan 5 (Day 1)
Practice presentations
Optional visual aids
shared electronically by
today
12 (Day 2)
Self-Evaluations Due
(on Skyward)
Essay work time
Tuesday
6 (Day 2)
Practice presentations
Optional visual aids
shared electronically by
today
13 (Day 1)
Essay work time
Wednesday
7 (Day 1)
PRESENTATIONS
Thursday
8 (Day 2)
PRESENTATIONS
Vocab 15 due
14 (Day 2)
Essay work time
19 (Day 1)
Exam review
20
Semester Exams Blocks
1, 2, 4
21
Semester Exams Blocks
1, 2, 4
15 (Day 1)
Essay work time
Essays due to
Turnitin.com
Vocab 16 due
22
Semester Exams D1B3
& D2B3
Friday
9 (Day 1)
Self-Evaluations Due
(on Skyward)
Essay work time
Vocab 15 due
16 (Day 2)
Essays due to
Turnitin.com
Exam Review
Vocab 16 due
23
Tips for Group Work
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Be responsible to your group. Do what you promise, and don’t promise what you know you
can’t deliver. Negotiate so that your workload is reasonable.
Share ALL materials – on Google Drive or by making photocopies. Don’t be held hostage by
somebody’s absence.
If someone is absent, the group is responsible for updating that person on what was
accomplished and what they’re expected to do. HOWEVER, the person who was absent is
also responsible for checking in with the group. Use your technology, like school email.
It’s ok to work independently, but be sure to check in with your group each day so everyone
is assured that everyone is on track.
Ask your group members for help when needed. Share information with your group
members.
Ask your teacher for help when needed – don’t lose work time by avoiding asking for help.
Don’t procrastinate – you probably have less time than you think.
Guidelines for Sharing Visuals
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Remember to share all visual aids BEFORE the presentation day.
Share on Google Drive (preferred - as soon as you create it!); OR
Share on the school network – go to Students, HS-In/Out, Morris IN. Find the folder for your
class, and the folder for this project.
Guidelines for Presentations
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Slides (if used – these are optional) should be mostly pictures and very little text.
Do not read from the screen.
Face the audience. Hold notes up so you can make eye contact and project your voice.
Be sure to speak loudly and clearly.
Name
Date
Group Members
Topic
Day/Block
Literature Circle Rubric
4 – Exceeding
3.5 - Meeting
3-Approaching
2.5 – Failing
0 – Missing
Immersion: Invite curiosity, build background, find topics/literature, and wonder
Interacts with a variety of media to explore, wonder, and learn about
topics/literature.
Responds to text by jotting or drawing questions, connections, and
reactions
Works productively with teams to set schedules, ground rules, and
goals
Comments
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
Total
Investigate: Develop questions, search for information, read literature, and discover answers
Listens, talks, views, and reads to gain information and understand
literature
Develops questions and reads, listens and views to answer them
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
Works productively with teams to monitor schedules and task
completion
Comments
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
Total
Coalesce: intensify research, synthesize information, and build knowledge
Engages in deeper reading and researching – books, articles, websites,
videos, library visits
Synthesizes information to build knowledge
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
Works productively with teams to monitor task completion and plan
sharing
Comments
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
Total
Go Public: share learning and demonstrate understanding
Demonstrates learning and understanding through presentation
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
Demonstrates learning and understanding through visual material
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
Demonstrates good presentation skills (volume, eye contact, wellrehearsed, organized, good use of visuals)
Reflects upon and articulates the learning process and cooperative
process
Comments
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
0
2.5
3
3.5
4
Overall Comments
Final Total
Total
of 48