Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 9:47AM About Book Circle
Book Circle is a session in which you share your thoughts about a book with your friends and spread the joy of reading. In the process, you will be able to enhance your reading skills and examine different perspectives other than your own.
Structure
Participants will be divided into groups of six or seven with each group being assigned a book to read. Every group member will take on a role. There will be in total six roles, namely
Student assessor:
Take note of the names of your group members in their various roles.
Submit an assessment or reflection at the end of the session.
Discussion director:
Start by inviting the other roles to first contribute their prepared portions.
Steer and propel the discussion, possibly with some "FAT" (general) questions e.g.
"What do you like about the book?"
"What was going through your mind as you were reading?"
"What part of the reading really caught your attention?"
Listen and facilitate the overall discussion.
You should prepare at least 5 or more "FAT" questions.
Summarizer/illustrator:
Give a brief summary of the key points in the plot. Focus on the plot, main characters and setting. You can make use of not only words but also diagrams or mindmaps to bring across the ideas.
Your presentation should last at least 5 minutes.
Biographer:
Research the writer's life and experiences and their impact on his writing style, content etc.
Your presentation should last at least 5 minutes.
Passage/Word master:
Pick from the book some words or passages that are particularly interesting/ puzzling/ intriguing/ important (perhaps simply because they are repeated many times by the author).
You should have at least 10 words or phrases with a simple explanation each as to why you have chosen them.
Connector:
Link the reading to your own experiences. Find connections between the book and the world outside e.g.
Is partnership between the medical and religious communities sometimes necessary for progress today, as it was in the book?
Preparation Tips
Always make notes as you read. Jot down the things going through your mind. Try to analyze the theme, characters and the overall structure of the book. Don't be afraid to ask yourself tough questions because they may lead you to brilliant insights. Make comparisons to other books that the author has written or to other authors as well.
Books for This Activity
|
1
Non-fiction |
What Patients taught me: A Medical Student’s journey by M.D. Audrey Young A medical resident recently informed me that her medical training had `robbed' her of the best years of her life. Her comment was not too perplexing at the surface, but I can't help to contrast it with the great awareness of humanity I find in Dr. Young's book. One captivating anecdote after another, Dr. Young's writing recreates for us some of the sacred vantage points on life she has received by way of approaching her patients with real humanism. The book also stands out among other medical training biographies because Dr. Young's experiences occurred in such special rural places. There is something in here for everyone. |
|
2
Non-fiction |
Madame Curie: A Biography The book is a reprint of the biography written by Marie Curie's daughter, Eve Curie in 1937. It is a book which should be read by all - especially aspiring scientists. Marie Curie was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in France, the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize and the first person to receive two Nobel prizes. The work she accomplished under the most difficult situations for a scientist is truly inspiring. When asked why she and her husband, Pierre Curie did not patent the procedure for extraction and purification of radium, something which would have made them very wealthy, she said "No, It would be contrary to the scientific spirit." How refreshing, since in today's world the first thought of scientists is patenting their discoveries. |
|
3
Fiction |
An Audience for Einstein by Mark Wakeley Professor Percival Marlowe is a brilliant, elderly astrophysicist who's dying, his greatest achievement still unfinished and now beyond his diminished means. Doctor Carl Dorning, a neurosurgeon, finally discovers a secret method of transplanting memories from one person to another, thanks to Marlowe's millions. Miguel Sanchez, a homeless boy, agrees to become the recipient of Marlowe's knowledge and personality in this unorthodox experiment, enticed by Dorning's promises of intelligence, wealth and respect, but dangerously unaware that his own identity will be lost. What results is a seesaw battle for control of Miguel's body, as Marlowe learns to his dismay what his lifetime of arrogance and conceit has earned him. And when Marlowe stumbles upon the shocking procedure Dorning used in desperation to succeed, the professor does what he must to defeat Dorning. |
|
4
Fiction
|
The Prometheus Project: Captured by Douglas E. Richard Included in The California Department of Education’s Recommended Literature for Science and Math and in Missouri State University’s Best New Books to Engage Students in Math and Science. This fast-paced, science fiction adventure is a stand-alone sequel to The Prometheus Project: Trapped. Along with their scientist parents, the brother-sister duo of Ryan and Regan continue their exploration of a fantastic alien city built deep underground. When the city is captured by a ruthless alien—with unknown capabilities and diabolical plans—and his band of mercenaries, the adult members of the team are taken hostage, and the siblings remain the team’s only hope. To save the adults, Ryan and Regan must outwit the brilliant alien and his well-trained force, free the prisoners, and thwart a seemingly unstoppable invasion. Crammed with cliffhangers, nonstop action, and unexpected twists and turns, this novel introduces scientific topics—sound and hearing, ultrasonic sound, experimental methodologies, flashpowder, human memory, and superconductivity—to children while engaging their imaginations. |
|
5
Fiction |
Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress Leisha Camden was genetically modified at birth to require no sleep, and her normal twin Alice is the control. Problems and envy between the sisters mirror those in the larger world, as society struggles to adjust to a growing pool of people who not only have 30 percent more time to work and study than normal humans, but are also highly intelligent and in perfect health. The Sleepless gradually outgrow their welcome on Earth, and their children escape to an orbiting space station to set up their own society. But Leisha and a few others remain behind, preaching acceptance for all humans, Sleepless and Sleeper alike. With the conspiracy and revenge that unwinds, the world needs a little preaching on tolerance. |