#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Sunday 9/22: Curriculum and Unit Planning Posted by The Literary Maven at September 20, 2019 Labels: #2ndaryELA, lesson plans <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNjjEN3deEc/XTZaUZacQ3I/AAAAAAAAO8E/a18eXQbPYVMc-POnO_IUKO9GZ8y2bl0GgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide17.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about curriculum and unit planning." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNjjEN3deEc/XTZaUZacQ3I/AAAAAAAAO8E/a18eXQbPYVMc-POnO_IUKO9GZ8y2bl0GgCEwYBhgL/s400/Slide17.PNG" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about curriculum and unit planning." width="400" /></a></div> Brynn Allison, <a href="http://theliterarymaven.com/">The Literary Maven</a>, & Lisa Spangler, <a href="https://mrsspanglerinthemiddle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Spangler in the Middle</a>, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Sunday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Friday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Sunday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last year and we hope that you will join us again.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> We'd also love for you to join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>, even if you aren't on Twitter.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span>2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.</div> </div> <div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> On <b>Sunday, September 22,</b> our #2ndaryELA chat will be about curriculum and unit planning.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5X6cmFRY3YI/XTZaiYBXVBI/AAAAAAAAO8I/z4ounbHZ82ozQEBl7vio2yW11I67l9DwgCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide18.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about curriculum and unit planning." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5X6cmFRY3YI/XTZaiYBXVBI/AAAAAAAAO8I/z4ounbHZ82ozQEBl7vio2yW11I67l9DwgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide18.PNG" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about curriculum and unit planning." width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div> <div> <b>The Directions:</b><br /> 1. Log into Twitter on Sunday from 8-8:30 PM EST.<br /> 2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”<br /> 3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.<br /> 4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @spanglermiddle) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.<br /> 5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.<br /> 6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.<br /> 7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like <a href="https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/">TweetDeck</a> or <a href="http://signup.hootsuite.com/pro-ent-na-english-r7t/?mkwid=sDAsRitua_dc&pcrid=44033846494&pkw=hootsuite&pmt=e&cntry=na-usa&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hootsuite_pro_google_search_usa_english_branded_alpha&gclid=CjwKEAjwlPOsBRCWq5_e973PzTgSJACMiEp20deRUBEuNIc3-ysreF3wIpeNKNT2xjnz9NpEMAnVhhoCvPDw_wcB">HootSuite</a> (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged as well as using images is also encouraged when relevant.</div> </div> <br /> <b>New to chats? Here are the rules:</b><br /> 1. Stay on topic & stay positive!<br /> 2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.<br /> 3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.<br /> 4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.<br /> 5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.<br /> 6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)<br /> <br /> You can also check out a quick video tutorial in <a href="http://www.2peasandadog.com/2016/01/how-to-use-twitter-chats.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a>.<br /> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Sunday evening and in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>!<br /> <br /> <b>Get caught up on past chats here:</b><br /> <b><br /></b></div> </div> </div> </div> <a data-pin-board-width="400" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="240" data-pin-scale-width="80" href="https://www.pinterest.com/LiteraryMaven/2ndaryela-twitter-chats/"></a><script async="" defer="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> </div>
More From The Blog On My Bookshelf: The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson Posted by The Literary Maven at September 16, 2019 Labels: my bookshelf, young adult literature <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MTzRZ-6TZNQ/XRzf9XImqgI/AAAAAAAAOsc/44O5oxOau68MflbRruOU8MZHzjyG6eR5wCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson is a memoir that recounts the authors experiences during the Holocaust, first in the Krakow ghetto and then in a concentration camp. Leon survived largely because he and his family were lucky enough to work for Oskar Schindler. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MTzRZ-6TZNQ/XRzf9XImqgI/AAAAAAAAOsc/44O5oxOau68MflbRruOU8MZHzjyG6eR5wCLcBGAs/s400/Slide6.png" title="The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson is a memoir that recounts the authors experiences during the Holocaust, first in the Krakow ghetto and then in a concentration camp. Leon survived largely because he and his family were lucky enough to work for Oskar Schindler. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div> <b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b>This, the only memoir published by a former Schindler’s list child, perfectly captures the innocence of a small boy who goes through the unthinkable. Leon Leyson (born Leib Lezjon) was only ten years old when the Nazis invaded Poland and his family was forced to relocate to the Krakow ghetto. With incredible luck, perseverance, and grit, Leyson was able to survive the sadism of the Nazis, including that of the demonic Amon Goeth, commandant of Plaszow, the concentration camp outside Krakow.<br /> <br /> Ultimately, it was the generosity and cunning of one man, Oskar Schindler, who saved Leon Leyson’s life, and the lives of his mother, his father, and two of his four siblings, by adding their names to his list of workers in his factory—a list that became world renowned: Schindler’s list.<br /> <br /> Told with an abundance of dignity and a remarkable lack of rancor and venom, <i>The Boy on the Wooden Box</i> is a legacy of hope, a memoir unlike anything you’ve ever read.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b><br /></b></span> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTXy1C2hSx0/XRzft3wvg4I/AAAAAAAAOsU/RhPL2qPOK6cLZN6nE77WoTawyFRxooxmgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide22.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson is a memoir that recounts the authors experiences during the Holocaust, first in the Krakow ghetto and then in a concentration camp. Leon survived largely because he and his family were lucky enough to work for Oskar Schindler. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTXy1C2hSx0/XRzft3wvg4I/AAAAAAAAOsU/RhPL2qPOK6cLZN6nE77WoTawyFRxooxmgCEwYBhgL/s400/Slide22.png" title="The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson is a memoir that recounts the authors experiences during the Holocaust, first in the Krakow ghetto and then in a concentration camp. Leon survived largely because he and his family were lucky enough to work for Oskar Schindler. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b>Why I liked it: </b></span>I am a HUGE fan of Holocaust literature and find the story of Schindler's list absolutely amazing, so I wasn't surprised when I couldn't put<b> </b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2X72jbb" target="_blank">The Boy on the Wooden Box</a></i> down.<br /> <br /> I loved the stories from Leon's childhood in Narewka and later in Krakow after his family relocates for his father's job. I was also amazed by the risks he took to remain with his family and his general bravery in the face of constant danger and potentially death.<br /> <b><br /></b> <b>Classroom application: </b>I would recommend this memoir for middle school and up. I used it this year in sixth grade as a choice for literature circles. All six of our choices tied in to the theme "decisions that matter" and were set during the Holocaust and WWII.<br /> <br /> The memoir would also be an excellent replacement for <i>Night</i> by Elie Wiesel. Leon's early life is more relatable to students and overall, the memoir is less dark and depressing.<br /> <br /> If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>The Boy on the Wooden Box</i> for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2X72jbb" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> <i><br /></i> <i>Note:</i> The Literary Maven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-Zg09H9VOQ/XRzfio7ULiI/AAAAAAAAOsM/tuiVOCGJDVE9L_RiD5YrcvFa_BZ_5yo3ACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson is a memoir that recounts the authors experiences during the Holocaust, first in the Krakow ghetto and then in a concentration camp. Leon survived largely because he and his family were lucky enough to work for Oskar Schindler. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-Zg09H9VOQ/XRzfio7ULiI/AAAAAAAAOsM/tuiVOCGJDVE9L_RiD5YrcvFa_BZ_5yo3ACLcBGAs/s400/Slide6.png" title="The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson is a memoir that recounts the authors experiences during the Holocaust, first in the Krakow ghetto and then in a concentration camp. Leon survived largely because he and his family were lucky enough to work for Oskar Schindler. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="266" /></a></div> <br /></div>
#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Sunday 9/15: Student Choice in the Classroom Posted by The Literary Maven at September 13, 2019 Labels: #2ndaryELA <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kerSeeDGI0U/XTZZSM0a-PI/AAAAAAAAO7w/j0DDJ5wtpZ0EtIRYnMdjC2XuAkChBucbQCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide15.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about student choice in the classroom." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kerSeeDGI0U/XTZZSM0a-PI/AAAAAAAAO7w/j0DDJ5wtpZ0EtIRYnMdjC2XuAkChBucbQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide15.PNG" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about student choice in the classroom." width="400" /></a></div> Brynn Allison, <a href="http://theliterarymaven.com/">The Literary Maven</a>, & Lisa Spangler, <a href="https://mrsspanglerinthemiddle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Spangler in the Middle</a>, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Sunday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Friday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Sunday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last year and we hope that you will join us again.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> We'd also love for you to join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>, even if you aren't on Twitter.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span>2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.</div> </div> <div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> On <b>Sunday, September 15,</b> our #2ndaryELA chat will be about student choice in the classroom.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MkgJAs50N6w/XTZZaxP_r6I/AAAAAAAAO70/-XSAln9SlxEtHIrSPmY8VBRnuagZhCabQCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide16.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about student choice in the classroom." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MkgJAs50N6w/XTZZaxP_r6I/AAAAAAAAO70/-XSAln9SlxEtHIrSPmY8VBRnuagZhCabQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide16.PNG" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about student choice in the classroom." width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div> <div> <b>The Directions:</b><br /> 1. Log into Twitter on Sunday from 8-8:30 PM EST.<br /> 2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”<br /> 3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.<br /> 4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @spanglermiddle) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.<br /> 5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.<br /> 6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.<br /> 7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like <a href="https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/">TweetDeck</a> or <a href="http://signup.hootsuite.com/pro-ent-na-english-r7t/?mkwid=sDAsRitua_dc&pcrid=44033846494&pkw=hootsuite&pmt=e&cntry=na-usa&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hootsuite_pro_google_search_usa_english_branded_alpha&gclid=CjwKEAjwlPOsBRCWq5_e973PzTgSJACMiEp20deRUBEuNIc3-ysreF3wIpeNKNT2xjnz9NpEMAnVhhoCvPDw_wcB">HootSuite</a> (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged as well as using images is also encouraged when relevant.</div> </div> <br /> <b>New to chats? Here are the rules:</b><br /> 1. Stay on topic & stay positive!<br /> 2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.<br /> 3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.<br /> 4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.<br /> 5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.<br /> 6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)<br /> <br /> You can also check out a quick video tutorial in <a href="http://www.2peasandadog.com/2016/01/how-to-use-twitter-chats.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a>.<br /> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Sunday evening and in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>!<br /> <br /> <b>Get caught up on past chats here:</b><br /> <b><br /></b></div> </div> </div> </div> <a data-pin-board-width="400" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="240" data-pin-scale-width="80" href="https://www.pinterest.com/LiteraryMaven/2ndaryela-twitter-chats/"></a><script async="" defer="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> </div>
On My Bookshelf: The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti Posted by The Literary Maven at September 09, 2019 Labels: my bookshelf, young adult literature <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nr1ZhiML8n0/XRzesyUvQiI/AAAAAAAAOr0/inG0-_jZShsi2pnYptHEWDiLuQ7HQ7zHgCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Boy Who Dared is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person to be sentenced to death (by guillotine) by the Nazis during World War II. As Hitler rises to power, Helmuth becomes increasingly uncomfortable with what it means to be a German. " border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nr1ZhiML8n0/XRzesyUvQiI/AAAAAAAAOr0/inG0-_jZShsi2pnYptHEWDiLuQ7HQ7zHgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide7.png" title="The Boy Who Dared is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person to be sentenced to death (by guillotine) by the Nazis during World War II. As Hitler rises to power, Helmuth becomes increasingly uncomfortable with what it means to be a German. " width="400" /></a></div> <b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b>Susan Campbell Bartoletti has taken one episode from her Newbery Honor Book, <i>Hitler Youth</i>, and fleshed it out into a thought-provoking nonfiction novel. When 16-year-old Helmut Hubner listens to the BBC news on an illegal short-wave radio, he quickly discovers Germany is lying to the people. But when he tries to expose the truth with leaflets, he's tried for treason. Sentenced to death and waiting in a jail cell, Helmut's story emerges in a series of flashbacks that show his growth from a naive child caught up in the patriotism of the times, to a sensitive and mature young man who thinks for himself.<br /> <br /> <div> <div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b>Why I liked it: </b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2Xphhsl" target="_blank">The Boy Who Dared</a> </i></span>is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person to be sentenced to death (by guillotine) by the Nazis during World War II. As Hitler rises to power, Helmuth becomes increasingly uncomfortable with what it means to be a German. When one of his brothers is home briefly from serving in the German army, he brings home an illegal radio, which Helmuth begins listening to in secret. Helmuth uses information from the foreign broadcast he listens to illegally to distribute pamphlets about the truth about the war.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D54_ml7yQDI/XRze2KIOIhI/AAAAAAAAOr4/MmEXb1d-_U0-Jo58zADTqF2Scoj0TLN6QCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide21.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Boy Who Dared is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person to be sentenced to death (by guillotine) by the Nazis during World War II. As Hitler rises to power, Helmuth becomes increasingly uncomfortable with what it means to be a German. " border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D54_ml7yQDI/XRze2KIOIhI/AAAAAAAAOr4/MmEXb1d-_U0-Jo58zADTqF2Scoj0TLN6QCLcBGAs/s400/Slide21.png" title="The Boy Who Dared is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person to be sentenced to death (by guillotine) by the Nazis during World War II. As Hitler rises to power, Helmuth becomes increasingly uncomfortable with what it means to be a German. " width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Helmut is just 16 at the time of his arrest. As an adult (and a mother) it was painful to watch how idealistic and trusting he was. His actions were bold and daring, but also put the lives of others around him at risk. He foolishly thought be would be able to keep the names of his friends secret, but did not know how intense his torture would be to get him to give them up.<br /> <br /> I especially liked that the novel did not have a happy ending. As we move farther away from these events in history, there can be a tendency to only focus on the good or romanticize the past. It showed how dangerous life was even as an "ordinary" citizen and illustrated the culture of fear during the time period that caused people to turn on each other. The novel shows how difficult it was to resist without also risking your own life. It also had great author's notes at the end.</div> <div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> <br /> <b>Classroom application: </b>I used this novel as part of my 6th grade literature circles this year. All of the book choices connect to the theme of "decisions that matter" and are set during WWII and the Holocaust. My hope was that this choice in particular would show students that you are never too young to stand up to what is wrong.<br /> <br /> If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>The Boy Who Dared</i> for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2Xphhsl" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> <i><br /></i> <i>Note:</i> The Literary Maven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n1a4gnBgDl0/XRze-zSQaRI/AAAAAAAAOsA/4sEyswl4-tw-lSv9-M9Rgt56OCeEJLOogCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Boy Who Dared is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person to be sentenced to death (by guillotine) by the Nazis during World War II. As Hitler rises to power, Helmuth becomes increasingly uncomfortable with what it means to be a German. " border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n1a4gnBgDl0/XRze-zSQaRI/AAAAAAAAOsA/4sEyswl4-tw-lSv9-M9Rgt56OCeEJLOogCLcBGAs/s400/Slide7.png" title="The Boy Who Dared is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person to be sentenced to death (by guillotine) by the Nazis during World War II. As Hitler rises to power, Helmuth becomes increasingly uncomfortable with what it means to be a German. " width="266" /></a></div> <br /></div> </div>
Turning Students Into Readers with First Chapter Friday Posted by The Literary Maven at September 08, 2019 Labels: #2ndaryELA, reading <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YWOVYdccoyU/XUTVpkE1y0I/AAAAAAAAPI0/igSZsWpEe-IAPV-g2BBK1627CD-KINAEACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="If you'd like to add read alouds to your secondary English Language Arts classroom, but you aren't sure that you want to commit to reading an entire novel, why not try out First Chapter Friday and expose your students to a variety of high interest books? In this #2ndaryELA Twitter chat, middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they select the books to spotlight, how it fits into their classroom routine, and what to do after reading. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YWOVYdccoyU/XUTVpkE1y0I/AAAAAAAAPI0/igSZsWpEe-IAPV-g2BBK1627CD-KINAEACLcBGAs/s400/Slide4.png" title="If you'd like to add read alouds to your secondary English Language Arts classroom, but you aren't sure that you want to commit to reading an entire novel, why not try out First Chapter Friday and expose your students to a variety of high interest books? In this #2ndaryELA Twitter chat, middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they select the books to spotlight, how it fits into their classroom routine, and what to do after reading. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom." width="400" /></a></div> If you'd like to add read alouds to your secondary English Language Arts classroom, but you aren't sure that you want to commit to reading an entire novel, why not try out First Chapter Friday and expose your students to a variety of high interest books? This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about First Chapter Friday. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they select the books that they spotlight. Teachers also shared how First Chapter Friday fits into the routine of their classes.<br /> <br /> Scroll down to read through the chat. You'll get ideas about other read alouds to incorporate into your instruction and what do do with students during and after reading. You'll also find out what to do with the books that you've highlighted and some highly recommended titles.<br /> <br /> <div> Hope you'll join us next week for another chat. We'd also love for you to join <span style="text-align: center;">our </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/" style="text-align: center;">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a> (<span style="text-align: center;">even if you aren't on Twitter).</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><span style="text-align: center;">2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.</span><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <a class="twitter-moment" href="https://twitter.com/i/moments/1170860126099726338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Turning Students Into Readers with First Chapter Friday</a> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gIBGrdhG4qs/XUTnUwiFnQI/AAAAAAAAPKE/iL-uKdv_Ahog3Y3s013m3ZhhPi-lGParACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="If you'd like to add read alouds to your secondary English Language Arts classroom, but you aren't sure that you want to commit to reading an entire novel, why not try out First Chapter Friday and expose your students to a variety of high interest books? In this #2ndaryELA Twitter chat, middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they select the books to spotlight, how it fits into their classroom routine, and what to do after reading. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom." border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gIBGrdhG4qs/XUTnUwiFnQI/AAAAAAAAPKE/iL-uKdv_Ahog3Y3s013m3ZhhPi-lGParACLcBGAs/s400/Slide4.png" title="If you'd like to add read alouds to your secondary English Language Arts classroom, but you aren't sure that you want to commit to reading an entire novel, why not try out First Chapter Friday and expose your students to a variety of high interest books? In this #2ndaryELA Twitter chat, middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they select the books to spotlight, how it fits into their classroom routine, and what to do after reading. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom." width="208" /></a></div> <span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div> </div>
#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Sunday 9/8: First Chapter Friday Posted by The Literary Maven at September 06, 2019 Labels: #2ndaryELA, reading <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkZewYxeg4w/XTZYCK5rAtI/AAAAAAAAO7c/8CKrfxnGe1o-NMPnCYVjMiAuGU9VyrKDgCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide13.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about First Chapter Friday." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WkZewYxeg4w/XTZYCK5rAtI/AAAAAAAAO7c/8CKrfxnGe1o-NMPnCYVjMiAuGU9VyrKDgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide13.PNG" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about First Chapter Friday." width="400" /></a></div> Brynn Allison, <a href="http://theliterarymaven.com/">The Literary Maven</a>, & Lisa Spangler, <a href="https://mrsspanglerinthemiddle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Spangler in the Middle</a>, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Sunday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Friday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Sunday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last year and we hope that you will join us again.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> We'd also love for you to join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>, even if you aren't on Twitter.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span>2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.</div> </div> <div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> On <b>Sunday, September 8,</b> our #2ndaryELA chat will be about First Chapter Friday.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1HlsdYhcNX4/XTZYHCrl7KI/AAAAAAAAO7g/g4tZQCil3pI7FlR1aqw1win5XPb5s1T7wCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide14.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about First Chapter Friday." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1HlsdYhcNX4/XTZYHCrl7KI/AAAAAAAAO7g/g4tZQCil3pI7FlR1aqw1win5XPb5s1T7wCLcBGAs/s400/Slide14.PNG" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about First Chapter Friday." width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div> <div> <b>The Directions:</b><br /> 1. Log into Twitter on Sunday from 8-8:30 PM EST.<br /> 2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”<br /> 3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.<br /> 4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @spanglermiddle) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.<br /> 5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.<br /> 6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.<br /> 7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like <a href="https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/">TweetDeck</a> or <a href="http://signup.hootsuite.com/pro-ent-na-english-r7t/?mkwid=sDAsRitua_dc&pcrid=44033846494&pkw=hootsuite&pmt=e&cntry=na-usa&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hootsuite_pro_google_search_usa_english_branded_alpha&gclid=CjwKEAjwlPOsBRCWq5_e973PzTgSJACMiEp20deRUBEuNIc3-ysreF3wIpeNKNT2xjnz9NpEMAnVhhoCvPDw_wcB">HootSuite</a> (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged as well as using images is also encouraged when relevant.</div> </div> <br /> <b>New to chats? Here are the rules:</b><br /> 1. Stay on topic & stay positive!<br /> 2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.<br /> 3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.<br /> 4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.<br /> 5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.<br /> 6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)<br /> <br /> You can also check out a quick video tutorial in <a href="http://www.2peasandadog.com/2016/01/how-to-use-twitter-chats.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a>.<br /> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Sunday evening and in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>!<br /> <br /> <b>Get caught up on past chats here:</b><br /> <b><br /></b></div> </div> </div> </div> <a data-pin-board-width="400" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="240" data-pin-scale-width="80" href="https://www.pinterest.com/LiteraryMaven/2ndaryela-twitter-chats/"></a><script async="" defer="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script> </div>
On My Bookshelf: Sunny by Jason Reynolds Posted by The Literary Maven at September 02, 2019 Labels: my bookshelf, young adult literature <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xstiep9derY/XRj89mXMA3I/AAAAAAAAOqM/QYC3hKJ1L9kDpyuHGVUqu6_V_cZ_MiYawCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide22.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sunny by Jason Reynolds focuses on the main character’s grief over losing a mother he never met, a woman his father was completely in love with and made all of his life plans with. Sunny feels that he is disappointing both his parents by not fulfilling his mother’s dreams. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xstiep9derY/XRj89mXMA3I/AAAAAAAAOqM/QYC3hKJ1L9kDpyuHGVUqu6_V_cZ_MiYawCLcBGAs/s400/Slide22.png" title="Sunny by Jason Reynolds focuses on the main character’s grief over losing a mother he never met, a woman his father was completely in love with and made all of his life plans with. Sunny feels that he is disappointing both his parents by not fulfilling his mother’s dreams. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div> <b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b>Sunny tries to shine despite his troubled past in this third novel in the critically acclaimed Track series from National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds.<br /> <br /> Ghost. Patina. Sunny. Lu. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds, with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics. They all have a lot of lose, but they all have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Sunny is the main character in this novel, the third of four books in Jason Reynold’s electrifying middle grade series.<br /> <br /> Sunny is just that—sunny. Always ready with a goofy smile and something nice to say, Sunny is the chillest dude on the Defenders team. But Sunny’s life hasn’t always been sun beamy-bright. You see, Sunny is a murderer. Or at least he thinks of himself that way. His mother died giving birth to him, and based on how Sunny’s dad treats him—ignoring him, making Sunny call him Darryl, never “Dad”—it’s no wonder Sunny thinks he’s to blame. It seems the only thing Sunny can do right in his dad’s eyes is win first place ribbons running the mile, just like his mom did. But Sunny doesn’t like running, never has. So he stops. Right in the middle of a race.<br /> <br /> With his relationship with his dad now worse than ever, the last thing Sunny wants to do is leave the other newbies—his only friends—behind. But you can’t be on a track team and not run. So Coach asks Sunny what he wants to do. Sunny’s answer? Dance. Yes, dance. But you also can’t be on a track team and dance. Then, in a stroke of genius only Jason Reynolds can conceive, Sunny discovers a track event that encompasses the hard hits of hip-hop, the precision of ballet, and the showmanship of dance as a whole: the discus throw. As Sunny practices the discus, learning when to let go at just the right time, he’ll let go of everything that’s been eating him up inside, perhaps just in time.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFoJbaH48ik/XRj9GaPYLYI/AAAAAAAAOqQ/UE5I6dXgqu4rDFaxG-NSC80NTjcQWagggCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide12.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Sunny by Jason Reynolds focuses on the main character’s grief over losing a mother he never met, a woman his father was completely in love with and made all of his life plans with. Sunny feels that he is disappointing both his parents by not fulfilling his mother’s dreams. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QFoJbaH48ik/XRj9GaPYLYI/AAAAAAAAOqQ/UE5I6dXgqu4rDFaxG-NSC80NTjcQWagggCEwYBhgL/s400/Slide12.png" title="Sunny by Jason Reynolds focuses on the main character’s grief over losing a mother he never met, a woman his father was completely in love with and made all of his life plans with. Sunny feels that he is disappointing both his parents by not fulfilling his mother’s dreams. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <div> </div> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b>Why I liked it: </b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2N8tNZ6" target="_blank">Sunny</a> </i></span>is the third book in Jason Reynold's Track series and I'll be honest, it didn't grab me the same way the first two, <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/01/review-ghost-jason-reynolds.html" target="_blank"><i>Ghost</i></a> and <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/05/review-patina-jason-reynolds.html" target="_blank">Patina</a></i>, did. I still enjoyed getting to know all of the characters better and I'm hoping the fourth and final book in the series will pick up the pace again.<br /> <br /> Sunny focuses on the main character’s grief over losing a mother he never met, a woman his father was completely in love with and made all of his life plans with. Sunny feels that he is disappointing both his parents by not fulfilling his mother’s dreams, but they are the dreams that she had for herself and Sunny finally takes a stand about his own dreams. I wished that Ghost, Patina, Lu and the rest of the track crew played a larger role in the book.<br /> <br /> I did feel a personal connection with the plot since like Sunny’s mother, my grandmother’s mother died in childbirth. I loved that Sunny and his father did puzzles made out of photographs of his mother. I also thought Sunny’s homeschool experience was highly unrealistic. While Aurelia was an awesome support for Sunny, his schooling was completely unstructured. As a teacher I objected to the fact that there was no mention of any testing or how he would receive credit for courses.<br /> <br /> <b>Classroom application: </b>Like the rest of the Track series, I would recommend <i>Sunny</i> for middle school and up.<br /> <br /> If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>Sunny</i> for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2N8tNZ6" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> <i><br /></i> <i>Note:</i> The Literary Maven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TC5d98XQRxc/XRj8qN9xcUI/AAAAAAAAOqE/u_Tnjn3i8Hs78oC7yrNmxARXU_IYQlYCACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide22.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sunny by Jason Reynolds focuses on the main character’s grief over losing a mother he never met, a woman his father was completely in love with and made all of his life plans with. Sunny feels that he is disappointing both his parents by not fulfilling his mother’s dreams. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TC5d98XQRxc/XRj8qN9xcUI/AAAAAAAAOqE/u_Tnjn3i8Hs78oC7yrNmxARXU_IYQlYCACLcBGAs/s400/Slide22.png" title="Sunny by Jason Reynolds focuses on the main character’s grief over losing a mother he never met, a woman his father was completely in love with and made all of his life plans with. Sunny feels that he is disappointing both his parents by not fulfilling his mother’s dreams. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="266" /></a></div> <br /> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style> </div>
