Working Smarter, Not Harder in the ELA Classroom Posted by Brynn Allison at January 18, 2019 Labels: #2ndaryELA, teachers <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xQYAD9CNWhw/W2GkHfd4LrI/AAAAAAAAM6Y/OsHiIjb6WccMfTfKsL7EMaqakZuzpVLwwCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide09.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The start of the school year isn't the only time to set goals. After the new year is the perfect time to refocus your vision for your classroom. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about teachers goals and focus for the second half of the school year. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed ways to work smarter, not harder. Teachers also shared .creative activities and projects for other teachers to try out. 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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xQYAD9CNWhw/W2GkHfd4LrI/AAAAAAAAM6Y/OsHiIjb6WccMfTfKsL7EMaqakZuzpVLwwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide09.png" title="The start of the school year isn't the only time to set goals. After the new year is the perfect time to refocus your vision for your classroom. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about teachers goals and focus for the second half of the school year. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed ways to work smarter, not harder. Teachers also shared .creative activities and projects for other teachers to try out. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom." width="400" /></a></div> This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about teachers' goals and focus for the second half of the school year. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed ways to work smarter, not harder. Teachers also shared .creative activities and projects for other teachers to try out.<br /> <br /> Read through the chat below to find out about new tech tools used successfully in the ELA classroom. You'll get ideas about strategies to use in and out of school to avoid burning out before the year ends.<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 /> <span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span> <a class="twitter-moment" href="https://twitter.com/i/moments/1085351686422622209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">New Year, Better Teaching</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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BtbOt8-onJM/W2GkBxPJXvI/AAAAAAAAM6Q/rCMzlmFyv2UCXIisFD99VEYH9twAuSRTwCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The start of the school year isn't the only time to set goals. After the new year is the perfect time to refocus your vision for your classroom. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about teachers goals and focus for the second half of the school year. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed ways to work smarter, not harder. Teachers also shared .creative activities and projects for other teachers to try out. 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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BtbOt8-onJM/W2GkBxPJXvI/AAAAAAAAM6Q/rCMzlmFyv2UCXIisFD99VEYH9twAuSRTwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide09.png" title="The start of the school year isn't the only time to set goals. After the new year is the perfect time to refocus your vision for your classroom. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about teachers goals and focus for the second half of the school year. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed ways to work smarter, not harder. Teachers also shared .creative activities and projects for other teachers to try out. 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>
More From The Blog On My Bookshelf: How Did I Get Here? by Jane Marlow Posted by Brynn Allison at January 14, 2019 Labels: history, my bookshelf <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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5VEEVVssnD8/W6faPm5s1cI/AAAAAAAANXE/j4QUAuP1q582l6Lojv_IrhcoZcoZiVchgCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5VEEVVssnD8/W6faPm5s1cI/AAAAAAAANXE/j4QUAuP1q582l6Lojv_IrhcoZcoZiVchgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide4.png" width="400" /></a></div> <b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b>Andrey enters his final year of medical studies in 1854 with an empty belly, empty pockets, and secondhand clothes hanging together by wishful thinking. When Russia blunders into the misbegotten Crimean War, Tsar Nicholas recruits medical students to the front, and Andrey grabs at this flash of good luck. <br /> <br /> But his sanity is soon tested as he is forced to witness the most senseless and utter disregard for human life imaginable--where the death of a man holds no more significance than the death of a beetle. Andrey fears he is slowly becoming unhinged by the sound and feel of the relentless rasp of his saw against the mangled limbs of soldiers who have had no anesthesia. <br /> <br /> Eventually the guns stop firing, and the ink dries on the peace treaty, but the madness of war doesn't end for Andrey. Can he stop seeking solace from the vodka bottle? Can he cease being a black well of bottomless cynicism? Can he begin to trust the woman who longs to walk beside him on his journey?<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/2NxcLnx" target="_blank">How Did I Get Here?</a> </i>was a slow start for me, largely because of my dislike for the main character Andrey. He is whiny, self-centered, and ungrateful. He joins the war efforts for selfish reasons and doesn't stop thinking of himself until the final chapters of the book. He is oblivious to the feelings and struggles of others even as illness and death surround him. This was the second book in a series, so perhaps reading the first would have warmed me to Andrey.</span><br /> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Of interest was the background information about a historical event I knew little about, the Crimean War, life in Russia </span> during that time period, and the ideas about medical practice.<br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Classroom application: </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Excerpts of the novel could be used for a thematic unit focused on the brutalities of war. Possible parings might include <i>The Things They Carried</i> by Tim O'Brien and "</span>An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Pierce. Students could also research the evolution of medical practice and the changes that have occurred over time, particularly the relationship between cleanliness and spread of disease and infection.<br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>How Did I Get Here? </i>for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2NxcLnx" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> </div> </div> <i><br /></i> <i>Note:</i> I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5zdftbExaHg/W6faVtKsYhI/AAAAAAAANXI/ILp-tzsGIc4C3J3YKxxbbgkzqVpBE2-iQCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5zdftbExaHg/W6faVtKsYhI/AAAAAAAANXI/ILp-tzsGIc4C3J3YKxxbbgkzqVpBE2-iQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide4.png" width="266" /></a></div> <br /></div> </div>
#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 1/15 Topic: New Year, Better Teaching Posted by Brynn Allison at January 13, 2019 Labels: #2ndaryELA <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BjXTPv5dH10/W1T9He4kI9I/AAAAAAAAWRk/SykVKmojORQgwn75natqzbJFETcdxykWACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide35.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about starting a new year with new ideas for teaching in the classroom!" border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BjXTPv5dH10/W1T9He4kI9I/AAAAAAAAWRk/SykVKmojORQgwn75natqzbJFETcdxykWACLcBGAs/s400/Slide35.png" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about starting a new year with new ideas for teaching in the classroom!" width="400" /></a>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 Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /> 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>Tuesday, January 15,</b> our #2ndaryELA chat will be about starting a new year with new ideas for teaching in the classroom!<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w5iI4UNTsVs/W1T9dYR86CI/AAAAAAAAWRs/xx2huRKjUTc0qSPhktz9MFz8C9UsHHBNwCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide36.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w5iI4UNTsVs/W1T9dYR86CI/AAAAAAAAWRs/xx2huRKjUTc0qSPhktz9MFz8C9UsHHBNwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide36.png" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </div> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div> <div> <b>The Directions:</b><br /> 1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday 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 @2peasandadog) 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, so be sure to use a link shortener like <a href="http://tinyurl.com/">tinyurl</a>, <a href="http://www.bitly.com/">bitly</a>, <a href="http://goo.gl/">goo.gl</a> or <a href="http://ow.ly/url/shorten-url">ow.ly</a> Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. 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 Tuesday 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>
8 More Fantasy & Dystopian Titles to Recommend to Your Secondary Students Posted by Brynn Allison at January 11, 2019 Labels: book list, my bookshelf, young adult literature <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/-6uBaRsJpGVc/Wx2J55pVx8I/AAAAAAAAMOo/zMFPTj8iZV4VsDRSirbo-eed1IJIyextACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide03.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fantasy and dystopian novels transport us into worlds that are different and yet not so different from our own. Readers delight in the impossibilities just as much as the possibilities in these books. Here's 8 fantasy and dystopian titles, many of them part of a series, that I've recently read and would recommend to middle and high school students." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6uBaRsJpGVc/Wx2J55pVx8I/AAAAAAAAMOo/zMFPTj8iZV4VsDRSirbo-eed1IJIyextACLcBGAs/s400/Slide03.png" title="Fantasy and dystopian novels transport us into worlds that are different and yet not so different from our own. Readers delight in the impossibilities just as much as the possibilities in these books. Here's 8 fantasy and dystopian titles, many of them part of a series, that I've recently read and would recommend to middle and high school students." width="400" /></a></div> Fantasy and dystopian novels transport us into worlds that are different and yet not so different from our own. Readers delight in the impossibilities just as much as the possibilities in these books. I recently wrote about <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/10/teen-books-fantasy-dystopia.html" target="_blank">8 fantasy and dystopian titles</a>, many of them part of a series, that I've recently read and would recommend to middle and high school students, and here's 8 more. Click the title of each to read my full review and ideas for using it in the classroom.<br /> <div> <br /> 1. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/02/review-giver-lois-lowry.html" target="_blank"><i>The Giver</i> by Lois Lowry</a><br /> <div> Life in a utopian society is revealed through the experiences of Jonas, a soon to be twelve year old boy who is transitioning into the adult world. Part of that transition is receiving his "assignment," the role he will serve in the community for the rest of his adult life. The use of third person limited point of view focused on Jonas allows the reader to share the realization that the safety in "sameness" has terrible consequences. The novel is part of a quartet, which also includes <i>Gathering Blue, Messenger</i>, and <i>Son</i>.<br /> <br /> 2. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/01/review-emerson-page-where-light-enters.html" target="_blank"><i>Emerson Page and Where The Light Enters</i> by Christa Avampato</a></div> <div> Emerson's journey to find out the truth about her mother's death leads her below the streets of New York City on a dangerous adventure into a magical world of books. The novel is filled with beautifully descriptive language that conjures up images of magical places and its references to other works of literature make a reading nerd like me feel right at home. </div> <div> <br /> 3. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/12/review-kings-cage-victoria-aveyard.html" target="_blank"><i>King's Cage</i> by Victoria Aveyard</a></div> <div> The Mare Barrow of <i><a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/05/review-red-queen-victoria-aveyard.html" target="_blank">Red Queen</a></i>, the first book in the series, is back. In <i><a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/02/review-glass-sword-victoria-aveyard.html" target="_blank">Glass Sword</a></i>, the second book in the series, Mare was hard to warm up to; she seemed cold, distant, and calculating. Much of the novel focuses on her complicated relationship with Maven, as both are unsure of how to deal with the feelings they deny that they still have for each other. Maven can't stand to have her be killed, but also can't let her go free. </div> <div> <br /> 4. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/08/review-matched-ally-condie.html" target="_blank"><i>Matched</i> by Ally Condie</a></div> <div> The Society has chosen a match for Cassia, but a technological malfunction makes her question if he really is her match. The novel has similar themes to <i>The Giver</i> by Lois Lowry and would be a great next read if you loved the Hunger Games series. <i><a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/09/review-crossed-ally-condie.html" target="_blank">Crossed</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/09/review-reached-ally-condie.html" target="_blank">Reached</a></i>, books two and three in the trilogy are just as good.<br /> <br /> 5. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/08/review-invisible-library-genevieve-cogman.html" target="_blank"><i>The Invisible Library</i> by Genevieve Cogman</a></div> <div> This is a Harry Potter book grown up: filled with magical dilemmas and a formidable evil enemy, but with adult characters. On a mission from her secret society of Librarians, Irene must track down an important book before Alberich, the evil, ex-Librarian whose name many fear to even speak, gets his hands on it. There are currently four other books in this series.<br /> <br /> 6. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/02/on-my-bookshelf-life-as-we-knew-it-by.html" target="_blank"><i>Life As We Knew It</i> by Susan Beth Pfeffer</a></div> <div> This is book one in a series about life in a very realistic post-apocalyptic world. An asteroid has knocked the moon closer to Earth causing all sorts of natural disasters. Miranda, the main character, and her family must make difficult choices about survival with no end to the disaster in sight. Book two, <i><a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/07/review-dead-and-gone-susan-beth-pfeffer.html" target="_blank">The Dead And Gone</a></i>, is set in New York City and features Alex a Hispanic teenage boy as the protagonist. In book three, <i><a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/07/review-this-world-we-live-in-susan-beth-pfeffer.html" target="_blank">This World We Live In</a></i>, Miranda and Alex's lives intersect. The final book in the series is in my to be read list.<br /> <br /> 7. <i><a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/07/review-heartless-marissa-meyer.html" target="_blank">Heartless</a></i> by Marissa Meyer<br /> This "prequel" to <i>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</i> reveals how the Queen of Hearts, Catherine, became such a fury-filled tyrant. Catherine's story begins with her dream of opening a bakery, her overbearing, but well-meaning mother and a secret love. </div> <div> <br /> 8. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/06/review-thousandth-floor-katharine-mcgee.html" target="_blank"><i>The Thousandth Floor</i> by Katharine McGee</a></div> <div> This is an interesting look at what the future might be like told by five alternating narrators. Set in a tower large enough to house a city, the novel follows the intersecting lives of five teenagers, all acting on hidden motives to protect dangerous secrets. For one of them, it will end with a long fall to her death. There are currently two other books in this series.</div> </div> </div>
On My Bookshelf: The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton Posted by Brynn Allison at January 07, 2019 Labels: my bookshelf, nonfiction <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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G0EDxZfPzp4/W6faE9JoWaI/AAAAAAAANW4/t92Zvn8aZuURgz7egqNGyx3b7roPYcFVwCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G0EDxZfPzp4/W6faE9JoWaI/AAAAAAAANW4/t92Zvn8aZuURgz7egqNGyx3b7roPYcFVwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.png" width="400" /></a></div> <b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b>In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Stunned, confused, and only twenty–nine years old, Hinton knew that it was a case of mistaken identity and believed that the truth would prove his innocence and ultimately set him free.<br /> <br /> But with no money and a different system of justice for a poor black man in the South, Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution. He spent his first three years on Death Row at Holman State Prison in agonizing silence―full of despair and anger toward all those who had sent an innocent man to his death. But as Hinton realized and accepted his fate, he resolved not only to survive, but find a way to live on Death Row. For the next twenty–seven years he was a beacon―transforming not only his own spirit, but those of his fellow inmates, fifty–four of whom were executed mere feet from his cell. With the help of civil rights attorney and bestselling author of <i>Just Mercy,</i> Bryan Stevenson, Hinton won his release in 2015.<br /> <br /> With a foreword by Stevenson, <i>The Sun Does Shine</i> is an extraordinary testament to the power of hope sustained through the darkest times. Destined to be a classic memoir of wrongful imprisonment and freedom won, Hinton’s memoir tells his dramatic thirty–year journey and shows how you can take away a man’s freedom, but you can’t take away his imagination, humor, or joy.<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/2zoO4AV" target="_blank">The Sun Does Shine</a> </i>is gripping memoir that I couldn't go to bed without finishing (and this is coming from a mother with three kids two and under who is constantly desperate from sleep, so that says a lot). Set just thirty years in the past, Anthony Ray Hinton's narration paints a clear picture of how slow change has been (if much has changed at all) for black men in the South. His descriptions of hiding in ditches with a friend as they walked home from school because they never knew who might drive by is an experience that readers would like to place in pre-Civil Rights times, but takes place much more recently. Even more infuriating are the events surrounding his arrest and trial. While at first, Hinton shuts down in prison, he eventually becomes a leader and a friend to the other men on death row as he makes appeal after appeal. It's a plight that I couldn't even begin to imagine navigating, yet Hinton tells it all with grace and simplicity.</span><br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Classroom application: </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If you are looking for a text to replace <i>To Kill A Mockingbird</i>, <i>The Sun Does Shine</i> would be a great candidate (I love <i>TKAM</i>, but there are some <a href="https://www.bustle.com/p/to-kill-a-mockingbird-shouldnt-be-banned-but-students-deserve-alternative-to-white-savior-narratives-2921495" target="_blank">strong arguments</a> for why it should be replaced.) Instead of using a piece of fiction narrated by a child and largely focused on a "white savior" to examine racial inequalities in American, using <i>The Sun Does Shine </i>would allow the black experience (and a true one at that) to be narrated by a black writer whose savior is another black man. </span><br /> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Unfortunately, it is all too easy to make other real world connections with <i>The Sun Does Shine</i>. The Innocence Project has spent the past 25 years exonerating the wrongfully accused, and <a href="https://www.innocenceproject.org/cases/ronald-cotton/" target="_blank">Ronald Cotton's case</a> has some similarities to Hinton's. The <a href="https://eji.org/" target="_blank">Equal Justice Initiative</a>, founded by Bryan Stevenson and responsible for Hinton's freedom, is a wealth of information about fighting racial injustice. </span><br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>The Sun Does Shine </i>for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2zoO4AV" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> </div> </div> <i><br /></i> <i>Note:</i> I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xEW41iBcFoM/W6faJ3mVJsI/AAAAAAAANW8/M3a6WRak2D8ahm9xr4Xjt-cxmzCn1LNzQCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xEW41iBcFoM/W6faJ3mVJsI/AAAAAAAANW8/M3a6WRak2D8ahm9xr4Xjt-cxmzCn1LNzQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.png" width="266" /></a></div> <br /></div> </div>
On My Bookshelf: How I Resist: Activism and Hope for a New Generation by Maureen Johnson Posted by Brynn Allison at December 31, 2018 Labels: my bookshelf, nonfiction <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qOn1rRnW6B8/W6fZwcL2lHI/AAAAAAAANWs/woFF6od6utYfm7zH_LwoQBp_I4LqvxqUACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qOn1rRnW6B8/W6fZwcL2lHI/AAAAAAAANWs/woFF6od6utYfm7zH_LwoQBp_I4LqvxqUACLcBGAs/s400/Slide2.png" width="400" /></a></div> <b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b>An all-star collection of essays about activism and hope, edited by bestselling YA author Maureen Johnson.<br /> <br /> Now, more than ever, young people are motivated to make a difference in a world they're bound to inherit. They're ready to stand up and be heard - but with much to shout about, where they do they begin? What can I do? How can I help?<br /> <br /> <i>How I Resist</i> is the response, and a way to start the conversation. To show readers that they are not helpless, and that anyone can be the change. A collection of essays, songs, illustrations, and interviews about activism and hope, How I Resist features an all-star group of contributors, including, John Paul Brammer, Libba Bray, Lauren Duca, Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his husband Justin Mikita, Alex Gino, Hebh Jamal, Malinda Lo, Dylan Marron, Hamilton star Javier Muñoz, Rosie O'Donnell, Junauda Petrus, Jodi Picoult, Jason Reynolds, Karuna Riazi, Maya Rupert, Dana Schwartz, Dan Sinker, Ali Stroker, Jonny Sun (aka @jonnysun), Sabaa Tahir, Shaina Taub, Daniel Watts, Jennifer Weiner, Jacqueline Woodson, and more, all edited and compiled by New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson.<br /> <br /> I<i>n How I Resist</i>, readers will find hope and support through voices that are at turns personal, funny, irreverent, and instructive. Not just for a young adult audience, this incredibly impactful collection will appeal to readers of all ages who are feeling adrift and looking for guidance.<br /> <i><br />How I Resist</i> is the kind of book people will be discussing for years to come and a staple on bookshelves for generations.<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/2xIgNyC" target="_blank">How I Resist</a> </i></span>is a collection that challenges the idea of resistance. Protests, marches, and sit-ins are all very visible forms of protest and resistance, but this collection reminds the reader that a song, a podcast, a poem, our day to day choices can all be forms of resistance too. The collection brings attention to all sorts of interesting individuals and projects I never knew existed. The variety of voices and types of pieces in the collection makes it appealing to people of ages (teens are the target audience) and backgrounds, and if you are active on Twitter, you'll have quite a few new accounts to follow.<br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Classroom application: </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The collection could be read in its entirety in an English or Social Studies class, especially one focused on current events. The variety of pieces could also be used individually as examples of different types of nonfiction texts. I'll share a few of my favorites.</span><br /> <br /> "Could We Please Give the Police Departments to the Grandmothers?" by Junauda Petrus is an essay that, much as the title suggests, describes what police departments would be like if they were run by grandmothers. The essay would be a great pairing with popular fiction titles like <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/11/review-the-hate-u-give-angie-thomas.html" target="_blank"><i>The Hate U Give</i></a>, <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/09/review-all-american-boys-jason-reynolds.html" target="_blank"><i>All American Boys</i></a>, and <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/10/review-dear-martin-nic-stone.html" target="_blank"><i>Dear Martin</i></a>. The essay could lead to research about how police are trained and function in other parts of the world. It is full of allusions and could be a mentor text for students to write about other things that would be better run by grandmothers (or any other age/gender group).<br /> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></span> In the essay "The Lucky Ones," Jennifer Winner tackles the issues of privilege and equality. Because it is focused on her daughters, it is less likely to be perceived as preachy or threatening than other pieces I've read on the topics. I think it would open up good dialogue in the classroom about what has changed in America in the past 50-100 years and what hasn't. Further, it would help students begin to realize that all change has positive and negative effects, even if that change is "for the good."<br /> <br /> John Paul Brammer recounts a formative childhood experience in "Letter to a Sensitive Brown Queer" in which he is confronted with gender stereotypes. The essay could be part of a unit on identity and imparts the message to students that it is okay to be different. I particularly like that the essay is written in second person to draw the reader in to the drama of the event.<br /> <br /> Finally, "Media-Consciousness As Part of Resistance!" by Jonny Sun has a list of ten things to think about when consuming media and six ways to react to media. The list of things to think about would be a great starting point for a lesson on unit on digital literacy in either a Language Arts class or Social Studies class. Students could select a piece of media (the author points out that the same ideas apply to social media) and process it using this list of things to think about.<br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>How I Resist</i> for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2xIgNyC" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> </div> </div> <i><br /></i> <i>Note:</i> I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zi3qorXYjI0/W6fZ-URgn9I/AAAAAAAANWw/GeeRsD4TGJIiD0SJO5oPwuAgZ68Q8EjBQCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zi3qorXYjI0/W6fZ-URgn9I/AAAAAAAANWw/GeeRsD4TGJIiD0SJO5oPwuAgZ68Q8EjBQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide2.png" width="266" /></a></div> <br /></div> </div>
6 Suspenseful Page Turners to Recommend to Your Secondary Students Posted by Brynn Allison at December 14, 2018 Labels: book list, my bookshelf, young adult literature <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oi5DbnpBDZw/Wx2IdJ4jnqI/AAAAAAAAMOY/LAyHHg8RuAMmfcxmAUwN-ImO0Er_ovJsACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide08.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nothing hooks you as a reader like well done suspense and a series of plot twists you never saw coming. Putting these types of page turners in the hands of students means they'll want to keep reading and won't want to put their book down. They are ideal books for students who are often disengaged readers. Here's 6 suspenseful novels that I've recently read and would recommend to secondary students." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oi5DbnpBDZw/Wx2IdJ4jnqI/AAAAAAAAMOY/LAyHHg8RuAMmfcxmAUwN-ImO0Er_ovJsACLcBGAs/s400/Slide08.png" title="Nothing hooks you as a reader like well done suspense and a series of plot twists you never saw coming. Putting these types of page turners in the hands of students means they'll want to keep reading and won't want to put their book down. They are ideal books for students who are often disengaged readers. Here's 6 suspenseful novels that I've recently read and would recommend to secondary students." width="400" /></a></div> Nothing hooks you as a reader like well done suspense and a series of plot twists you never saw coming. Putting these types of page turners in the hands of students means they'll want to keep reading and won't want to put their book down. They are ideal books for students who are often disengaged readers. Here's 6 suspenseful novels that I've recently read and would recommend to secondary students. Click the title of each to read my full review and ideas for using it in the classroom.<br /> <br /></div> 1. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/03/review-one-of-us-is-lying-karen-mcmanus.html" target="_blank"><i>One Of Us Is Lying</i> by Karen McManus</a><br /> <div> This is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive, is accurately described as “Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club.” The four survivors of detention narrate the book and each has something to hide, a secret only the outcast knew, which means each of them has a possible motive for murder. </div> <div> <br /> 2. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/02/review-hazel-wood-melissa-albert.html" target="_blank"><i>The Hazel Wood</i> by Melissa Albert</a></div> <div> in this interesting mix of fantasy and thriller, fairy tale and magical realism, the main character, Alice, is no doubt a nod to Alice of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll. Similar to Carroll's Alice, this Alice is far from perfect. She can be impulsive and is willing to use others to get what she wants. However, her mission is not a selfish one; she is trying to save her mother from whatever forces of evil have captured her. </div> <div> <br /> 3. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/10/review-girl-stolen-april-henry.html" target="_blank"><i>Girl, Stolen</i> by April Henry</a></div> <div> Cheyenne's kidnapping is really an accident, but becomes a crime of greater opportunity when her kidnapper's father finds out who her father is, and more importantly, who he works for. Despite being sick with pneumonia and almost entirely blind, Cheyenne is quick thinking and never stops trying to outsmart her captors. The novel becomes more and more intense as Cheyenne's situation grows increasingly more dangerous and her likelihood of survival decreases. </div> <div> <br /> 4. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/10/review-taken-edward-bloor.html" target="_blank"><i>Taken</i> by Edward Bloor</a></div> <div> As the divide between the rich and poor grows, cases of kidnapping also increase. The twists and turns in Charity's kidnapping will surprise you and you'll never suspect the true identify of her kidnappers. </div> <div> <br /> 5. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/04/review-westing-game-ellen-raskin.html" target="_blank"><i>The Westing Game</i> by Ellen Raskin</a></div> <div> Sixteen near strangers are named as heirs to millionaire Sam Westing, but in order to claim their inheritance, they must solve the mystery of who killed Sam Westing. The players are paired up and only one pair can win. Clues are stolen, three bombs explode, and family members are keeping secrets from one another as each pair desperately hopes to win. </div> <div> <br /> 6. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/06/reviw-when-victoria-laurie.html" target="_blank"><i>When</i> by Victoria Laurie</a></div> <div> This novel falls into the categories of mystery, suspense, and thriller, and the twists in the plot kept me hooked until the end. Maddie's ability to see peoples "death dates" seems like a gift until she become involved in a murder investigation. A number of believable red herrings and realistic character development make the novel a hit. </div> </div>
