August 31, 2015

On My Bookshelf: My Cousin's Keeper by Simon French

In My Cousin's Keeper by Simon French, Kieran, a fifth grade boy, struggles to decide if he wants to fit in with his friends or stand by his strange cousin Bon. What will it take for him to do what is right? Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
Basic plot: Kieran is pretty happy with his life with his mom, his soccer-playing dad, and his younger sister Gina. But in the midst of his fifth grade year, his strange cousin Bon arrives at the same time as the new girl Julia. While Kieran admires Julia, he wants nothing to do with Bon, who is teased mercilessly by Kieran's friends. Bon and Julia become close friends, bonding over their unstable home lives, but it takes Kieran a long time to get his priorities in order and stand up for his cousin.

Why I liked it: When I read My Cousin's Keeper, I had just finished a mini-unit on bullying with my high school students using excerpts from Cracked by K.M. Walton, which focuses on two teenage boys. My students had strong responses to the novel, and while My Cousin's Keeper focuses on elementary school students, I think excerpts could also be used with high school students to examine how and when bullying begins.

In addition to the appeal of the topic, I found the characters to be very realistic. For example, Kieran acts just as you would expect a 10 year old boy to act. He often acts selfishly, thinking only of himself, and does not always do the right thing. 

Classroom application: My Cousin's Keeper could be read as a whole for grades 4 - 6 (I think it would be a stretch text for grade 3 and a choice for struggling grade 7 readers). The novel could be paired with nonfiction texts in a unit on bullying, tolerance, and/or differences. It could also used as a choice in literature circles on the same topics.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of My Cousin's Keeper for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here.

Note: 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.

August 30, 2015

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Text Selection & YA Lit


Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 9 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will 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.




Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.



On Tuesday, September 1, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on text selection and using young adult literature in the ELA classroom. Our guest moderator will be Dr. Katherine McKnight.

The Format:
8:00 Intros: What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: How does the inclusion of YA literature support all kinds of readers? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q2: Where can I find great books to extend and strengthen my teaching? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q3: What are the hot books for teens? #2ndaryELA
8:35 Q4: How does YA literature encourage non-readers to read? #2ndaryELA
8:45 Q5: What are some great informational texts that I can use in my teaching? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:

1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 10 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.)

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!
Get caught up on past chats here:

August 23, 2015

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Parent Communication

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 9 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will 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.





Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.


On Tuesday, August 25, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on parent communication in the ELA classroom.

The Format:
8:00 Intros: What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: What is your approach to parent communication? (how, when, how often, etc.) #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q2: What are your tips/best practices for contact about positive behavior/academics #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q3: What are your tips/best practices for contact about negative behavior/academics? #2ndaryELA
8:35 Q4: How do you use technology to help you communicate with parents & keep track of contacts? #2ndaryELA
8:45 Q5: Do you involve students in the parent contact process? How so? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 10 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.)

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!
Get caught up on past chats here:

August 21, 2015

Back to School: Ideas For Starting The Year

Going back to school means getting back into planning mode. In this #2ndaryELA Twitter chat, middle school & high school English Language Arts teachers discussed collecting student information to inform instruction, syllabi, supplies, first day/week activities, and must teach routines/procedures for the first day/week. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
This week's #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about back to school in the ELA classroom. Middle and High School English Language Arts discussed collecting student information to inform instruction, syllabi, supplies, first day/week activities, and must teach routines/procedures for the first day/week. The highlights are below.

Student information to collect at the start of the year:
*Interests, likes and dislikes to make lessons more engaging
*Book/author/genre interests
*Literary/grammar survey & writing samples to decide what needs to be reviewed/introduced
*What’s easy/what’s hard about reading/writing responses
*Past reading level data, AR/STAR levels from past years
*WRAT testing for IEPs
*Hobbies, family, academic strength/weakness, goals/aspirations

On the syllabus:
*Unit and/or lesson outline
*Assessment details
*Useful links
*Contact info
*Teacher background info
*Needed materials
*Student expectations
*Class library info
*Objectives
*Learning skills
*Assignment/homework policy
*Grading
*Remind sign-up
*Tutorial times/conference periods
*Class website
*Technology access survey


Tips: If you use interactive notebooks (INBs) in your classroom, have students glue the syllabus into their INB so they can reference it any time. Make your syllabus more interactive by creating a QR scavenger hunt or a PowToon.

On the student supply list:
*Pencils
*Pens
*Colored pencils
*Paper
*Binder
*Notebooks for interactive notebooks
*Folder
*Library book
*Highlighters
*Note cards
*Sticky notes (check out Post It Plus App)
*Google account
*Device in 1-to-1 schools

Tips: Have extra supplies for students who forget or cannot afford them. Create a “student station” where these supplies are readily available to students. Going as paperless as possible will save money besides being environmentally friendly. 

Ideas for the first day/week:
*Student bingo (students must find someone that fits the description).
*BookSelfie activity.
*Use stations on the 1st day to set a tone of active engagement.
*Give students a Middle School Survival kit the first day and then have them work in groups to create their own survival kits,
*Do read dating/book pass. It's kind of like musical chairs with books. Students preview lots of books (cover, summary, skim) to see what jumps out at them.
*Do a writer's workshop using coming of age poetry. It's relatable for students and poetry is low risk.
*Share favorite books, read, write & do some low-risk speaking and sharing. Use play doh or Legos to create a summer highlight.
*Read The Important Book & discuss how it's okay to disagree with author & teachers.
*Go to the library & create spine poems to explore & become familiar with the layout of the library.
*Write in journals to fire (or murder!) our internal critics and establish confidence in writing in a fun way.
*Write a Kelly Gallagher "What Bugs You List."
*Write Kelly Gallagher sneezes to express and reflect. Many found in his book, Write Like This.
*Do rotations where the students decide what they want room to feel/look like. Set goals & use this to build contract.
*Show "Audri's Monster Trap," an awesome message about resilience.
*Create to-read lists.
*Teacher & student led book talks. 
*Hook students up to Remind/Bloomz. 
*Share summer reading positives & negatives. 
*Do a website scavenger hunt to get students familiar with your site.
*Create a Bucket List including items that help others. 
*More first day/week videos here, here, and here.

Must teach routines/procedures the first day/week:
*Brainstorm how to treat classroom space and each other as well as classroom rules
*How to start & end class
*How to turn in work
*Participation expectations
*Emergency drills
*Respect for each other and property
*Homework expectations
*Book check out
*Collaboration and communication! How to work and learn as a team!
*Daily journaling
*Foster independence by creating "What do I do when I'm stuck" ideas.

Hope you'll join us next week, Tuesday August 25th at 8pm EST to discuss parent communication in the ELA classroom. The questions for next week's chat will be posted here on Sunday. If you missed Tuesday night's chat, scroll down and read the whole thing below.

August 16, 2015

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: The Start of the School Year

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 9 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will 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.





Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.



On Tuesday, August 18, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on the start of the school year in the ELA classroom.

The Format:
8:00 Intros – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: What student information do you collect at the start of the year? How does it help inform your instruction? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q2: What information do you include in your syllabus? (Share a sample of your syllabus if you would like. Upload it to Google Drive and then share the link) #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q3: What supplies do students need for your class? #2ndaryELA
8:35 Q4: What activities do you do with students the first day? The first week? Why? #2ndaryELA
8:45 Q5: What are your must teach routines/procedures the first day/week? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 10 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:

1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.)

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!

Get caught up on past chats here:

August 13, 2015

Managing Student Behavior: Successful Strategies, Routines & Procedures

If you want your classroom to run like a well oiled machine, you need clear procedures and routines in place for your students. Middle and High School English Language Arts discussed routines & procedures, problematic student behaviors, successful classroom management strategies, support from colleagues & administration, and valuable classroom management resources. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
This week's #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about organizing the ELA classroom. Middle and High School English Language Arts discussed routines & procedures, problematic student behaviors, successful classroom management strategies, support from colleagues & administration, and valuable classroom management resources. The highlights are below.

Top Routines:
*Greeting students as they walk in
*Writing a daily outline on the board
*Checking homework
*Warm up/Bellringer gets students working asap
*Use in class folders so work & time don't get lost
*Positive narration - all preventative
*Copy HW at end of class
*SSR at least first 10 minutes every day
*Google Classroom for assignments and anything
*Lots of Collaboration
*Place to submit work
*Seating chart
*Student station at front of room
*Notebooks for work/notes
*Bathroom passes

If you want your classroom to run like a well oiled machine, you need clear procedures and routines in place for your students. Middle and High School English Language Arts discussed routines & procedures, problematic student behaviors, successful classroom management strategies, support from colleagues & administration, and valuable classroom management resources. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
Successful Classroom Management Strategies:
*Get to know your students. Ask them questions, and really listen to their reply.
*Seating is key, and placing the behaviors in the front by the teacher. 
*Parent communication is key.
*Reward ticket system for positive behaviors
*Clear steps of consequences for negative behaviors
*Take the few minutes between when the kids are finished packing up from homeroom and dismissal to have casual conversations
*Restorative Justice model 
*Character Counts
*Quarterly game days 
*PBIS where students are rewarded based on homework, behavior, etc.
*Spend a lot of time talking about how the classroom should feel and refer back to that often
*Walk around the room as much as possible & talk to the students about what they are doing. Let them know that you care & are watching.
*Reward students for turning in completed work on time, no tardies. Rewards: extra tech time, sit at teacher desk, etc.
*Community Circle meetings
*Tribes training

Classroom Management Resources:
*Pinterest
*Harry Wong's book, The First Days of School
*Parents
*. Every time someone or the class misbehaves you take away a letter. No letters =extra assignment.
*Nurse, custodian, guidance, home/school liaison, admin
*Communication! with parents, students, admin, etc. with tools like http://remind.com  and groupme
*Google forms is a great tool to check in on students. Used it from check-ins with writing workshop, to presentation orders, to form assessment.
*PAT= preferred activity time

Hope you'll join us next week, Tuesday August 18th at 8pm EST to discuss starting the school year in the ELA classroom. The questions for next week's chat will be posted here on Sunday. If you missed Tuesday night's chat, scroll down and read the whole thing below.

August 10, 2015

On My Bookshelf: Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool centers around the adventure of two young boys, both considered outcasts at their boarding school. It is equal parts magic, pirates, and strange coincidences, all of which lead the boys to find things they didn't even know they were looking for. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
Basic plot: Jackie is from Kansas, but after his mother passes away suddenly, his father, an officer in the army post-WWII, places him in a boys boarding school in Maine. Jackie, who has never seen the ocean before, is now a fish out of water. He eventually befriends Early, the only boy at school who is more of an outcast than he is. Early doesn't attend classes or agree with his teachers belief that pi does have an end, but he helps Jackie to restore a crew boat and becomes his coxswain. Over fall break, Jackie's father is delayed arriving so Jackie sets off with Early to find the Great Bear, Pi, and Early's brother, considered a casualty of the war by all except for Early. Their adventure, equal parts magic, pirates, and strange coincidences, leads the boys to find things they didn't even know they were looking for.

Why I liked it: Jackie and Early are equally interesting characters. Jackie is a typical hardheaded boy and Early would liked be labeled as having Asperger's in today's world. Despite his quirks, like only listening to Billie Holiday when it's raining, Early is a loyal friend. The plot is anything but predictable, yet everything comes together perfectly in the end. The lives of all of the characters that Jackie and Early meet along their journey are intertwined, and they appear and reappear in unexpected places. While Jackie and Early are "real boys" elements of their adventure are almost fantastical; think Bridge to Terabithia.

Classroom application: The novel is appropriate for grades 4-8 and could be used as a read aloud or in literature circles with the themes of friendship, differences, tolerances, journeys, and coming of age. Part of the novel is a plot line in which the number pi becomes a person with a story explaining its number sequence. As a writing activity, students could chose another math or science concept and create a narrative to explain its meaning or existence.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Navigating Early for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here.


Note: 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.

August 9, 2015

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Managing Student Behavior


Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 9 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will 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.




Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.



On Tuesday, August 11, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on managing student behavior in the ELA classroom.

The Format:

8:00 Intros – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: What are your top three routines/procedures that keep your class running smoothly? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q2: What are problematic student behaviors in your classroom? What do you struggle with most? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q3: What are successful classroom management strategies in your classroom/school? #2ndaryELA
8:35 Q4: How do you and your colleagues support each other? How does your admin support you #2ndaryELA
8:45 Q5: Share a classroom management resource that you find invaluable (book, article, blog post, type of technology, reward system, etc.). #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 10 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:

1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.)

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!

Get caught up on past chats here:

August 6, 2015

Classroom Organization: Managing Paperwork & Supplies

Is your classroom a mess? Does your desk look like a disaster area?During this week's #2ndaryELA Twitter chat middle and high school ELA teachers discussed how to organize the teacher desk, student supplies, paperwork, student work, and books. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
This week's #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about organizing the ELA classroom. Middle and High School ELA teachers discussed how to organize the teacher desk, student supplies, paperwork, student work, and books. Thanks to all who joined us; I loved seeing all of the "old" and new faces. The highlights are below.

Organizing the teacher desk:@reevesinthemid I use multiple small drawers & baskets to keep my desk organized.No paper goes on my desk.Mac,calendar,&printer on desk only.
@dianeraguz I always make sure I have a clear desk when I leave so that I can begin fresh in the AM
@jennann516 I don’t have a teacher desk. I have a small table where I work while modeling with students. Keep pensETC in cup on table.
@dianeraguz I also use a different colored, laminated file folder for each day for worksheets, etc.

Organizing student supplies:
@krisannamiller I use hang shoe holder 2 separate pens etc. Hanging files for assignments. Hanging pocket folders for notebooks etc.
@dianeraguz I have a designated area/bookcase w/ student supplies that they know they can use
@cera0316 bins of every supply & table bins for markers, pens, and sticky notes; hanging file with #1-31 for absent/extra papers
@jesswalte saw a great idea where abs students had name written in calendar sqare, missed work was in pockets posted next to it
@SpanglerMiddle For absent work I use a file folder box - ea. folder is numbered 1-31 - students look in the folder for the date they were absent
@abbeydick I try to make materials as self-service as possible so kids always have what they need AND so they don't bother me for supplies.
Is your classroom a mess? Does your desk look like a disaster area?During this week's #2ndaryELA Twitter chat middle and high school ELA teachers discussed how to organize the teacher desk, student supplies, paperwork, student work, and books. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.

Managing paperwork and grading:
@literarymaven As much as possible student work is done in their notebook or on Google Drive = no papers floating around.
@literarymaven Trying to "grade" less & give feedback more with rubrics, checklists. Grade turnaround time = 1 day 4 small, 1 week 4 essays
@abbeydick I'm going to try to keep papers at school and work there. Easier to lose stuff in the car, at home, etc. Separate baskets.
@literarymaven I hand back graded work during warm up time at start of class or ask a student to do it
@Trojanteach02 Google Drive! Took old assignments/tests & made them digital. I have 24/7 access to Ss work for help. Add-Ons help w/grading
@15shopper We are 1:1 w/iPads, so much of the grading will be managed through our LMS @CanvasLMS , SpeedGrader app, or emails.
@Trojanteach02 Anyone using Google Drive, the grading trifecta is GoogleDocs+Doctopus+Goobric (sometimes Flubaroo)

Organizing student work and portfolios:
@literarymaven Each student gets hanging folder in a filing cabinet. Work 2 be filed goes in basket on top of cabinet. Student helper files.
@Trojanteach02 creative & consistent naming for files in Google Drive. Filename/Period/lastnamefirstinitial
@cera0316 Google Drive from the time they are freshmen makes our senior portfolios easy-peasy.
@cera0316 AP Lit Ss create books at end of every novel to turn in. Saves stacks of papers for me

Organizing books:
@chanson_21 I use the Booksource app to keep track of classroom library, & textbooks/books in a novel set are numbered inside front cover
@dianeraguz Class novels assigned number. Give to Ss and write down number; collect to make sure it's the same number. I make multiple columns so I can use it for all class novels we read all year and store it in a file.
@MrsOrman I use Delicious Library - scan books using camera on iPhone and select student from class list. Mac program. It's awesome!

Hope you'll join us next week, Tuesday August 11th at 8pm EST to discuss managing student behavior in the ELA classroom. The questions for next week's chat will be posted here on Sunday. If you missed Tuesday night's chat, scroll down and read the whole thing below.

August 3, 2015

On My Bookshelf: Becoming Lisette by Rebecca Glenn

In Becoming Lisette by Rebecca Glenn, Lisette possesses all the qualities of a brilliant young painter, but is saddled with a singular disadvantage – being a woman. When Lisette's father becomes ill and quickly dies, Lisette's life changes dramatically. Lisette, however, is determined to control her own destiny. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
Basic plot: When Lisette's story begins she is leaving the convent where she has, unhappily, spent her girlhood. She loves to draw and paint, but that only earns her punishment from the nuns. She is eager to return home to her parents, especially her father, also an artist. Once home, her mother is focused on turning Lisette into a proper lady, fit for marriage. Lisette is more interested in working with her father and conversing with his artist friends. She hopes that one day she will be able to sell her own paintings.

When Lisette's father becomes ill and quickly dies, Lisette's life changes dramatically. Her mother remarries, much too soon in Lisette's opinion, a controlling jeweler, Le Sèvre, who is abusive to Lisette, her mother, and his staff. Lisette hopes to study under a master painter and an admirer, a French Army officer named Amante, arranges lessons for her, but Le Sèvre finds out and ends them so that Lisette can focus on creating portraits of his customers wearing their latest jewelry purchases.

Lisette, however, is determined to control her own destiny. She continues to see Amante, visiting a salon, a gathering of people for the purpose of knowledge and amusement, and even illegally rents her own studio which she finances with the paintings she sells. Le Sèvre again usurps her plans, threatens Amante, and even has Lisette thrown in jail. In the end, Lisette manages to gain the upper hand and free herself from Le Sèvre forever.

Why I liked it: I may have mentioned this once or twice, but I love historical fiction and Becoming Lisette definitely falls in that category. The story is set in France, mostly in 1772 and 1773. Marie Antoinette and Louis the 14th are not yet queen and king, and the American and French Revolution have not yet occurred. Everyone is living a life of opulence and you get a peek into the royal lives.

Lisette is also a strong female character. She is an independent, strong-willed young woman, especially for her time period. She does not let others determine her fate and is always working to get what she wants.

And did I mention that this is the first book in a trilogy? That means two more good ones comes after this.

Classroom application:
Becoming Lisette could be used as a fiction pairing in a history course, in a unit on Europe in the 18th century or the role of women in history, or a women's studies class.

In the ELA classroom, the novel could be used as a choice during literature circles focused on the genre of historical fiction or coming of age stories. Becoming Lisette could also be used as a mentor text as students complete research and write their own historical fiction piece. You can read more about blending narrative and research here.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Becoming Lisette for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here.

Note: 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. This is a sponsored post. I received this product for free in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

August 2, 2015

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Classroom Organization

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog are hosting #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 9 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we will 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.






Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

On Tuesday, August 4, our #2ndaryELA chat will focus on ELA classroom organization.


The Format:
8:00 Intros – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: How do you keep your desk organized? #2ndaryELA 
8:15 Q2: Where/how do you keep student supplies? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q3: How do you manage your paperwork (grading, work to be returned, etc.)? #2ndaryELA
8:35 Q4: How do you manage student work (writing folders, portfolios, etc.)? #2ndaryELA
8:45 Q5: How do you keep books organized (textbooks, novel sets, classroom library, etc) #2ndaryELA


The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-9 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 10 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked. 
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.) 

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!


Get caught up on past chats here: