November 27, 2017

On My Bookshelf: The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner

The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner alternates between two first person narrators: Kyle, a teenage boy trying to make his way home from school on 9/11, and Hannah, the teenage girl he rescues on the way. Kyle and Hannah are both struggling with burdens that neither is fully prepared to disclose at first. In the midst of great tragedy, the two try to comfort each other, but also have moments of teenagers just being teenagers. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: On the morning of September 11, 2001, sixteen-year-old Kyle Donohue watches the first twin tower come down from the window of Stuyvesant High School. Moments later, terrified and fleeing home to safety across the Brooklyn Bridge, he stumbles across a girl perched in the shadows, covered in ash, and wearing a pair of costume wings. With his mother and sister in California and unable to reach his father, a NYC detective likely on his way to the disaster, Kyle makes the split-second decision to bring the girl home. What follows is their story, told in alternating points of view, as Kyle tries to unravel the mystery of the girl so he can return her to her family. But what if the girl has forgotten everything, even her own name? And what if the more Kyle gets to know her, the less he wants her to go home? The Memory of Things tells a stunning story of friendship and first love and of carrying on with our day-to-day living in the midst of world-changing tragedy and unforgettable pain—it tells a story of hope.
The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner alternates between two first person narrators: Kyle, a teenage boy trying to make his way home from school on 9/11, and Hannah, the teenage girl he rescues on the way. Kyle and Hannah are both struggling with burdens that neither is fully prepared to disclose at first. In the midst of great tragedy, the two try to comfort each other, but also have moments of teenagers just being teenagers. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

Why I liked it: The Memory of Things took me two tries to get started reading, but once I did I couldn't stop. The novel alternates between two first person narrators: Kyle, a teenage boy trying to make his way home from school on 9/11, and Hannah, the teenage girl he rescues on the way. Kyle's sections are written in a traditional narrative style, but are broken up by Hannah's sections, which are written almost in verse, which is what I got stuck on during my first attempt at reading.

Kyle and Hannah are both struggling with burdens that neither is fully prepared to disclose at first. Kyle's mother and sister are across the country and were supposed to fly home that day, his father is a police officer responding to the scene of the event, and his Uncle Matt is wheelchair bound at home. Hannah is experiencing temporary amnesia (I'll leave you in suspense as to the why). In the midst of great tragedy, the two try to comfort each other, but also have moments of teenagers just being teenagers. 


Classroom application: Reading the novel was a very personal experience for me because I too was a teenager when 9/11 occurred, and though I was not living in New York City, I shared the experience of watching the event unfold on television and overcome the nation in the days that followed. Students today do not remember the event, and more likely than not weren't even born yet, so to help them create a personal connection with the novel, they could be assigned an interview of someone who was alive that day. In the interview, students could focus on not just where their interviewee was and what they were doing that day, but their views on how 9/11 changed the world in the short and long term.

A fun activity for students to try out during reading would be memory exercises similar to the one Kyle teaches Hannah. You could even hold a classroom competition for the title of student with the best memory.

This novel could be paired with other young adult fiction focused on 9/11 like Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan and others mentioned in this article. The novels could be used in themed literature circles focused on how the same historical event is portrayed in fiction.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Memory of Things for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here.

Note: 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.

November 26, 2017

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Co-Teaching Strategies

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about co-teaching.
Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog 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.




Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.


We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 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.

On Tuesday, November 28, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about co-teaching strategies for the English Language Arts classroom.

The Format:
8:00 – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: What questions do you have about co-teaching? #2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: What have been your experiences with co-teaching? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: Discuss your best tips or strategies for best practice with co-teaching. #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: How do you co-teach when the subject teacher or the other teacher is reluctant to collaborate and/or "share" the classroom? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: How do you divide up the marking and planning load to ensure it is fairly distributed? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
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.
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 tinyurlbitlygoo.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.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

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 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

November 24, 2017

Teaching Literary Elements: Theme

Theme is one of those concepts in literature that students seem to struggle with more than others. It's likely because there is no one right answer and it requires a higher level of thinking than identifying a part of the plot or a character type. Whether you are teaching theme as new concepts for your students, diving in deeper, or just reviewing the basics, you'll find activities and resources below that will benefit all levels of students.



November 20, 2017

On My Bookshelf: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas covers so many important topics that are rarely touched upon in young adult literature in realistic ways. Even better is that Starr Carter is a strong African American protagonist supported by family members who are equally as well-developed as characters. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Why I liked it: As an inner-city teacher for many years, The Hate U Give covers so many important topics that are rarely touched upon: racism, racial profiling, gangs, drugs, code switching, interracial relationships, urban decline, black on black violence, police brutality, witness intimidation, and race riots. Not only are these topics addressed, but they are done so realistically; the reader doesn't feel like the author has just tossed them into the plot to spice things up.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas covers so many important topics that are rarely touched upon in young adult literature in realistic ways. Even better is that Starr Carter is a strong African American protagonist supported by family members who are equally as well-developed as characters. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

One of my favorite parts of the novel is the relationship between the main character Starr and her family: Lisa, her mother, Big Mav, her father, Seven, her older half-brother, and her younger brother Sekani. Each family member is as well developed as Starr is and has a unique relationship with her. The family is far from perfect, but throughout their struggles they find ways to compromise and constantly support one another.


Classroom application: Due to the topics addressed and the amount of profanity in the novel, this is one I would only recommend to add to a high school classroom library. If your students have already read and loved this one, I would recommend On The Come Up by Hannah Weyer, which also features a strong African American female as its protagonist. If you are looking for other young adult novels that deal with race and police brutality, this article has some great recent recommendations, which would be perfect for creating themed literature circle choices.

There are so many nonfiction connections that could be made with the topics I listed above, any of which could lead into a research paper or project.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Hate U Give 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.

November 17, 2017

Successfully Structuring Socratic Seminars

This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about Socratic seminars. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the most effective seating arrangements. Teachers also shared helpful rules and procedures for discussion.

Read through the chat below to find out how to prepare the questions for discussion, often student created and teacher selected.  You'll get ideas about how to encourage and track participation.  You'll also find ways to assess students without penalizing quieter voices.

Hope you'll join us next week for another chat. We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group (even if you aren't on Twitter). 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.

November 13, 2017

On My Bookshelf: The Misfits by James Howe

The Misfits is the a sweet story of four friends who seem much wiser than their seventh grade years. Despite having four very different personalities, Skeezie, Addie, Joe, and Bobby support and care for each other because they understand what it is like to be different. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: Kids who get called the worst names oftentimes find each other. That's how it was with us. Skeezie Tookis and Addie Carle and Joe Bunch and me. We call ourselves the Gang of Five, but there are only four of us. We do it to keep people on their toes. Make 'em wonder. Or maybe we do it because we figure that there's one more kid out there who's going to need a gang to be a part of. A misfit, like us.

Skeezie, Addie, Joe, and Bobby -- they've been friends forever. They laugh together, have lunch together, and get together once a week at the Candy Kitchen to eat ice cream and talk about important issues. Life isn't always fair, but at least they have each other -- and all they really want to do is survive the seventh grade.

That turns out to be more of a challenge than any of them had anticipated. Starting with Addie's refusal to say the Pledge of Allegiance and her insistence on creating a new political party to run for student council, the Gang of Five is in for the ride of their lives. Along the way they will learn about politics and popularity, love and loss, and what it means to be a misfit. After years of getting by, they are given the chance to stand up and be seen -- not as the one-word jokes their classmates have tried to reduce them to, but as the full, complicated human beings they are just beginning to discover they truly are.
The Misfits is the a sweet story of four friends who seem much wiser than their seventh grade years. Despite having four very different personalities, Skeezie, Addie, Joe, and Bobby support and care for each other because they understand what it is like to be different. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

Why I liked it: The Misfits is the a sweet story of four friends who seem much wiser than their seventh grade years. Despite having four very different personalities, Skeezie, Addie, Joe, and Bobby support and care for each other because they understand what it is like to be different. While the plot of the The Misfits isn't without conflict, it was refreshing to read a novel about middle school students whose troubles didn't revolve around mean girls, cyberbullying, etc.


Classroom application: The novel could be tied in to a unit on elections and political parties as it centers around student council elections at Paintbrush Falls Middle School. The novel also touches on racial issues and Addie's protest of the Pledge of Allegiance could be tied into current events connected to football players refusal to stand for the singing of the National Anthem.

The Misfits is the first of four books in a series focused on the four main characters, all of which would be great additions to a middle school classroom library.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Misfits 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.

November 12, 2017

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Socratic Seminars

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about socratic seminars.
Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog 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.




Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.


We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 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.

On Tuesday, November 14, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about using Socratic Seminars in the English Language Arts classroom.

The Format:
8:00 – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: What seating arrangement(s) do you use for your seminars? #2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: What rules/procedures do you have in place to ensure successful seminars with your students? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: How are seminar questions prepared, by teacher or students? #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: In what ways do you encourage/track seminar participation? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: How do you assess student seminar performance? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
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.
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 tinyurlbitlygoo.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.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

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 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

November 10, 2017

8 Realistic Fiction Titles to Recommend to Middle and High School Boys

Boys can be pickier customers than girls when it comes to choosing a book to read. They need just the right book to hook them. Here's 8 realistic fiction titles, separated into middle school and high school, that I've recently read and would recommend for boys. Click the title of each to read my full review and ideas for using it in the classroom.
Boys can be pickier customers than girls when it comes to choosing a book to read. They need just the right book to hook them. Is it that too many boys see reading as an activity "for girls"? Or do teachers, many of us female, read too many "girl books" and not enough ones "for boys", and are therefore unable to give good recommendations?

Whatever the reason, here's 8 realistic fiction titles, separated into middle school and high school, that I've recently read and would recommend for boys. Click the title of each to read my full review and ideas for using it in the classroom.

Middle School
1. Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool
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. He eventually befriends Early, the only boy at school who is more of an outcast than he is. Their adventure, equal parts magic, pirates, and strange coincidences, leads the boys to find things they didn't even know they were looking for.

2. My Cousin's Keeper by Simon French
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 cousin Bon arrives at the same time as the new girl Julia. Kieran 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?

3. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
Doug is a fourteen year old boy with seemingly endless problems, both at school and at home. When he moves to a new town his troubles don't end, but he makes some new friends that make it all a little more bearable.

High School
4. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky AlbertalliSimon is a typical teenager, trying to figure out where he fits in and decide who he is; he just also happens to be not so openly gay and being blackmailed by a classmate for it. The themes of friendship, relationship, betrayal, and trust will draw in teen readers.

5. Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Summer in a small town in Alabama is anything but dull when Cullen's cousin overdoses, his brother disappears, the most beautiful girl in town becomes his girlfriend, and the town goes nuts over the alleged sighting of a rare bird.

6. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
This novel tells the tale of an outsider determined to make his own path in life. The novel also provides opportunities for teens to reflect on the loved ones they've lost.

Both
7. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
This fast-paced novel written in verse. Josh, a 12-year old basketball player, must learn to balance school and basketball, as both family and friendships change.

8. Code of Honor by Alan Gratz
Kamran Smith used to have it all: a starring role on the football team, a beautiful girlfriend, the title of Homecoming King, a loyal best friend, and a spot at West Point in the fall. But after his brother is named as a suspected terrorist, Kamran and his parents are deatined by Homeland Security and Kamran must fight to prove to everyone, even himself, that his brother is innocent. 

November 6, 2017

On My Bookshelf: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

In Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, the main character Mattie is a plucky teenager who has a strained relationship with her mother and a crush on a local boy, both issues to which modern day teens can relate. As the novel progresses and yellow fever sweeps through the city, Mattie takes on greater responsibility for her family and their family business, a coffee shop. She is forced to make difficult decisions and is a mature young adult by the time disaster subsides. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: An epidemic of fever sweeps through the streets of 1793 Philadelphia in this novel from Laurie Halse Anderson where "the plot rages like the epidemic itself" (The New York Times Book Review).

During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out.

Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie's world upside down. At her feverish mother's insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease.
In Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, the main character Mattie is a plucky teenager who has a strained relationship with her mother and a crush on a local boy, both issues to which modern day teens can relate. As the novel progresses and yellow fever sweeps through the city, Mattie takes on greater responsibility for her family and their family business, a coffee shop. She is forced to make difficult decisions and is a mature young adult by the time disaster subsides. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

Why I liked it: Fever 1793 is historical fiction set in Philadelphia, my favorite genre set in my hometown. I love being able to picture the real places mentioned in the book. I also like that the novel focuses on an often overlooked period of time in American history. There's lots of historical fiction focused on the events surrounding the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, but not a lot novels that cover the time period in between. In 1793, George Washington is serving as president and the White House is in Philadelphia because the capital had not yet been moved to Washington D.C. 

The main character Mattie is a plucky teenager who has a strained relationship with her mother and a crush on a local boy. Despite the difference in time periods, she is someone modern day teens can relate to. As the novel progresses and yellow fever sweeps through the city, Mattie takes on greater responsibility for her family and their family business, a coffee shop. She is forced to make difficult decisions and is a mature young adult by the time disaster subsides. 


Classroom application: The novel has great connections to history as well as science. Besides the main event of the yellow fever on 1793, the novel also deals with race issues in Philadelphia at the time. The novel could be tied into a science unit on diseases. The fever on 1793 also revolutionized Philadelphia's relationship with water and led to the founding of the Philadelphia Water Works, a way to provide safe, clean drinking water across the city.

If you are also local to the Philadelphia area, there's a great guided walking tour, on which you can visit sites mentioned in the novel.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Fever 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.

November 5, 2017

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Engaging Students With Non-Traditional Texts

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about engaging students with non-traditional texts.
Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog 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.




Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.


We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 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.

On Tuesday, November 7, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about engaging students with non-traditional texts.

The Format:
8:00 – What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: Where/how do you find contemporary fiction (short stories, novels) to engage your students? #2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: Where/how do you find nonfiction texts related to current issues or on topics of interest to your students? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: Have you tried using graphic novels or verse novels with your students? Recommendations? Experiences? #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: Where/how do you find appropriate videos, images, and infographics for your students to “read?” #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: What strategies do you use to help students read and understand non-traditional texts? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
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.
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 tinyurlbitlygoo.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.)

You can also check out a quick video tutorial in this blog post.

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 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

November 3, 2017

Improving Students' Narrative Writing

Turn your students into expert story tellers. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about how to teach narrative writing. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the lessons, concepts, and techniques that make the biggest impact on students' writing. Teachers also shared stories that they use as mentor texts for this type of writing. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
Turn your students into expert story tellers. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about how to teach narrative writing. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the lessons, concepts, and techniques that make the biggest impact on students' writing. Teachers also shared stories that they use as mentor texts for this type of writing.

Read through the chat below to find out how other teachers share, publish, and read student narratives. You'll also find advice on how to improve teaching and grading student narratives.

Hope you'll join us next week for another chat. We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group (even if you aren't on Twitter). 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.