June 29, 2018

12 Activities to Use During Literature Circles or Your Next Novel Study

A multiple choice quiz after reading is a quick and easy way to check student comprehension, but it doesn't allow you to assess deeper understanding and it certainly isn't fun or creative. If you are looking for more meaningful and engaging activities to use with students during literature circles or a novel unit, you'll find twelve ideas below that are favorites in my classroom and the Common Core standards they align with. Click the linked title of each activity for more information, student samples, and/or free resources.

1. Text Based Drawings
Asking students to cite evidence for every single question they answer when reading and responding to a text might be good practice and ensure that they are reading closely, but it also becomes repetitive. One way to mix things up is to ask students to draw a picture and label it based on details from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

2. Summary or Synthesis Tombstones
Assess students' knowledge of an author or character by asking them to summarize their reading or synthesize information from multiple sources. Depending on the assignment, students may share important facts about the individual, reasons why he or she will or would be missed, or events that led up to his or her death.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

3. Mind Maps
Mind maps are a visually appealing summarizing strategy, which can be used to enhance students' recall of information as well as to synthesize information from multiple sources. This strategy can be used with fiction or nonfiction texts and can be added to as student progress in their reading.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

4. Character Silhouettes
Creating character silhouettes is a creative way to conduct a close reading of character or figure from an assigned or selected fiction or nonfiction text. This activity can be used with any grade level, during or after reading any text, and reinforces the ideas of character and characterization while asking students to closely examine evidence from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

5. The Spirits of Christmas
Inspired by A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, students select a character and his/her weaknesses to analyze. After identifying and illustrating scenes that reveal the character's flaws, students determine a message to be shared by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

6. Tweet Sheets
Forget those boring chapter summaries you usually assign to accompany your students' independent reading. Instead, try out "tweet sheets." This activity reinforces characterization and point of view while also allowing students to use their creativity as they explore the characters in their novel.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

7. Literary Postcards
Literary postcards are a great writing activity to reinforce the ideas of character and point of view in any novel or short story and can be used with any grade level. Students must depict a key scene from their reading on the front of the postcard and then have choices as to the form of their writing on the opposite side.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

8. Personal Crests
Similar to a coat of arms, have students create a crest for a character in a novel. Students will select symbols and colors that represent the character to decorate their crests and then write a short paragraph explaining their choices. Have students compare crests made for the same character and defend why their choices were more appropriate, or hang them all and allow students to vote on the best ones.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

9. Word Art
Creating word art is a creative way for students to closely analyze a character and select a symbol representative of the character's traits. You'll be surprised with the creativity of your students and even "non-artistic" students will enjoy this activity on characterization and symbolism.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

10. Theme Collages
Theme is one of the concepts in literature that students struggle with most. Use a simple graphic organizer to help students determine the theme of any piece of writing and then create a collage of text and images to reinforce their theme's message about life.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

11. Collaborative Poetry
Incorporate opportunities for collaborative writing in your classroom by using collaborative poetry. Students will first write individually from a character's perspective and then work together as a group to create a communal piece of writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

12. Literary Theme Parks
This fun activity makes for a great end of a unit or year project or summer reading assignment. Students will review plot, setting. theme, conflict, characters, and symbolism as they create a poster and give a presentation of their amusement park. After choosing a theme for their park, students will design rides, attractions, shops, food, and souvenirs.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

You can find all of my activities for use with any text here.

June 25, 2018

On My Bookshelf: Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman

Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman is a modern take on The Great Gatsby set in high school. For anyone who has read Gatsby, the similarities are immediately clear, but for anyone who hasn't the story is just as enjoyable. The novel is narrated by Rick, but the focus is on the mysterious Jake who has just moved to town, takes up the position of snapper on the football team, and holds the wildest parties every Friday night. Read on for more of my review and classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: There is a mysterious new student at Fitzgerald High, Jake Garret. He seems to have it all figured out. He looks like he just stepped off the cover of the J. Crew catalog, he is the best kicker the football team has ever had, and best of all, he hosts the party to go to every Friday night. All the guys want to be like him and all the girls want to date him, but Jake only has eyes for Didi, the girlfriend of alpha male and quarterback, Todd Buckley. As Jake's friend Rick gets to know him, he at first admires him, then starts to like him, but soon grows to fear for him as he learns Jake's dangerous secret. From beloved young adult author Gordon Korman, comes a new look at age-old themes about popularity, acceptance, and human nature.

Why I liked it: Jake, Reinvented is a modern take on The Great Gatsby set in high school. For anyone who has read Gatsby, the similarities are immediately clear, but for anyone who hasn't the story is just as enjoyable. The novel is narrated by Rick (Nick), but the focus is on the mysterious Jake (Gatsby) who has just moved to town, takes up the position of snapper on the football team, and holds the wildest parties every Friday night. As the kicker, Rick and Jake have an interdependent relationship on the football team and quickly become friends. This is extremely convenient for Jake because Rick is friends with Jennifer who is best friends with Didi (Daisy) who Jake is in love with.
Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman is a modern take on The Great Gatsby set in high school. For anyone who has read Gatsby, the similarities are immediately clear, but for anyone who hasn't the story is just as enjoyable. The novel is narrated by Rick, but the focus is on the mysterious Jake who has just moved to town, takes up the position of snapper on the football team, and holds the wildest parties every Friday night. Read on for more of my review and classroom application.

My favorite characters were Jennifer, Rick's longtime friend and crush, and Dipsy, the butt of the football team's jokes. Jennifer, seemingly old for her age, is above much of the high school antics by the end of the novel, shows her loyalty to and true feelings for Rick. Dipsy speaks to Rick in metaphor, but like Jennifer, in the end is one of the few loyal characters.

Classroom application: For students who love realistic fiction and high school drama, this would be a great one to recommend. While there's nothing overly graphic, there is some sexual content and frequent references to alcohol, so I'd recommend this one to high schoolers, not middle school.

The novel would make an excellent pairing with The Great Gatsby. If you are worried that the classic might seem dated and your students might be disengaged, read this first or alongside the novel for comparison. With a more familiar setting, students may have an easier time buying into the plot line.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Jake, Reinvented 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.

June 18, 2018

On My Bookshelf: The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee 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. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: New York City as you’ve never seen it before. A thousand-story tower stretching into the sky. A glittering vision of the future, where anything is possible—if you want it enough.

Welcome to Manhattan, 2118.


A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. But people never change: everyone here wants something…and everyone has something to lose.

Leda Cole’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

Eris Dodd-Radson’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

Rylin Myers’s job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world—and a romance—she never imagined…but will her new life cost Rylin her old one?

Watt Bakradi is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy by an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is Avery Fuller, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying and Big Little Lies, debut author Katharine McGee has created a breathtakingly original series filled with high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, where the impossible feels just within reach. But in this world, the higher you go, the farther there is to fall….
The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee 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. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

Why I liked it: The Thousandth Floor is an interesting look at what the future might be like told by five alternating narrators. The novel begins with a peak at the ending, a girl falling from the tower, but it is not until the very end that who that girl is is revealed. As the plot unfolded, I made guesses as to who that might be and why, but in the end, I was surprised at who it was and how it all came together.

Of the five narrators, Avery, whose story is at the center of everything, is the one I would have like to see be more developed. She is secretly in love with her adopted brother, but there is little explanation of how that infatuation developed. I would have like to see more scenes from their childhood so that their mutual affection was more believable. 

My favorite narrators were Watt and Eris, likely because they are caught between worlds. They live on the lower floors of the towers; Watt from birth and Eris due to a recent turn of events, but are navigating life on the upper floors. Watt uses the money he earns from his hacking jobs to try to fit in and Eris tried desperately to hide that her family's status has changed. Watt and his quant, Nadia, the technology he had implanted in his head, have a sense of humor, and Watt is kind in a world where most others think only of themselves. Eris is a whirlwind of emotions and while she at first seems self-assured and materialistic, the changes in her family and economic status impact her priorities, her view of he world, and her sense of self. 

Classroom application: The novel could be used in a history course as a way to introduce class systems and then make comparisons with real systems in countries around the world. Since the novel is set in the not too distant future, the novel could also serve as a springboard for students to develop their own "utopian" worlds with consideration to economics, government, education, transportation etc.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Thousandth Floor 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.

June 15, 2018

14 Novels With Diverse Characters to Recommend to Your Secondary Students

Why is having a diverse classroom library and reading list so important? Many of us teach in schools with diverse populations and those students deserve to see themselves reflected in our classrooms and the books we read. Many of us also teach in schools that are not diverse and those students need to be exposed to cultures, races, religions, ethnicities, and sexual orientations that differ from their own. Here's 14 novels with diverse characters to recommend to secondary students.
Why is having a diverse classroom library and reading list so important? Many of us teach in schools with diverse populations and those students deserve to see themselves reflected in our classrooms and the books we read. Many of us also teach in schools that are not diverse and those students need to be exposed to cultures, races, religions, ethnicities, and sexual orientations that differ from their own. Here's 14 novels with diverse characters 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.

1. Saints and Misfits by S. K. Ali
This beautiful coming of age novel features Janna, your typical teenage girl dealing with your typical teenage girl issues: overprotective moms, annoying brothers, school stress, and mean girls. On top of all of that, the boy Janna thinks is perfect isn't Muslim (and Janna is) and the Muslim boy everyone thinks is perfect tries to force himself on her.

2. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Narration alternates between the two main characters Dimple and Rishi, two Indian teenagers struggling to define themselves as they exit high school and head off to college. This light romance story with a happy ending also tackles tough topics like gender and cultural norms, arranged marriage, and parental expectations.

3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This novel 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.

4. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Ghost quickly grabs your attention. The narrator, Castle, reveals a traumatic incident involving his father in the first few pages and a chapter later strolls into a track practice and challenges the fastest runner, despite having never running track before. Castle doesn't claim to be fearless, but he is bold and unwilling to let others define him. 

In this second installment in Jason Reynold's Track series, Patty faces challenges at home and running track is her escape. Her mother suffers from diabetes so Patty and her younger sister live with their aunt and uncle, who are an interracial race couple. Patty also struggle to make friends at her new school where many of the students are well off.

Every day is the same as the one before for Madeline; she suffers from an illness that prevents her from any contact with the outside world. But then the boy who moves in next door catches her eye and everything changes.

7. Simon Vs The Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Simon is your 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.

8. On The Come Up by Hannah Weyer
This novel has a strong African American female teenager, AnnMarie, as the main character with excellent dialogue and blocking. This novel, based on a true story, touches on a variety of teen issues, such as mean girls, relationships, drug use, and sexual identity.

9. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
This tale of an outsider determined to make his own path in life also provides opportunities for teens to reflect on the loved ones they've lost. And despite some sadness and heavy topics, be prepared to laugh just as much as you want to cry.

10. 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 detained by Homeland Security and Kamran must fight to prove to everyone, even himself, that his brother is innocent.

11. Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Being different doesn't seem to phase Willow. She wears her gardening outfit on her first day of middle school and turns her mandatory counseling sessions into a game. But after both parents die suddenly, Willow must adapt to a new life with the Nyguyen family while coping with her grief. Willow meets these challenges and changes the people around for the better as she does.

12. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Melody wants the same things as any other fifth grade girl: to fit in, have friends, and maybe even get a spot on the Quiz Team. There is just one problem, she can't talk, and once she can, not everyone wants to listen. 

The night that Fadi and his family flee the Taliban's control is full of peril and in one terrible moment, the youngest sister is separated from the family and left behind in Afghanistan. Once in America, Fadi, his parents, and his sister struggle to assimilate while holding on to the hope that Mariam will be found. 

Nadia must navigate through her war torn city in an attempt to reunite with her family. As bombs fall and shots are fired around her, she is filled with fear and the pain in her leg from a previous incident in the war in which she was struck by shrapnel. She, who has rarely left the house since her injury, must now rely on the kindness of complete strangers and think quickly in life or death situations. 

June 11, 2018

On My Bookshelf: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee is so much more than historical fiction. The narrator Monty is hilarious and the novel is full of adventure and action. There's romance in the plot, but also some mystery. The author even tackles issues of race, gender, and sexuality. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s.

Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee is so much more than historical fiction. The narrator Monty is hilarious and the novel is full of adventure and action. There's romance in the plot, but also some mystery. The author even tackles issues of race, gender, and sexuality. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

Why I liked it: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue falls under the genre of historical fiction, my favorite genre, but it is so much more than that. The narrator Monty is hilarious and the novel is full of adventure and action. His tour includes a visit to Versailles that end with him running through the gardens nearly naked,  an ambush by highwaymen on the road to Marseilles, a kidnapping by pirates while stowaways at sea, and narrowly escaping a sinking island. There's romance in the plot; Monty is head over heels for his best friend Percy, but also some mystery; what does the puzzle box Monty steals hold and why does everyone want it so badly? Finally, the author tackles issues of race, gender, and sexuality. Percy is black, as are the pirates, in a time period when people of color were not treated well in Europe and slavery was still in other parts of the world. Felicity, Monty's sister, who is set to go to finishing school, but would rather be going to medical school, is barred from experiences because of her gender. Once Monty and Percy profess their love for one another, the question of how and where can they live a life together becomes a reality.

Classroom application: This is one I would recommend for high school and up because, as the title suggests, it is heavy on the vices: drinking, gambling, sex, etc. The novel would appeal to a wide range of students because it touches on so many genres: historical fiction, action/adventure, romance, and mystery.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue 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.

June 4, 2018

On My Bookshelf: When by Victoria Laurie

When by Victoria Laurie 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. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: Maddie doesn't have a choice. The forehead of every person she sees is marked by the shadowy digits of their deathdate. Her unique, innate skill often feels more like a curse than a gift, and Maddie grudgingly puts it to use identifying deathdates for the paying customers her mother reels in. It seems like a straightforward way to help support her family-until one client's young son goes missing on the exact date Maddie has pinpointed, and she gets pulled into a homicide investigation that turns her world upside down.

As more young people disappear and are later found murdered, suspicion swirls around Maddie. At once a suspect in the investigation, a target for the murderer, and a partner in a tantalizing dance with a boy who might be connected to it all, could Maddie also hold the key to cracking the case?


Why I liked it: When falls into the categories of mystery, suspense, and thriller, which are all outside of my usual reading habits, but the twists in the plot kept me hooked until the end. As an adult reading young adult literature I can usually figure out how things are going to play out, but in When there were several believable red herrings that kept me from figuring out who the bad guy really was. I also appreciated the character development in the novel. Maddie, other than her "gift," was a realistic teenage girl and her mother's struggle with alcohol were realistically depicted as well. I loved the character of her uncle Donny, her hotshot lawyer, bachelor uncle who is always sweeping in to rescue her, but also takes her out to lunch just because.
When by Victoria Laurie 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. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

My two complaints about the plot are minor. First, Stubbs, Maddie's best friend make a remarkable and unrealistic recovery from his time in prison, which included a stay in solitary confinement to protect him from other prisoners. Second, the plot line surrounding Maddie's love interest was also a bit unrealistic. Maddie has a crush on a boy she sees once a year at football games, which is entirely based on his looks and incredibly superficial. Then suddenly she runs into him in several different places and he ends up moving in next door with his father, who happens to be one of the agents who investigated the deaths connected to Maddie and also saved her life. Coincidence overload there. 

Classroom application: This book is a great one to recommend to students who are fans of April Henry's books like Girl, Stolen and crime TV shows like Criminal Minds. There are some dark themes (murder, death, a serial killer), but otherwise the book is appropriate for upper middle school and up. Maddie's talent, the ability to see "death dates," would certainly lead to interesting classroom conversations. Would students want to know their death date or not? How would knowing change how they carried out their lives?

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of When 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.