November 25, 2019

On My Bookshelf: Posted by John David Anderson

Posted by John David Anderson is a book about bullying, but also about growing up, coming into your own, and the growing pains and strains of friendships. Despite their friendship, Frost, Deedee, Wolf, and Bench are all very different from the start, and  their responses and reactions are to the events in the book are just as different. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever.

When cell phones are banned at Branton Middle School, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench come up with a new way to communicate: leaving sticky notes for each other all around the school. It catches on, and soon all the kids in school are leaving notes—though for every kind and friendly one, there is a cutting and cruel one as well.

In the middle of this, a new girl named Rose arrives at school and sits at Frost’s lunch table. Rose is not like anyone else at Branton Middle School, and it’s clear that the close circle of friends Frost has made for himself won’t easily hold another. As the sticky-note war escalates, and the pressure to choose sides mounts, Frost soon realizes that after this year, nothing will ever be the same.

Why I liked it: Posted is a book about bullying, but also about growing up, coming into your own, and the growing pains and strains of friendships. Despite their friendship, Frost, Deedee, Wolf, and Bench are all very different from the start, and  their responses and reactions are to the events in the book are just as different. I think this is an important portrayal of friends and friendship for young people to read. Friends are not people who are just like you, and as you grow and change, so do your friendships and that is okay.

Classroom application: I would recommend Posted for middle school and up. Students who read and liked this book would enjoy The Misfits series by James Howe and vice versa. While I don't know that middle school students should be watching Stranger Things, students who enjoy the dynamics of that group of friends would also enjoy this book.

After reading activities could include researching the relationship between technology and inhibitions (why are people more likely to say cruel things in a text message or online than they would be to say those things in person). The book could be tied into activities for National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month (October) and used with these resources.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Posted 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.

Posted by John David Anderson is a book about bullying, but also about growing up, coming into your own, and the growing pains and strains of friendships. Despite their friendship, Frost, Deedee, Wolf, and Bench are all very different from the start, and  their responses and reactions are to the events in the book are just as different. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

November 20, 2019

Point of View Rewrite Activity for the Review Win

This quick activity for reviewing point of view requires zero preparation for the teacher and will have students giggling as they talk about themselves in the third person.
I've written about the activities and texts I use to teach point of view in the past, but wanted to also share a quick activity I used this past year to review point of view.

For sixth graders, point of view isn't a new concept, but students definitely need reinforcement of the types of point of view and the differences between them. I introduce second person and third person objective, but I focus on first person, third person omniscient, and third person limited. Last year, we started working with point of view before the winter holidays, so I wanted to do an activity that would ease students back into learning while also acknowledging their time away from school. 



November 18, 2019

On My Bookshelf: The Towering Sky by Katharine McGee

Like The Thousandth Floor and The Dazzling Heights, The Towering Sky by Katharine McGee has multiple narrators and begins with its ending. When the book begins, many of the characters have become distant from one another for a variety of reasons, but a renewed investigation into Eris's death and their shared guilt over the knowledge of what really happened that night on top of the tower bring them all back together. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: When you have everything, you have everything to lose.

Welcome back to New York, 2119. A skyscraper city, fueled by impossible dreams.

LEDA just wants to move on from what happened in Dubai. Until a new investigation forces her to seek help—from the person she’s spent all year trying to forget.

RYLIN is back in her old life, reunited with an old flame. But when she starts seeing Cord again, she finds herself torn: between two worlds, and two very different boys.

CALLIOPE feels trapped, playing a long con that costs more than she bargained for. What happens when all her lies catch up with her?

WATT is still desperately in love with Leda. He’ll do anything to win her back—even dig up secrets that are better left buried.

And now that AVERY is home from England—with a new boyfriend, Max—her life seems more picture-perfect than ever. So why does she feel like she would rather be anything but perfect?

Like The Thousandth Floor and The Dazzling Heights, The Towering Sky by Katharine McGee has multiple narrators and begins with its ending. When the book begins, many of the characters have become distant from one another for a variety of reasons, but a renewed investigation into Eris's death and their shared guilt over the knowledge of what really happened that night on top of the tower bring them all back together. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
Why I liked it:  I was so excited to finish the Thousandth Floor trilogy and The Towering Sky did not disappoint. Like The Thousandth Floor and The Dazzling Heights, The Towering Sky has multiple narrators and begins with its ending. While the narrators changed slightly from book 1 to book 2, they remained the same from book 2 to book 3, and while this time I was certain I knew whose death would come at the end of the book (and I guessed correctly!), there were still twists at the end that I didn't see coming. But thank goodness for those twists because I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

When the book begins, many of the characters have become distant from one another for a variety of reasons, but a renewed investigation into Eris's death and their shared guilt over the knowledge of what really happened that night on top of the tower bring them all back together. Calliope's character grew on me as did Avery's over the course of this book, and I was eager to see what would happen to my old favorites like Watt, Rylin, and Leda.

Classroom application: This series is appropriate for high school students due to mature content (sex, drug and alcohol use). As with the previous books in the trilogy, 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.

Watt's relationship with his computer Nadia becomes increasingly complicated and could lead to research and possibly an argument essay or debate about the dangers of technology becoming too "smart."

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Towering Sky 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.

Like The Thousandth Floor and The Dazzling Heights, The Towering Sky by Katharine McGee has multiple narrators and begins with its ending. When the book begins, many of the characters have become distant from one another for a variety of reasons, but a renewed investigation into Eris's death and their shared guilt over the knowledge of what really happened that night on top of the tower bring them all back together. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

November 17, 2019

Professional Development for the Secondary ELA Teacher

If we want our students to grow and change, we must be willing to do the same as teachers. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about professional development. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed their favorite professional development books. Teachers also shared in-person and online PD opportunities. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about professional development. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed their favorite professional development books. Teachers also shared what professional development looks like at their schools.

Scroll down to read through the chat. You'll get ideas about in-person and online PD opportunities outside of your school. You'll also find ways to bring learning from PD back into your classroom.

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.




If we want our students to grow and change, we must be willing to do the same as teachers. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about professional development. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed their favorite professional development books. Teachers also shared in-person and online PD opportunities. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.

November 15, 2019

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Sunday 11/17: Nonfiction & Real-World Connections

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about nonfiction and real-world connections.
Brynn Allison,  The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Sunday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Friday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Sunday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last year and we hope that you will join us again.

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 Sunday, November 17, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about nonfiction and real-world connections.

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about nonfiction and real-world connections.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Sunday 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 @spanglermiddle) 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 as well as 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 Sunday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

November 13, 2019

Host a Photography Contest to Reinforce Figurative Language & Imagery

Hosting a "photography contest" is an engaging way to reinforce figurative language and imagery by having students select a photograph connected to a theme and write a description for their image using imagery and figurative language.
I have written in the past about the activities and texts I use when teaching figurative language, but also wanted to share an activity I used this past year to specifically reinforce imagery and personification.

I needed a quick activity for practicing these concepts that would keep students engaged before winter break, so I came up with the idea of a winter themed "photography contest."

Students had to select a picture the captured some element of winter and write a description for their image using imagery and personification.

I pushed the assignment out to students on Google Classroom using Google Slides. The first slide had the directions, the second had an example, and the third was a blank template for their photo, description, and title.

Hosting a "photography contest" is an engaging way to reinforce figurative language and imagery by having students select a photograph connected to a theme and write a description for their image using imagery and figurative language.
I looked through them as students were working just to make sure there were no repeat images and then printed them out when students were finished. After hanging them, students voted for best photograph, best description, and best overall.

The activity could easily work for any season (or any theme really) and the use of other types of figurative language could be required. With a little more advance planning, I would also love to have students actually take their own photographs for it.

Hosting a "photography contest" is an engaging way to reinforce figurative language and imagery by having students select a photograph connected to a theme and write a description for their image using imagery and figurative language.

November 11, 2019

On My Bookshelf: Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp centers around the guilt Corey feels after her best friend's suicide, explores the stigma around mental health issues, and includes elements of magical realism. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: Best friends Corey and Kyra were inseparable in their snow-covered town of Lost Creek, Alaska. When Corey moves away, she makes Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return.

Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated―and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town's lost daughter, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she's a stranger.

Corey knows something is wrong. With every hour, her suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets―chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter...

Why I liked it: Before I Let Go is dark like her first novel, This Is Where It Ends, though slightly less unsettling. The novel centers around the guilt Corey feels after her best friend's suicide, explores the stigma around mental health issues, and includes elements of magical realism. It is unclear at times what is real versus imagined by the main character.

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp centers around the guilt Corey feels after her best friend's suicide, explores the stigma around mental health issues, and includes elements of magical realism. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The main character is exploring a best friend’s suicide after a period of separation similar to She Was Here by Gayle Forman. Corey suffers from survivor guilt, but also all of the what ifs in their strained friendship.

Kyra was diagnosed as bipolar, but the medications she was prescribed were not effective and her therapist recommended more serious treatment unavailable in the small town in Alaska where Kyra lived, largely cut off from the rest of the world. Her parents withheld her medication and refused to let Kyra seek additional help because of the amazing art she produced during her manic periods.

After being pushed away for so long, Kyra was at first happy to feel wanted by the townspeople, but quickly realized it was her art, not her that people were interested in. Her art predict a happier future, so the town, particularly her father would not let her leave. She fell through the ice after a failed attempt at running away. Everyone watched her die and no one interceded because her death had been foretold in one of her own paintings.

Classroom application: Because of the dark content, I would recommend this one for high school and up. After reading it would be interesting for students to research the connection between witches of the past and the mentally ill.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Before I Let Go 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.

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp centers around the guilt Corey feels after her best friend's suicide, explores the stigma around mental health issues, and includes elements of magical realism. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

November 8, 2019

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Sunday 11/10: Movement in the Classroom

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about movement in the classroom.
Brynn Allison,  The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Sunday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Friday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Sunday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last year and we hope that you will join us again.

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 Sunday, November 10, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about movement in the classroom.

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about movement in the classroom.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Sunday 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 @spanglermiddle) 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 as well as 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 Sunday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

November 4, 2019

On My Bookshelf: Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum is just as much about coming of age and figuring out who you are as it is about love. As if it isn’t enough that Jessie is grieving the loss of her mother, her father fairly quickly remarries and moves Jessie across the country from Chicago to California during her junior year of high school. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
The basic plot from Amazon: Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son, and to start at a new school where she knows no one.

Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum is just as much about coming of age and figuring out who you are as it is about love. As if it isn’t enough that Jessie is grieving the loss of her mother, her father fairly quickly remarries and moves Jessie across the country from Chicago to California during her junior year of high school. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
Why I liked it: I'm not usually a big fan of young adult romance, but I loved Tell Me Three Things , which was just as much about coming of age and figuring out who you are as it was about love. As if it isn’t enough that Jessie is grieving the loss of her mother, her father fairly quickly remarries (a woman he met through a grief group: her husband has also recently passed away) and moves Jessie across the country from Chicago to California during her junior year of high school.

Jessie at first struggles to fit in with her wealthier peers, some of whom seems like they stepped right off the set of Mean Girls. But when an anonymous classmate calling themselves Somebody/Nobody reaches out to her online and offers to help her navigate her new school, Jessie finds herself making new friends, hoping to meet Somebody/Nobody, and eventually falling for someone.

While struggling to find herself in a new place, Jessie also struggles to find balance in her relationship with her dad, her new stepmother and stepbrother, and her best friend back in Chicago. I enjoyed these minor characters just as much as I liked the protagonist. Rachel, her new stepmother wasn’t the stereotypical evil, controlling witch, but also didn’t try to force a relationship with Jessie. Theo, her new stepbrother, tries to ignore Jessie, but eventually becomes a fierce ally. Scarlet, Jessie’s best friend back in Chicago, struggled with fitting in after Jessie left because the two had such an exclusive friendship.

Classroom application: I would recommend this for high school and up, mostly because the book is set in high school. There's some references to sex and drug use, but nothing is actually depicted.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Tell Me Three Things 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.

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum is just as much about coming of age and figuring out who you are as it is about love. As if it isn’t enough that Jessie is grieving the loss of her mother, her father fairly quickly remarries and moves Jessie across the country from Chicago to California during her junior year of high school. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.

November 1, 2019

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Sunday 11/3: Professional Development

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about professional development.
Brynn Allison,  The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Sunday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Friday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Sunday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last year and we hope that you will join us again.

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 Sunday, November 3, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about professional development.

Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Sunday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about professional development.

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Sunday 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 @spanglermiddle) 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 as well as 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 Sunday evening and in our 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here: