Themed Literature Circles: Facing Fear

Literature circles are a wonderful way to diversify the texts you are using in your classroom and incorporate student choice. Even just offering two choices instead of a whole class novel can be a nice change of pace. Literature circle texts can be chosen based on theme (growing up, testing friendships), genre (fantasy, memoir), or even an event in history (the Industrial Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement). When selecting texts, you’ll want to consider the number of choices you feel comfortable managing in your classroom. Once you’ve decided on a number, you’ll want to offer a range of reading levels, lengths and identities and experiences of the characters in the books. Below are the texts I’ve used in my sixth grade classroom with success for the theme of “facing fear.”

7 Projects to End a Unit or Novel Study (That Students Will Actually Get Excited About)

In English Language Arts we do a lot of reading and writing, so while I often wrap up a unit or novel with a major writing assignment, I also like to offer students' an opportunity to let their other talents and interests shine. Read on for 7 fresh ideas for projects that students will want to complete.

Literature Circles: Skill Focused Activities

Literature circles are not just about reading and discussing in student led groups, teacher led groups, or online. They are also an opportunity to review old skills and introduce new ones. Opting to use mostly skill based activities (i.e activities that focus on conflict or character) rather than text based activities (i.e. activities that are specific to a certain book) allows all students to engage in the same work regardless of what book they are reading. This approach also means much less work for you as the teacher.

Literature Circles: Online Discussions

While I am meeting with literature circle groups for teacher led discussions, the students not meeting
with me participate in their online discussion groups. These "discussions" are written, rather than oral, and take place in a shared Google Doc, to which all students in the group have edit access. 

These online discussion are not just busy work to keep students quiet and occupied while I meeting with other students. Just like our live discussions, these online ones allow students to practice providing text evidence to support their ideas and how to respectfully agree or disagree with other students' ideas.

Literature Circles: Holding Teacher Led Discussions

If your students aren't ready for student led discussions during literature circles, teacher led discussions are another option. As I shared before, I am not a fan of using assigned roles during literature circles because students can become overly focused on their role and then don’t have much else to contribute to the discussion. While I've found success with student led discussions, I have found just as much success with teacher led ones.

Literature Circles: Holding Student Led Discussions

You've decided on the books and how to group students, but now you will have to decide how you'd like to structure the discussions those groups will have. I am not a fan of using assigned roles during literature circles because I find it can lead to superficial engagement with the text. Student can hyper focus on fulfilling their role of writing a summary, defining unknown words, etc. and then don’t have much else to contribute to the discussion. I’ve run literature circle discussions in two different ways and have found success with both.

Literature Circles: Grouping Students & Holding The First Meeting

Group dynamics are important during literature circles. If you want to get beyond surface level responses, students must be comfortable with you and other students. Your classroom must be an environment where they feel comfortable sharing and not be concerned with what constitutes the "right" thing to say. In addition to selecting texts and having students preview them, before getting into literature circles you will need to make sure students are ready for a departure from a typical novel study.

Literature Circles: Selecting and Previewing Texts

The idea of running literature circles in your classroom may be a daunting one. Maybe it is your first go or maybe it didn't work out all that well in the past. This series of blog posts will detail my experiences with literature circles in hopes of making your next go at it a little easier for you, more engaging for your students, and an enjoyable experience for everyone in the classroom. This first post is about selecting books to offer to students and having them preview those choices to find which books they'd like to read.

Selecting Books to Offer

Literature circle choices usually have some thread that binds them together. The choices may be all of the same genre, from the same time period, focused on the same topic, or connected to the same theme. How many book choices you offer will largely depend on your access to books, what your school has available and/or what you are able to purchase. You may also want to think about how many different discussion groups you want to manage in your classroom. More choices will likely mean smaller groups, but you could also break up larger groups of students reading the same book.

As you select books to offer as literature circle choices, you will want to consider offering a variety of difficulty levels,  lengths, and protagonists. Common Sense Media is a great resource for vetting the appropriate age level of a book if you are making a selection before you are able to read the book yourself. 

With class sized around 24 students, I like to offer six different choices. I don't mind having some groups that are smaller and some groups that are larger; three students is usually my minimum and six students is usually my maximum. Most of my book choices will be at grade level, but I like to have at least one choice that is below and one choice that is above grade level to meet different students' reading needs. I handle length the same way; most books will be of the same length, but I like to have at least one choice that is fairly short and one choice that is longer to meet different students' reading needs. When possible, I like to choose protagonists with a variety of ethnicities, backgrounds, and experiences

Physical Previewing
If you able to have students preview physical copies of the choices of books, I put one at least one stack of book choices at each group of student desks and give the students time to preview each of the books, telling them to look at the front cover and read the details on the back (and inside flaps if it is a hardback). I also encourage students to read a few pages to see if the book grabs their interest and the writer's style and organization appeals to them. When students are finished previewing the choices, I have them rank their choices and turn them in to me.

Digital Previewing
If students are going to be previewing the book digitally, I create a Google Slides with a slide for each choice. On each slide, I provide the image of the front cover and a summary of the book. I also include a link to Amazon and show students how to use the "look inside" feature so they can read a few pages. When students are finished previewing the choices, I have them rank their choices in a Google Form to allow for easy sorting.

Other Considerations
Depending on the number of choices I am offering and the number of copies of each I have available to give out, I may have students rank all of the choices or just their top three. In addition to ranking their books, I may also ask students if there are students they do and do not want to work with, the size of the group they'd like to discuss with, and their usual role in discussions : leader, participant, or listener. Since I don't typically start the school year with literature circles, I usually have an idea of which role students take on in discussions, but it is good for students to self identify as later that can be used to help the student set goals for how they will participate in discussions.

Find all of my resources for literature circles here.

Read on for how I group students and the must haves for a successful first group meeting during literature circles.
 

Novel Choices for Holocaust Themed Literature Circles in Middle School

As a high school teacher I taught a Holocaust unit each year centered around Night by Elie Wiesel. You can read about many of the activities I used to help students make personal connections to the topic here. Each year I had the good fortune of having a local holocaust survivor, David Tuck, come and speak to my students. You can find his story here.

When I returned to a classroom teacher role, teaching a Holocaust unit to my sixth graders was one of my top priorities, especially since the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles each year. My school purchased the Collections curriculum and this was our first year using it. While there are no direct connections to the Holocaust included in any of the thematic collections for sixth grade, we decided to tie Holocaust themed literature circles to the collection titled "decisions that matter."

For that reason, all of the texts we chose involved a main character making important choices during the Holocaust and WWII. As we selected the novels that our students would choose from, we included a range of reading levels/Lexiles as well as lengths and tried to balance male and female protagonists. While violence and death are a part of most Holocaust narratives, we also tried to limit the amount of graphic violence depicted in the texts we chose.

Below you'll find the six texts we used for our literature circles with a brief summary. Clicking on each of the linked titles will take you to my full review of the book.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Reading level Z+, Lexile level 730
Liesel has a rough start with her foster family. She's been abandoned by her mother, her father is an unknown and her younger brother is dead. Her foster mother is as loud and brash as her foster father is quiet. But as the war progresses, Liesel finds friendship is some unexpected places.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Reading level U, Lexile level 670
The plot of Number the Stars is a delicate balance between tender moments between friends and families and the danger that surrounds them. When the Nazis begin rounding up the Jews, Annemarie's family temporarily takes in her best friend Ellen. Annemarie goes to great lengths to protect both her best friend and her own family.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
Reading level Y, Lexile level 510
Misha knows nothing: where his family is, where he came from, not even his own name. He joins a group of ragtag orphan boys, most of them Jewish who roam the city, eating and sleeping where they can, until the Warsaw ghetto is built and closed off from the rest of the city.

Hitler's Canary by Sandi Toksvig
Lexile level 810
Based on a true story, this suspenseful, action-packed narrative describes one family's efforts to help with the resistance in Denmark. The novel was filled with colorful characters who illustrate a range of responses to WWII and the treatment of the Jews by Nazi Germany.

The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson 
Reading level W, Lexile level 1000
This memoir recounts the author's experiences during the Holocaust, first in the Krakow ghetto and then in a concentration camp. Leon survived largely because  he and his family were lucky enough to work for Oskar Schindler.

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti 
Reading Level Y, Lexile level 760
This novel is based on the true story of Helmuth Hübener, the youngest person to be sentenced to death (by guillotine) by the Nazis during World War II. As Hitler rises to power, Helmuth becomes increasingly uncomfortable with what it means to be a German.

You can find all of my resources for teaching the Holocaust here.

If you are looking for more information on setting up and running literature circles in your classroom, check out the series of blog posts below:

• Selecting and Previewing Texts
• Grouping Students & Holding The First Meeting
• Holding Student Led Discussions
• Holding Teacher Led Discussions
• Online Discussions
• Skill Focused Activities

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.

Using Literature Circles to Bring Readers Together

This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about literature circles. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how book selections are made, by theme or by genre. Teachers also shared the titles of their favorite books to use for literature circles.

Read through the chat below to find out how to group students for literature circles. You'll get ideas about holding students accountable for their reading. You'll also find ways to assess students during and after reading.

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.


Using Literature Circles to Bring Readers Together

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 3/26 Topic: Literature Circles

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven, & Lisa Spangler, Mrs. Spangler in the Middle, 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.

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, March 26, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about literature circles.

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 tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

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:

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.

On My Bookshelf: Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

The basic plot from Amazon: Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

Why I liked it: Turtles All The Way Down just might be my favorite John Green novel so far, just surpassing my love for Looking for Alaska. I definitely liked it better than An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns (I think it is safe to say I'm not a big fan of guys who waste their time chasing after girls), and it didn't have the same over the top feel goodness of The Fault in Our Stars.

The novel is just the right combination of seriousness and fun with a little mystery thrown in to the mix (which made me realize John Green is fond of the missing person plot line). It deals with friendship, the loss of a parent, teenage relationships, and mental health issues. I particularly appreciated Green's treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder and Daisy's mostly autobiographical Star Wars fan fiction writing.

Classroom application: Turtles All the Way Down is a great addition to a high school classroom library. While there isn't much in the way of mature content (some romantic kissing scenes), because of some of the darker content: death and mental health issues, I wouldn't recommend it for middle school. The novel could be used in literature circles themed around mental health issues with other novels like Every Last Word and Wintergirls.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Turtles All The Way Down 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.

On My Bookshelf: Hold Still by Nina LaCour

The basic plot from Amazon: In the wake of her best friend Ingrid's suicide, Caitlin is left alone, struggling to find hope and answers. When she finds the journal Ingrid left behind for her, she begins a journey of understanding and broadening her horizons that leads her to new friendships and first love. Nina LaCour brings the changing seasons of Caitlin's first year without Ingrid to life with emotion, honesty, and captivating writing.

Why I liked it: Hold Still is a heart breaking, ugly cry inducing kind of book so have your box of tissues ready. Ingrid's journal entries paint one of the most accurate depictions of depression that I've seen in literature. She emphasizes that there is no way to explain or rationalize her sadness or her suicide (contrary to the message readers/viewers might have taken away from  13 Reasons Why).

I also found Caitlin's struggle with normalcy after the death of her best friend to be very realistic. Everyone is pushing her to move on, but she is overwhelmed with memories of Ingrid and the guilt that she could have and should have done something different. Each time Caitlin seems to making progress toward returning to normalcy, it's that guilt that drags her back down.

Every girl that has had that one best friend at one point in their lives, the kind of best friend that excludes the need for any other friends, will connect with the beauty of Caitlin's friendship with Ingrid while she was living: their shared interest in photography and film, their inside jokes, the ways that their personalities compliment each other. 

Classroom application: This young adult novel would a great addition to a high school classroom library. It's themes are a little too mature for middle school.

The novel would be a great addition to literature circles themed around mental health issues and paired with other young adult novels like Challenger Deep and Every Last Word.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Hold Still 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.

Literature Circles for Middle & High School Students

This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about using literature circles. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed how they select novels to use. Teachers also shared popular themes for connecting novel choices.

Read through the chat below to find suggested lists of titles. You'll get ideas about how to create student groups.  You'll also find ways to assess and hold students accountable for reading.

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.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Literature Circles

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, September 19, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about using literature circles 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: How do you select books for literature circles? By theme? Genre? #2ndaryELA

8:10 Q2: Share the titles of your favorite literature circles. #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: Do you assign students to groups or allow them to choose? How do you prevent too few or too many students in a group? #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: How do you hold students accountable for their reading? Are they assigned roles? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: How do you assess students during and after reading in literature circles? #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 tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)

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:

On My Bookshelf: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

The basic plot from Amazon: Bono met his wife in high school, Park says.
So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers.
I'm not kidding, he says.
You should be, she says, we're 16.
What about Romeo and Juliet?
Shallow, confused, then dead.
I love you, Park says.
Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers.
I'm not kidding, he says.
You should be.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you'll remember your own first love-and just how hard it pulled you under.

Why I liked it: It's impossible not to fall in love with the main characters in Eleanor & Park. Both Eleanor and Park are the kind of teenagers to whom you want to give a big hug and whisper "don't worry; there's life after high school."

Eleanor has recently rejoined her family after spending a year with family friends because her stepfather kicked her out. Her mother is fearful and abused, and her younger siblings are also living in fear of her stepfather. Your heart just breaks for all of the children. They have to stay outside or hide in the bedroom that all five of them share to stay out of their stepfather's way. Things at school are not any better for Eleanor. Her tormentors settle on the nickname "Big Red" because of her size and hair color. Park is different too, but manages to mostly fly under the radar until Eleanor comes along. Thanks to her, he learns to embrace who he is and finally stand up for himself.

My favorite character in the novel is probably Park's mother, who has a wonderful relationship with his father and provides some comic relief.

Classroom application: Because of some of the language used, this is likely a book you'll want to preview before putting in your high school classroom library.

The novel is a perfect springboard for discussions about bullying and/or abusive relationships. Students could consider how they would act in the situations presented in the novel as well as research the legal options for someone like Eleanor or her mother. The novel could be paired with One for the Murphy's which deals with some similar issues.

Eleanor and Park are very different individuals, and perhaps that is part of what makes their relationship work. The novel could be used in literature circles focused on teenage relationships with other novels like Everything, Everything or If I Stay.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Eleanor & Park 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.

On My Bookshelf: China Dolls by Lisa See

The basic plot from Amazon: It’s 1938 in San Francisco: a world’s fair is preparing to open on Treasure Island, a war is brewing overseas, and the city is alive with possibilities. Grace, Helen, and Ruby, three young women from very different backgrounds, meet by chance at the exclusive and glamorous Forbidden City nightclub. Grace Lee, an American-born Chinese girl, has fled the Midwest with nothing but heartache, talent, and a pair of dancing shoes. Helen Fong lives with her extended family in Chinatown, where her traditional parents insist that she guard her reputation like a piece of jade. The stunning Ruby Tom challenges the boundaries of convention at every turn with her defiant attitude and no-holds-barred ambition.

The girls become fast friends, relying on one another through unexpected challenges and shifting fortunes. When their dark secrets are exposed and the invisible thread of fate binds them even tighter, they find the strength and resilience to reach for their dreams. But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, paranoia and suspicion threaten to destroy their lives, and a shocking act of betrayal changes everything.

Why I liked it: Ruby, Grace, and Helen are all in San Francisco pre-World War II for different reasons. Ruby is hiding her Japanese identity and trying to make it on her own. Grace has run away from her abusive father and is also hoping to become a star. Helen is suffering under her father's protective, traditional Chinese ways and a haunting past.

Despite their differences, the three girls connect, become close friends, and active in the San Francisco nightlife, dancing at nightclubs and the Golden Gate International Exposition. As the war approaches, it becomes more and more difficult for Ruby to hide her true identity. She and Grace quarrel over a love interest, and Helen becomes entangled with a male dancer masking his homosexual lifestyle. While each of the girls had their own separate struggles, by the war's end they have a chance to reunite and dance together again. The novel ends with the girls in old age looking back on all they have accomplished.

And oh the drama! The three girls in China Dolls have a very close friendship, but that doesn't mean there isn't jealousy, secrets, and betrayals. A trio of friends has a special dynamic and the author realistically captures how one friend is always trying to one up another to be the "best" friend.

The time period is also one of my favorites and the book gives you an interesting look at life for women during WWII.

Classroom application: This novel could be a selection for literature circles focused on the theme of racism. The novel touches on the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, but even more heavily focuses on the discrimination Asians faced in their day to day life. During that time period there were laws against marrying Caucasians. In the classroom, our discussions around racism too often focus on African Americans. It is important for students to know that our groups faced similar struggles.

Like with Panic, you could also use it as a mentor text to have students practice writing from alternating perspectives and developing multiple, intersecting plot lines (part of the narrative writing standards for grades 11-12), except this has three alternating narrators, not just two. Developing each of the three characters equally would definitely be a challenge.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of China Dolls 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.

On My Bookshelf: Panic by Lauren Oliver

The basic plot: School has just ended in Carp, a poor small town, and the graduates are all gearing up for Panic. It's the yearly game of dares with the winner walking away with thousands of dollars. Heather has just been dumped by her boyfriend and enters on a whim. Her best friend Natalie wants to take the money and start a new life far from away from Carp. Dodge, a bit of a loner, enters with plans for revenge.

The three unite, promising to help each other and split the winnings. As the summer, progresses and Panic becomes more intense and more dangerous, participants drop out, leaving Heather, Natalie, and Dodge in the final few. There is romance, heartbreak, fights with parents and siblings, and questions about what the end of summer will bring. In the end there is only one winner of Panic, but the lessons learned and friendships gained are a far greater prize.


Why I liked it: The chapters in Panic are written from alternating point of views, Heather's and Dodge's, a technique that always interests me. Both the female and male teenage voices are realistic and convincing, a feat some authors just can't pull off. The novel is fast paced and you will want to read it in one sitting as the intensity of Panic builds and draws you in. The plot had some great surprises and twists that you didn't see coming.

Classroom application: This is a must add to your classroom library (grades 8-12). Both your male and female students will be hooked, although I wish the cover was more gender neutral.

This novel could be a selection for literature circles focused on the theme of coming of age.

You could also use it as a mentor text to have students practice writing from alternating perspectives and developing multiple, intersecting plot lines (part of the narrative writing standards for grades 11-12). Another fun writing exercise would be having students analyze each others' writing to try to determine the author's gender. Can your male students write convincingly from a girl's point of view? Can your female students create a convincing male voice?

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Panic 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.