Generating plot ideas for stories is a key part of your Preptober strategy if you're taking part in NaNoWriMo. Here's some ideas to help.

Outlining can be both the most exciting and sometimes the most difficult part of the writing process, especially when you’re trying to draft a novel in only 30 days. So I came up with a solut…

Matchbook chapter summaries super simple and fun project that you can have your students complete during your next novel study.

Reading novels is a staple in every level in our World Language department. Below are two new approaches I used with reading a novel. 1. Connecting to the character in the story. This year is the first time my students are reading the TPRS Publishing novel, Frida Kahlo, by Kristy Placido. Before we started reading, I gave them the paper below. They read the statements and responded to the scenarios on another paper that had 15 blank squares. The students did NOT know that these statements were events that happened in Frida Kahlo's life or were similar experiences (such as #9 & #10), that we were soon going to read in the novel. I created similar events (#9 & #10) in order to provide examples that are plausible for my students. (Ex: Frida called Diego out on his relationship with an art model when he was painting at her school. The possibility of our school commissioning an artist to paint a mural on our school wall is very unlikely so my example is the student's boss, who is married, has a romantic relationship with another person.) After each chapter that mentioned one, or more, of the examples in the chart, we discussed the students' answers and compared them to Frida Kahlo's actions. If what the student had written was similar to Frida's actions, they circled the square. If it was different than Frida's actions, they drew a bold "X" over the square. After discussing all 15 examples, we were quickly able to identify which students could relate to events in Frida's life. 2. Checking comprehension with Higher Order Thinking There are (a few) times that I assign homework for my students to read a chapter or two from the novel we are reading together in class. A twist on checking their comprehension of the chapter (and also to see if they read the chapter), is to give them the 4-1-1 Comprehension Check. To create a 4-1-1 Comprehension Check, you will need to choose 4 sentences from the chapter(s) that the students read for homework (or that they read in class). Then add a sentence of something that DIDN'T happen in the text, but is something that could have happened. Write another sentence of something that DIDN'T happen and IS NOT a logical option of what could have happened in the chapter. 4-1-1 Comprehension Check - ch6 of Frida Kahlo Type the sentences in random order. The students have to find the 4 sentences with information that occurred in the text they read. (If they are sentences with a clear chronological order, ask students to put them in order.) For the remaining two sentences, students determine which one didn't happen but could have, and which sentence is not a logical choice of a possible event in the book and then they must DEFEND their reason for their choices with information in that particular chapter or previous chapters. The above example is from chapter 6 of "Frida Kahlo". The two sentences that are NOT from the novel are B and E. The book does not mention that Frida told her sister about the rats, but since Frida was closest to her younger sister and they spent a lot of time together, it would be a logical possibility that Frida would tell her sister about the rats. The sentence that is not a logical possibility is E because if students read the chapter they know that Frida was hiding the rats from her mother. Frida would not want to give the rats to her mother as a gift because her mother would not agree to permit Frida to continue caring for them. Another chapter in Frida Kahlo that is perfect for a 4-1-1 Comprehension Check is chapter 7 that lists the mischievous acts of Frida and her friends at la Escuela Nacional Preparatoria. This 4-1-1 Comprehension Check is beneficial in that students have to separate fact from fiction. If they read the chapter and understood what they were reading, it should be a fairly simple task for them to find the two sentences that are not from the text. The higher order thinking skills are needed to determine which sentence is/is not a possibility, and then defend the answer using information already known about the character or the plot. The 4-1-1 Comprehension Check can be used as a formative or summative assessment.

Looking for something a little different to pack in your book bag for your next vacation? I've got 20 new graphic novels you can read this summer to bring a little variety to your TBR. Check out my recommendations below, and be sure to pick one out…

As a medical student, Ian Williams' life was bound by the obsessions and rituals of OCD. But it was many years before he found the courage to get help. Now, his graphic novel offers a window on his tortured secret world

Hook your students before they read the first page with

Forthcoming from Penguin Press in July 2018, My Year of Rest and Relaxation is a novel about a young woman’s efforts to duck the world by embarking on an extended hibernation with the help of one o…

We sat down with the award-winning author to discuss The Women and the long-held inspiration behind it

Read the drama unfold as a baker loses her cool when her mom meddles with her cheesecake. Dive into the family feud and accusations of rudeness in this engaging story of sweet creations turned sour.

Structuring your story can frighten some writers and confuse others, but it doesn't have to be so - here is a simple way to look at story structure.

Middle school novel study favorites - top novel study picks for grade 5-9 to engage and encourage young readers.

Participating in NaNo this year? Or are you just brainstorming a new story and want a place to write notes before you start writing? This collection of templates will help you do just that! Including a basic brainstorming template, as well as a plot, character and setting template. Purchase gets you printable PDFs of the 4 templates. Have a whole gaggle of main characters, but only one location? Print multiples of any page to make these templates work most effectively for your personal writing needs.

Check out these fun Because of Winn-Dixie activities. The engaging novel study ideas includes character analysis, vocabulary work and chapter summaries.

Novel Brochure - Pamphlet for Google Classroom Freebie! This resource allows students to create a pamphlet that can be edited for ANY novel! The file contains a Google Drive link that can be used for Google Classroom. **Be sure to MAKE A COPY of the link and save to your own Google Drive Enjoy! Ratings on freebies are greatly appreciated! :) YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 5th Grade Novel Studies Bundle (5 Novels) Wonder Novel Study Holes Novel Study Number the Stars Novel Study Esperanza Rising Novel Study Bridge to Terabithia Novel Study ______________________________________________________________________ Tips for Savvy TpT Shoppers: How to receive credit on TpT to use for future purchases: • Go to your My Purchases page. Under each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your classroom so I can create more for you. Be the first to know about my new discounts, FREEBIES, and products: • Look for a green star near the top of any page within my store and click it to become a follower. You will now be able to see FREEBIES and customized emails from my store! ©2017 StudentSavvy All rights reserved by author. Permission to copy for single classroom use only. Electronic distribution limited to single classroom use only. (unless you purchase the multiple license)

A BTS fan favorite! A WALL STREET JOURNAL STORIES THAT CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE PICK * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S STAY HOME AND READ PICK * SALON'S BEST AND BOLDEST * BUSTLE'S MOST ANTICIPATED The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in this poignant and triumphant story about how love, friendship, and persistence can change a life forever. This story is, in short, about a monster meeting another monster. One of the monsters is me. Yunjae was born with a brain condition called Alexithymia that makes it hard for him to feel emotions like fear or anger. He does not have friends—the two almond-shaped neurons located deep in his brain have seen to that—but his devoted mother and grandmother provide him with a safe and content life. Their little home above his mother’s used bookstore is decorated with colorful Post-it notes that remind him when to smile, when to say "thank you," and when to laugh. Then on Christmas Eve—Yunjae’s sixteenth birthday—everything changes. A shocking act of random violence shatters his world, leaving him alone and on his own. Struggling to cope with his loss, Yunjae retreats into silent isolation, until troubled teenager Gon arrives at his school, and they develop a surprising bond. As Yunjae begins to open his life to new people—including a girl at school—something slowly changes inside him. And when Gon suddenly finds his life at risk, Yunjae will have the chance to step outside of every comfort zone he has created to perhaps become the hero he never thought he would be. Readers of Wonder by R.J. Palaccio and Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig will appreciate this "resonant" story that "gives Yunjae the courage to claim an entirely different story." (Booklist, starred review) Translated from the Korean by Sandy Joosun Lee.

The image depicts a revolutionary BIC pen, designed with a futuristic vision. This writing instrument is not just functional; it is a masterpiece of technology and design. Its body is sleek and refined, made from a novel material that is not only lightweight and extremely durable but also capable of changing color according to the user's body temperature, adding a personal and dynamic touch. Instead of a traditional ballpoint tip, this pen is equipped with a molecular precision laser emitter, an innovation that allows writing on any surface, and even in the air, projecting ink in the form of a hologram. This advancement transforms writing into a completely new visual and tactile experience. This futuristic pen is also a symbol of sustainability; It is fully rechargeable and uses a special ink that regenerates by extracting moisture from the air. The functionality does not stop there: with built-in Bluetooth connectivity, the pen can synchronize with digital devices in real time, facilitating the instant digital transcription of handwritten notes. The BIC logo, a symbol of reliability and quality, is elegantly engraved in the center of the pen. It subtly illuminates when the pen is in use, serving as a visual reminder of its operation and as a distinctive aesthetic detail. This image and concept represents not just an evolution in writing instruments but also a leap into a future where technology and design converge to create tools that are both practical and inspirational, redefining our relationship with writing and creative expression.

Visit the post for more.

Imagine a future where emotions hardly exist, babies are hatched, social destiny is preconditioned, and casual sex has displaced violence. Welcome to Huxley's "Brave New World", a dystopian novel in which everyone is blissfully happy and never questions their place in society. Or do they?

Do you have trouble teaching characterization? Use fun collaborative posters to teach how to use textual evidence to discover characterization!

Check out all of the freebies I've offered up since I've been blogging! I hope they're helpful in your classroom! Positive feedback on my TpT items is always appreciated! Reading - Math - Writing - Decor - For the Teacher - Nick's Typewriter Font My Eyes and Teeth Font Good and Bad Luck Clip Art And visit my Facebook page to grab my fan freebie!

Struggling To Come Up With Ideas For Your Next Short Story Or Novel? Here Are 25 New Love Story Ideas To Inspire You Today.

Get to know ten of the best Spanish novels to help improve your language skills in Spanish. Great for Spanish learners of all levels- beginner, intermediate, and advanced!

In this EDITABLE creative book report resource, you'll find 10 differentiated activities for ANY novel unit - these templates are perfectly sized for lapbooks and interactive notebooks. This creative book report unit is complete as is, or makes a great companion to your current curriculum. You'll love that this project is guided and can be used for independent work. Your students will love it because it's fun and a change of pace. CLICK HERE to save 40% on this resource in the ELA Bundle for Grades 4 - 7! The EDITABLE pieces included are for the cover, vocabulary terms, and characters. If you already have this information, it should take you about 5 minutes to put together. Everything else is print and go! Don't have 5 minutes to spare? Print everything out and your students can write those sections in. This resource has a variety of activities that are engaging and demonstrate comprehension WITHOUT multiple choice tests. You'll notice that this open-ended project is incredibly flexible allowing your students to think creatively and work through their book in a natural way. Activities Included: Vocabulary Terms Character Quotes Plot Structure - Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution Author Biography Character Traits and Textual Evidence Timeline of Events Themes Imagery Literary Assessment/Short Essay (6 Higher Order Thinking Prompts) How to Use: Students can write in the title to the book, or you can use the editable format for lapbooks or interactive notebooks. Supplies Needed: You’ll find this project very inexpensive. More than likely,you already have what you need for this activity. •one file folder per student •one set of activity sheets per student •one student’s guide per student •scissors •stapler •white glue •Crayons or colored pencils •1 metal brad per student New Terms: Students should write terms that they’ve come across that are new, or you can give them this list. You will also be able to type in your own list in the editable file. Students will need to write a short definition for each term. Sample Project: In the zipped file, you’ll find a sample of the layout of this project for lapbooks. For interactive notebooks, students will have freedom to organize how they’d like. Terms of Use Copyright © Project Based Learning with Elle Madison. All rights reserved by the author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. This means it is for ONE teacher. Additional licenses may be purchased by the original buyer at a discount. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Clipart and elements found in this JPEG are copyrighted and cannot be extracted and used outside of this file without permission or license. Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.

In Driver’s new Burberry campaign, horse becomes man, man becomes horse, Oscar-nominated actor becomes centaur.

Discover the First Woman digital universe. Read the graphic novels in English and Spanish, access educational tools and experiences, and learn about real space technologies for our missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond!

Whether taking a walk through the biggest trees on earth or setting up camp in the high Sierras, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park are, without a doubt, two of the most uniquely beautiful National Parks in the country! For this reason, I highly recommend visiting both parks as opposed to one o

This week a secret co-writer joins me in discussing Chantal Montellier, Robert Crumb, and the disease of the instincts. Plus, new and old books, with and without pictures.

It's honestly been pure torture waiting but things are about to get better because 2018 is just around the corner! GIVE US ALL THE SEQUELS.

Miguel es un detective privado. Él tiene 32 años y vive solo. Su ídolo es James Bond. Le gustan todas sus películas. También le gustan las novelas policiales. Miguel vive en Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tiene un departamento en Palermo. Él vive con su perro Yako. Todos los días él pasea a su perro. Yako es un perro pequinés ...--Pages 1-2. | Author: Paco Ardit | Publisher: Independently published | Publication Date: July 07, 2014 | Number of Pages: 101 pages | Language: Spanish | Binding: Paperback | ISBN-10: 1519075421 | ISBN-13: 9781519075420

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli is one of the best books I've ever taught my fifth graders. There are themes of friendship, family, racism, courage and love. At the beginning of the book, readers are introduced to Jeffery Magee, an orphan made to live with his aunt and uncle who hate each other. They fight about everything, even Jeffery! One day, Jeffery, also known as Maniac has had enough and runs away to the other side of town. The side where no one from his side goes. There, he is faced with many different challenges and adventures. Because of the way the book is written, setting and characters play a big part. This hands-on and engaging activity is brilliant because it asks students to think deeply about how setting is important to the story as well as the different characters whom Maniac meets along the way. When thinking about setting, students choose a place Maniac went to and describe why it is important to the story and how the story might change if that place didn't exist. When thinking about the characters in the story, students are asked to choose 3 important characters and tell their character traits and why he/she was important to the story and how he/she changed during the story. Finally, students draw how they visualized the characters while reading, There is a separate page dedicated to Maniac Magee and it is a character map that gets pasted on the side of the soda carrier. Students also label the soda carrier with the theme of the story, their rating of the story and a picture and explanation of their favorite part. Teachers can decide whether this is an on-going activity that students complete while reading Maniac Magee or something that is done after students have finished reading the book. I would love to hear your feedback if you choose to use this activity in your classroom!

The heated comment thread on HTMLGIANT that came up when Michael Jacobson’s new book, The Giant’s Fence, was mentioned, raises a great point about how we approach language. Jacobson advocates a form of writing that he calls “asemic writing”—that is, writing with no semantic content. No one stares at a canvas of abstract art expecting to “read” a message. But when a book of asemic writing is presented, some people gripe and blow it off as a gimmick because there is nothing

If you’ve ever found yourself searching the internet for “contemporary short stories” or “modern short stories” because you’re tired of teaching the same classic stories over and over again, I have THE HACK to change everything for you!

Get more from RIMINGS on Patreon

« Ah non! » C'est la réaction de plusieurs de mes élèves depuis quelques semaines lorsqu'on entend la cloche de fin du cours. Pourquoi? Parce qu'ils veulent continuer à lire notre roman à l'étude, Rouge poison. Vous ne me croyez pas? Dans ce texte, je vous explique comment je rends l'étude d'un roman amusante dans mon cours de français. Mon but comme enseignante de français est simple : être superhéroïne. Je blague, mais il faut pratiquement l'être pour faire aimer la littératie à certains élèves. Mes objectifs pour l'année scolaire sont : (1) Améliorer leurs compétences en lecture, écriture et communication orale, et (2) Leur faire aimer le cours de français. Et dans le fond, c'est le deuxième objectif qui est le plus important, car s'ils n'aiment pas assister à mon cours, ils ne seront pas ouverts à écouter, participer et mettre l'effort nécessaire pour réussir. Comment je m'y prends pour rendre l'étude d'un roman amusante? Je vous partage 4 grands conseils. Conseils #1 : Je lis avec eux. À l'exception des élèves qui adorent la lecture et qui dévorent déjà 2 romans par semaine, plusieurs élèves n'aiment pas lire. Si nous laissons à eux la responsabilité de lire un roman à la maison, certains ne le feront pas et d'autres perdront tout intérêt pour l'histoire. Plusieurs élèves ont des difficultés à lire (ils lisent lentement) ou à comprendre ce qu'ils lisent. J'ai vite constaté dans ma carrière que si je voulais que mes élèves apprécient et comprennent un roman, qu'ils devaient le lire avec moi. C'est pourquoi je fais la lecture en classe avec les élèves. Oui, oui, je fais l'heure du conte avec des élèves de 12 ans. Et ça fonctionne! À tous les cours (ou presque), chaque élève a son tour pour lire une demi-page du roman (un peu moins pour les classes où les élèves ont de la difficulté). Je lis le reste du temps. Plusieurs élèves bénéficient d'entendre lire un modèle. La lecture est à la base de tout en français. Lire quotidiennement est tellement un atout. De plus, lorsque je lis avec expression (j'aime faire des voix pour les divers personnages), les élèves embarquent davantage dans l'intrigue. Également, puisque je suis avec eux, je m'arrête de temps en temps pour expliquer ou récapituler ce qui se passe dans l'histoire. C'est vraiment une stratégie gagnante que je vous recommande. Conseil #2 : Je donne moins de questions à répondre. Nous l'avons tous subit lors de nos propres études : à la fin du chapitre, il y a des questions à répondre. L'élève rattache donc lecture à travail. J'aime que les élèves cultivent le plaisir de lire, donc je donne des questions à certains moments clés du roman (par exemple, 3 fois dans le roman Rouge poison de Michèle Marineau), et seulement 4 ou 5 questions à la fois. Pour l'étude de vocabulaire, nous avons un mur de mots où j'affiche des mots importants (pour Rouge poison, du vocabulaire rattaché à l'intrigue policière) et nous en discutons ensemble. Pour mieux connaître les personnages du roman, je donne une fiche aux élèves sur laquelle ils prennent en notes de détails au sujet de la personnalité, de l'apparence physique, etc. des personnages principaux. Nous pouvons ensuite faire un partage en grand groupe et même colliger le tout dans un Google Dessin. Conseils #3 : J'affiche l'intrigue au tableau. J'ai eu l'idée d'une collègue qui affichait des images en lien avec son roman. J'ai donc décidé de transformer un de mes tableaux verts en tableau d'enquête pour notre récit d'intrigue policière. J'y ai affiché des cartes, des images et des photos reliées au roman (Rouge poison). Les élèves adorent le consulter pour mieux comprendre l'intrigue et se souvenir de détails qu'ils avaient peut-être oubliés. Conseil #4 : Je varie les tâches d'évaluation Pensez à varier vos tâches d'évaluation. J'aime donner un test écrit à mi-chemin dans le roman afin d'évaluer les stratégies de lecture enseignées (dans mon cas, comprendre la question à l'aide de la stratégie Je cherche et des mots clés, et comprendre les mots nouveaux à l'aide des Stratégies de dépannage). Par contre, ma deuxième tâche d'évaluation en est une où l'élève peut être créatif. Qu'il puisse mettre dans ce projet tout ce qu'il a aimé et compris du roman. J'aime finir le roman en grand, afin que l'élève en garde de précieux souvenirs. Dans un autre billet, je vous présente 15 projets créatifs pour l'étude d'un roman. Allez lire : 15 idées de projets créatifs pour l'étude d'un roman Bref, l'étude d'un roman peut être une unité d'apprentissage amusante si vous dédiez davantage de temps de classe pour en faire la lecture avec les élèves, utilisez des éléments visuels et proposez des idées de tâches créatives aux élèves. Mes élèves ont accepté avec plus d'enthousiasme de lire un roman de leur choix de façon indépendante suite à la lecture de Rouge poison ensemble. Je crois qu'ils avaient vu à quel point lire pouvait être amusant.