The Perfect Season To Read: The Last Leaf By O. Henry

One of the short stories I like to use to teach irony, foreshadowing, inferencing, characterization, (dynamic, static, flat), symbolism, and suprise endings is "The Last Leaf" by O. Henry.  Here is one of the  many activites we do to work with this classic short story:  I call it BE THE ILLUSTRATOR.  I have divided an abriged version of the story up into sections that each require an illustration.  Before we start, I let students know that "IF YOU ARE NOT GOOD WITH PEOPLE...DON'T DRAW PEOPLE!  Use things that represent the people (good time to talk about symbolism with your students too.).  I give them a few class session (maybe three 20 to 30 minutes segments of class) to work on it(where I can help) then what ever is left is for them to finish on their own before the test on the last leaf.  Enjoy!

What kind of activities do you use to solidify the plot line of a story?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read.

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

Happy Thanksgiving From The Things You Can Read

Happy Thanksgiving 

From The Things You Can Read

Have a restful holiday!

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

Inferences: Can You Make Them?

Inferening is a skill students need to practice.  Its really teaching students how to think using logic and evidence.  Students do it all the time.  However, for some reason when you aske them to apply this concept to a reading selection they make it harder then it really is, don't t ask me why?  I work on this one all year.   If you want students to learn how to make inferences in literature, nonfiction and real life, and to support those inferences with strong, reliable evidence my suggestion is to start working on it NOW. Here is a great tool to help,..watch Mister Sato's take on INFERENCING!

How do you teach infereincing?  I'd love your views on this one, as always, let us know here at The Things You Can Read in the comment section!

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

More on POV: Point of View

The BIG push in my class for the past few weeks has surrounded the concepts of Point of View or POV and THEME.  I will say, my students are making headway.  Yeah, SUCCESS! Here is another great reinforcer that I use to say again what I have already said...Let me know if it is helpful...Again, thank you Mister Sato for your great videos! 

Please leave a comment about how you teach POV in your class.

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

Theme: How Do You Find It?

Theme continues to be an area we are working on in all my classes this year.  I realized that a great many adults don't really understand theme either.  Theme and Subject often get confused.  I tell my students the THEME is the life lesson that you can apply to your life and its universal!  Here is a great video from MISTER SATO on Theme.  Mister Sato does a great job of hitting the key points of how to go about finding THEME.  Enjoy!

Identifying the theme of a story can be challenging. It requires the reader to identify a main idea in the story. Then extend the idea to the real world. Fortunately, as with all reading skills, practice makes perfect.-www.ereadingworksheets.com

Resource for Theme Practice:  Click Here




How do you teach theme?  I'd love your take let us know here at The Things You Can Read in the comment section!

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

How Do You Teach Point of View?

I just love this picture.  In case you can't tell that is Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz flooting up in the sky.  Dorothy's point of view of the situation and her friends, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion"s point of view below are very different.  As a teacher, I like to use visuals to illustrate POV.  It can be a picture or short film clips.  Both help students transfer the idea of POV to the page of a book.

The BIG push in my class for the past two weeks has surrounded the concept of Point of View.  I will say, my students act each year like it is the first time they have heard of POV, but I know that is not the case.  However, I have learned to treat POV like it was the first time they ever heard of it.  So with that said, my intro lesson introduces POV with a POW using a PREZI by Dana Linde.  Check it out an let me know what you think.

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

Yes, John Irving=NEW NOVEL!

Yes, John Irving has released a new NOVEL!  John Irving is my all time favorite modern writer.  I can't wait to read this one.  Let us know what you think of John Irving, here at The Things You Can Read!

"Reminiscent of A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving’s modern classic"-

Avenue of Mysteries  A NOVEL  by John Irving “As close as one gets to a contemporary Dickens.” —TIME

With Avenue of Mysteries, John Irving returns to the themes that have made him one of our most beloved and celebrated literary titans. Juan Diego is a writer in his mid-fifties embarking on a trip to the Philippines, but it’s the dreams and memories of his impoverished childhood in a dump near Oaxaca, Mexico with his gifted sister, Lupe, that make him feel most alive. Now his past and present will collide to make a future that may have been foretold years ago. Avenue of Mysteries is the beguiling work of a true storyteller.

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

Theme: How Do You Teach Theme?

How Do YOU Teach Theme?

There are lots of way to teach theme, but one of the ways I like to introduce theme is through film.  Not long feature films, but shorts.  Here is a short film entitled SUCCESS.  It can be used to start a conversation about theme.  After watching the film, I ask the question how would you describe the theme of the film? 

  

How do you teach theme?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read.

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

How to Use Picture Books in the Middle School Classroom: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Image Credit: Amazon.com

If you are an old movie buff, now we're talking old-Buster Keaton kind of old movie buff, and you love books, here is just what the doctor ordered.  A children's picture book that has been turned into an Academy Award winning animated short, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.  My students love this activity.  Here is the link to the original lesson that I modified for my use-This is one way to use this exceptional children's book in the classroom: Film English

Here is the short film that won the 2011 Academy Award for Animated Short...After viewing make sure you go get the book, because everyone knows the book is always better!

Let us, here at The Things You Can Read, know what you think of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore!  If you are a teacher, let us know how you use this intriguing book or plan to use this book in the classroom.

Summary Courtesy of Goodreads:

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

by William Joyce (Illustrator), Joe Bluhm (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator)  

Morris Lessmore loved words.
He loved stories.
He loved books.
But every story has its upsets.

Everything in Morris Lessmore’s life, including his own story, is scattered to the winds.

But the power of story will save the day.    (less)

Hardcover, 52 pages

Published June 19th 2012 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (first published 2011)

ISBN

1442457023 (ISBN13: 9781442457027)

edition language

English

Let us, here at The Things You Can Read, know what you think of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore!  If you are a teacher, let us know how you use this intriguing book or plan to use this book in the classroom.

Happy Reading!

Things You Can Read

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Summary Courtesy of Goodreads:

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

More on IRONY

As I have said before, IRONYis a hard concept to teach.  I have developed a series of exercises I use at the beginning of class to help make the "AHA Moment" happen. Here is another example of how I teach IRONY. 

Watch the short video.  Which of the three types of Irony is being illustrated in the video?  Defend your answer.

Young director award 'Double life' (Commercial) from Ben Brand on Vimeo.

IRONY Workshets and PowerPoint

HOW DO YOU TEACH IRONY?  Let us know here at The THings You Can Read!

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

How Does an Author Reveal Character?

Do you think much about how an author is building a believable character?  Well, If not, you should.  Here are some ways I help students see how character can be revealed.  What are some of the ways you like best?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read.

What are the eight (8) ways character is revealed?

Answer:  Click HERE



More explanation: Click Here and Here

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

Using StoryCorps to Teach

Facundo the Great:  Click Here

Family Man:  Click Here

QUESTIONS:

1. Predict what the story will be about based on the title.
2. What is the main idea of the story?
3. Write a short summary of the story.
4. Create another good title for this story.

Example:

The short film, “The Family Man” is mainly about an adult son remembering his father who had worked hard to provide for his large family.  The son specifically remembered the time he stole bottles from the grocery store for deposits, but was caught by his father.  The son was unknowingly jeopardizing his father’s ability to buy the family’s food on credit.

OR

"The Family Man" is mainly about an adult son's pride in his father.  The son recognized that his father worked hard and was very strict, but looking back as an adult, the son acknowledges how much his father loved his family and how his father only wanted the best for his family.

Article about StoryCorps:  Click Here

This is just one way to use StoryCorps.  It first appeared on my sister site The Writing Whisperings. Now, Start
Scribbling!

Happy Writing!

The Writing Whisperings

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of the Written Word!

Here is another favorite...what kinds of questions might work for this one?

Miss Devine from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

Clean Streets from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

How do you use StoryCorps in the classroom?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Happy Reading & Writing☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here