> The Things You Can Read: February 2016

The Things You Can Read welcomes you and thanks you for your readership. We, here at The Things You Can Read, ask your help, if you visit our site regularly, please follow us either via email or Google Friend Connect.  Launched on June 7, 2012, our site has already attracted a great deal of attention.  One of the goals of the site is to feature reviews of Children's Picture Books, Young Adult novels and Adult Literary Fiction/Nonfiction.  A second goal for the blog is to be a resource for teachers of English and writing--with examples of student created writing, writing tips, resource links, and the opportunity to pick the brain of a seasoned English teacher.  To spice things up...every now and then, we'll also include random quotes and thoughts on education and life in general, but our ultimate goal is to reach out into the blogosphere and be a "Book Whisperer" and "Writing Whisperer" to children and adults of all ages.   Thank you for your readership.  Here is to a lifetime filled with reading and writing.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by Lisa Lewis Tyre!


LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre! 

    

Lisa Lewis Tyre is a debut novelist and boy what a debut!  If you are looking for a great read for young adults or just want to recapture your youth with a book that has the ring of a Nancy Drew Mystery, Last in a Long Line of Rebels is a must read.
     
For the past thirty years, I have lived in houses that date back to the 1800s. Once I even tried to have a Historic Landmark Marker placed in front of one of my houses.  Let me just say, I was an adult and that whole process was a fiasco, so I could truly empathize with Lou's plight.  

After Lou inadvertently discovers that her Civil War era home might be demolished by the city she springs into action.  The thought of losing her home is unfathomable and her plan to save it is ingenious.  I was right there with our protagonist each step of the way.  Lou is outspoken and full of spunk.  No way is she about to take the news lying down.  The journey to save her home from being condemned is full of surprises because Last in a Long Line of Rebels is more than a story about saving an old house it also tackles the issue of intolerance that still exists in the world today.  

The novel is a coming of age story that allows the reader to make unexpected discoveries right along with the main character. Surprises abound the deeper into the novel the reader journeys.   Let's just say the further Lou digs into the past of her ancestors the more she realizes that one must continue to be vigilant in the fight against injustice or history can and will repeat itself.  Tyre's characters feel real and authentic and readers will be right there with Lou Mayhew on her journey of self-discovery.


lisa_lewis_tyre_webLAST in a long line of rebels

Lisa Lewis Tyre’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, February 1st: Geo Librarian
Tuesday, February 2nd: Randomly Reading
Wednesday, February 3rd: All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
Thursday, February 4th: Life is Story
Monday, February 8th: Just Commonly
Wednesday, February 10th: Shooting Stars Mag
Thursday, February 11th: Musings by Maureen
Monday, February 15th: Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, February 16th: You Can Read Me Anything
Wednesday, February 17th: WV Stitcher
Thursday, February 18th: Tina Says…
Monday, February 22nd: The Things You Can Read
Wednesday, February 24th: A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, February 25th: Just One More Chapter
Monday, February 29th: Laura’s Reviews
Wednesday, March 2nd: Absurd Book Nerd
Thursday, March 3rd: FictionZeal
Monday, March 7th: View from the Birdhouse

I'd like to thank TLC for allowing me access to an advance readers copy (ARC) of  LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre

Does  LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre GRAB your attention?  Is it a novel you'd be interested in reading?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!





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

Sunday, February 14, 2016

All Those English Teachers: ENJOY!


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

Friday, February 12, 2016

HOOT by Carl Hiaasen: Researching the Burrowing Owl





PROJECT



Make a REAL TEE or a Paper TEE:  Requirement for the BURROWING OWL SHIRT PROJECT: 
  • MUST Have a picture of a Burrowing Owl drawn on the TEE
  • Must have 10 (TEN) Facts about Burrowing Owls displayed legibly on the TEE
  • Must turn in the ROUGH DRAFT with the finished TEE


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

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Great REVIEW OR INTRO to Persuasive Techniques with COMMERCIALS


Great REVIEW OR INTRO to Persuasive Techniques with COMMERCIALS!





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




Monday, February 8, 2016

Taking the Play to the NEXT LEVEL: Writing a Review for The Little Lion


Students will be asked to put pencil to paper and write a review of The Little Lion.  First, we will examine the review of the play in The Richmond Times Dispatch, and then start creating our own!  Look for more to come on writing reviews!




Theater review: 'The Little Lion': How smug we are to think that any of the seven deadly sins — pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth — might ever apply to us.

Richmond Magazine Review of The Little Lion

RESOURCES:

READWRITE THINK


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


Persuasive Techniques: Commericals that Make Your Point!




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: Her

Reflecting on the Playwright, Irene's Ziegler's Visit: What Was the TAKEAWAY



Ms. Ziegler,
Thank you for coming to visit us!  After reflecting on your visit, I realized that I learned that if you strive for what you want you can achieve it.  Thank you for coming!  JB

Thank you, Ms. Ziegler, for coming to talk to us.  I learned that it takes much preparation and training to be an actor.   I also learned you don't have to be a movie star to carve out a solid career as an actor. RC


Thank you for coming to talk with us, Ms. Ziegler.  What I learned from your visit is that if you want something you have to work hard to make it happen.  TMS


Thank you, Ms. Ziegler, for coming.  I learned lots of things about acting.  I am looking forward to seeing you play, The Little Lion!  CD

How do you make Teaching Drama come alive?

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

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Persuasive Techiques and Advertisements


Do you use commercials to teach persuasive techniques?  I do, here is one of my favorites. Using ads student can relate to works and it gets students excited about the unit!  

OUTTAKES:  Click HERE

HOW DO YOU TEACH PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES?






Wednesday, February 3, 2016

A Visit From the Playwright of The Little Lion


Our study of drama just keeps getting better this year. Not only are we going to see THE LITTLE LION at the Swift Creek Mill Theatre, but the PLAYWRIGHT paid us a visit as well.  She is the multi-talented Irene Ziegler, who writes books, acts, and writes plays!  As I said before combining the study of drama with the "authentic theater experience" make this unit priceless. Irene came and gave students the inside scoop on what it is like to take a true story and develop the nonfiction book into a play. She also made student use those DRAMA terms as she explored the comparison of the book Izzy's Fire to the play, The Little Lion..Whooh... what a great reward!  Thank you, Irene Ziegler!

How do you make Teaching Drama come alive?

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



Making Drama Come Alive!


Each year at this time it is with great excitement and anticipation that I close our study of Drama by attending a LIVE performance.  Each year the play changes but the awe that a LIVE performance brings to my students is always the same. Combining the study of drama in our textbook with the "authentic theater experience" is priceless. We are lucky to have a local theater in our area, Swift Creek Mill Theatre, and they do a fabulous job of offering school performances of various productions.  This year their production of The Little Lion works not only for the DRAMA unit but also with our BIG PBL Unit. Again, attending a live theatre performance makes the words on the page come alive, and with all that hard work of learning all  those drama terms...Whooh... what a great reward!  







How do you make Teaching Drama come alive?

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


Tuesday, February 2, 2016

TEXT STRUCTURES



I've found TEXT STRUCTURES hard to teach.  However, this year we did it differently.  I not only used the E Workheets PowerPoints and Worksheets, but we also made fun Mini-TEXT STRUCTURE BOOKLETS.







HOW DO YOU TEACH TEXT STRUCTURES? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS!

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


Monday, February 1, 2016

What Are You Doing For Black History Month?


What are you doing to celebrate Black History Month?  We'd love to garner some ideas.  Leave us a comment or two.  We love to celebrate the culture and diversity of others and this is a great time to acknowledge the accomplishments of African-Americans in all areas, but especially LITERATURE.  We usually start by exploring the works of Langston Hughes,  How about YOU!

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

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...