Live Binders! J.K. Rowling says YES!

Well, maybe...

We all know about the Hogwarts' textbooks...ahem...Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Here's the thing...back in the 2014 I blogged all the time about LiveBinders. These are, if you didn't know, digital binders...just like real binders...without the ring pinches!

I just went back to mine and discovered something pretty cool.

If you click the square along the top left side of the banner, the binder outline appears.

And here is where it gets exciting...

Really? Lit Maven?

Yes!

If you were to write a nonfiction book, you would be collecting research.  If you built a LiveBinder to collect your research, naturally adjusting tabs (left to right) and ordering subtabs (left to right) in the end you would have your desired structure. This may be obvious..or not. But what I love is that when you click on the outline view, the outline of the LiveBinder is completely revealed, in a very obvious way...the order of chapters for your book. In addition you can see where things might be out of order or need more research.

Cool! Lit Maven?

Right!!

I know it's not a huge deal but for me it is the little things. If I go back to visit all of my LiveBinders, the outlines reveal something new to me and help to focus my thinking.

Although, I have not made a LiveBinder in awhile, I'm back now! And there have been changes.

One of the new changes, as you know my journey is Google right now...it is suggested that you can now send your Live Binder link into a Google Classroom. This has huge implications for teaching, especially if a digital textbook is something that you wanted to build.

J.K. might like this idea for a new class at Hogwarts...or not...but here it is for you.

Well, that's enough info to blow your mind today....

Until Next Time,

The Lit Maven!

Ice Cream has Many Flavors...So can Writing...

(Image by Cohdra)





Before I forget...I have to add a post about a recent classroom visit. I had the opportunity to visit a class of wonderfully excited grade ones...but aren't they always exited?

The topic was to make our own Pigeon books. The teacher and I hummed and hawed.

Would the kids write their own Don't Let the Pigeon...story?

Would we do one together as a class?

I don't know what I was thinking...you know how I love choice in topic...

Well...we started writing...the kids were excited...the MANDATORY topic:
Don't Let the Pigeon have a Sleepover....

We brainstormed....
We laughed...
We drew pigeons...
We accessorized pigeons....
We handed out the blank little books...
We conferenced...
We.....HEARD TEARS!!!! (Rhymes with jeers!)

My head nearly swivelled off my neck.

I thought the student was frustrated spelling....NOPE!

"What's wrong?" I asked.
He said," I want to write about....Don't Let the Pigeon Scuba Dive."
I paused..."then write it!"

A smile...the tears evaporated....and another little writer was on the way...

Moral of the story....
Write what you care about and LET THEM do the same!

Until Next Time,
Litmaven Out!

Go For Goal! Make sure that your students are not backed into a post.

"A-Boot" a year ago the world was preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympics. "GO for Gold" was the mantra up here in Canada.

In the classroom, it is Go for Goal!

What truly is the Goal of your lessons? Do you know it? Do your students?

I was in a classroom this week. I was supporting a teacher and his students with Fractured Fairy Tale writing.

As they began their rough copy, the teacher said,"Remember, only handwriting after Christmas."

Yikes! First draft perfection! Say it ain't so!

Of course, we all know when writing our first draft we just need to get the ideas out. Revision, editing and dare we say perfection, comes later.

As expected the stories got off to a painfully slow start.
"How do you make a G?" said one child mournfully.

Then there was the student who had barely anything written down.
I asked, "Are you not sure what to write?"

He said," I know what to write, I just can't handwrite."

Well that just isn't good is it?

Lessons For All Teachers

Look at you goal (standard, outcome).

Is it clear what you want the students to do?

If it is to create a story...
Could they type it? YES
Could they print it? YES
Could they use presentation software? YES
Could they use storyjumper? YES
Could they use a plume and ink? I guess....

So...please find a place for all your students. If handwriting is the goal? Then have them copy a poem in their best handwriting...BUT...if it is storywriting...please ....please let them create...by any means necessary.

SO how to you make that G...I still don't know...that's why I print!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven OUT!

Let's Start at the Very Beginning

How do you hook your readers in? On my pursuit to make it to the oscars, I have dusted off my rough copy manuscript for a Young Adult novel. It has sat their miserably looking at me because I didn't know how to revise. The Lit Maven has an extensive bookshelf of writing books. I should have enough information...but can you really have enough information?

Here's a great one that I pulled off my shelf Hooked by Les Edgerton. If you are like me and you have no idea what to do after your first draft, this book gives you a start at possible structural trouble shooting. If you get a chance...check it out...you will be Hooked...

Unitl Next Time
Lit Maven Out!

Twitter Chats for Writers

Here is a link to Twitter chats for writers.


Compact writer chat schedule (for details, read further down on page):
EVERY DAY: #amwriting, #writegoal, #writingparty plus others (see hashtag list below)
SUNDAYS: #writechat, #scriptchat
MONDAYS: #litchat, #journchat, #ThrillerChat
TUESDAYS: #kidlitchat, #poettues, #FaithLitChat,
WEDNESDAYS: #litchat, #memoirchat, #wnw, #yalitchat
THURSDAYS: #bookmarket, #JournalChat, #poetry, #dnchat, #kidlitart, #scribechat
FRIDAYS: #followreader, #fridayflash, #litchat, #scifichat, #StoryFriday
SATURDAYS: #ScreenwritingSaturday

Also check out there Writer's Guide to Twitter!

Lit Maven Out!