My sixth grade classes have been at their choose-your-own-adventure Literature Course The Grand LitVenture: Search for the Fern for over 3 months now. You may want to read about the the inspiration for and advent of this course in this blog post. It was a huge undertaking, but I believe it has already paid worthwhile dividends.
I had created 6 "Territories" for students to work through at their own pace making their own choices along the way: 1) Fiction and Nonfiction, 2) Fiction, 3) Folk Literature, and 4) Drama (from our textbook), as well as 5) the C.V.A. (an author study of Chris Van Allsburg), and 6) The Circles (novel studies using Literature Circles). Each Territory had 8 graded "tasks" I had originally termed "quests" until I realized the need for revisions as the course progressed. It took some time for the students to figure out how this course worked, but now that we're nearing the end, the students have succeeded in many ways.
So what is this final Search for the Fern piece of the course?
I left this secret Territory until the end. It's based on the book I read to my 6th graders at the end of every Literature course: Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. It's a unit I created years ago and continually revise, and I've now adjusted it to fit into The Grand LitVenture.
I posted a picture on Twitter when I was finalizing this unit during my spring break. I was sitting in my back yard in the warm California sunshine with my dog and another we were dog-sitting. I looked at the cover of the book and realized I had my Old Dan and Little Ann nosing up next to me to keep me company:
After I had my rough plans set, I had an educator from a "sister school" a few hours away tweet me a response looking to collaborate while reading Where the Red Fern Grows. I hadn't considered this, but he had some terrific ideas that I then added in to my plans, specifically some FlipGrid and Padlet activities.
Twitter is a wonderful place to build a PLN and consult other professionals. I spend very little time doing anything else on Twitter, and I have reaped many benefits from others who share brilliant ideas and resources. I hope what I am able to share is as valuable to others!
To that end, I wonder if there are any educators or students who have read Where the Red Fern Grows either long ago or recently who would like to share with my students their lasting memories of the book on the FlipGrid link below. I will filter the responses as to keep my students safe, but how cool would it be to give my students one last surprise in The Grand LitVenture: Search for the Fern than to have other caring people share their thoughts of the book with them!
Thank you in advance! Click into the FlipGrid link HERE.
Tell us who you are and what you remember most fondly regarding the book Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. We look forward to finishing our year with a bang! And hopefully with some of your reflections!
I had created 6 "Territories" for students to work through at their own pace making their own choices along the way: 1) Fiction and Nonfiction, 2) Fiction, 3) Folk Literature, and 4) Drama (from our textbook), as well as 5) the C.V.A. (an author study of Chris Van Allsburg), and 6) The Circles (novel studies using Literature Circles). Each Territory had 8 graded "tasks" I had originally termed "quests" until I realized the need for revisions as the course progressed. It took some time for the students to figure out how this course worked, but now that we're nearing the end, the students have succeeded in many ways.
So what is this final Search for the Fern piece of the course?
I left this secret Territory until the end. It's based on the book I read to my 6th graders at the end of every Literature course: Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. It's a unit I created years ago and continually revise, and I've now adjusted it to fit into The Grand LitVenture.
I posted a picture on Twitter when I was finalizing this unit during my spring break. I was sitting in my back yard in the warm California sunshine with my dog and another we were dog-sitting. I looked at the cover of the book and realized I had my Old Dan and Little Ann nosing up next to me to keep me company:
Twitter is a wonderful place to build a PLN and consult other professionals. I spend very little time doing anything else on Twitter, and I have reaped many benefits from others who share brilliant ideas and resources. I hope what I am able to share is as valuable to others!
To that end, I wonder if there are any educators or students who have read Where the Red Fern Grows either long ago or recently who would like to share with my students their lasting memories of the book on the FlipGrid link below. I will filter the responses as to keep my students safe, but how cool would it be to give my students one last surprise in The Grand LitVenture: Search for the Fern than to have other caring people share their thoughts of the book with them!
Thank you in advance! Click into the FlipGrid link HERE.
Tell us who you are and what you remember most fondly regarding the book Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. We look forward to finishing our year with a bang! And hopefully with some of your reflections!
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