The power is in the logic

I made Inklewriter story one for my Pobre Ana: Story 2 structures and I feel like I finally figured out how to best use it for my needs!

While Inklewriter is brilliantly simple to use, figuring out how to use it to its full potential is quite the learning curve.  I guess this wouldn't be such an issue for most people who are actually writing stories that branch off different directions, but mine frequently give the reader small options that are incorporated into the story, but don't change the story (like names) and it's a hassle to create two parallel stories and keep them straight.  In addition, many of my questions are comprehension questions that incorporate these details, so I have a number of tiny questions before the next part of the story is added.

However, I think I finally have the trick figured out, and the secret lies in the logic functions of Inklewriter.  By adding logic functions to the text, I only have to write one paragraph that can customize itself based on the previous choices of the reader.  In fact, I can even elect to show entire paragraphs based on what decisions have previously been made.

So then, I was having trouble with the options customizing themselves to fit the paragraphs, and having incorrect options loop back to where the correct answer was, especially since the correct answer is sometimes different depending on those decisions.  That is, until I realized I could hide/show the answers just like the paragraphs.  Thus, on one question, I have something to the tune of 12 possible answers for all the possible scenarios at that point (8 wrong, 4 correct), but only 3 will be shown to the reader based on what they've chosen so far (two wrong, one correct).  You can do this by saying to only show the option if choices "X", "Y", and "Z" were made.  There's no "or", but I don't know that you need it because you can also say to only show the option if choices "X", "Y", and "Z" were not made.  Thus, you should be able to logically get the correct options to appear.

At first, I thought this was more of a dichotomy.  For example, you could input:

• If "Choice X", then "Option X", but if not, then "Option Y")

But then, falling back on my discrete math class of which I only ever completed the first lesson, I realized I could use this dichotomy to logically pick one from any number of options.  I tested it out, and it worked!  For instance, you could input:

• If "Choice X", then "Option X", but if not, then if "Choice Y", then "Option Y", but if neither of those, then "Option Z".

Of course, if we really wanted to get complicated, then I could offer 5 choices by inputting: you could input:

• If "Choice X", then "Option X", but if not, then if "Choice Y", then "Option Y", but if none of those, then if "Choice Z", then "Option Z", but if none of those, then if "Choice N", then "Option N", but if none of those, then "Option P".

It's only logical!

Inklewriter Story!

I created my first Inklewriter story, complete with personalized details and circling!  Once I got the hang of it, it's pretty easy to use and brilliantly designed.  This goes with Pobre Ana: Story 1 - María the Theif.  Check it out!

"The Theif" Inklewriter Story

Some possible uses for these:

• Out of class reading activity
• Make-up for students who miss the story
• Help with storytelling in-class (you could add additional details and circling, act it out, etc)
• In-class reading activity

And I'm sure there are many more applications!

Just a tip:  Decide what you want to circle and personalize carefully.  Each detail that is circled or personalized adds more work!

Interactive Reading

Today, I discovered Señora Barragán's website and blog.  She's got a lot of great ideas!

One in particular was for a resource called Inklewriter.




Isn't this exactly what we do for our stories - having a framework, and then allowing students to change the details??  Of course, I would most likely be using the feature that simply changes the nouns used throughout the story...  But, I could also change the ending!  What a great way for students to practice reading stories at home!  Adding this to my must-do list :)

Student Work

As I plan for my class this fall, I'm envisioning the types of things students will be doing and how they will be turning them in.  I'm not a fan of paperwork and homework - it's too much to grade and doesn't really do much anyway.  However, I've come up with a few ways to organize student work that I think will work very well.

First, I am a huge fan of interactive notebooks and plan for students to create their own.  I've mentioned this before, but now as I'm working through my curriculum, I have a much clearer idea of what I want their notebooks to look like.  This takes a huge amount of forethought and planning as there are a limited number of pages and they cannot simply be added or taken away, but should contain evidence of all the learning and activities students complete as a part of my class.  As I solidify my ideas about what I want students' notebooks to look like, I'm also creating my own version as a test-IN as well as a future example for students.  Thus far, my IN is laid out like this:

• Front cover: Name, Class, and Teacher (and any other decorations and designs as they please)
• Inside front cover: Glued/Taped-in Table of Contents
• Page 1: Taped-in Syllabus
• Pages 2-3: Grouping arrangements
• Pages 4-13: Grade Trackers
• Page 4: Objective 1: Listening (Semester 1)
• Page 5: Objective 1: Listening (Semester 2)
• Page 6: Objective 2: Reading (Semester 1)
• Page 7: Objective 2: Reading (Semester 2)
• Page 8: Objective 3: Writing (Semester 1)
• Page 9: Objective 3: Writing (Semester 2)
• Page 10: Objective 4: Speaking (Semester 1)
• Page 11: Objective 4: Speaking (Semester 2)
• Page 12: Objective 5: Citizenship (Semester 1)
• Various chunks of this grade have their own tracking sheets taped in
• Page 13: Objective 5: Citizenship (Semester 2)
• Various chunks of this grade have their own tracking sheets taped in
• Pages 14-69: Pruebitas (warm-ups)
• This is the only section that we will be using on a daily basis to check understanding and learning, so there needs to be plenty of room.
• Pages 70-89: Timed Writes
• Students will do timed writes in their notebook and on separate sheets of paper taped in to conserve notebook space.
• Pages 90-155: Stories
• The first two pages are reserved for hand-outs with an overview of all of the structures.
• The remaining pages are for notes about the stories on the right-hand pages (writing the structures and any info about them, events in the story, etc), while the left-hand pages are reserved for student interaction with the information, such as re-writing the story in various ways, illustrations, etc.
• Pages 156-200: Misc
• Everything else, including culture, songs, alphabet, numbers, anything extra we do with the novel, etc.  Oftentimes, these will be taped-in hand outs or notes.

Though most in-class work will be completed in the IN, which will be checked/stamped periodically and assigned a mid-term and final grade, there are a few other activities that won't be included in the IN other than where they're recorded in the grade-tracker.  Here's what I've got so far:

• Reading Journal: Assigned and submitted weekly via EdModo using a form or template.
• Re-Writes: Students can submit their re-writes of the stories the same night via EdModo (see my Classroom Storybook post).
• Pen Pals: I can check of that students have turned in Pen Pal letters before distributing them

QR Codes in TPRS

I'll admit, I'm a little behind the times on this one, especially for having grown up in the technology-infused generation that I belong to.  I'll blame it on my stubbornness to pay the premiums that Verizon demands for data.  However, I have since found a cheaper phone carrier and purchased a smart phone.

And today, I discovered the name and function to those funky little squares popping up everywhere: QR codes (thank you Señora Hitz).  And now, my brain is working in warp speed on all the ways I could use these within my classroom.

Mind = BLOWN.

I'm so excited!  Here are a few of my ideas:

In my last post, I described the supplementary TPRS ask-a-story videos I'd like to create.  These would have all been great fun and accessible from my website, but, let's face it, many students will never make it there.  Unless.....  there is a QR code!!  What if, when I gave students the list of all the structures we plan to do, there were QR codes included that students could scan and go directly to the stories with those structures!! Awesome!!

And the class story-books that I want to create for each class?  I could include a QR code for the video that teaches the structures contained in the story story as well as for an audio file of that exact story being read with correct pronunciation so students can listen to the story and read along.  Epic!!

And of course, now I'm thinking of all the many places I could put QR codes for students to access digital media, which I use constantly in class.  All the Sr. Wooley videos, Prezi presentations, class website and EdModo page, my Spanish music playlists on YouTube and Pandora, any hand-outs or materials I want them to have, approved research websites.......  The possibilities for integrating media seamlessly into the classroom are endless!  Welcome to the 21st Century Classroom!

Kathy Shrock's Guide to Everything is an excellent resource I found with more information and applications for QR codes as well as a number of resources for getting started with them in your classroom!

UPDATE: Vocaroo is a great resource that allows you to record audio and then generate a QR code to hear it - I'll definitely be using it in the future!

TPRS without a teacher

I've been planning to create videos for the stories and structures that I TPRS.  These wouldn't necessarily be the exact stories that students came up with in class, but still teach the same structures, complete with questioning, adding details, and then circling them.  I even purchased an animation program with which I can animate pictures of things - i.e. famous people (including myself), animals, stuffed animals, etc. - to compensate for my lack of hand-illustration skills and then adding audio.  Of course, students wouldn't be able to suggest details to include in the story, but these would achieve taking TPRS home to prepare/learn/practice/review the structures we did in class with "real" TPRS.  Plus, students can pause, rewind, and replay as much as they'd like!  Of course, I want them to do that in my real-life classroom as well, but watching a video on your own removes some of the inhibitions to signal me to stop/slow down/repeat that will remain in a real classroom setting no matter what I do.

I imagine a few uses for these videos:

1) First, for my use, I have a way for students who miss class or need to review to do so in a classic TPRS-style.  Sure, the stories may not be as interesting or interactive, but that's why you show up to class!  However, it is still a useful and valuable resource for any students that need and/or want it as well as something that I could assign for review.

2) Second, for other teachers' use.  I want to spread the word about TPRS!  One of the best ways to learn about TPRS is to actually experience it.  This would open up opportunities for other teachers to realize the strength and power of teaching through asking stories as well as provide a rough guide for how it's done.

3) Third, for other students' use.  Unfortunately, I cannot be my husband's or little-brothers' full-time teacher.  However, with videos like these, I can give them a starting point for learning the structures.  Of course, that would then be supplemented with leveled reading material.  And, with a motivated student, I can almost simulate the TPRS experience for them to learn on their own time and schedule.