Tunnell, Michael O. and James S. Jacobs. Children's Literature, Briefly. 4e. Upper Sadle River NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.
"Historical Fiction"
This chapter was on my good side and captured my attention instantly in just the second sentence. It basically asks why we expect kids to appreciate their historical heritage when next week seems like forever away to them. Well, why do we!? The texts makes a great point in that hearing stories of the past early on through picture books and novels help kids learn that history is an important subject that should not be overlooked.
It was nice to see that a textbook shares my beliefs about history textbooks and how they are not effective for kids making connections with themselves to the past. They are way too boring and they cover way too much information. I have never liked history textbooks, and I think that is why I cannot get into a historical novel or even a historical trade book made for children. I am that turned away by history.
I also liked the fact that the text states that "History should not be Sugarcoated" (146). I think it's important for the whole truth to be written down and not just bits and pieces to "protect" the reader. For example, even though it is not fun to read about every little detail of what the people in the holocaust went through, I think it's important we know what happened so we can see how sick and twisted it was so that it is not repeated again.
Out of the five categories of the types of historical fiction, I think the idea of reading a novel that speculates about alternative historical outcomes is the most interesting option to me. I think the whole "what if" approach to different historical times would be cool to explore.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Read Aloud Plan
Brenner, Barbara. The Three Little Pigs. New York: Random House, 1973.
For my read aloud, I am going to be reading the book The Three Little Pigs. It is an old folklore story that Walt Disney made into a movie and a book. I am sure we have all heard of it. I was suppose to read it one morning during circle time to my preschoolers before we started lessons for the day, but we could not find the book in the classroom! I ended up telling it to them anyways based off my memory. I was actually able to keep their attention for a while, but I was upset I couldn't remember every detail -- like what the second pig made his house out of. Anyways, I eventually found it, and plan on reading it to them very soon.
So, my plan is to show my preschoolers the book and ask them if they remember the time a couple weeks back when I tried to tell them the story off my memory. We'll discuss it, and then I'll read the book. I plan on using different tones in my voice to set apart the pigs' and the wolf's voices and also the narrator's. I've already read the book to myself, and I am really excited to read the actual story to them through and through.
After I read the book aloud to my students, I am going to explain to them why it is important to take the time to get things done the right way the first time they do something to avoid making mistakes like the first two pigs dig. Their mistakes being not making their houses strong enough to hold a wolf's puffs back. I'll explain to them there will always be time to "dance and play" (something the pigs say in the book). I think this book is age appropriate for the group I will be reading it to because at the age of a preschooler, it is good for adults to start preparing them for school and life outside playing all the time. That in life, work will need to get done and work that needs to be done is very necessary, but there will still be time for dancing and playing once the work is done.
For my read aloud, I am going to be reading the book The Three Little Pigs. It is an old folklore story that Walt Disney made into a movie and a book. I am sure we have all heard of it. I was suppose to read it one morning during circle time to my preschoolers before we started lessons for the day, but we could not find the book in the classroom! I ended up telling it to them anyways based off my memory. I was actually able to keep their attention for a while, but I was upset I couldn't remember every detail -- like what the second pig made his house out of. Anyways, I eventually found it, and plan on reading it to them very soon.
So, my plan is to show my preschoolers the book and ask them if they remember the time a couple weeks back when I tried to tell them the story off my memory. We'll discuss it, and then I'll read the book. I plan on using different tones in my voice to set apart the pigs' and the wolf's voices and also the narrator's. I've already read the book to myself, and I am really excited to read the actual story to them through and through.
After I read the book aloud to my students, I am going to explain to them why it is important to take the time to get things done the right way the first time they do something to avoid making mistakes like the first two pigs dig. Their mistakes being not making their houses strong enough to hold a wolf's puffs back. I'll explain to them there will always be time to "dance and play" (something the pigs say in the book). I think this book is age appropriate for the group I will be reading it to because at the age of a preschooler, it is good for adults to start preparing them for school and life outside playing all the time. That in life, work will need to get done and work that needs to be done is very necessary, but there will still be time for dancing and playing once the work is done.
Yum! MmMm! Que Rico!
Mora, Pat. Yum! MmMm! Que Rico!: America's Sproutings. Illus. Rafael Lopez. New York: Lee & Low Books, Inc., 2007.
I thought this book was absolutely outstanding. I think this is the first book we've read in which I was probably engaged as much as if not more than a young child would be. It is just so full of information!! Information about everyday foods that I hadn't even thought of. Like how chocolate use to be called bitter water. Were they crazy!? It must not have been as sweet back then. There is no way chocolate tastes like bitter water today, at least to me anways...
This is definately a book I would read to my preschoolers =)
I thought this book was absolutely outstanding. I think this is the first book we've read in which I was probably engaged as much as if not more than a young child would be. It is just so full of information!! Information about everyday foods that I hadn't even thought of. Like how chocolate use to be called bitter water. Were they crazy!? It must not have been as sweet back then. There is no way chocolate tastes like bitter water today, at least to me anways...
This is definately a book I would read to my preschoolers =)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
My Many Colored Days Craft Lesson
Seuss, Dr. My Many Colored Days. Illus. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House, 1996.
I would use this craft lesson towards the end of the school year in May because the idea I have for this craft is for the students to use the book to make a Mother's Day card for their moms.
After reading the book to the kids a few times, and letting them give feedback on the book and their own feelings, I would explain to them that we are going to make a Mother's Day card since Mother's Day is in May. I would explain that it's important to show their moms how much they are appreciated because they do a lot to make their kids happy =) . I could come around and help them write of course if need be, but for the most part they should be able to write or at least draw the colors depending on which age group this lesson is towards. I would try to keep it at the youngest age possible because the book might be too "baby" for even second graders. Some examples I would provide the kids with on how to write this Mother's Day card is explain what color she makes us feel (the good ones only though of course), or they can explain their appreciate for their moms by thanking her for making them feel better when the kids feel a certain bad color.
I would use this craft lesson towards the end of the school year in May because the idea I have for this craft is for the students to use the book to make a Mother's Day card for their moms.
After reading the book to the kids a few times, and letting them give feedback on the book and their own feelings, I would explain to them that we are going to make a Mother's Day card since Mother's Day is in May. I would explain that it's important to show their moms how much they are appreciated because they do a lot to make their kids happy =) . I could come around and help them write of course if need be, but for the most part they should be able to write or at least draw the colors depending on which age group this lesson is towards. I would try to keep it at the youngest age possible because the book might be too "baby" for even second graders. Some examples I would provide the kids with on how to write this Mother's Day card is explain what color she makes us feel (the good ones only though of course), or they can explain their appreciate for their moms by thanking her for making them feel better when the kids feel a certain bad color.
Children's Literature Autobiography
Ever since I was old enough to form a memory, books have been a tremendous part of my life. There is nothing about a book I do not like. When I’m feeling upset or depressed I read my Bible or a romantic novel. Both lift me up and give me hope! When I feel I need a distraction I read a mystery novel. The twists always keep me engaged, and I always have a hard time putting one down. My goal is to better explain how I got into books so that one might fully understand why I am such a “nerd” when it comes to reading!
There are several people who influenced my feelings towards books and all of them are in my family; my dad, my mom, Gram, and my younger brother. My parents and my brother always read. Every free minute they get they have their heads buried in a book. The funny thing about this is they are not nerdy at all. Just looking at them, meeting them, and getting to know them you would not expect them to be such constant readers, but they are. I know that is stereotypical of me to say this, but let’s face it: people still think that book readers are nerdy no matter what their age! So, since my whole family reads so much the TV is basically never on, and so what else is one to do besides join in on the fun and read, read, read!
My Gram has influenced me because she loved to read, even more so than my immediate family, and once her arthritis got to the point where she couldn’t even hold a book, I read to her which I loved doing because it was one of the few ways I could actually show her my appreciation for all she did for me. As of April of last year she has no longer been with my family and me, but she continues to inspire me every time I read to someone. It is something I will cherish for the rest of my life, even when I read to my own kids someday. I am sure my kids will grow tired of hearing about their mother reading to their great-grandmother when her hands hurt too much to even keep a book on her lap.
Some of my earliest memories of starting to read books are of my dad on the couch in our living room in Baton Rouge. I remember sitting on my dad’s lap or right next to him while he read me a Children’s Bible. I remember my favorite stories were of Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, and Jesus’ birth. I also have a very vivid memory of my dad reading the Bernstein Bear books to me. They are still by far my favorite children’s books. My dad read to me every night (I think) before bed until I could read on my own. Then I read in my bed right before I went to sleep. Some of my favorites were the Babysitter’s Little Sister books (I think I read every single one…) in elementary school; the Fear Street novels kept me up into the wee hours of the morning one summer when I was 11 or 12; the Judy Blume books; and then in high school I started reading the Harry Potter books, but unfortunately it took me a very long time to read them since other books got in my way for assignments. I loved the books I had to read for class in high school. Let’s see, there were The Great Gatsby and To Kill a Mocking Bird of course, and there were two I read for English my senior year that who’s titles I cannot remember for the life of me, but they were very interesting nonetheless. I was also in a book club during my last two years in high school. I remember a lot of books, but none of the titles. I know I am pathetic for not remembering! I thoroughly enjoyed reading every single one of them though. Something I enjoyed even more was having a diverse group of people to share the books with. Once a month the club got together to discuss the books we read. It was so much fun to share my own thoughts and experiences on what I thought of the books, and it was always interesting to hear how everyone else interpreted the book. It is a great way to bond with people you would not normally think you could bond with. The book club was a special group to me, and it was in a way very therapeutic to be a member during my adolescent years. I am so excited to use this experience in my own classroom someday. I want to be able to connect with my students through different books. I feel they will trust me and feel very comfortable coming to me for anything if I discuss books they love with them and help them relate books to their own life experiences.
In the last couple of years, I have read all the Nicholas Sparks books, most of the Nelson Demille books, all the Harry Potter books, most of the Nora Roberts books, and I am currently in love with the books by a Christian author named Karen Kingsbury, which I owe to my good friend Melissa who just raved about her books to me. I have thoroughly enjoyed every single book I have read, and I have to say though, however, that my favorite book I’ve read probably ever is It’s Not About the Bike, My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong. Whoever has not heard of him, well then they are so far out of the loop they need to be kicked off the planet! No, I’m kidding. But really, Armstrong’s story on cancer survival is by far one of the most touching and inspirational stories I have ever read in my life. His story has taught me several things about complaining and pain. Besides those books and authors just mentioned, my dad is trying to get me to read more history books, a category I have not had much interest in over the years. We’ll see if I ever do get into them. I’ll blog about it if I ever happen to actually get through a history book! Who knows, maybe once I actually give it a shot I’ll enjoy it!
There are several people who influenced my feelings towards books and all of them are in my family; my dad, my mom, Gram, and my younger brother. My parents and my brother always read. Every free minute they get they have their heads buried in a book. The funny thing about this is they are not nerdy at all. Just looking at them, meeting them, and getting to know them you would not expect them to be such constant readers, but they are. I know that is stereotypical of me to say this, but let’s face it: people still think that book readers are nerdy no matter what their age! So, since my whole family reads so much the TV is basically never on, and so what else is one to do besides join in on the fun and read, read, read!
My Gram has influenced me because she loved to read, even more so than my immediate family, and once her arthritis got to the point where she couldn’t even hold a book, I read to her which I loved doing because it was one of the few ways I could actually show her my appreciation for all she did for me. As of April of last year she has no longer been with my family and me, but she continues to inspire me every time I read to someone. It is something I will cherish for the rest of my life, even when I read to my own kids someday. I am sure my kids will grow tired of hearing about their mother reading to their great-grandmother when her hands hurt too much to even keep a book on her lap.
Some of my earliest memories of starting to read books are of my dad on the couch in our living room in Baton Rouge. I remember sitting on my dad’s lap or right next to him while he read me a Children’s Bible. I remember my favorite stories were of Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, and Jesus’ birth. I also have a very vivid memory of my dad reading the Bernstein Bear books to me. They are still by far my favorite children’s books. My dad read to me every night (I think) before bed until I could read on my own. Then I read in my bed right before I went to sleep. Some of my favorites were the Babysitter’s Little Sister books (I think I read every single one…) in elementary school; the Fear Street novels kept me up into the wee hours of the morning one summer when I was 11 or 12; the Judy Blume books; and then in high school I started reading the Harry Potter books, but unfortunately it took me a very long time to read them since other books got in my way for assignments. I loved the books I had to read for class in high school. Let’s see, there were The Great Gatsby and To Kill a Mocking Bird of course, and there were two I read for English my senior year that who’s titles I cannot remember for the life of me, but they were very interesting nonetheless. I was also in a book club during my last two years in high school. I remember a lot of books, but none of the titles. I know I am pathetic for not remembering! I thoroughly enjoyed reading every single one of them though. Something I enjoyed even more was having a diverse group of people to share the books with. Once a month the club got together to discuss the books we read. It was so much fun to share my own thoughts and experiences on what I thought of the books, and it was always interesting to hear how everyone else interpreted the book. It is a great way to bond with people you would not normally think you could bond with. The book club was a special group to me, and it was in a way very therapeutic to be a member during my adolescent years. I am so excited to use this experience in my own classroom someday. I want to be able to connect with my students through different books. I feel they will trust me and feel very comfortable coming to me for anything if I discuss books they love with them and help them relate books to their own life experiences.
In the last couple of years, I have read all the Nicholas Sparks books, most of the Nelson Demille books, all the Harry Potter books, most of the Nora Roberts books, and I am currently in love with the books by a Christian author named Karen Kingsbury, which I owe to my good friend Melissa who just raved about her books to me. I have thoroughly enjoyed every single book I have read, and I have to say though, however, that my favorite book I’ve read probably ever is It’s Not About the Bike, My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong. Whoever has not heard of him, well then they are so far out of the loop they need to be kicked off the planet! No, I’m kidding. But really, Armstrong’s story on cancer survival is by far one of the most touching and inspirational stories I have ever read in my life. His story has taught me several things about complaining and pain. Besides those books and authors just mentioned, my dad is trying to get me to read more history books, a category I have not had much interest in over the years. We’ll see if I ever do get into them. I’ll blog about it if I ever happen to actually get through a history book! Who knows, maybe once I actually give it a shot I’ll enjoy it!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Minn and Jake Craft Lesson
Wong, Janet. Minn and Jake. New York: Farrar, 2003.
Discussion:
Since friendship is one of the main themes of this book, I decided to take the part about friendship being a choice (pg 7) and make it into a writing and art activity. This activity would be great for 4th and 5th graders. Some of the examples page 7 gives is that one can choose a friend because they live on the same street, like the same games, need to borrow a pen, and just because someone smiles at you.
Lesson:
The assignment for my students is to write a short story on how they choose friends. I would tell them there should be at least three or four ways, and that relying on how they have chosen the friends they have today as examples. I would give them several options for writing this short story. They can have just a couple sentences with illustrations to go with it. They can use construction paper or just regular lined paper. They could even use a poster board and make sections for the different ways and make it look like a storyboard. I would assign it on a Monday and let them start brainstorming in class. However, I would make the rest of it homework and give them at least a week to finish it. When they bring them in class to turn in, I would let whomever wants to present their story do so to the class. However, I would not make that part manditory.
Discussion:
Since friendship is one of the main themes of this book, I decided to take the part about friendship being a choice (pg 7) and make it into a writing and art activity. This activity would be great for 4th and 5th graders. Some of the examples page 7 gives is that one can choose a friend because they live on the same street, like the same games, need to borrow a pen, and just because someone smiles at you.
Lesson:
The assignment for my students is to write a short story on how they choose friends. I would tell them there should be at least three or four ways, and that relying on how they have chosen the friends they have today as examples. I would give them several options for writing this short story. They can have just a couple sentences with illustrations to go with it. They can use construction paper or just regular lined paper. They could even use a poster board and make sections for the different ways and make it look like a storyboard. I would assign it on a Monday and let them start brainstorming in class. However, I would make the rest of it homework and give them at least a week to finish it. When they bring them in class to turn in, I would let whomever wants to present their story do so to the class. However, I would not make that part manditory.
Chapter 10 and Chapter 11
Tunnell, Michael O. and James S. Jacobs. Children's Literature, Briefly. 4e. Upper Sadle River NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall, 2008.
Chapter 10 "Modern Fantasy"
I really liked how this chapter explained the six motifs that go into modern fantasy books. I thought a lot about the high fantasy books I enjoy even now as an adult; Harry Potter books and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I thought about how difficult and time consuming maintaining the rules of the setting must have been for the authors, even though they had created the settings themselves. Furthermore, I loved the statement on page 121 about how good fantasy "clarifies the human condition and captures the essence of our deepest emotions, dreams, hopes, and fears". Even though I know that my favorites are complete fiction, I can't help but let my imagination run wild sometimes and think "what if there are really hobbits out there", or "what if there really is a secret underground wizarding world". It may sound silly, but I like how modern fantasy can take me from reality like that.
Chapter 11 "Contemporary Realistic Fiction"
I agree with the authors in that this type of fiction is the most popular among children because they can best relate to the "my world" interpretations. Even though characters are fictional, they are people who could exist in the real world.
I wasn't at all surprised by how long it took for problems and issues to be put in print for children. The generations have become less and less sensitive to matters mentioned in the book for a LONG time now!
Lastly, I'd like to comment on the "series books" section. I liked the comfort and the "formula" story lines of the series books I read as a child and teenager. Even though the critics view them unfavorably because of the "predictable plots, relatively flat characters, and a writing style that leans toward the unimaginative" (134), at least they gave me something to do as a kid. I mean, I could have been glued to the TV all day or out doing drugs for all they know if I was told not to read these series books! Anyways, that was just something that bothered me in the reading, and I wanted to share some thoughts about it.
Chapter 10 "Modern Fantasy"
I really liked how this chapter explained the six motifs that go into modern fantasy books. I thought a lot about the high fantasy books I enjoy even now as an adult; Harry Potter books and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I thought about how difficult and time consuming maintaining the rules of the setting must have been for the authors, even though they had created the settings themselves. Furthermore, I loved the statement on page 121 about how good fantasy "clarifies the human condition and captures the essence of our deepest emotions, dreams, hopes, and fears". Even though I know that my favorites are complete fiction, I can't help but let my imagination run wild sometimes and think "what if there are really hobbits out there", or "what if there really is a secret underground wizarding world". It may sound silly, but I like how modern fantasy can take me from reality like that.
Chapter 11 "Contemporary Realistic Fiction"
I agree with the authors in that this type of fiction is the most popular among children because they can best relate to the "my world" interpretations. Even though characters are fictional, they are people who could exist in the real world.
I wasn't at all surprised by how long it took for problems and issues to be put in print for children. The generations have become less and less sensitive to matters mentioned in the book for a LONG time now!
Lastly, I'd like to comment on the "series books" section. I liked the comfort and the "formula" story lines of the series books I read as a child and teenager. Even though the critics view them unfavorably because of the "predictable plots, relatively flat characters, and a writing style that leans toward the unimaginative" (134), at least they gave me something to do as a kid. I mean, I could have been glued to the TV all day or out doing drugs for all they know if I was told not to read these series books! Anyways, that was just something that bothered me in the reading, and I wanted to share some thoughts about it.
My Many Colored Days and Goodnight Moon
Seuss, Dr. My Many Colored Days. Illus. Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House, 1996.
I thought this book was great. I liked how the words rhymed and the pages just seemed to flow. I think this book would be great to read to younger children. While you're reading it to them we can talk about how the colors represent ways we feel sometimes, and children can share times of when they felt a certain way and what type of color they are feeling today. I think it'd be great to read in the morning before starting lessons.
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown
This is the board book I would have shared with the class tonight. I just loved this book as a child. I remember my Dad reading the paper back version to me before bedtime very vividly. I loved how it rhymed and how the little bunny said "goodnight" to every little thing in the room. I loved seeing the illustrations that matched what my Dad was reading to me. I remember looking at this book so well that I even know what I was wearing one time when Dad read it to me: just a Superior Railroad t-shirt that was a few sizes too big that my Papa had given to me. I think it's neat that a book can bring me back to a setting as a child, once upon a time.
A few months ago my roommate was reading this outloud to me when I was about to go to bed. (She was practicing for a read aloud she had to do for her field based experience class the next day...not to sound to weird here!) As she read it to me I just melted away into the old bedroom I use to have when I was 4 and 5 years old back when my Dad use to read me to sleep. It was so relaxing, and just really neat to drift back into those old days as a kid and have no worries! That's why I wanted to share it with the class.
I thought this book was great. I liked how the words rhymed and the pages just seemed to flow. I think this book would be great to read to younger children. While you're reading it to them we can talk about how the colors represent ways we feel sometimes, and children can share times of when they felt a certain way and what type of color they are feeling today. I think it'd be great to read in the morning before starting lessons.
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown
This is the board book I would have shared with the class tonight. I just loved this book as a child. I remember my Dad reading the paper back version to me before bedtime very vividly. I loved how it rhymed and how the little bunny said "goodnight" to every little thing in the room. I loved seeing the illustrations that matched what my Dad was reading to me. I remember looking at this book so well that I even know what I was wearing one time when Dad read it to me: just a Superior Railroad t-shirt that was a few sizes too big that my Papa had given to me. I think it's neat that a book can bring me back to a setting as a child, once upon a time.
A few months ago my roommate was reading this outloud to me when I was about to go to bed. (She was practicing for a read aloud she had to do for her field based experience class the next day...not to sound to weird here!) As she read it to me I just melted away into the old bedroom I use to have when I was 4 and 5 years old back when my Dad use to read me to sleep. It was so relaxing, and just really neat to drift back into those old days as a kid and have no worries! That's why I wanted to share it with the class.
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