RDG 350 Children’s Literature – Complete Class
WEEK 1
Week 1 Individual Favorite Book Share
Write a 350- to 700-word paper on your history as a reader of childrens literature.
Include answers to the following questions:
What do you remember most about reading childrens literature as a child?
What were the most positive and negative influences on your attitudes toward reading?
How did your reading interests and habits change as you progressed through school?
Do you consider yourself a reader now?
What characteristics would you like to develop as a reader?
What role did childrens literature play in facilitating your language and literacy development?
Week 1 DQ 1:
Define childrens literature. (Please use our text’s definition.) Cite two or three books you would label as childrens literature and explain your reasoning.
Week 1 DQ 2:
What books do you regard as childrens classics? Explain your reasoning.
Week 1 DQ 3:
What are at least three ways childrens literature facilitates students learning of content, language development, and improved reading abilities?
WEEK 2
Week 2 Individual Newbery and Caldecott Awards Summary
Resources: American Library Association Web site (http://www.ala.org/) or the International Reading Association Web site (http://www.reading.org/General/Default.aspx) and Childrens Literature.
Caldecott® Medal and Newbery® Medal Book Summaries (350 word minimum for each award) – Research the Caldecott® Medal and the Newbery® Medal Awards. Choose and read one book honored by each of the awards (two books total). In your summary, please give a history of each award; discuss whether or not you believe the book earned the award and why you think this is so, and your opinion about awarding literary materials (what should qualify, why or why not). Remember to format your paper according to APA standards.
Week 2 Learning Team Assignment – Standards-Based Presentation
Review the book each team member selected in Week One.
Create an 12- to 15-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation demonstrating how each team members chosen book could be used to integrate performance objectives in a content-area state standard (such as social studies, science, or math) with a performance objective in a language arts state standard.
Include the following information:
Standards
Performance objectives
Book title
Author
Publisher
A brief synopsis of the book
A lesson using the trade book
Week 2 DQ 1:
Traditionally, picture books have been primarily used in the early years of school (K2). Recently, picture books have creatively explored concepts in all areas of the curriculum and at all educational levels. Can picture books be used successfully and effectively in middle or high school curriculum? Why or why not?
Week 2 DQ 2:
Identify an award-winning book you have read that you could imagine to be an award winner, or one you believe should not have received an award. Discuss and support your evaluation.
Week 2 DQ 3:
If a parent were visiting your class and asked you why you were using literature in the science class they observed, what would you choose as your three most valuable reasons? How would you support your choices?
WEEK 3
Week 3 Individual Assignment: Censored Book Reflection
Research the American Library Association website or the International Reading Association website to find children’s books that have been censored.
Choose a censored book.
Research why it was censored.
Discuss whether you agree or disagree with the decision to ban the use of this book in schools and explain the rationale for your viewpoint.
Suggest how the book might be used in schools, define the grade levels for which you would use the book, and describe how you would introduce and work with it as a classroom teacher.
Week 3 Individual Assignment: Genre Presentation
Choose and research a childrens literature genre. Construct a narrative paper (350-word minimum) on the genre detailing the following: characteristics, well-known authors, and two examples of quality childrens literature in the genre. Try to choose a genre that is unfamiliar to you. Evaluate the examples that you will provide with guidelines from our textbook.
Week 3 DQ 1:
Is it important to expose your students to all genres of literature? Why or why not?
Week 3 DQ 2:
If a parent challenged a particular book you were using with your class, what would you do? Describe the steps you would take.
Week 3 DQ 3:
What are some critical issues relating to the selection of childrens literature in the classroom?
WEEK 4
Week 4 Individual Assignment: Caldecott and Newbery Award Book Summaries
Research the Caldecott and Newbery awards.
Choose and read one book honored by each of the awards (two books total).
Write a 350- to 700-word summary for each of the books, including your brief evaluation of each book.
Week 4 Individual Assignment: Book Response and Reflection
Read a childrens book and prepare a creative response to the book. (See examples in Ch. 4 of the text.).
Write a 350-word paper reflecting on how the form of response you chose contributed to your understandings of the book.
Week 4 Learning Team Assignment: Genre Comparison Chart
Genre Comparison Chart (Learning Team)-Develop a chart that compares the similarities and differences of the genres in childrens literature. You must use a minimum of 4 genres and can design the comparison chart any way you wish.
Week 4 DQ 1:
According to the chapter in our text, what are the creative responses that could be used by students to respond to a book?
Week 4 DQ 2:
What are the benefits of having students respond to the literature they read?
Week 4 DQ 3:
Provide an example of how literature could be used to reinforce a lesson on values or life skills.
WEEK 5
Week 5 Individual Assignment: Issue and Trend Interview Paper
Issues and Trends Interview Paper-Interview a school librarian regarding the issues/trends in childrens literature. Submit your interview questions and answers as well as a brief summary of the session. Be sure to ask probing and follow-up questions. Your interview questions must follow the themes/objectives for our course. You will need to include questions related to: Picture Books, Reading Aloud, Literary Awards, Censored Books, Multicultural Literature, Trends in Childrens Literature and any additional questions that you feel would be relevant. What was your overall impression of this individual? What was your overall impression of the job of a media specialist? How would you use the media specialist in your school as a resource for the classroom?
Week 5 Learning Team Assignment: Anticipation and Reaction Guides and Summary
Discuss each team members answers to the Anticipation and Reaction Guide
Write a 350 word summary of your groups discussions covering any themes, similarities, or differences that you found.
Week 5 Learning Team Assignment: Genre Celebration
Resource: Genre Celebration Guidelines located on the Course Materials page.
Submit the Genre Celebration project.
Week 5 DQ 1:
How would you deal with a book that portrays negative values?
Week 5 DQ 2:
What might a response to a book through art, music, drama, writing, or movement demonstrate about involvement and understanding of the books? How might these kinds of responses stimulate learning?
Week 5 DQ 3:
Would you mind sharing something that you’ve learned during this class? I use this information to see where I need to place more emphasis. It’s also nice to know that you did learn something during our time together.