|
"I know that literature has the power to develop real readers and writers. But it has far greater power to develop one's sensibilities and compassion, to stretch one's imagination, to 'dwell in possibility'..." -Charlotte Huck
Becky B. Stephens
112 Canvasback Court Georgetown, KY 40324 Telephone: HOME (502) 867.7575 [this is a local call from Lexington] CELL (859) 552.7128 EMAIL: bbstephens@earthlink.net; (home) or bstephen@franklin.k12.ky.us (school) Course Description: A survey of children's literature including traditional but with emphasis on contemporary. Reading and evaluation of books, journals, and multimedia materials with emphasis on the needs and interests of children. Includes children's programming. Covers media for use by and with children from preschool through grade six. Course Objectives:
REQUIRED TEXT: Lynch-Brown & Tomlinson. Essentials
of Children's Literature/
REQUIRED TRADE BOOKS: Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo OPTIONAL TEXT: Trelease, Jim. The New Read-Aloud Handbook (5th ed.), Penguin, 2001. Read for inspiration! ISBN 0141001615 READING LIST- Click Here to link to Reading List PLEASE NOTE: Turn in all assignments on time. Any late
assignments will be subject to loss of one letter grade upon evaluation.
No incomplete (I) grades will be given at the end of the term. All students
must have a viable email address (note that hotmail is not reliable) and
preferably access to Microsoft Word 2000. Attachments sent to me are to
be in Word.
LIS 510 COURSE CALENDAR Spring 2004Jan 15 Introductions/fill out Student Information Sheet; Overview of children's literature. Jan 22 Overview of semester. Discuss Literature Program Presentations/sign up. Jan 29 Group discussion of assigned picture book. Big Books/book format Caldecott Criteria. discussion/Censorship & Selection. Feb 5 Group discussion: Future Caldecott Winners. Discuss author Illustrator guides/sign up. Feb 12 Evaluating Children's Literature: Because of Winn Dixie and realistic fiction. Web search due. Feb 19 Group Discussion: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and fantasy literature. Feb 26 Discussion of Traditional Literature. Group discussion of folktale variants. March 4 View automated book-CD-ROM. Literature Program Presentations. March 11 Group discussion of multicultural & international literature. March 18 No Class-Spring Break. At least ½ of your free choice responses should be turned in by March 25. March 25 Storytelling presentations & evaluation in groups APRIL 1 IT'S NOT AN APRIL FOOL JOKE-NO CLASS THIS WEEK April 8 Group Discussion: Historical Fiction April 15 Discuss Poetry/Poetry Break/ Share poems with whole class. April 22 Group Discussion of Biography and Information Books. Discussion of Reference Books. April 29 Children's Literature Programming exs: Battle of the Books; Mother-Daughter Book Club; Boys, Books & Ball; Flexible Scheduling; Author visits; Book Fairs. May6 E-mail final exam by 7:30 PM mailto:bbstephens@earthlink.net
ASSIGNMENTSReading AutobiographyIn a short essay (two to three pages), please write about your history as a reader. Specifically, discuss the following: the first story you remember, if you were read to as a child and by whom, your favorite books (in elementary, middle, high school) and what you remember about them, what you remember about learning to read (how? where?), the first book you read on your own, anyone important in developing your attitude toward reading (when and where did they read?), your current reading habits, what title have you read recently, and how you choose the books you read. Be as specific as possible.Reading Log & Summary of Required ReadingOn your Summary of Required Reading, there are a few books I have assigned as "required" reading-some specific titles and a minimum number of books to be read in each genre. Please fill this sheet in as you read the books. Beyond that, it is up to you to read a variety of titles in terms of format (novel/picture book), subject theme, genre, author, and style of illustration (for picture books). Read, read read! First fill in your Summary, then record any additional books read on your Reading Log. This is a running list of every book you read during this course in addition to those on the Summary of Required Reading [include bibliographic information (author, illustrator, title, publisher, date) and the date you complete each book]. The Log does not include books that are on the Summary. Aim high. Plan on reading as many as 100 total books this semester. Use the Reading List you received and/or the bibliographies at the end of the chapters in the textbook to identify appropriate titles. Be sure to include some multicultural and international books. Plan on having read at least half of the required titles by midterm. The Reading Log and Summary should be turned in to me at midterm and at the end of the semester. You might want to turn in a copy of your Log and your Summary to me, keeping your originals to work on if you are submitting in hard copy.Response JournalKeep a journal for the purpose of responding to the material you read for this course. Each journal entry should be emailed to me as it is written. I should have half of your responses by midterm. Make this journal something that is useful to you in your future work with children and literature. Record what you want to remember for each book you read. Some individuals like to record a short plot summary, list of main characters, or what units of study to which the book may relate. Of course, that is fine, but I will be looking for something beyond this-a response that reflects your thoughtful consideration and evaluation (using criteria and terminology from your text) of the title(s). See separate handout for response ideas. Do not duplicate books to which you will respond in the class discussion section. Your portfolio should include a total of 12 for the class term for graduate students and post-baccalaureate students and 6 for the class term for undergraduate students. Be sure to include chapter books as well as picture books. Included in those numbers should be a response to 1 professional journal dealing with children's literature and 1 magazine written for children (see Appendix in your textbook for titles-please choose from these or ones discussed in class). Please number these free choice responses. See also Response Journal Ideas.Storytelling PresentationSelect a story that appeals to you. Be prepared to "tell" the story to the class (without notes). You may want to select a folktale or one that has a repetitious pattern. Folktales are usually easier to learn than other types of traditional literature. The story should take between three to eight minutes to tell. On the day you tell your story, prepare a written statement to turn in with your evaluations that includes the title of your story, intended audience, full bibliographic information on the source of the story, and indicate if you revised or abridged the story.Author/Illustrator Information GuideBecome an "expert" on one author/illustrator. (Please let me know the name of your author/illustrator as soon as possible). Prepare a 3-5 page guide on your author and email to me to distribute to the rest of the class. Include a short narrative about the author and his/her work in general (1-2 pages), a list of places (print &/or electronic) to find information on the author (at least 2 for undergrads/4 for grads), and a selective, annotated list of the author's works. (Be sure to include most important and most recent works). Find out if there are any forthcoming works. Include any awards received. I expect you will have read the books you annotate. Do not use commercial annotations (e.g. amazon.com). Graphics are welcome and enhance your paper.Literature ProgramsPlan one 15 to 30 minute presentation for a group of children in a school classroom, library, day care, or other community agency. This should include read-alouds and/or book talks, and might include activities and instruction. It could be thematic. You should include an annotated bibliography of the titles you select (about 10-12 depending on the topic). Make sure your titles are all appropriate for the age group you plan to target. Plan a date with me to give your presentation to the class. Write up your plans for the session, email them to me, and I will email them to each class member along with the bibliography at the time you make your presentation. I should receive this BEFORE the day of your presentation or you will need to bring a hard copy to me when you present in class. Your presentation may be a Power Point instead of a written presentation, but the annotated bibliography is required either way. The oral presentation will be no more than 15 minutes. It will include reading aloud 1 picture book or reading an excerpt from 1 chapter book. Read a short poem that is appropriate for your presentation. From your bibliography, show the class and give a book talk on the 2 best books in your bibliography. If appropriate, include fiction and nonfiction and web sites. If you include crafts, make a model to show us. You may include music and finger plays. Extra credit will be given to any students who actually take their presentation to a group of young students and include a write-up of the responses of the children.Book Discussion SessionsOn Jan. 22, you will be assigned to a discussion group. You will meet in those groups to share your reading. Preparation [for eight of those sessions] Jan 29, Feb 5, Feb 12 (this will be a whole class discussion), Feb 19, Feb 26 (this will be a chart to fill out for most groups), March 11, April 8, April 22 will include a one to two page response paper to share with group members as a kick-off to your discussion. This response paper is to be completed BEFORE class discussion. Begin with your personal response to the book. Did you like the book? Why or why not? What made it a success/disappointment for you? Go on to a more objective evaluation. Perhaps consider evaluative criteria for fiction and genre discussed in class and in the text or consider patterns, illustrations, symbols, themes you found in the story. See also separate handout "Ideas for Response Journal Entries." (These papers will become part of your Portfolio, but will not count for the 6/12 responses in the Response Journal). Designate a group leader before the discussion who will take responsibility for the discussion. S/he should prepare some appropriate or provocative questions to pose to the group to stimulate discussion. It would be ideal to email those questions to everyone in your group before class. (Everyone in the group will get a turn at this). Designate a group reporter. This person will give a brief summary of your group's discussion to the rest of the class so others will get a feeling for your group's reaction to this title. (Everyone will have a chance to do this). Credit for your work in discussion groups is part of small group book discussion grade. Be sure to email your list of questions as a leader and summary of group discussion as reporter to me as soon as they are completed. These responses are due by the class date on which each is discussed.Class ParticipationClass participation is an important part of the course. Your responsibility is to contribute to class discussions and small group discussions - from your background and experience-- as well as from your reading and book responses prepared for the discussion. You also need to listen respectfully to reports by class members. Their reports are part of your learning experience. You have to be in class to participate. You will be allowed ONE absence, no questions asked. Any absences above that may jeopardize your final grade. Certainly emergencies or illnesses are legitimate and excused within reason.Evaluation of Group Work (to be included with final Portfolio)Summarize your efforts based on the description in the syllabus of expectations for these sessions. --Were you well prepared for each session with a thoughtful written response that you shared with the group? --Were you well prepared as group leader with provocative questions to pose and stimulate discussion? What were the advantages/disadvantages to group discussion? Comment on the contributions of other group members. Were they well prepared for discussion? Did they follow through with their responsibilities to the group? Was the group experience useful to you. Did you like that format.Self-Evaluation (to be included with final Portfolio)Using the course syllabus and the description of "Final Grades" you received at the beginning of the semester, tell me what grade you think you have earned (thus far) in the course and describe how you have met the criteria for that grade. Any comments and suggestions about the class are appreciated here.PortfolioYour portfolio is a collection of your work for this course and will be submitted by email throughout the course as you complete it. The work described above [reading log, response journal, literature program report, responses prepared for book discussions, storytelling information (source of story), author/illustrator handout, group evaluation and self-evaluation] comprise your portfolio. Your Student Assessment cumulative sheet will enumerate exactly what should be in your portfolio and the percentage of credit each assignment is worth.
|
