Children’s+Literature+-+REA+3302

REA 3302 Children’s Literature

Vickie Brown, Instructor Campus Extension: 135 changeat47@hotmail.com Office Location: Fine Arts/Chapel # 10 Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 12:30 to 2:30 Class Meeting Times: Thursday 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Library ChildrensLiteratureNews [|Pop-Up Books]



College Mission Statement

Arlington Baptist College endeavors to prepare men and women for Christian life and ministries, both lay and professional, through studies in Bible, general education, church vocations, and practical service, integrating faith and learning in the context of a Christian worldview.

Course Description

This course is designed to familiarize the student with various genre of children’s literature. The historical background and current trends in children’s literature will be explored. Systems for choosing and integrating fine literature in the elementary classroom will be emphasized.

Course Goals

As your instructor in this course I will: 1. Help you identify the characteristics of each of the distinctive genre of children’s literature. 2. Discuss the connection between child development and appropriate book selection. 3. Investigate the many strategies for sharing and teaching the characteristics of children’s literature. 4. Acquaint you with the outstanding authors and illustrators in the field of children’s literature. 5. Allow you to practice the strategies for teaching with children’s literature. 6. Provide opportunities to integrate children’s literature into every instructional level and subject area.

Instructional Goals Upon completion of this course you will be able to: 1. Appreciate the importance of children’s literature in education. 2. Be familiar with the works of important authors and illustrators in children’s literature. 3. Explore literacy needs that are unique to each developmental and educational level of students. 4. Integrate children’s literature into every subject area. 5. Identify and use a variety of instructional strategies in order to introduce students to quality literature. 6. Discuss a wide range of children’s picture, poetry, novels, and informational trade books.

Instructional Objectives

More specifically, upon completion of this course you will be able to: 1. Demonstrate expertise with the wide range of current trade books published for children, including genres, authors, illustrators, and awards. 2. Judge the literary and artistic quality of children’s literature. 3. Choose appropriate literature for children by taking into account the wide range of developmental needs, individual interests, and general reading levels of children. 4. Speak and write about children’s literature with ease and confidence. 5. Develop a repertoire of techniques for integrating literature into instruction and for stimulating and extending children’s responses to literature. 6. Demonstrate familiarity with appropriate reference materials and professional resources for selecting and evaluating recent literature for children.

Course Textbook:

Essentials of Children’s Literature ( 6th edition) by Carol Lynch- Brown & Carl M. Tomlinson (Boston: Pearson Education, 2008).

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING SCALE

Attendance and Participation

Each one of you is expected to attend and participate in class activities and discussion. We will be discussing very important information that will serve to benefit you in your teacher education. Therefore, you are allowed to miss ** only one (1) **class sessions before a point deduction is applied. For every absence ** beyond one (1), **there will be a ** total of five (5) points **deducted from your final grade.

Projects: 1. Author Presentation: You will develop an in-depth study of an author or illustrator of children’s literature from the PRESENTATION OPTION LIST. In addition to learning about your individual’s life, you are to read a minimum of five (5) books by him/her. This project includes a presentation board, author study handout, annotated bibliography, and 10 minute oral presentation in class. Quality work that is accurate, thorough, and error free is expected.
 * Late Work Policy: Work is due at the beginning of class on the date designated unless otherwise stated by the professor. Late work will not be accepted.***

DUE: 2/11/10 to 4/01/10 POINTS: 10 points 2. Poetry Performance: You will be delving in children’s poetry and sharing poetry performances. Read a wide variety of modern children’s poetry. Then select one poem from the REQUIRED or FREE CHOICE LIST for your poetry performance. Determine a method of choral reading, provide an "illustrated" handout of your poem, and credit your source. Prepare this poem for performance by clearly marking parts for the choral reading. **Each member of the class must have a copy of the poem.** DUE: 3/04/10 POINTS: 5 points 3. Poetry Portfolio: You will build a collection of thirty (30) poems from a wide selection of poets and forms of poetry for children. Your poems are to be in a binder with clearly identified categories or themes. Type your collection using a large font that will make an attractive overhead transparency for use in the classroom. Each selection is to have an "illustration" or graphic. High quality work that is neat and attractive is expected. You will share your portfolio with the class during "poetry" week.

DUE: 3/04/10 POINTS: 10 points 4. Required Reading Extension Activities Pack: As you read your required trade books, you will develop two extension activities for each one. This is to be a 3 to 4 page listing of the titles with the extension activities attached. Be prepared to share your ideas with your peers on the due date.

DUE: 4/08/10 POINTS: 15 points 5. Content Area Bibliography & Activities: You will create an annotated bibliography of children’s literature (picture books, poems, novels, etc.) that would enhance or enrich instruction in the three core curriculum areas of social studies, science, and math. You will list the title, author, grade level, and applicable subject area. You are to have five (5) selections for each of the three curriculum areas. In these fifteen (15) books, you are to have all five genres represented. For each of the fifteen selections, you are to have 5 extension activities that pertain to any of the three core curriculum subjects. You are to have one page per book for a total of 15 pages and a total of 75 activities. These are to be in a binder with a title page.

DUE: 4/22/10 POINTS: 15 points 6. Class Notes: All chapter outlines are to be completed by you during the semester. Class discussions will cover portions of the notes. However, it is understood, that time constraints do not permit completion of all outlines during class. Therefore, it is your responsibility to complete the remainder of the outlines during your own studies of the text material. Notes will be due at the beginning of each class session that addresses that topic. The final grade will be assigned at the time of the due date. DUE: 4/29/10 POINTS: 5 points 7. Book Bag Project: You will create a "mobile" center using children’s literature. In a small carrying bag, you are to have a picture book, a laminated & illustrated poem, a nonfiction book, an activity card file of five (5) activities, and the materials needed to do all the activities. You will also include a parent guide for your book bag. You must also include an inventory sheet for parent/child use. On the day of your final, you will share your project with your peers.

DUE: 5/06/10 POINTS: 20 points

8. Tests: 10 points each

Test #1: February 18, 2010 Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 13 Test #2 April 29, 2010 Chapters 4, 6,7,8,9,10