BOOKLIST: Read randomly, read selectively, read methodically, read seriously, read entertainingly, read, read, read. Follow a ‘quest to find books in “sets” according to author, illustrator, or genre. Follow your heart’s delight. Risk new genre. Reread favorites. Read once as an “enjoyer” and once again as a “critic” to see how the author structured the book and why you laughed or cried. Come to some understanding of literature as an art form, that is, as a tool for educating the imagination. AVERAGE AIM: 80 books | ABOVE AVERAGE AIM: 90 books | EXCELLENT AIM: 100 books
Prepare an annotated booklist of at least 80 children’s books to which you add about 6 books per week (14 weeks X 6 = 84 total total). From these annotated entries, you will be asked to present at least one 2 minute “book talk”, during which you are to “sell” your classmates on the merits of reading the books selected for Oprah’s Book List. All annotated booklists are to either be: recorded and saved on a 3x5 diskette – as an IBM compatible Microsoft Word Document; or handed in as a typed document (hard copy) each Tuesday for accurate recording of your booklist assignment. Include: Name, Date, Booklist range (#1-6), Title & Author, Annotation. If quoting, give credit to source. Academic integrity is expected of you and is to be reflected in your coursework. Types of literature you will explore (see our course text): 25 Picture Books | 6 Poetry and Verse | 12 Folktales | 8 Realistic Fiction
8 Historical Fiction | 5 Auto/Biography | 6 Fantasy | 3 Science Fiction |
7 NonFiction-Informational = 80 total
LITERATURE SHARING SESSIONS: Early in the semester, ask permission to read to students in a classroom, scout troop, senior citizen center, or local church THREE TIMES. Please listen and watch for spontaneous verbal and non-verbal responses to record in your Literature response journal. Record what you selected and why; what you might read next time; what sets work together; and most of all, what you discovered. Storytelling may be included or substituted for reading a book.
AUTHOR CELEBRATION: Choose a children’s author to explore biographic and literary contributions. Present a written presentation of the author to share with the class. If possible, include several books of the author for display. Remember to cite sources and to give due credit. Examples will be provided in class.
ILLUSTRATOR CELEBRATION: Choose a children’s illustrator to explore biographic and artistic contributions. Present a written presentation of the illustrator to share with classmates. If possible, include several books of the illustrator for display on the day of presentation. Remember to cite sources and to give due credit. Examples will be provided in class.
POETRY CYCLE CELEBRATION: Select a theme for your poem cycle. Include an explanation as to why you chose the particular theme and include 3 or 4 poems that exemplify such a theme. Please give care and thought to your selection of poems since you can only include a few. Remember to cite sources and to give due credit. Examples will be provided in class.
(optional) STORYTELLING: You will share a story orally (no book) with your peers. The story may be short (5-10 minutes) or longer (however long it takes you to tell it).
BOOK PAL EXCHANGE: Work toward becoming a critic of literature. With members of our class, as well as friends, family members, and students, begin to develop ways of discussing, sharing, and celebrating books, which seem special.
The Book Pal correspondence (each session) is one way of expressing our book delights by having an opportunity to share with a ‘secret’ pal some of the wonder, mystery, intrigue, fascination, and excitement in the books you are reading. Each meeting, communicate with your secret pal by sharing something-message, note, artifact- about a book that you especially enjoyed reading that week. Simplicity, sincerity, and spontaneity are key. On the last class meeting, the identity of your secret pal will be revealed.
BOOK AWARD AND ADVERTISEMENT for Oprah’s Book List about your favorite book as a presentation in any form, other than a written book report. Following the ‘Sales’ pitch (book sell), please read an excerpt. Each student will prepare to deliver at least one during the course.
Contribute to designing a Website of annotated CHILDREN’S LITERATURE RESOURCES in using the World Wide Web to research available information about children’s literature. Each student will design his/her own page as part of a collective work – Diné College Children’s Literature Class Collection.
Maintain a LITERATURE RESPONSE JOURNAL. In your weekly journal include reflections about your discoveries while reading, reading, reading. You can also include reflections, questions, opinions, and/or comments from class discussions.
Maintain a LITERATURE SHARING JOURNAL from you experience with sharing stories with children (three sessions). Please listen and watch for spontaneous verbal and non-verbal responses to record in your Literature response journal. Record what you selected and why; what you might read next time; what sets work together; and most of all, what you discovered.
POTENTIAL GUESTS will be invited to our class to share their own experiences with and expertise of children’s literature and storytelling. Michele J. DeLese – Educator & Counselor(Feb. 14th)
Flo Trujillo - Farmington Public Library Children’s Librarian & Storyteller
Sunny Dooley - Navajo Storyteller & former Miss Navajo Nation (NEH March 7th)
Larry King – Artist & Storyteller (February)
Jean Whitehorse – Advocate, Librarian, NM State Library Crownpoint Resource Center & Storyteller
Paul Zolbrod – Author, lecturer, & professor (NEH)
Uma Krishnaswami STORYTELLING EVENTS will be encouraged for you to attend. Some dates will be outside of our scheduled Wednesday meeting dates. However, attending these extra events will be considered as bonus work. More importantly, these events may enrich your experience of children’s literature and storytelling beyond the classroom experience.
