Prepare an annotated booklist of at least 60 children’s books to which you add about 6 books per week (60 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 book selected for Oprah’s Book List. 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 Saturday for accurate recording of your booklist assignment. Include: Name, Date, Booklist range (#1-6), Genre, Title & Author, Annotation. If quoting, give credit to source. Academic integrity is expected of you and is to be reflected in your coursework.

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 FOCUS: Choose a children’s author to explore biographic and literary contributions. Present a written presentation (one-sided, one-page) 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 FOCUS: Choose a children’s illustrator to explore biographic and artistic contributions. Present a written presentation (one-sided, one-page) 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).

(optional) 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 TALK 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 – UNM Children’s Literature Class Collection (https://unm-childlit.tripod.com/unmcollectionf01.html)

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 and observed.

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 (Literature Circles)

• Priscilla Diaz - Gallup Public Library Children’s Specialist

• Sunny Dooley - Navajo Storyteller & former Miss Navajo Nation (Storytelling)

• Coila King - UNM-Farmington Faculty

• Carolyn Milligan - UNM-Gallup Assistant Professor, Electronic Publishing Center (History of Children's Book Publishing)

• Larry King – Artist & Storyteller

• Jean Whitehorse – Advocate, Librarian & Storyteller (Cultural Sensitivity)

• Uma Krishnaswami – Children's Author, lecturer & Creative Writing Educator (Children's Book Publishing)

STORYTELLING EVENTS will be encouraged for you to attend. Some dates will be outside of our scheduled Saturday meeting dates. However, attending these extra events will be considered as extra credit. More importantly, these events may enrich your experience of children’s literature and storytelling beyond the classroom experience.

• UNM-Gallup Library Dedication & Book Display Fiday, October 9

• Cowboy Poetry Gathering Fri-Sun, October 5 in Durango, CO

• Farmington Public Library Storytelling Festival Fri-Sat, October 12 at Berg Park, Farmington

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