Contemporary Trends in Children's Literature
BEN52702
103b Assignments
Moodle
Be sure your English name and class number appear within your Moodle profile.
- Use the moodle for finding downloadable class information, such as handouts and lecture powerpoint presentations
- There is a class forum to which you can post questions, comments and ideas related to anything we cover in class.
Picture Book Reading Log
Read 10 picture books and record them in a reading log.
Learn more about picture books by following the links below and exploring libraries, book stores, and the Internet on your own.
Purpose: to help you become familiar with the genre and format of picture books, so when we talk about them in class, you will have examples and ideas in your head already.
The Reading Log
- Your reading log is due on March 13, at the beginning of the fourth class this semester.
- You must have 10 or more book entries in your reading log. You can write this by hand (neatly) in a notebook, or type it out on a computer.
- Each book should have a different author &/or illustrator.
- Each entry consists of three parts.
- Bibliographic information: Title, author, illustrator, publisher, publication date, etc. (follow MLA style)
- A brief summary. Just two or three sentences should be enough.
- Your comments about the pictures. Just a few sentences about what you noticed or found interesting about the pictures and how they fit in with the story.
Example of one entry:
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. New York: Harper Collins, 1963.
A boy acts wild at home, so his mother calls him a "wild thing" and sends him to his room without any dinner. Then, his room turns into a wild place and the boy, Max, takes a boat to the land of the wild things where he becomes the ruler of large scary beasts. Finally, he comes home, and his dinner is waiting for him in his room.
I especially like the middle pages where there are no words. It makes it seem more wild. The colors aren't bright. I think this makes it feel more thoughtful, not just a happy story. I assume this story is Max's fantasy. I think he is angry at his mother and this is a way that he releases his tension. The monsters are interesting because they are both scary-looking while not looking scary at all. I’m not sure how the illustrator did this.
Grading (10 points)
- 9-10: Excellent. Carefully and neatly done with insightful comments and wide variety of books.
- 7-8: Good. Nicely done. Possibly a little repetitious. Not always insightful comments about pictures.
- 5-6: OK. The work has been done, but summaries may be copied, and comments appear rushed.
- 0: Not received.
- Late Reading Logs will still be graded and can receive ½ credit.
Picture Books Links
Picture Book Presentation
(5-7 min.) in small groups.
Purpose: to learn more about other picture books and practice critiquing picture books.
- Choose a high quality picture book that you enjoy.
- Introduce this book to a small group (this will be a new group, not your study group).
- Bring your book to the presentation so you can properly introduce it.
- Tell the group why you think this is a good book . Make sure you use the criteria you have read about in the articles and what we have discussed.
- Prepare a 1-page handout to help you make your presentation.
- Talk about both the pictures and the text.
- Make sure you have prepared well beforehand so that you stay within your time. But you should also be able to say much more about the book if you have more time.
- Don't make your presentation too short. You should be able to explain your ideas at greater length and with more examples as classmates ask you further questions.
For help finding good books, and more information on picture books, see the resources page.
The Hand out
- This must be on one side of one A4 size paper, neatly formatted, and with a normal size font.
- Make 5 copies, one for each person in your group and one for me.
- Include all the publication information of your book (title, author, illustrator, publisher, date)
- Include your name and student number.
- Give a 1-2 sentence summary of the book.
- List several points that make this book good.
- Put a picture from the book in your handout if you can.
- Be creative about how you present your information. Using charts, graphs, colors, word maps, or any other ideas are welcome, but most importantly, express your ideas clearly.
- These handouts will be posted on this website, so if you want to give me a color print, that would look nice, or e-mail an electronic file to Pearl in addition to the paper copy you hand in.
- See examples from the past.
After the presentations
- Compare your four ideas of what made your books high quality. Did you all mention the same points? Are there any other points you can say about your group members' books? Do you have any questions about your group members' books? After hearing the other presentations, did it make you think about any other ideas for your own book?
- You will give one copy of your handout to me.
Grading (20 points)
- Organization. The handout should look neat and be easy to understand.
- Depth of thought. It should look like you have considered the major factors about what goes into making a high quality picture book.
- 18-20: Excellent. Well designed, creative and attractive. Clear, abundant, and insightful information
- 15-17: Good. Nicely designed with good information and some original ideas.
- 13-14: OK. The basic information is all there, but with little attention to design or insightful points.
- 10-12: Poor. Missing basic information or misunderstood the assignment.
- 0: not received
- If absent on day of presentation, you can receive half credit if you still turn in your handout on time via a classmate
Poetry Presentations
(3-5 minutes, done with your discussion group at the beginning of each class)
Purpose: To have an enjoyable experience with poetry and consider ways in which reading and sharing poetry can be fun.
Find a poem you like and share it with the class. This will be done at the beginning of class. If you want to use any equipment, such as the Power Point projector, please make sure it is all ready to go before class begins. You want other students to enjoy and have a strong feeling for your poem. Tell a little about the poem or why you chose it. No need to analyze the poem or go into it deeply. This is supposed to be quick and fun.
Choose a poem you enjoy that could be shared with a child. If possible, relate it to the class unit in some way.
- Funny poems are popular, but serious and reflective poems are often better.
- Choose something unique, a poem you think will be different from others.
- Read several poems from different poets before you make a decision
- Better poems are usually found in books, rather than on line. Plan to go to a bookstore or library.
Make sure you
- Are well prepared to begin at the beginning of class or directly after the quiz.
- Involve all members of your group in the presentation.
- Do NOT go over your time limit (at 6 minutes, you will be cut off).
- Give the poet’s name and the date (or general time frame) of the poem.
- Give the citation for the poem (book name, website information, etc.)
- Tell why you like the poem
- Do not focus on “why it is good for children”
- Involve the class. This means they will need to see the words, through the projector, a very large poster, or from a handout. Here are a few ideas about how to present.
- You and your partner read the poem first, then have the class read it after.
- You and your partner take turns reading lines or stanzas then have class do the same.
- You direct one part of the class and your partner directs another part to say different lines from the poem.
- Play a recording of someone saying or singing the poem.
- Put the poem to music yourself and sing it to the class. Sure, why not?
- Ask students some questions about the poem or the ideas in the poem. You could ask some questions either before or after you present the poem.
- And there are many other ideas. You can find more ideas from some of the poetry sites on the resources page.
- For help finding a good poem on the internet, check out the poetry section on the resources page.
Grading
- Visual appeal. The PowerPoint slides, poster, or handout should look good and attract interest to the poem.
- Your plan and your reasons for choosing the poem should show that you have put careful thought into this project.
- 9-10: Excellent. Good poem, good time control, visually appealing, presented in a way that involves students and keeps their attention.
- 7-8: Good. Good poem, mostly good time control, visually enjoyable, involves students.
- 5-6: OK. The poem is presented, but with some time control problems. Visuals are basic. Minimal class involvement.
If a student is absent on their presentation day, see me about a possible make-up presentation.
Children Poetry Anthologies on Reserve in the Library
- Children & poetry: a selective, annotated bibliography / compiled by Virginia Haviland, Head, Children's Book Section, and William Jay Smith. [Z1037 .H36]
- This singing world : a collection of modern poetry for young people / collected and edited by Louis Untermeyer; illustrations by Decie Merwin. [PR1224 .U65]
- A year full of poems / [compiled by] Michael Harrison and Christopher Stuart-Clark. [PS595.S42 Y43 1996]
- One hundred years of poetry for children / [compiled by] Michael Harrison & Christopher Stuart-Clark.
Other children’s poetry books in our library (mostly collections by individual poets)
- A world of poetry / selected by Michael Rosen. Rosen, Michael, 1946- (256 p.)
- Come hither : a collection of rhymes & poems for the young of all ages / by Walter de la Mare ; Decorations by Warren Chappell. (777 p., two copies)
- Favorite poems, old and new : selected for boys and girls / Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard.
- Afro-Caribbean poetry and ritual [electronic resource] / Paul A. Griffith. Griffith, Paul A., 1952-
- Chinese children's rhymes / Ruth Hsü. (English translations)
- A child's garden of verses / Robert Louis Stevenson; with illustrations by Charles Robinson. [PR5489 .C5]
- Where the sidewalk ends / the poems & drawings of Shel Silverstein. [PS3569.I47224 W5 1974]
- A light in the attic / Shel Silverstein. [PS3569.I47224 L5 1981]
- Children's classic poetry / [illustrations [by]Robin Lawrie].
- Earthways, earthwise : poems on conservation / selected by Judith Nicholls.
- The bat-poet / by Randall Jarrell; pictures by Maurice Sendak. [PZ7.J295 B3 1996]
- It's raining pigs & noodles / poems by Jack Prelutsky; drawings by James Stevenson. [PS3566.R36 I828 2000]
- The new kid on the block: poems / by Jack Prelutsky; drawings by James Stevenson. [PS3566.R36 N4 1984]
- The book of baby verse / collected by Joseph Morris and St. Clair Adams. [PN6110.C4 M56]
- Canto familiar / Gary Soto; [illustrated by Annika Nelson]. [PS3569.O72 C36 1995]
- The Sneetches and other stories / written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. [PZ8.3.G276 S64 1989]
- A party for Pooh [sound recording]: When we were very young; and, Now we are six / A.A. Milne. [Tape Record) use in library only]
- A Packet of poems / chosen by Jill Bennett ; illustrated by Paddy Mounter. Bennett, Jill
- Read my mind: young children, poetry and learning / Fred Sedgwick. [LB1576 .S3434 1997]
- A blue poetry paintbox / chosen by John Foster. Foster, John, 1941-
- A purple poetry paintbox / chosen by John Foster. Foster, John, 1941-
- A first poetry book / compiled by John Foster ; illustrated by Chris Orr, Martin White, Joseph Wright.
- third poetry book / compiled by John Foster ; illustrated by Allan Curless, Michael McManus, John Raynes.
- A fourth poetry book / compiled by John Foster ; illustrated by Peter Benton ... [et al.].
- A fifth poetry book / compiled by John Foster. Foster, John, 1941-
Book Responses
You will write a brief response (around 200 words) to three of our four class texts. You can choose which three books you wish to respond to. Each response is due in class on the second/last day we discuss the book. Your response should contain and explain two or three ideas about the book from your own point of view.
Keep in mind:
- Print out the response on A4 size paper and format it properly with correct heading.
- Give your response a meaningful title.
- Generally, each idea will be one paragraph with several sentences that support/explain your idea.
- Consider quoting from the book or even using a picture from the book.
- You can think about what you gained from your own reading and/or what we talked about in class, but don't repeat too much of what was said in class.
Here are some ideas you can consider writing about in your response
- How easy or difficult was this book to read?
- How much did you enjoy or not enjoy reading this book?
- Which part was your favorite?
- Was there a part you really didn't understand?
- What new idea or insight did you get from this book?
- Who would you like to share this book with?
- Share this book or part of it with someone and tell about his/her response.
Grading
- 9-10: Excellent. Insightful, meaningful points that are explained clearly.
- 8: Good. Good ideas with explanations that show individual thought.
- 7: OK. Typical ideas with explanations, but little individuality. Possibly too many points without sufficient explanation for each one.
- 6: Barely OK. Seems very rushed. Unclear points or explanations.
- -1 point if poorly formatted.
- -1 point if there are serious proofreading problems.
Comparison Paper
(Due 6/4 & 6/11)(4-6 pages-1 page has about 300 words)
On 6/7, you must hand in your final revised paper as well as your draft from the week before with your group member's revisions and comments.
Purpose: To develop critical reading skills. To show how different books speak about similar issues. Students should gain critical skills by closely observing the different ways that separate books treat a particular topic.
- Write about how two or more books deal with a similar topic.
- The topic may be death, recovery from trauma, dealing with bullies, dealing with different cultures, family relationships, roles of females, or many other ideas.
- You should consider at least two books we have read in class. One book must be a novel, the other could be a novel or a picture book.
- You can write about three or four books too if you would like.
- What ideas do the books present about this topic and how are these ideas similar and different?
- Include quotes and paraphrase and summaries from your books. Be sure to use quotation marks and page numbers appropriately according to MLA style.
- You can include pictures if they help you make your point. Don't do it just to make your paper look nicer.
- You don't need to use any outside references, but if you do, you absolutely MUST cite properly using MLA style.
- Include both explicit and implied meanings
Grading (100 points)
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of your topic and the books.
- Show that you understand ways in which ideas are presented subtly.
Peer review (10 points)
One week before your paper is due, you must bring a draft of your paper to class and make a short presentation of your main idea(s) to your study group members. After a brief discussion during which you should take notes for revision, you will exchange papers for peer review. You will receive a worksheet to help you work through the peer review.
Final/Author Presentation
8-10 minute presentation about a children's book author to be given in class instead of taking a final exam.
Presentations will be given in small groups similar to the picture book presentations.
Your whole group can do the same author, or you can divide your group. If you want to do this presentation on your own, that is also acceptable.
Purpose: To take what you have learned from this class and apply it to other children's literature and to share and learn about other authors and books.
- Choose an author of popular children's books (from picture books for the very young to adolescent literature). The author should have published within the last 20 years. Books need to be printed in English, but not necessarily written in English originally.
- Read one or more of this author's books.
- Include very brief biography or author
- Give an overview of the author's work (diversity, quantity, time periods, etc.)
- Give an example of the author's work
- Explain what makes this author notable
- Give your own ideas about this author's work
- Optional (Tell how well suited you think this author's work is for young people in Taiwan)
- You can say how this author's books are a product of the 21st Century. Do this by dealing with topics we have discussed in class such as multiculturalism, international literature, disabilities, sexuality, identity, broken families, disturbing futures, etc.
- Although you may touch on many topics, you should focus on one main idea for your presentation.
Create a 1-page handout that is visually appealing. It does not need to be written in sentences and paragraphs. You can use images, text boxes, graphic organizers, colors, and any other creative way to organize your information. The handout should be useful for helping your audience understand your presentation and this author.
On the back of the handout, be sure to include all the sources of your information in MLA format (or at least close). Do not just write internet addresses.
Grading (20 points)
- Demonstrate understanding of your book and its appeal in the 21st century.
- Grading (20 points)
- Organization. The handout should look neat and be easy to understand.
- Depth of thought. It should show insight about the book and your main idea.
- 18-20: Excellent. Well designed, creative and attractive. Clear, abundant, and insightful information
- 15-17: Good. Nicely designed with good information and some original ideas.
- 13-14: OK. The basic information is all there, but with little attention to design or insightful points.
- 0: not present (It is not acceptable to hand in the handout without attending class and presenting your book.
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