LITR 206: Children's Literature in the Classroom (CRN 144)
MWF 12:00-12:50, SCHU 201

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Assignments

For this class, your grade will be assessed in 5 ways, and each is worth 20% of your final grade for the class.

Blackboard Posts, Participation, and Miscellaneous: For each of the 8 chapters in Wolf’s Interpreting Literature with Children, we will be reading one primary text. One the day that we finish reading the primary text, you will have a post due to Blackboard. You may write about the text in terms of the material covered in the chapter, but you may also approach the text in other ways, from a basic literary analysis to some ideas about how you might incorporate the text into a classroom situation. Make sure that you’re specific when you discuss the text and that you bring in examples from the text to support your points. You must complete 7 of the 8 journals (if you do 8, I will drop the lowest grade). I’m looking for a solid paragraph or two of concrete, specific analysis, and I encourage you to reference specific passages in the texts in your analyses. Choose only a single aspect of the text to discuss or your post will be too broad. Use standard academic English (i.e. no emoticons or internet/chat abbreviations) in your posts.

In addition to writing original posts, you will be required to respond to 2 other posts for each text. You may not write both your original post and the response posts on the same day, so make sure that you return to the posts each week to write your response. Your response to the post should engage with the specific topic discussed by the original author. Though you do not have to write as much in your responses as you do in your original posts, you should do more than indicate agreement or disagreement with a point being made. The goal of this assignment is to begin a conversation about the texts.

I will be grading the original and response posts each week as a unit. Posts will be graded on a scale of 0 to 10: 0 = no post; 1-5 = E; 6 = D; 7 = C; 8 = B; 9-10 = A. Flaming posts will earn you an automatic 0 for the post, and a second occurrence of flaming will earn you a 0 for the remainder of this portion of your grade. Grades for the posts will be available on Blackboard, and I will drop the lowest post grade. The grammar and mechanics policy will not be applied to the posts; however, excessive errors will have an adverse effect on your post’s grade. Note that you are required to submit both posts each week to receive full marks. If you only submit one post, you will lose 5 points (not counting any points lost for the content of the post). If one of the posts is late, you will lose half a point; if both are late, you will lose a full point. You may submit late posts up to one week late. After one week, you will receive a 0 for the post.

In addition to the Blackboard posts, your participation will form part of this grade. Discussions will form a heavy part of this course, and I expect everyone to be an active and engaged participant. You will be graded, starting on 24 Jan, on how often and well you participate in class discussions, both full class and small group. The grading will be calculated on a 5-point scale each day as follows:

• 5 points: You were on time for class and participated several times and/or offered an exceptional observation/query.
• 4 points: You were on time for class and participated once, or you were late for class and participated several times and/or offered an exceptional observation/query. If you have an excused absence, you will earn 4 points for the day.
• 3 points: You were on time for class but did not participate, or you were late for class and participated once.
• 2 points: You were late for class and did not participate.
• 0 points: You were absent.

I do not assign 1 point for this grade. I will update you on your participation average several times during the semester, and you may send me a query about your average any time.

In addition to the Blackboard posts and participation, I may occasionally assign additional writings or give reading quizzes if I am dissatisfied with the quality of your discussions. These additional works will count as part of this component of your final grade.

Paper Assignment: The first part of Interpreting Literature with Children by Shelby A. Wolf gives teachers several apparatuses to analyze literature with their students. Chapter 1 details five critical methods, and Chapter 2 details different literary elements that can be discussed while applying the critical methods. Thus, a formal analysis of Charlotte’s Web might include an examination of a single theme and how that theme is presented through the various settings of the novel (or through characters or a combination). A text-to-text analysis, however, might choose the same theme and explore how it is presented in a variety of different books (again focusing on one or more literary element such as genre or character), and these variations will alter the way in which the original novel’s meaning is derived. All five types of criticism, though they differ from each other in method, require a close reading of the main text for the interpretation to be substantiated.

Even though all of the types of criticism require you to interact closely with the text, formal criticism requires the closest analysis, and this is what you will do for your first paper. Using formal analysis, you will write a 5-7 page paper in which you interpret a piece of children’s literature—fiction or non-fiction, picture book or chapter book, as long as it is not assigned for this class or discussed by Wolf in Chapters 1 & 2. You may choose a book from the list I’ve compiled at the end of this assignment sheet or submit a text for my approval. The goal of your analysis is to do a close reading of the book you choose using some of the literary elements mentioned in Chapter 2. Do not discuss classroom applications in this paper. I want a focused, specific analysis of you book.

Don’t limit yourself to the “obvious” ideas in the text you choose to analyze; instead, see what different approaches you can take to the text and try to choose a challenging or interesting avenue of analysis. For example, while Charlotte’s Web is clearly about friendship or death, there is more to it than that, such as the role of the web or gender roles. A formal analysis could also be about a character, such as Templeton and his role in the novel (or Wilbur, Charlotte or Fern). There are many approaches you can take in a formal analysis, and you should look closely at Chapter 2 for suggestions on ways to focus your attention. Most books, no matter the reading level, offer many possibilities for exploration, and you are only limited by your willingness to explore new ideas and interpretations.

This paper is due on Friday, 14 February by 5 in the dropbox on Blackboard in one of the following file formats: Rich Text (RTF), Word (.doc/.docx), or PDF. If you upload it in a different format and I cannot open the file, I will deduct 10 points (1 letter grade) from your paper. Make sure the paper is in MLA format and that you have a Works Cited page with citations for all texts you mention in the paper (both primary and secondary works). If you want me to look at a rough draft of your paper, I will accept the draft until Monday, 10 February (you can have me look at it earlier).

Here is a list of texts and authors you are welcome to analyze for this assignment. If you have another book in mind but do not see it on this list, please ask me if you may use it. I am likely to approve it as long as Wolf doesn’t discuss it in her first two chapters and we’re not using it for class.

Jan Brett (The Mitten, Annie and the Wild Animals)
Joseph Bruchac (Children of the Longhouse, The Heart of a Chief)
Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden, A Little Princess)
Carol Ryrie Brink (Caddie Woodlawn)
Janell Cannon (Stellaluna, Verdi)
Beverly Cleary (the Ramonaseries, The Mouse and the Motorcycle)
Eoin Colfer (the Artemis Fowlseries)
Sharon Creech (Walk Two Moons, Bloomability)
Karen Cushman (The Midwife’s Apprentice, Catherine, Called Birdy)
Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda)
Dwayne J. Ferguson (Kid Caramel Private Investigator series)
Sid Fleischman (The Whipping Boy)
Virginia Hamilton (M.C. Higgins the Great, Zeely)
Tove Jansson (the Moomin series)
Gail Carson Levine (Ella Enchanted, Dave at Night)
C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)
Astrid Lindgrin (Pippi Longstocking)
Robert McCloskey (Make Way for Ducklings, Blueberries for Sal)
Barbara Park (the Junie B. Jones series)
Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia, Lyddie)
Beatrix Potter (The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle)
Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man, The Frog Prince Continued)
Shel Silverstein (The Giving Tree, Where the Sidewalk Ends)
Lemony Snickett (A Series of Unfortunate Events series)
Zilpha Keatley Snyder (The Egypt Game, The Headless Cupid)
Robert D. San Souci (Cinderella Skeleton, Little Gold Star)
Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee, Wringer)
Dr. Seuss (The Cat in the Hat, Yertle the Turtle)
Chris Van Allsburg (Jumanji, The Widow’s Broom)
David Weisner (Tuesday, The Three Pigs)
Laura Ingalls Wilder (The Little House series)
Laurence Yep (Dragonwings)

This is, of course, a very limited list, and I want to encourage you to explore the possibilities. Do not feel constrained by this list. If there is a book that you really want to work with for whatever reason, ask if it is acceptable for the assignment.

Diversity Panel: One of the most important things that you can do as a teacher is to expose your students to the diverse range of literature that is available to them. While this range includes generic diversity (fantasy, realism, non-fiction, etc.), it also includes ethnic, minority, and other group literatures. You need to be aware of the variety of literature that exists so that you may bring this literature to your students’ attention. This second major assignment will give you the opportunity to explore a specific area of literature and to share your findings with the class.

For this assignment, you will work in small groups (3-4 students) and research the children’s literature of a specific ethnic, minority, or other underrepresented population and then present your findings to the class between 16 and 20 March. Each group must research a different type of literature so that the class gets a chance to learn about as wide a range of types as possible. As a group, you will choose one central text that you all must read. Then each member of the group will read a second book that fits the category (you may, of course, read more). None of the books that you read for this assignment can be the ones we’re reading for class. You should meet several times to talk about the category you’ve chosen so that you can talk about themes and issues that you see in the literature. You may also need to talk about the differences that you see in the literature (i.e. just because it’s all “African American” doesn’t mean it’s all the same).

As a group, you will compile a handout that has the following information:

• Annotations: For each text that the group reads, you will write an MLA citation and a brief annotation of the text (see Wolf’s Interpreting Literature with Children for samples, though note that her citations are in APA, not MLA). Indicate an age or grade range for the books (this information is usually available on the book or on bookseller descriptions—e.g. Amazon.com). There should be 4-5 annotations total, depending on the size of your group.
• Additional Books: You will also be responsible for finding more books that fit in the category, though you will not have to read them. Try to find books for various reading levels. Write a citation for at least 10 additional books (more is preferable) and indicate an age or grade range for the books. Please note that picture books should list both an author and an illustrator (unless they are the same person). Also note that you should include any of the books read for class that fit your category on this list. See your policy statement for sample citations for picture books.
• Secondary Resources: This list should contain a couple of different things: a list of resources that discuss your category and a list of publishers that publish in this category (not just the major Children’s Literature publishers, but small presses). Wolf’s Interpreting Literature with Children should help you some with finding this information, but do not rely on her since everyone in the class has access to this resource. In addition, while you are welcome to cite web sites (especially if you have some for the publishers), I expect you to find articles and books that are not internet only sources. There are numerous Children’s Literature (and Education) journals, such as The Lion and the Unicorn, The Horn Book, Bookbird, Children’s Literature in Education, and Children’s Literature Quarterly. You may also include teacher resource information for the texts if you choose. Include a minimum of 5 items on this list.

 Make sure that you include all of the group members’ names on the handout and that you title it by the topic that you are researching. You must post a copy of the handout to the Blackboard Diversity Panels discussion board prior to your presentation, and you must give me a printed copy of the handout on the day you present. The handout should be in Rich Text, Microsoft Word, or PDF format.

Your presentation, which should be approximately 15 minutes in length, needs to address the following:

• How is this category of literature defined? (i.e. why are the books on your list on your list?)
• Who are some of the major authors and publishers in this area?
• Who gets to write this kind of literature? (i.e. do you have to be a part of the community in question to write the literature? Can only African Americans or Native Americans write that kind of literature?)
• What are some of the similarities and difference that you’ve found in the books you’ve read and researched?
• Anything else noteworthy in your research that is not mentioned above may be addressed as well, including ideas for incorporating the literature into the classroom.

During the presentation, you may refer to the handout, but do not read it to the class. I expect all of the group members to participate in the discussion.

Here is a list of possible panels topics for your group to research. Most of the panels can be further narrowed (e.g. Native American can be narrowed regionally or by nation/tribe; Asian American or Latinx can be narrowed to a particular culture (Japanese, Chicano)), and you are welcome to be more specific in your area as long as the group clears it with me first. All panel topics will be chosen on Friday, 14 February:

There are many more areas that you could focus on, and you are welcome to ask to do a different (or more specific) topic.

Picturebook Analysis: Chapter 7 of Interpreting Literature with Children talks about ways in which illustrations and text work together within picturebooks. Often the illustrations are taken for granted in picturebooks, as if they exist merely as an adjunct to the text. In reality, the pictures often bring as much, if not more, to the story than the written text, and it is important to analyze a picturebook through the combination of text and illustrations to see how meaning is brought out.

For this assignment, you will choose a picturebook and present a brief—5-8 minute—analysis of the text and artwork to the class. In addition, you will hand in a written analysis of the picture book to me. Each of you must choose a different picturebook to analyze so that there is more variety for the class to learn about. You may not choose a picturebook that was assigned for class or that Wolf talks about in detail in her text. You may also not choose a picturebook that you have read for the diversity panel (you may, however, choose a book that is on your bibliography if you did not discuss it in depth for the panel).

Feel free to choose fiction or nonfiction in any age group or genre that interests you (this includes board books and I Can Read books). If you have difficulty choosing a text, please see me and I will be happy to suggest authors. You will be asked to sign up for your book on Monday, 23 March, though if you know what book you want to use before then, you may let me know early. Remember that I will not allow duplicate books, so have a couple in mind in case someone beats you to your first choice. Presentation dates will also be assigned on Monday, 23 March.

The presentation should include the following elements:

• The name of the book and author (you should write it on the board or put it on a PowerPoint slide).
• A brief synopsis of the book (no more than one minute).
• A discussion of how the art works with the text (if there is any text—the book does not need to have text). Talk about color and style and tone, among other things, in your analysis.
• Optionally, way(s) to bring the book into a classroom.

You should not read the entire book to the class, but you may read a page or two if it fits into your discussion (don’t read just to kill time). When you discuss particular illustrations, make sure to move the book so that everyone in the class can see them. Optionally, you may digitize the illustrations (or find digital versions) you want to show and put them on a PowerPoint slide.

The written analysis of the picturebook will contain the same elements as your discussion, though it should be somewhat more elaborate than the five minutes in class will allow. The paper should be 4-5 pages long and include a Works Cited page. If you picturebook does not contain numbered pages, you do not need to do page citations of it in your paper.

The presentations will take place between 6 and 13 April. All of the written analyses are due on Monday, 13 April by 5 in the drop box on Blackboard in one of the following file formats: Rich Text (RTF), Word (.doc/.docx), or PDF. If you upload it in a different format and I cannot open the file, I will deduct 10 points (1 letter grade) from your paper.

Dramatic Interpretation: The final chapter of Wolf’s Interpreting Literature with Children presents various ways in which you can adapt literature dramatically as a means of interpreting it. Though elaborate productions are possible, they are not necessary when dramatizing literature. It is indeed possible to dramatize sections of books as a way of helping children both understand the characters and interpret them.

For this assignment you will have two options:

1. You may write up a plan for dramatizing/incorporating drama into a class for a text not discussed in Chapter 8. In this plan, you need to be as specific as you can about how you would want your students to create/participate in the production and what benefits you think this type of production will offer that a more traditional discussion or written assignment cannot (you may want to consider some of the questions in option 2). You may, if you like, include a script or part of a script in the paper. Length will vary depending on how elaborate the production plan, but it should be a minimum of 4 pages.
2. You may work individually or in a small group to create a short performance (no longer than 10 minutes) based on a text not discussed in Chapter 8. The performance must be accompanied by an analysis and explanation of how it was devised and what it reveals about the text that a discussion of the text might not reveal. Address some of the following questions for this part of the presentation: Why did you cast the performance that way? Why did you choose the text or scene(s) you did? How did you come up with the staging? The costumes (if applicable)? The script? How does your performance reflect a specific interpretation of the text? There are many more questions you should consider, but this is a good start. The explanation and the discussion should not go more than 10 minutes (for a total of 20 minutes). Because the time is so short, you might need to perform only a small section of whatever text you choose to work with (exceptions are short picture books).

It is important that you have both performative and analytical elements in your project, whether written or performed. Unless you know the reasons behind your choices when you create the production, as well as the project for your classes, you will have difficulty making your students and your audience see the point behind using drama in the classroom.

You must let me know what option you have chosen (and group members if applicable) by Monday, 20 April. Presentations will take place in class, Monday, 27 April and at the final exam Monday, 4 May, from 11:00-1:30. Papers for option 1 are due Monday, 4 May at the start of the final.

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