Children's Literature Will Include Methods for Reading Literature to Children and Fostering Children's Language and Literacy Development
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE BEDFORD MASSACHUSETTS LOWELL Strategies for Success COURSE GUIDE Classics in Children’s Literature Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education Title III Grant, Strategies for Success: Increasing Achievement, Persistence, Retention & Engagement, 2008-2013. Title III Strengthening Institutions Project Strategies for Success: Increasing Achievement, Persistence, Retention and Engagement The Strategies for Success Title III initiative is a major, five‐year project (2009‐2013) funded by a two million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This initiative is intended to transform Middlesex Community College by improving the academic achievement, persistence, retention, and engagement of its students. The project focuses on reformed curricula and comprehensive advising. Reformed Curriculum involves the design of developmental and college Gateway courses and learning communities embedded with Core Student Success Skills related to critical thinking, communication, collaboration, organization, and self‐assessment. Overall, 45 courses will be impacted over the five years of the project. Comprehensive Advising involves the design of integrated advising services to include identification of academic and career goals, creation of realistic educational plans, and continuous tracking and intervention with an emphasis on the Core Student Success Skills. Comprehensive Advising Services will be specifically tailored to each program of study. Cross‐division curriculum and advising design teams composed of faculty and staff are designing, piloting, and assessing the curriculum and advising initiatives. The Title III grant provides resources to support faculty professional development related to designing and piloting new curriculum and advising students. The grant also supports the purchase of advising software programs and the hiring of a Pedagogical Instructional Designer, Learning Engagement Specialist, Advising Coordinator, and two academic advisors. The resources provided by the grant offer an exciting opportunity for the college community to work together to develop the strong programs and services that will increase student success. 1 Contents Introduction: Classics of Children’s Literature .............................................................................................. 2 Lesson Plan: Literary Artifacts Create Meaningful Historical Fiction ............................................................ 3 Lesson Plan: Book Talks ............................................................................................................................... 5 Handout: Book Talks ................................................................................................................................. 8 Lesson Plan: Introduction to Folklore ........................................................................................................... 9 Handout: Folktales to Present in Class ................................................................................................... 12 Handout: Cinderella Compare/Contrast Essay Grading Sheet ............................................................... 13 Handout: Reference Guide to Folktales .................................................................................................. 14 Lesson Plan: Creation of a Picture Storybook ............................................................................................. 15 Handout: Writing a Picture Storybook .................................................................................................... 19 Handout: Picture Storybook Worksheet ................................................................................................. 20 Handout: Picture Storybook Cover ......................................................................................................... 21 Handout: Picture Storybook Grading Sheet ............................................................................................ 22 Lesson Plan: Wild Things ‐‐ Using Math to Analyze Illustrations ................................................................ 23 Handout: Where the Wild Things Are Illustration Analysis ..................................................................... 26 Lesson Plan: Introducing Poetry ................................................................................................................. 34 Lesson Plan: Finding Joy in Poetry .............................................................................................................. 36 Lesson Plan: Using Oral Communication Institutional Student Learning Outcomes Rubric ...................... 38 Handout: MCC Oral Communication Rubric SP07 .................................................................................. 40 Lesson Plan: Anticipating Exam Questions ................................................................................................ 41 Lesson Plan: Computing Grades ................................................................................................................. 43 Lesson Plan: Course Commercial ................................................................................................................ 45 Handout: Course Commercial ................................................................................................................. 46 Lesson Plan: Take Home Exam .................................................................................................................... 48 Handout: Take Home Exam .................................................................................................................... 49 Appendix: Sample Syllabi ............................................................................................................................ 50 Sample Syllabi I ....................................................................................................................................... 50 Sample Syllabi II ...................................................................................................................................... 65 Sample Syllabus III ................................................................................................................................... 75 2 Introduction: Classics of Children’s Literature Resource Guide for Infusing College Student Success Skills Classics of Children’s Literature is a popular course with students who are planning to become future early childhood and elementary educators, as well as parents of young children, grandparents, those who hope to someday be parents plus a few who hope this will be a course in which the reading assignments will be easy. As a result of the Title III grant, Strategies for Success, the course has been identified to incorporate the following College Student Success Skills (CSSS) ‐ Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Organization, and Self‐Assessment. The concept is to lead students to apply these skills as they learn the course content through repeated, scaffolded activities, so that they will develop into more successful college students. This resource guide is designed to help faculty find models of activities to develop the CSSS, which they could adapt for their own classes. It was the intent of the contributors that the lesson plans would serve as inspiration, but these materials are also available online to be downloaded and adapted. In addition, this guide contains redesigned syllabi created by three faculty who have regularly taught this course. We, the contributors, have found the process of creating this guide has lead us to think more deeply about how to get the most out of every assignment and how we can better support student success. We hope it will lead its user to experience a similar process. Respectfully submitted by the Classics in Children’s Literature Design Team: Ellen Nichols (Team Leader) [email protected] Carolyn Karp [email protected] Cathleen Twomey [email protected] 3 Lesson Plan: Literary Artifacts Create Meaningful Historical Fiction Learning Objectives: After successfully completing this activity, students will be able to: Define historical fiction Identify literary artifacts in their own lives Identify literary artifacts in historical fiction Discuss importance of such artifacts in historical fiction Core Student Success Skills: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Organization Materials: Bud Not Buddy (Author: Christopher Paul Curtis) which students will have read in preparation for this class, class notes, notebook, paper, and pens/pencils Context within the Course: Historical fiction is an important genre in the study of classic children’s literature. Such works are snapshots of another time, connecting readers with people and ideas from past worlds. At present, students have examined picture books and beginning readers as important steps in a child’s development. However, an understanding of history is equally essential. Literary works that help students identify history’s impact on their own lives and the lives of others will give them a greater appreciation for where they came from and where we, as a society are heading. Procedure: 1. Begin by writing the following words on the board: games, toys, clothing, food, television shows, movies, music. Ask students to brainstorm on a piece of paper, either alone or with a partner of a similar age, what games, toys, clothing, food, television shows, movies, and