Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Ruby Lu Brave and true- Lenore Look (10/18/08)
Ruby Lu, Brave and true-(10/18/08)
I enjoyed reading this fiction by Lenore Look because I thought that it showed the relationship of a little girl with the rest of the world and the importance of having a feeling of unique. I t shows how at first Ruby felt special in where she was going to have a baby brother and suddenly her mind changes. It shows how children’s mind change opinions very quickly and it is like they don’t stop and think. This is shown when she rides the car to school and wakes up and puts her baby brother in the back sit and just drives. When she has to take Chinese lessons and but she doesn’t want to because it doesn’t interest her to the least. Look shows the imagination of a child, Ruby, and how she enjoys doing her magic tricks and wanting others to view her as talented. She also worries about her relatives are about to come and change everything because now she has to share her room with someone she doesn’t know, but at the end she finds out how she connects with her.
In all the situations that happen throughout the story Ruby worries about doing everything right and if she will be liked or not by others. She likes the closeness with her mother but worries when her baby brother comes along, when the new student arrives in school and she is mean and makes fun of the sweaters Ruby’s father makes, her not being able to learn English, and then her relatives arriving and having to share rooms. Ruby worries about all this situations but at the long run everything turns out for the better and she is able to realize it and come to terms by learning to get along. I enjoy this story because it shows the relation of Chinese culture in an American culture and the accommodation they have.
I enjoyed reading this fiction by Lenore Look because I thought that it showed the relationship of a little girl with the rest of the world and the importance of having a feeling of unique. I t shows how at first Ruby felt special in where she was going to have a baby brother and suddenly her mind changes. It shows how children’s mind change opinions very quickly and it is like they don’t stop and think. This is shown when she rides the car to school and wakes up and puts her baby brother in the back sit and just drives. When she has to take Chinese lessons and but she doesn’t want to because it doesn’t interest her to the least. Look shows the imagination of a child, Ruby, and how she enjoys doing her magic tricks and wanting others to view her as talented. She also worries about her relatives are about to come and change everything because now she has to share her room with someone she doesn’t know, but at the end she finds out how she connects with her.
In all the situations that happen throughout the story Ruby worries about doing everything right and if she will be liked or not by others. She likes the closeness with her mother but worries when her baby brother comes along, when the new student arrives in school and she is mean and makes fun of the sweaters Ruby’s father makes, her not being able to learn English, and then her relatives arriving and having to share rooms. Ruby worries about all this situations but at the long run everything turns out for the better and she is able to realize it and come to terms by learning to get along. I enjoy this story because it shows the relation of Chinese culture in an American culture and the accommodation they have.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Craft Lesson #3
Developing new techniques in getting children’s imagination and interested in writing stories while reading chapter books.
DISCUSSION
It is difficult to get children interested in reading a book and then writing about what they have read. They have a hard time focusing on chapter books and staying in touch with what the author is writing about. There are many ways to keep a child focused in the reading and getting their imagination thinking in writing ideas about what is happening in the story. The books that teachers choose to read, even though may be chapter books and long, have a great influence on children’s attention span and interest. How the book is read to the child also plays a big role because doing it in sections makes a big difference. The choice of story helps children develop new ways of thinking about what they want to write about.
MATERIALS
1. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
2. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Marla Frazee
3. My name is Maria Isabel by Alama Flor Ada
Illustrated by K. Dyble Thompson
4. Stuart Goes To School by Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Martin Matje
HOW TO TEACH IT
Reading chapter books to children can be a challenge and a bigger challenge is getting them focused and involved in writing about the fiction being read. There are many chapter books that can be related to what children are going through. These books are great representations of the imagination a child. Teachers only have to choice the right book to bring about children’s interest in the novel and into writing about the reading and relating it to their own experiences.
“Stuart Goes To School” is a fiction book, that is not short, but children can be read to in chapters so that their attention span can be focused in the story and be willing to read the book the next day. A chapter can be read and then children can reflect on the experiences that “Stuart” goes through in the story. Children can relate to their opinions about what is happening in the story to similar situations that they went through or are going through. The teacher can read three chapters, at least, a week to keep children involved and willing to cooperate and later on want to know what will happen in the story. Reading a chapter three times a week can help them reflect on what’s happening and think about their reflections and writings throughout the story.
Similar books are the ones mentioned in the materials section, where these are books that are humorous at the children’s level because situations occur in reality. Children’s imagination is huge. Children think some other way and they believe that what they are thinking is true. All the stories mentioned above can help children relate to life events and relate to what they are going through in life. Children can draw upon what “Maria Isabel” goes through when the teacher calls her a different name. In “Clementine”, Clementine wants to do what she thinks is right but others are thinking differently. In “Dear Mr. Henshaw,” Leigh misses his dad and writes to an author revealing what happens in school and also his feelings about being accepted. Finally in “Stuart Goes To School”, Stuart wants to be liked and innocently does the impossible to be liked.
The stories can be read in chapters a day or two and bring the relation and connection children experience in real life events. They can write on those reflections and connect them and talk about their own.
Example: The teacher states, “Let’s read chapter one, from Clementine”, they read the chapter together and discuss how Clementine feels when others don’t understand why she does things the way she does.
Or chapter one in “Stuart Goes To School”, they discuss the first day of school and how it would feel to have to wear something that has to be worn and they don’t like. How it feels to want to be accepted by others.
The teacher can tell the children to write about their experiences and how it relates to Clementine’s or Stuart’s experiences and the relation they share in common. This can lead to a discussion and a paper written by students, like a journal. This can also lead to children allowing their feelings to float freely and know that there are many ways and forms to do writings. Books such as the ones in the materials section, leads students to understand that writings take many forms and that they can produce it as such.
DISCUSSION
It is difficult to get children interested in reading a book and then writing about what they have read. They have a hard time focusing on chapter books and staying in touch with what the author is writing about. There are many ways to keep a child focused in the reading and getting their imagination thinking in writing ideas about what is happening in the story. The books that teachers choose to read, even though may be chapter books and long, have a great influence on children’s attention span and interest. How the book is read to the child also plays a big role because doing it in sections makes a big difference. The choice of story helps children develop new ways of thinking about what they want to write about.
MATERIALS
1. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
2. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Marla Frazee
3. My name is Maria Isabel by Alama Flor Ada
Illustrated by K. Dyble Thompson
4. Stuart Goes To School by Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Martin Matje
HOW TO TEACH IT
Reading chapter books to children can be a challenge and a bigger challenge is getting them focused and involved in writing about the fiction being read. There are many chapter books that can be related to what children are going through. These books are great representations of the imagination a child. Teachers only have to choice the right book to bring about children’s interest in the novel and into writing about the reading and relating it to their own experiences.
“Stuart Goes To School” is a fiction book, that is not short, but children can be read to in chapters so that their attention span can be focused in the story and be willing to read the book the next day. A chapter can be read and then children can reflect on the experiences that “Stuart” goes through in the story. Children can relate to their opinions about what is happening in the story to similar situations that they went through or are going through. The teacher can read three chapters, at least, a week to keep children involved and willing to cooperate and later on want to know what will happen in the story. Reading a chapter three times a week can help them reflect on what’s happening and think about their reflections and writings throughout the story.
Similar books are the ones mentioned in the materials section, where these are books that are humorous at the children’s level because situations occur in reality. Children’s imagination is huge. Children think some other way and they believe that what they are thinking is true. All the stories mentioned above can help children relate to life events and relate to what they are going through in life. Children can draw upon what “Maria Isabel” goes through when the teacher calls her a different name. In “Clementine”, Clementine wants to do what she thinks is right but others are thinking differently. In “Dear Mr. Henshaw,” Leigh misses his dad and writes to an author revealing what happens in school and also his feelings about being accepted. Finally in “Stuart Goes To School”, Stuart wants to be liked and innocently does the impossible to be liked.
The stories can be read in chapters a day or two and bring the relation and connection children experience in real life events. They can write on those reflections and connect them and talk about their own.
Example: The teacher states, “Let’s read chapter one, from Clementine”, they read the chapter together and discuss how Clementine feels when others don’t understand why she does things the way she does.
Or chapter one in “Stuart Goes To School”, they discuss the first day of school and how it would feel to have to wear something that has to be worn and they don’t like. How it feels to want to be accepted by others.
The teacher can tell the children to write about their experiences and how it relates to Clementine’s or Stuart’s experiences and the relation they share in common. This can lead to a discussion and a paper written by students, like a journal. This can also lead to children allowing their feelings to float freely and know that there are many ways and forms to do writings. Books such as the ones in the materials section, leads students to understand that writings take many forms and that they can produce it as such.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Stuart Goes to School-Sara Pennypacker(10/11/08)
Stuart Goes To School-(10/11/08)
I think that the story by Sara Pennypacker is funny, humorous, and very interesting to read because these are things that a child does happen to think about while growing up. I remember the first day of school and how I wanted to be liked, as Stuart does. First impressions and how we look like can be a big deal to a child when they are entering school. Pennypacker portrays Stuart as a very interesting little boy, who is curious and dreams a lot. His imagination is beyond because with his magic cape he discovers and sees the world through different eyes. He lets himself think about something else blocking what is reality. He is also a kid that worries a lot about what others think of him. I think that the story is very funny and I like it a lot, this is a very good book to have for any grade level in my opinion because if we choose to read it to a kindergarten class by chapters, in my opinion I think that they will still be interested in it and probably want to read even more. I think that this book is a good way of relating back to our childhood and there can also be a connection when we read it to young children. In my opinion I think that this is a good book to have involved in a craft lesson because children can write about their experiences and their similarities with that of Stuart’s. The story is about a child who doesn’t want to wear a a cowboy shirt that his mother chose for him to wear, and from then on the story involves about his imagination and worries of not wanting to be stuck in the toilet, being the shortest kid in class, getting locked inside his locker, and many other little things that at that age are huge to children. I think that many of us still might go through situations as Stuart and I think that young children experience them much more. He wants to be liked and wants to find something interesting so that everyone will want to be his friend.
I think that the story by Sara Pennypacker is funny, humorous, and very interesting to read because these are things that a child does happen to think about while growing up. I remember the first day of school and how I wanted to be liked, as Stuart does. First impressions and how we look like can be a big deal to a child when they are entering school. Pennypacker portrays Stuart as a very interesting little boy, who is curious and dreams a lot. His imagination is beyond because with his magic cape he discovers and sees the world through different eyes. He lets himself think about something else blocking what is reality. He is also a kid that worries a lot about what others think of him. I think that the story is very funny and I like it a lot, this is a very good book to have for any grade level in my opinion because if we choose to read it to a kindergarten class by chapters, in my opinion I think that they will still be interested in it and probably want to read even more. I think that this book is a good way of relating back to our childhood and there can also be a connection when we read it to young children. In my opinion I think that this is a good book to have involved in a craft lesson because children can write about their experiences and their similarities with that of Stuart’s. The story is about a child who doesn’t want to wear a a cowboy shirt that his mother chose for him to wear, and from then on the story involves about his imagination and worries of not wanting to be stuck in the toilet, being the shortest kid in class, getting locked inside his locker, and many other little things that at that age are huge to children. I think that many of us still might go through situations as Stuart and I think that young children experience them much more. He wants to be liked and wants to find something interesting so that everyone will want to be his friend.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?-Steve Jenkins & Robin Paige
When I was reading this book, I found out that it was very interesting how the author uses the body parts as tails, eyes, noses, feet, and mouth of a variety of animals in the book and describes how each animal utilizes theses in a different form from the others. I think that this is a good book for any child because it lets them realize how animals are different and know that the parts of the body can be utilized in different ways. This in return lets children understand that animals have a different purpose in surviving and this is how they use their body to survive. I think that it is important that at the end of the book there is a glossary with the descriptions of animals and how they utilize a certain body part to survive, this is a good idea because it lets us know the importance of survival and the reason that if either nose or any other body part is different it is because of a purpose. I think that the illustrations go good with what the text is conveying and it gives good representation of all animals. The illustrations are done with clear meaning in where they look somehow realistic but at the same time fit with the use of collage. It welcomes children into the animal world.
When I was reading this book, I found out that it was very interesting how the author uses the body parts as tails, eyes, noses, feet, and mouth of a variety of animals in the book and describes how each animal utilizes theses in a different form from the others. I think that this is a good book for any child because it lets them realize how animals are different and know that the parts of the body can be utilized in different ways. This in return lets children understand that animals have a different purpose in surviving and this is how they use their body to survive. I think that it is important that at the end of the book there is a glossary with the descriptions of animals and how they utilize a certain body part to survive, this is a good idea because it lets us know the importance of survival and the reason that if either nose or any other body part is different it is because of a purpose. I think that the illustrations go good with what the text is conveying and it gives good representation of all animals. The illustrations are done with clear meaning in where they look somehow realistic but at the same time fit with the use of collage. It welcomes children into the animal world.
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