Finding and developing new ways and strategies into getting children interested and involved in writing.
DISCUSSION
It is difficult to get children interested in writing. When, the subject of writing is brought up by teachers, many children struggle with the fact of getting focused in writing. Many stress out and take a lot of time to start the first paragraph. There are many exciting ways to bring about alive the interests and talents of what children can do in writings. Teachers can find out of what interests children have and get them interested in other ways of writing, bringing about fantasies and the involvement of characters to live. There are many forms to get children involved in writing. Simple ways can be from reading an interesting book, forming questions, or letting them write about a story full of fantasy.
MATERIALS
1. Chato’s Kitchen by Gary Soto
Illustrated by Susan Guevara
2. Snapshots from the Wedding by Gary Soto
Illustrated by Stephanie Garcia
3. Take me out of the bathtub by Alan Katz
Illustrated by David Catrow
4. Mama Goose by Alma Flor Ada
Illustrated by Maribel Suarez
HOW TO TEACH IT
When we have a variety of stories to read to children, we as teachers are able to reach to children from different perspectives. Children are more able to develop and open up their minds to new ideas and incorporate a different way of thinking. The two books from Gary Soto have great illustrations, but are opposites of each other. Chato’s Kitchen is more of a fantasy world to and Snapshots from the Wedding is more a realistic kind of journal.
Take me out to the bathtub are sing along songs that show humor in a sarcastic kind of way and Mama Goose are rhymes which are like those of Mother Goose. This shows two opposite ways of writing rhymes and songs because one side shows humor and the other is opposite and more childlike. Letting children know that there are many ways of writing, shows them that anything is possible. Reading all four stories to them and then asking of them if they are interested in writing something for fun and developing their own story.
a. Ideas to let children know about are: Writing about a favorite day in their life or someone else’s, designing a fairy tale, writing a song in a tone that they might like, and making a poem book for a loved one.
b. Questions: How was your birthday? What is your favorite holiday? Do you know what animals think? Make up a story of them. What do you think animals think? Make believe of a book? Let’s design a book. If you chose to be an animal what would you choose? Let’s pretend we are in fantasy land.
Having children involved and letting them know that writings are different and unique depending on what the writer wants to write about and possibly how the writer is feeling lets them know that everything is acceptable!
From different resources in choice of books as the ones above brings more differences than similarities in writings.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Take me out of the bathtub
Take me out of the bathtub and other silly dilly songs- Alan Katz
I enjoyed reading the rhymes that were in the book by Katz. I thought that the illustrations were humorous and had a good connection with the songs. I liked how in each song there was a saying to let the reader know how the song went. I think that letting the reader know about how the song should go is a good refrence because the tones that were given to the reader were tones to songs that everyone should know and if they don’t, they could pick them up quickly because everyone can join in. This is a good way to get everyone involved in something other than school related and bring about their reading skills with fantasy and imaginary events. The songs can also have a production of children making up their own writings with songs that will be sarcastic and engaging in meaning at the same time. Children can produce their own songs with the tone of other songs that they know.
I loved the use of color in the pictures because they looked fake, inventive and funny at the same time. It seems as though the writer was having fun in making up the text and the illustrator was also enjoying it. I think that these songs will bring about the humor in classes and let children have fun in another way. They can explore a fun and different way of writing. I have come to realize that with these songs, teacher and children can make up plays and act on them on stage with the songs coming to live. This could be a good and exciting way of writing that is different from the original format that I was thought to in school. There is good illustration that can bring alive any kind of text, and the text does that also into how the verses are organized in a fantasy kind of way.
I enjoyed reading the rhymes that were in the book by Katz. I thought that the illustrations were humorous and had a good connection with the songs. I liked how in each song there was a saying to let the reader know how the song went. I think that letting the reader know about how the song should go is a good refrence because the tones that were given to the reader were tones to songs that everyone should know and if they don’t, they could pick them up quickly because everyone can join in. This is a good way to get everyone involved in something other than school related and bring about their reading skills with fantasy and imaginary events. The songs can also have a production of children making up their own writings with songs that will be sarcastic and engaging in meaning at the same time. Children can produce their own songs with the tone of other songs that they know.
I loved the use of color in the pictures because they looked fake, inventive and funny at the same time. It seems as though the writer was having fun in making up the text and the illustrator was also enjoying it. I think that these songs will bring about the humor in classes and let children have fun in another way. They can explore a fun and different way of writing. I have come to realize that with these songs, teacher and children can make up plays and act on them on stage with the songs coming to live. This could be a good and exciting way of writing that is different from the original format that I was thought to in school. There is good illustration that can bring alive any kind of text, and the text does that also into how the verses are organized in a fantasy kind of way.
Friday, September 19, 2008
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands-Kadir Nelson(9/19/08)
I really enjoyed this book. I think that it has fantastic pictures. I love the use of colors and how beautiful the text and the illustrations go together. This is a good book to show to any age of children because even if they don’t know how to read, they will learn the music and understand the meaning of it when it is explained by the teacher. The use of words “he’s got the whole world in his hands”, gave the tickles. It brought a feeling of being special, unique, and appreciated. I think that it is amazing that Nelson illustrates a black boy in all the drawings because it gives the meaning that we are all equal. This book can be integrated into multiculturalism and bringing about the differences and uniqueness of each one of us. This is a good book so that races can relate to each other and understand that everyone is special and that anything is achievable when the text states “whole world in his hands”. This gives understanding to the reader that anything is possible and achievable. I enjoyed the book a lot and would recommend it to anyone.
I really enjoyed this book. I think that it has fantastic pictures. I love the use of colors and how beautiful the text and the illustrations go together. This is a good book to show to any age of children because even if they don’t know how to read, they will learn the music and understand the meaning of it when it is explained by the teacher. The use of words “he’s got the whole world in his hands”, gave the tickles. It brought a feeling of being special, unique, and appreciated. I think that it is amazing that Nelson illustrates a black boy in all the drawings because it gives the meaning that we are all equal. This book can be integrated into multiculturalism and bringing about the differences and uniqueness of each one of us. This is a good book so that races can relate to each other and understand that everyone is special and that anything is achievable when the text states “whole world in his hands”. This gives understanding to the reader that anything is possible and achievable. I enjoyed the book a lot and would recommend it to anyone.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Craft Lesson #1
Develop appropriate active strategies, such as interpreting illustrations, to construct meaning from print
DISCUSSION
Many of the readings that are given to first graders can be simple or too complex without illustrations. Interesting books that have vivid pictures can help children develop strategies in where the pictures can tell them what is happening without having to read the whole text. This in return helps students with complex words and understanding of what is happening in a story. This can be a useful tool for children who do not have English as a first language. The relation of an author and the illustrator is a good integration into helping children develop and grow from the relationship of illustrations and text.
MATERIALS
Books:
1. Cook-A-Doodle-Doo! By Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
Illustrated by Janet Stevens
2. Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
3. Dona Flor by Pat Mora
Illustrated by Raul Colon
4. La Mariposa by Francisco Jimenez
Illustrated by Simon Silva
HOW TO TEACH IT
The TEA states some of the reading skills that children entering the first grade should know. Some of the skills that children should know are that words have meaning and that letters make up words, recognize words, and know the alphabet, and other simple tasks as pretend that they are reading and know how to hold a book.
In Dona Flor, in the second page of text “Some children laughed at her because she was different. ‘Mira! Look! Big Foot!’ they talked when she walked by.” When the teacher shows the illustrations to the children, they will be able to understand the meaning of the text because of the connection of the drawing of a big foot and a big woman, different from everyone else.
In Cook-A-Doodle-Doo, pictures that are shown throughout the text as to what rooster uses to measure ingredients to bake a cake are the symbols that children will be able to relate in what is happening in the story without having the difficulty of having the reading involved. Key words such as “sift”, “cut the butter”, and “beat the egg” have good illustration at the side of the text that teachers will be able to show so that children can better understand what is being said in the story.
When authors such as the above have colorful pictures and vivid illustrations, children have the capability of relating text and illustrations. This in return helps them develop in decoding unfamiliar words because of looking at the pictures and getting a view into what is happening in the story. Predicting what will happen and having a motivation to read when they look at the pictures they will be able to understand and figure out with clues in the illustrations what they have difficulty in reading.
As children look at the picture while they read the text or are being read to, they will have a better understand and develop language knowledge with the relationship and connection of both illustrations and text.
DISCUSSION
Many of the readings that are given to first graders can be simple or too complex without illustrations. Interesting books that have vivid pictures can help children develop strategies in where the pictures can tell them what is happening without having to read the whole text. This in return helps students with complex words and understanding of what is happening in a story. This can be a useful tool for children who do not have English as a first language. The relation of an author and the illustrator is a good integration into helping children develop and grow from the relationship of illustrations and text.
MATERIALS
Books:
1. Cook-A-Doodle-Doo! By Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
Illustrated by Janet Stevens
2. Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
3. Dona Flor by Pat Mora
Illustrated by Raul Colon
4. La Mariposa by Francisco Jimenez
Illustrated by Simon Silva
HOW TO TEACH IT
The TEA states some of the reading skills that children entering the first grade should know. Some of the skills that children should know are that words have meaning and that letters make up words, recognize words, and know the alphabet, and other simple tasks as pretend that they are reading and know how to hold a book.
In Dona Flor, in the second page of text “Some children laughed at her because she was different. ‘Mira! Look! Big Foot!’ they talked when she walked by.” When the teacher shows the illustrations to the children, they will be able to understand the meaning of the text because of the connection of the drawing of a big foot and a big woman, different from everyone else.
In Cook-A-Doodle-Doo, pictures that are shown throughout the text as to what rooster uses to measure ingredients to bake a cake are the symbols that children will be able to relate in what is happening in the story without having the difficulty of having the reading involved. Key words such as “sift”, “cut the butter”, and “beat the egg” have good illustration at the side of the text that teachers will be able to show so that children can better understand what is being said in the story.
When authors such as the above have colorful pictures and vivid illustrations, children have the capability of relating text and illustrations. This in return helps them develop in decoding unfamiliar words because of looking at the pictures and getting a view into what is happening in the story. Predicting what will happen and having a motivation to read when they look at the pictures they will be able to understand and figure out with clues in the illustrations what they have difficulty in reading.
As children look at the picture while they read the text or are being read to, they will have a better understand and develop language knowledge with the relationship and connection of both illustrations and text.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Henry's Freedom Box
Henry’s Freedom Box---Ellen Levine (9/13/08)
I enjoyed reading Henry’s Freedom Box because the author lets the reader understand the importance of what really freedom is all about and not be treated like property. I think that even though we live in a free country, freedom is something that many of us take for granted. The story is about how Henry gets married and has children and lives a happy life but thenthis is all taken away from him because he is property of his master. Later on in his life his family is sold into the slave market and this causes Henry to be sad. His purpose becomes to be free and find freedom since he doesn’t have a family anymore. He decides to mail himself in a box to some friends in Philadelphia and where slavery is not allowed. His journey becomes being in a box very uncomfortable with the purpose of finding freedom and having those obstacles while he is in the box. I think the story gives readers of all ages the knowledge of knowing that everyone deserves to have freedom and to not to be treated as property. This is a story that will help us understand what slavery was all about and help us open up our minds what slaves passed through in life. I enjoyed the illustration and the relation to what was in text. I think that the illustartion was very descriptive as well as the words and having only the pictures help others see what slaves went through in life. The text is good input in letting the reader imagine the reality of the past.
I enjoyed reading Henry’s Freedom Box because the author lets the reader understand the importance of what really freedom is all about and not be treated like property. I think that even though we live in a free country, freedom is something that many of us take for granted. The story is about how Henry gets married and has children and lives a happy life but thenthis is all taken away from him because he is property of his master. Later on in his life his family is sold into the slave market and this causes Henry to be sad. His purpose becomes to be free and find freedom since he doesn’t have a family anymore. He decides to mail himself in a box to some friends in Philadelphia and where slavery is not allowed. His journey becomes being in a box very uncomfortable with the purpose of finding freedom and having those obstacles while he is in the box. I think the story gives readers of all ages the knowledge of knowing that everyone deserves to have freedom and to not to be treated as property. This is a story that will help us understand what slavery was all about and help us open up our minds what slaves passed through in life. I enjoyed the illustration and the relation to what was in text. I think that the illustartion was very descriptive as well as the words and having only the pictures help others see what slaves went through in life. The text is good input in letting the reader imagine the reality of the past.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
La Mariposa
La Mariposa—Journal
I liked reading “La Mariposa”; I found it very enthusiastic and exciting. When I look at the pictures I remember about my life and how many of the things that Francisco went through were things that I went through, but not so much as my brother. This story is a picture of my brother’s life. He too started school here in the US when he was in first grade and he had a lot of difficulties as Francisco with the English language. I like the color and details that Simon Silva uses because those are true colors that describe Mexico. I think the story is good because it can help open the eyes of other students in taking other peoples’ perceptions. I like the use of language and the true nature that some teachers don’t allow other languages that are not English in the classroom and I think that this should be taken into consideration. My brother as well as Francisco would not listen to the teacher not much because he didn’t want to but because he lacked the language knowledge and the way of communication. I really enjoyed this book and I think that many teachers should reads it to students because it helps children develop interest and empathy with others. It opens up other cultures and can help with bringing other culture and the study of them in where we are all the same but at the same time different.
I liked reading “La Mariposa”; I found it very enthusiastic and exciting. When I look at the pictures I remember about my life and how many of the things that Francisco went through were things that I went through, but not so much as my brother. This story is a picture of my brother’s life. He too started school here in the US when he was in first grade and he had a lot of difficulties as Francisco with the English language. I like the color and details that Simon Silva uses because those are true colors that describe Mexico. I think the story is good because it can help open the eyes of other students in taking other peoples’ perceptions. I like the use of language and the true nature that some teachers don’t allow other languages that are not English in the classroom and I think that this should be taken into consideration. My brother as well as Francisco would not listen to the teacher not much because he didn’t want to but because he lacked the language knowledge and the way of communication. I really enjoyed this book and I think that many teachers should reads it to students because it helps children develop interest and empathy with others. It opens up other cultures and can help with bringing other culture and the study of them in where we are all the same but at the same time different.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Good Night Pillow Fight Journal
Good Night Pillow Fight---9/04/08
I haven’t received my book “Good Night Pillow Fight”, but I ordered it already and they told me to check on it next week. It has been a week and I am still waiting on it. I read the story because I borrowed it from one of my classmates on Thursday before class. I really like the color that Cook uses throughout the pages. I think that the use of small words and that there is not a lot of text makes it easy to read. I think that it gets to the point and lets reader understand what “Good night” means. I like that the pictures give good illustration to anyone who reads it. I think that anyone from a different background can understand the meaning and relate to it in some way. I think that this book is especially important for kids coming and being raised with different background or that their primary language is Spanish or another. The book shows the culture that it is at and it also helps relate that we are all the same even though we verbalize it differently. I like the use of colors in how it captures the reader’s attention.
I haven’t received my book “Good Night Pillow Fight”, but I ordered it already and they told me to check on it next week. It has been a week and I am still waiting on it. I read the story because I borrowed it from one of my classmates on Thursday before class. I really like the color that Cook uses throughout the pages. I think that the use of small words and that there is not a lot of text makes it easy to read. I think that it gets to the point and lets reader understand what “Good night” means. I like that the pictures give good illustration to anyone who reads it. I think that anyone from a different background can understand the meaning and relate to it in some way. I think that this book is especially important for kids coming and being raised with different background or that their primary language is Spanish or another. The book shows the culture that it is at and it also helps relate that we are all the same even though we verbalize it differently. I like the use of colors in how it captures the reader’s attention.
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