Briseida

Book Review-La Mariposa

2008-11-16T18:14:00.000-08:00

Book Review: La Mariposa—Briseida Ramos
My book review can be seen at amazon.com
La Mariposa by Francisco Jimenez, is about a small boy named Francisco who is headed to his first day of school. Francisco does not know English and in school that is the only way of communicating or he’ll get in to trouble if he starts speaking in first first language which is Spanish. Francisco gets in trouble a few times because he doesn’t pay attention to the teacher because he doesn’t understand her, so he day dreams most of the time because his head hurts from trying to understand what she is trying to say. Many children in school do not accept him because everyone else speaks English except his friend, Arthur. Later on his friend, Arthur avoids Francisco because he doesn’t want to get in trouble from speaking Spanish.
Francisco faces a lot of obstacles in trying to fit in school with everyone else. He gets into a fight with another boy because of a jacket that the principle had given him from the lost and found, finding out later on that it belongs to Curtis, the other boy. The teacher Miss. Scalapino gives them an assignment which Francisco doesn’t understand, so she decides to le4t him draw whatever he wants. Because of this assignment Francisco starts fitting in with the other students. Francisco decides to sketch out a drawing of a butterfly and the teacher likes it a places it on the board. Francisco receives first place for his drawing and everyone rush to see the blue ribbon placed on the drawing. Everyone starts accepting Francisco and at the end they all look at a butterfly come out of its cocoon.
The story shows transformations in where bicultural and bilingual differences in a child can be accepted by others. There are many difficult circumstances that go through the life of someone that has a limit in communication and acceptance from others, but his story shows how it is accepted and can be accepted because differences make us unique. Those differences make us who we are in the form that we are not that different. Jimenez shows the importance of transformation and acceptance throughout a child’s life and how there are many that can go through this. The book is a good book to have in any grade level because it shows the benefit that either kindergarten through any grade, but especially the elementary level students can learn from real life experiences. Elementary is a good level to start showing children the importance that we are all equal, in a unique way.
Illustrations, done by Simon Silva show the richness in colors of the culture. Brown, orange, and other colors are portrayed together and show a vivid picture of how the fields look like when a person awakes in the morning. The colors of the sun coming out and going in show the relation of reality.
Francisco Jimenez shows his life through writing his books, especially in The Circuit. Francisco Jiménez uses stories from his own life to portray what it's like to be a child who must hide from truant officers if farm work must be done, and who must hide from immigration officials in order to continue living in this country. Jimenez, “Born in Tlaquepaque, Mexico, in 1943, Francisco Jiménez grew up in a family of migrant workers in California. Jiménez spent much of his childhood moving around California with no permanent home or regular schooling, yet despite incredible odds he went on to have a distinguished academic career. A graduate of Santa Clara University, he also attended Harvard University and received both a Master's Degree and Ph.D. from Columbia University.” In La Mariposa, Francisco shows the relationship of using both English and Spanish languages letting the reader discover the meaning through a glossary at the end of the story.
Some awards which Jimenez received throughout his life are:
2003 Elected an Honorary Associate of the Hispanic Society of America by the Board of Trustees of the Society
2003-present The Asociación Cultural Latino Americana of Central California established an annual “Francisco Jiménez scholarship for Hispanic youth attending college.
1998 – 1999 SCU Faculty Senate Professor in recognition of outstanding professional achievements and contributions to Santa Clara University
1998 – present Fay Boyle Endowed University Academic Chair
1996-1997 James Barnes Farmer Distinguished Guest Professor for 1996-1997, Miami University, Ohio.
1986 – 1998 Phil and Bobbie Sanfilippo Endowed University Academic Chair
1978 "President's Special Recognition Award for Faculty." (The award recognizes superior teaching, publication, and special service to the Santa Clara University community.)
Other recognitions, but to name a few are:
• Honored by the Asociación Cultural Latinoamericana by naming a scholarship after me, July 26, 2003.• Commendation by the Governor of the State of Jalisco, Mexico, “for promoting Mexican culture in the U.S.” Ceremony took place in Long Beach, California, June 21, 2003.• Featured in Telemundo, “Al Rojo Vivo” (2003).• Featured in Univisión, “Aquí y Ahora” (2003).• Featured in Selecciones (Readers’ Digest), section “Triunfadores” (May 2003).• Commendations from U.S. Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and from the United States Congress for being selected United States Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement the Advancement Teaching (2002).
In La Mariposa:• Parents’ Choice Recommended Award• Smithsonian Notable Book for Children• Américas Commended List
Mr. Jimenez “has been the director of the Ethnic Studies Program since 2000. He has been on the faculty of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Santa Clara University since 1972.” I think that it is important how Jimenez shows his life in La Mariposa and other books because he is able to show his life through the eyes of children, young adults, and adults.
In my opinion, I enjoyed La Mariposa and I think that this book is a good book to have for all ages. I can relate through a lot that Jimenez goes through growing up, since I also came from Mexico and was born in San Luis Potosi, I show a connection and relation to his experiences that are still in the process. This book can be understood through anyone coming from another place also. I think that this book deserves more than a thumbs up but something spectacular because it’s a real life experience through the eyes of children and others. I gave it Five Stars, I loved the book!!

Video Book Talk 2

2008-10-26T17:31:00.000-07:00

Ruby Lu Brave and true- Lenore Look (10/18/08)

2008-10-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

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.

Craft Lesson #3

2008-10-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

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.

Stuart Goes to School-Sara Pennypacker(10/11/08)

2008-10-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

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.

Book Talk 1- I Love Saturdays y Domingos

2008-10-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

Video Book Talk 1, I love Saturdays y Domingos

2008-10-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

2008-10-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

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.

Craft Lesson #2

2008-09-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Take me out of the bathtub

2008-09-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

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.

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

2008-09-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

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.

Craft Lesson #1

2008-09-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Henry's Freedom Box

2008-09-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

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.

La Mariposa

2008-09-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

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.

Good Night Pillow Fight Journal

2008-09-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

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.