EDRG: 3321- M&W- Responding To Literature

Chapter4 suprised me. I didn't know there was so much depth to teaching literature. I thought the chapter gave some good information on awwarness of development. The chart on selecting books by development and age was helpful, but as Professor Pickett said, its just a generalization. It does give you an overview of the variety of literature you can use even if your teaching 6th grade, and have a student reading at a 4th grade level. You could still use the chart to see how you would be able to choose literature for that specific child.

I especially enjoyed how the chapter went into affect and motivation. We do need to remember not all children have the same interests, and won't be as excited to read certain literature as others are. As a future teacher, I need to keep in mind that my students are going to be my inspiration on choosing literature. I need to also remember that each of my students will come in with different perspectives, and the literature i choose will broaden their perspective for growth of learning.

The activities for deepening children's responses to literature was very interesting. In my EDRG 3344 class we learned how personal writing can be beneficial to getting the students interested in reading. They can express their thoughts on the reading, and even can write a related story based on the literature they're reading. I believe that if they succeed with this then they will have comprehended the literature. The overall goal is to promote literacy in your classroom. If you have grasped this then your students will be enticed to read.

Author Profile: On James Marshall

James Marshall was born in San Antonio, Texas where his father worked for the railroad and had a dance band. James Marshall studied to play the viola and intended to have a musical career. Then his hand was injured during an airplane flight and his musical career was finished. He met Harry Allard, with whom he later wrote many picture books, when he was a student at Trinity College. James Marshall taught Spanish in a Catholic school near Boston upon graduation from college. His first book, George and Martha, was inspired by a famous play, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf" in which the main characters were named George and Martha. For many years he divided his time between an apartment in New York City and his home in Mansfield Hollow, Connecticut. James Marshall died in October, 1992. James Marshall's work is usually gently humorous. He has several books in series: Miss Nelson, George & Martha, The Cut-Ups, The Stupids and The Rats, for instance. In those books, his characters change very little. His fairy tale renditions are full of sly humor.

The Cut-Ups at Camp Custer. Puffin, 1991 ISBN 0140508171.

Spud and Joe are together again. Spud's mother knows it's trouble and says as they head off, "That camp will never be the same". Then they find out that the camp director is none other than their old nemesis, school principal Mr. Spurgle and he's ready for them. Or so he thinks.
Activity: Compare Mr. Spurgle's nephew, Charles Andrew Frothingham with the Grand Duke Wilfred in Dr. Seuss's Five Hundred Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.

George and Martha. Houghton, 1973 ISBN 0395166195.

In this first book about the hippo friends, five short stories give us the tale of "Split Pea Soup", "The Flying Machine", "The Tub", "The Mirror", and "The Tooth. Always the pair manages to get past the minor difficulties in a close friendship.
Activity: Make a list of the events in the stories. Beside each event, draw a picture of how George and Martha feel about it.

Rats on the Roof and Other Stories. Dial, 1991 ISBN 0803708343.

It's not only rats but sheep, wolves, mice, frogs and cats in these funny short stories. Frog legs are a source of pride to the frog until he reads a recipe for frog legs. Birds talk a brontosaurus out of destroying an owl's nest by telling him how disgusting they will taste. At every turn there is humor and all villains are foiled in unpredictable ways.
Activity: Read aloud your favorite tale from either of the "Rat Collections." Use a prop to introduce your reading.

I have found this website listing different literature for the curriculum area you'd like to teach.
www.carolhurst.com/subjects/curriculum.html

This website has some good children poems
www.storyit.com/Classics/JustPoems/index.htm