ENGLISH 282 - CHILDREN'S LITERATURE Required Texts: Children's Books in Children's Hands (primary text) Best-Loved Folktales of the World (oral literature) Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel (picture book) Fox in a Trap (chapter book) Honey I Love (poetry) Skellig (fantasy) Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key (realistic fiction) Esperanza Rising (historical fiction) One Newbery or Newbery Honor Book of Your Choice Course Objectives: -To learn the history and changes in British and American lit -To understand folk tradition, the meaning of variants, and cross-cultural similarities -To become sensitive to literary analysis and the criteria one uses to judge children's literature -To explore the ways in which children develop and how that affects what is being written for children -To examine the changing marketplace, multiculturalism and broadening perspectives, and global values -To explore ways of making children's literature come alive for children at home and in the classroom -To understand the cross-disciplinary nature of children's literature -To enjoy reading and writing and talking about children's books -To develop ways of oral presentation that are appealing to children General Policies: Absenteeism is discouraged, particularly since we meet only twice a week and much of our learning comes from class discussion. More than three absences will result in a grade diminishment. No one should continue to attend this course after five absences. There are no make-ups on tests, quizzes, nor on presentations unless there are extenuating circumstances for which I am notified and find understandable. In the event of illness, a doctor's excuse is required. Papers are expected to be turned in on time. There is a grade diminishment for late work. No paper is accepted later than a week after the due date. Plagiarism results in failure. This course is run informally. Feel free to bring in your favorite books and to share your experiences with us. Try out some of your required reading with kids if you wish. We'd be delighted to know how they respond. Tests and Examinations: The percentage break-down is subject to minor change but reads as follows: (a) Quizzes and Short Papers - 250 points (b) Midterm - 200 points (c) Newbery Book Discussion and Review - 150 Points (d) Final Project - 300 points (e) Participation - 100 points Grade Scale: 940 - l,000 - A 810 - 849 CB 650 - 699 D 890 - 939 - BA 760 - 809 C under 650 E 850 - 889 - B 700 - 759 CD SYLLABUS: (Although the order will be retained, dates will change since each class takes a different amount of time to cover certain material.) JANUARY T 07 General Introduction - Syllabus Requirements - Guideline Sheets Favorite Book Paragraphs Th 09 *2-27 CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN CHILDREN'S HANDS (CBCH) Hand out nursery rhymes to read, benefits handout, and nursery rhyme assignment This will be a short paper. Favorite book - Hand In T 14 Hand in picture book choices - Do picture book reading NURSERY RHYMES, JUMP ROPE VERSE AND THE BEGINNINGS OF POETRY *238-241 (up to Lyrics and Expressive Poems); 148-149 (up to How Traditional Literature Works) - CBCH Discussion of sheets Th 16 Nursery Rhyme Assignment - HAND IN AND DISCUSS An exploration of nursery rhyme texts - Mother Goose in books and on tapes T 21 ORAL TRADITION - FOLKTALES *137-147 CBCH; 149 to top of 154 (up to Traditional Literature) CBCH My sheets - Handout and Discussion of Folktale Plot, Origins, Versions, Variants *164-166 - CBCH - Derivatives Th 23 TRADITIONAL FOLKLORE OF WEST EUROPE *Read numbers 1, 2, 8, l0, 11, 19 Hand out Assignment II T 28 WEST EUROPE, BRITISH ISLES, SCANDINAVIA - BEAST TALES *Read 3, 27, 45, 52, 55, 75 Th 30 EAST EUROPE, ASIA, MIDDLE EAST *92, 99, 104, 107, 116, 146 GROUP TIME FOR ASSIGNMENT TWO FEBRUARY T 04 AFRICA AND NORTH AMERICA *155, 174, 177, 183, 185 Th 06 PICTURE BOOKS * 177-187 (Up to Picture Storybooks) - CBCH *Discovery Questions - I Search List *MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL (with Dr. Vocke's class in large room) HAND IN ASSIGNMENT TWO T 11 190-218 - CBCH Discovery with Picture Books and A Mock Caldecott Award Winner Session Th 13 *Multicultural Literature - 81-116 CBCH Discovery with Picture Books Continued T 18 Results of Discovery/Possible Library Time Th 20 *PICTURE BOOK ASSIGNMENT HAND IN 235-252 - (Up to Elements) - CBCH Discussion of Poetry Midterm Handout ORAL PRESENTATION - POETRY T 25 *HONEY I LOVE *252-272 CBCH In class time with picture books and questions on midterm Th 27 MIDTERM (Oral Verse, Poetry, Picture Books, Folktales) Hand out Assignment on Teacher or Librarian Interviews MARCH 3-7 Semester Recess T 11 Newbery Award Winning Book Hand Out *The Easy Reader - 187-190 CBCH *Realism in Children's Literature - 281-299 CBCH Hand in Interview Sheet Th 13 *FOX IN A TRAP Social Issues continued - *299-307 - CBCH Hand in List for Newbery Project T 18 Fantasy and Children's Literature General Discussion *349-374 CBCH What Makes a Good Newbery Book - A close look at criteria Th 20 *SKELLIG and Fantasy on Film Assignment T 25 Fantasy on Film - Let's look at clips Th 27 JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY APRIL T 01 History Slides and Discussion of Final Project Th 03 History Slides and Continued Final Project Discussion T 08 Newbery Day discussion and Hand in Project Th 10 Historical Fiction *32l-339 CBCH and Final Project Discussion T 15 *ESPERANZA RISING Th 17 FINAL PROJECT CONFERENCES Finals Week - Class Sharing of Projects