Craft Lesson - Stuart's Cape

This story was filled with such creativity and imagination, I would want to do something with it that would allow children to use their imaginations and be creative. Tapping into this will be so beneificial for children later on.

The Project

Stuart made a cape out of ties that took him on all kinds of adventures. He didn't worry about school or friends, he could fly and played hide-and-seek with animal friends. To begin, I would have the children discuss ideas for great adventure they would want to have. This would just to get their imaginations going and help out children who may struggle a bit with coming up with ideas. Either I or the children could write their ideas down. They will then write a page or so about their adventure. Included in this would be emphasis on organization, description, and use of action verbs. Along with this, I think I would like to find old ties, cloth scraps, wallpaper scraps, construction paper, anything the kids could use to make their own mini-capes.

Stuart's Cape

I forgot about Stuart's Cape! However, I did read it, and I thought it was wonderful. I love all of these books that have a child with a bright imagination as the main character. His worries were so normal for a child his age, and I loved his creativity in making a cape out of ties. His parents played well into the story as well. You almost couldn't tell whether they were just playing along or whether it was just a natural thing for all of these things happen. I also loved his Aunt's character ( I cannot for the life of me think of her name). She was a great aspect of creativity and zaniness, and fit in well with Stuart's adventures.

The illustrations fit with the story so well. The picture of the animals "hiding" made me laugh out loud. I also noticed, when Stuart saw the storage space where the trash man was hiding all of his things, that the artist had drawn a half-covered book titled Stuart's Cape. I thought this was funny as well.

Babymouse - Our Hero

I loved this book! I haven't read comic books in so long, and this one was very entertaining and funny. When I was younger, I found a box of Archie comics that belonged to my mom and aunt. I loved reading those comics. I'm very drawn to pictures and art, and always have been. With Babymouse, I had to read some of the pages twice. I had to get back into following a comic book format. I thought the point brought up about the question of who the narrator was is an interesting point for the classroom. I heard the narrator as a deeper, manly voice. I guess I just associate that with comics. I liked the message in Babymouse. I liked that she never gives up and how imaginative she is.

Ch 14 - Informational Books

I liked the books they discussed by David Feldman. In their example from How Do Astronauts Scratch an Itch? (1996) sounded humorous and interesting for younger readers. Informational books have so many uses and lots of great information and facts, but they are not really considered enjoyable reading. I think by considering the aspects covered by Tunnel and Jacobs, you could find books that you could use in class and children would enjoy.

Read Aloud Journal

I read Lucha Libre to a small group of third graders. They really liked the story and I liked reading it to them. I asked lots of prediction questions before and throughout the story. One boy had seen a Lucha Libre match and had a mask. The kids loved talking about what characters they would be and comparing it to wrestling on TV. The kids made predictions and figured out the story. I was really impressed with their conversation throughout.

Biography - Ch 13

Biographies can be tricky with younger children. Learning about the lives of famous and influential people can be very interesting. You have to choose people that children know or will find interesting at their age. I think it's also important to consider people relevant to children's culture and topics you may be discussing in the classroom.

Chapter 9 - Traditional Fantasy

I think children can read traditional fantasy stories as long as they have a good grasp of reality. This is part of parents' and educators' jobs to make sure children can read fantasy that's appropriate for their age and comprehension level.

Ch 12 - Historical Fiction

History can be extremely boring for some kids. Some kids love it, and others can't stand it. I personally liked history, but like Tunnel and Jacobs said, textbooks just cover too much. They're not very interesting. I think these historical fiction books are some of the best ways to get kids interested in historical events. I like that it talked about not "sugarcoating" history. Telling the truth outright is the best way to gain understanding and really learn history. I also liked that Tunnel and Jacobs said that history should come to life from the author.

Ch 11 - Contemporary Realistic Fiction

I think these types of books have always been some of my favorites. I read Nancy Drew and Baby Sitter's Club, and I loved sports books. I like books that aren't too far fetched.

Sidewalk Circus

I liked this book okay. I liked the idea behind it, but I don't like that it doesn't have words. It has good artistic value though. I really like that the shadows of the characters looked like circus characters. I also liked how their actions represented things you would usually see in a circus.

Craft Lesson 6 - Fleischman

The idea of a story without words can be extremely confusing to younger children. I would do a lesson to teach fluency, comprehension, and let children use their imagination. I would have a copy of the book, either one per group or child, or one big book. Then, the children would write one or two sentences per page and tell their interpretation of the pictures.

Poetry...

I have always had an appreciation for poetry. With my mom being a second grade teacher who also loved poetry, it came pretty easy for me. The earliest poems I can remember are from Shel Silverstein. My mom had books of his poetry and I loved looking through them and looking at the illustrations. When I was telling a guy friend (who happens to be a journalism major) about this poetry folder I was working on. He told me he knew a poem I needed to put in. It happened to be Ebenezer Bleezer by Jack Prelutskey. When I told him I already had it in there, he thought it was funny because no one else knew that poem. It was so interesting to hear that. So here is my collection of new, old, and completely random works of poetry…my poetry date.

Wong, J.S. (2007). Twist: Yoga poems. New York: MKM Books
Low Crow – Janet Wong
Janet Wong’s poems are so profound, even if they are short like this. I like the underlying message from this poem because it does not just apply to the yoga pose.

http://www.poetry-online.org/childrens_poetry_resource_index.htm
A Song from the Suds
a poem by Louisa May Alcott
I think this poem is simply entertaining.

http://www.ricw.state.ri.us/lessons/143.htm Angelou, M.
LIFE DOESN’T FRIGHTEN ME
By: Maya Angelou
This poem is just inspirational. It could simply be a read aloud and it would have an impact. It could bring some really in depth questions.

Silverstein, S. (1981). A Light in the Attic. New York: Harper & Row.
No Difference – Shel Silverstein
This poem has such a good message for a classroom

http://www.cswnet.com/~erin/child.htm Carrol, L., Taylor, J.
The Star - Jane Taylor
Every child learns “twinkle, twinkle”. I think teaching the whole rhyme would be great and it could a great craft lesson.

http://www.cswnet.com/~erin/child.htm Carrol, L., Taylor, J. 
Jabberwocky - Lewis Carroll
I don’t know how to use this specifically in the classroom, but I just think this is so interesting.

 Nesbitt, K. (2008). www.poetry4kids.com/index.php
You Can Argue with a Tennis Ball – Kenn Nesbitt
This poem just looks funny to read to children in the
classroom

http://www.poetry-online.org/childrens_poetry_resource_index.htm
A Light Exists in Spring – Emily Dickinson
I think this has words that kids may not know or understand, so I could use it for vocabulary purposes. It could also be used for a seasonal lesson

Hoberman, M.A. (1991). Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers: A collection of family
poems. New York: Scholastic.
When I Grow Up – Mary Ann Hoberman
This is a fun poem to read in the classroom. It could be an extension of an activity about what the students want to be when they grow up.

Lewis, J.P. (1998). Doodle Dandies: Poems that take shape. New York: Aladdin
Paperbacks
A Swing and a Miss – J. Patrick Lewis
I really like this poem because I think it could reach out to boys, and even some girls, in elementary school.

Lewis, J.P. (1998). Doodle Dandies: Poems that take shape. New York: Aladdin
Paperbacks
Big Cat – J. Patrick Lewis
This had such a cool picture. This could be really great for a rainforest themed unit or when teaching about animals.

Katz, A. (2003). I’m still here in the bathtub: Brand new silly dilly songs. New York:
Scholastic
He’s Got the Whole Beach in His Pants – Alan Katz
(to the tune of “He’s got the Whole World in His Hands)
This is entertaining to read or have the children read or sing aloud in the classroom.

Silverstein, S. (1981). A Light in the Attic. New York: Harper & Row.
Ations – Shel Silverstein
You could do more than one lesson with this poem. The –ation words would be good for a vocabulary or phonics lesson. It is also good for teaching social skills.

http://www.poetry-online.org/childrens_poetry_resource_index.htm
If No One Ever Marries Me - Laurence Alma-Tadema
This is humorous to me now. My roommate and I liked this so much, I had to add it. It is from a children’s poetry website, so I think it qualifies.

Silverstein, S. (1981). A Light in the Attic. New York: Harper & Row.
Prayer of a Selfish Child – Shel Silverstein
I just think this is funny. It could be a funny part of a lesson about sharing.

Silverstein, S. (1981). A Light in the Attic. New York: Harper & Row.
No Difference – Shel Silverstein
This poem has such a good message for a classroom.

Prelutskey, J. (1984). The New Kid on the Block. New York: Scholastic.
Bleezer’s Ice Cream – Jack Prelutskey
I remember chanting Ebenezer Bleezer after I heard this poem. It was one of my favorites.

Prelutskey, J. (1984). The New Kid on the Block. New York: Scholastic.
I’m the Single Most Wonderful Person I Know – Jack Prelutskey
I remember this poem from when I was young. My mom has always read Jack Prelutskey poems to me and I always enjoyed them so much.

Prelutskey, J. (1984). The New Kid on the Block. New York: Scholastic.
You’re Nasty and You’re Loud – Jack Prelutskey
This poem is humorous to me. I think if read in a classroom the kids would laugh but maybe even think a little bit about how they treat others.

Prelutskey, J. (1984). The New Kid on the Block. New York: Scholastic.
I Should Have Stayed in Bed Today – Jack Prelutskey
I like this because not only is it funny, it also has a fun message. Everyone has bad days, and I think this could be used as a funny way to just remind kids that it will be okay.

Craft Lesson - Que Rico!

This book opens up many opportunities for various lessons. I would use it for cultural purposes and to let the children experience new things.

I would have a variety of foods for them to sample. After trying the food, I would have them write down 2 to 3 adjectives about it. I would want them to try as best they could to not use the same word more than twice. Then, they could use these words and write a sentence about it. For each sentence, they could create a picture. I think I would like to use watercolors or paints to create picture as vivid and bright as the ones in the book. After each one is done, we can bind them somehow and they could have their own Yum book.

I could use this same activity for a dual language classroom. The children could come up with adjectives in Spanish. They could look up words if necessary but I would like to have a big word bank that they could use as well. This could teach grammar and build children's Spanish vocabulary.

Lit Festival..from a long time ago...

Not really knowing what to expect, I went to the Literacy Festival at the Student Union on Friday. It was a unique opportunity to hear some incredible authors speak and to go to sessions to increase our knowledge on other topics.
I liked hearing the two elementary school children recite their poems. They were so adorable! I really admire their teacher, and I hope someday I can inspire kids the way she does every day. We also heard a women recite her own rendition of a Langston Hughes poem. Next, Janet Wong spoke. She was so funny and animated. She told of how she switched careers from a lawyer to a writer. I liked that she was so honest about how difficult it was to get published and that she struggled some. I liked her story about the poetry class. No one could guess that she did not like poetry and it did not come naturally or easily. When the class of kids walked in late, she just told them to come on in and have a seat on the floor. I thought that was great. She was so laid back.
My favorite part of her time was when she got the suitcase with props and had the kids come up and choose an object. Each object related to one of her favorite poems. I really enjoyed that. I think her idea would be great in a classroom. She discussed this as well. Having some sort of “prop trunk” for children to use in a classroom would be an interesting and fun way to incorporate poetry into the everyday. You could have the children read the poems or you could read to the class. She also had another idea for incorporating poetry. She read a poem about her dad being grumpy, and then turned it into a different activity. She had an idea to change it and have children write a loving poem about a family member. This would be great for holidays. I especially liked her idea to have children find their own props for poems.
After Janet Wong spoke, I went to the first break out session. The particular session I chose was one on ESL teaching in the classroom. Mrs. Stocks provided some really great information for helping ELL students in the classroom. Her strategies were so good and they could be used in a regular classroom as well.
I am really glad I had the opportunity to attend the Literature Festival. I wish I could have stayed longer, but I had to go to class and work. Janet Wong was entertaining, and I really enjoyed the breakout sessions. This is an event well worth the time and I think it was a great event.