Poetry
The Poetry unit was one of my favorite units we have focused on so far. I really enjoyed all of the assignments and I believe that teaching poetry is something that I will definitely use as a future teacher. I have learned that poetry does not need to rhyme in order to be beautiful. I remember learning about poetry when I was in Elementary School and it was one of my favorite units.
Books to Use:
-Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
-Wishes, Lies, And Dreams by Kenneth Kock
Useful Poetry Sites:
Useful Poetry Links-
https://vista.csuchico.edu/webct/ContentPageServerServlet/Poetry/poetry_links.htm?pageID=1651713323041
Poetry Box Rules from PBS- Links to definitions of poetry forms and poetic devices
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june00/poetryboxrules.html
Elements of Poetry- A list of elements of poetry, with links to definitions, interactives, and examples of how each element functions in a work of poetry.
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/virtualit/poetry/elements.html
Teachers and Writers Collaborative-Writers in the Schools Program and links to texts
http://www.twc.org/
ReadWriteThink- Lesson plans and ideas for teaching language arts.
http://www.readwritethink.org/
Useful Prompts/Responses:
Prompt:
1. Find a poem that you think would be interesting to use as a model for students.
2. Create a poetry prompt that could be used with students based on the model you've chosen.
My Response:
The Cow
-Robert Louis Stevenson
The friendly cow, all red and white,
I love with all my heart:
She gives me cream with all her might,
To eat with apple tart.
She wanders lowing here and there,
And yet she cannot stray,
All in the pleasant open air,
The pleasant light of day;
And blown by all the winds that pass
And wet with all the showers,
She walks along the meadow grass
And eats the meadow flowers.
I think that this poem The Cow, by Robert Louis Stevenson would be very good to use as a model for students. Robert Louis Steven is a very famous children's poet and all of his poems are fun to read. I think that this poem would be a good model for students to work with because of the rhyming pattern that Stevenson uses in this poem. He uses the rhyming pattern of A, B, A, B. I think that this poem would be a perfect example to show students because it is simple and not very long. I believe that this poem would be very appealing to younger students because of the fact that it is written about an animal. From experience, I have observed that children love animals and enjoy reading/learning about them.
Prompt: Write a poem similar to The Cow, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Make sure that your poem is about an animal and uses the same rhyming pattern that Stevenson used. (A, B, A, B) Your poem should be a total of twelve lines.
Prompt:
1. What do you think Williams sees in this poem (describe the image in your own language) and what do you think he felt about what he was seeing? Why do you think so?
2. Then write and imitative poem, just as Jack did in Love That Dog, beginning with the words "so much depends upon..."
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
--William Carlos Williams
My Response:
1. In this poem I believe that Williams sees the surroundings of a farm. It is unclear as to whether it is his own farm or someone else's farm. It seems as though Williams is inside looking outside. Williams describes seeing a red wheel barrow that is wet from the rain, and a group of white chickens. Williams is very descriptive when describing the wheel barrow and chickens because he lets the reader know what color they are. I think that Williams was sad about what he was seeing because he says that "so much depends upon" the objects that he is explaining. The wheel barrow is "glazed with rain" and this could mean that it has been raining. I think that Williams could be sad about the wheel barrow being wet from the rain because this might mean that he can not be outside on the farm like he wants to be.
2.
So much depends
upon
a red rose
covered with ice
slowly wilting away
standing alone in the garden
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Shakespeare
Shakespeare
I learned a lot during the Shakespeare unit. I thought it was very interesting that we got to learn about how to incorporate Shakespeare into lesson plans. The Hobart Shakespeareans was my favorite thing that we learned about and I hope to use this video/website for later use. I enjoyed learning about A Midsummer Night's Dream and it was very interesting to act out different scenes of it. I believe that acting out what you read is a good idea to use in the future with my students.
Links/Resources for Shakespeare:
A Midsummer Night's Dream-
http://www.rsc.org.uk/exploringshakespeare/
The Hobart Shakespeareans-Link to the website for the documentary film, which follows Rafe Esquith and his 5th graders from Hobart Elementary in central Los Angeles-
http://www.pbs.org/pov/hobart/
Reader's Theatre- Useful article about using Reader's Theatre in the classroom
http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=/electronic/carrick/index.html
Lois Burdett- Shakespeare for kids-
http://www.fireflybooks.com/Shakespeare.html
Enjoying a Midsummer Night's Dream-
http://www.pathguy.com/mnd.htm
Tips for Reading Shakespeare-
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/maune/ShakespearePages/ReadingTips.html
Hobart Shakespeareans Prompt to use in the future:
For the post this week, I am mainly curious to see what you think about Rafe Esquith's class. Write a bit about your ideas after viewing this documentary: what about his class seems interesting to consider in terms of what students are capable of? How does he seem to think about the teaching of literacy, particularly work with reading? What else does he value? What seems problematic? What is the "take away" after viewing this film?
My Response:
I was very inspired after watching The Hobart Shakespeareans film in class. The Hobart Shakespeareans is about a teacher named Rafe Esquith who teaches fifth grade at Hobart Elementary in Los Angeles. Hobart Elementary is one of the nation's largest inner city schools. Rafe Esquith teaches in a very unique manner and believes that Shakespeare wants his audience to use imagination. Although I did disagree with some of Rafe Esquith's thoughts and idea, I believe that his classroom is an amazing place. I believe that his classroom was so incredibly interesting to me because of that fact that I had never seen anyone teach like Rafe before. I thought it was very interesting that he taught the material he did in his classroom because to me it seemed to be way above the fifth grade level curriculum. He seems to think that the teaching of literacy should also be done visually. I was shocked when I saw his fifth grade student performing many Shakespeare plays that they had read in class. However, it seemed as though the students really understood what they read by performing the plays. I think that Rafe truly values seeing his students succeed. It is very rewarding for him to see his students learn and comprehend what he is teaching them. Rafe enjoys giving his students the opportunity to do things that they would usually not be able to do. He plans two major trips a year to Washington D.C. and Virginia in order to teach his students about America's history. While watching the video, I could see that his students love these trips and really learn a lot while having fun. In the video, Rafe also takes his students to the UCLA college campus in order to encourage his students to set goals and plan for the future. While on this trip, Rafe had each student make a goal that they wanted to accomplish. I thought that having his students make goals was a great idea.
There were a few things about Rafe's class that seemed to be problematic. Rafe admits that he understands that not everyone in his class is going to always understand what is going on and he says that that is okay. He also explains that violence is a way of life for some of his student because they are living in a poor environment. It made me very sad when Rafe's school had to go on lock down during the video. Crimes and shootings are very common right by the school and lock downs occur often. Another problem with Rafe's class is that some parents aren't involved. This point caught my attention because this problem can occur at any school. It is very unfortunate that children have problems at home, but sometimes there are drug and alcohol problems with family members.
I believe that the "take away" from this film differs depending on the viewer. My take away however, is that as a teacher you should incorporate your own creative ideas into your curriculum. Many of the things that Rafe did in his classroom inspired me as a future teacher. For example, I thought that the money system that Rafe created in his classroom was a great idea. Rafe gives money to every student and they are rewarded or punished for performing certain tasks. He gives fines for not doing homework and you pay rent for your seat in the classroom. Someone in the front of the classroom would have a move expensive rent then someone in the back. I thought this was a good idea because he prepares his students for real life and teaches them management. I also thought it was interesting how Rafe gave out Barnes and Nobles gift cards to his students in order to encourage them to buy books. This is something that I would maybe think about doing in the future. Overall, I thought that The Hobart Shakespeareans was an amazing film. I have never seen anyone have such a passion for teaching as Rafe. I plan on watching this film many more times in order to inspire myself as a future teacher.
On the last day of school Rafe told his students.. "This is not over, this is the beginning
I learned a lot during the Shakespeare unit. I thought it was very interesting that we got to learn about how to incorporate Shakespeare into lesson plans. The Hobart Shakespeareans was my favorite thing that we learned about and I hope to use this video/website for later use. I enjoyed learning about A Midsummer Night's Dream and it was very interesting to act out different scenes of it. I believe that acting out what you read is a good idea to use in the future with my students.
Links/Resources for Shakespeare:
A Midsummer Night's Dream-
http://www.rsc.org.uk/exploringshakespeare/
The Hobart Shakespeareans-Link to the website for the documentary film, which follows Rafe Esquith and his 5th graders from Hobart Elementary in central Los Angeles-
http://www.pbs.org/pov/hobart/
Reader's Theatre- Useful article about using Reader's Theatre in the classroom
http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp?HREF=/electronic/carrick/index.html
Lois Burdett- Shakespeare for kids-
http://www.fireflybooks.com/Shakespeare.html
Enjoying a Midsummer Night's Dream-
http://www.pathguy.com/mnd.htm
Tips for Reading Shakespeare-
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/maune/ShakespearePages/ReadingTips.html
Hobart Shakespeareans Prompt to use in the future:
For the post this week, I am mainly curious to see what you think about Rafe Esquith's class. Write a bit about your ideas after viewing this documentary: what about his class seems interesting to consider in terms of what students are capable of? How does he seem to think about the teaching of literacy, particularly work with reading? What else does he value? What seems problematic? What is the "take away" after viewing this film?
My Response:
I was very inspired after watching The Hobart Shakespeareans film in class. The Hobart Shakespeareans is about a teacher named Rafe Esquith who teaches fifth grade at Hobart Elementary in Los Angeles. Hobart Elementary is one of the nation's largest inner city schools. Rafe Esquith teaches in a very unique manner and believes that Shakespeare wants his audience to use imagination. Although I did disagree with some of Rafe Esquith's thoughts and idea, I believe that his classroom is an amazing place. I believe that his classroom was so incredibly interesting to me because of that fact that I had never seen anyone teach like Rafe before. I thought it was very interesting that he taught the material he did in his classroom because to me it seemed to be way above the fifth grade level curriculum. He seems to think that the teaching of literacy should also be done visually. I was shocked when I saw his fifth grade student performing many Shakespeare plays that they had read in class. However, it seemed as though the students really understood what they read by performing the plays. I think that Rafe truly values seeing his students succeed. It is very rewarding for him to see his students learn and comprehend what he is teaching them. Rafe enjoys giving his students the opportunity to do things that they would usually not be able to do. He plans two major trips a year to Washington D.C. and Virginia in order to teach his students about America's history. While watching the video, I could see that his students love these trips and really learn a lot while having fun. In the video, Rafe also takes his students to the UCLA college campus in order to encourage his students to set goals and plan for the future. While on this trip, Rafe had each student make a goal that they wanted to accomplish. I thought that having his students make goals was a great idea.
There were a few things about Rafe's class that seemed to be problematic. Rafe admits that he understands that not everyone in his class is going to always understand what is going on and he says that that is okay. He also explains that violence is a way of life for some of his student because they are living in a poor environment. It made me very sad when Rafe's school had to go on lock down during the video. Crimes and shootings are very common right by the school and lock downs occur often. Another problem with Rafe's class is that some parents aren't involved. This point caught my attention because this problem can occur at any school. It is very unfortunate that children have problems at home, but sometimes there are drug and alcohol problems with family members.
I believe that the "take away" from this film differs depending on the viewer. My take away however, is that as a teacher you should incorporate your own creative ideas into your curriculum. Many of the things that Rafe did in his classroom inspired me as a future teacher. For example, I thought that the money system that Rafe created in his classroom was a great idea. Rafe gives money to every student and they are rewarded or punished for performing certain tasks. He gives fines for not doing homework and you pay rent for your seat in the classroom. Someone in the front of the classroom would have a move expensive rent then someone in the back. I thought this was a good idea because he prepares his students for real life and teaches them management. I also thought it was interesting how Rafe gave out Barnes and Nobles gift cards to his students in order to encourage them to buy books. This is something that I would maybe think about doing in the future. Overall, I thought that The Hobart Shakespeareans was an amazing film. I have never seen anyone have such a passion for teaching as Rafe. I plan on watching this film many more times in order to inspire myself as a future teacher.
On the last day of school Rafe told his students.. "This is not over, this is the beginning
Friday, March 12, 2010
Children's and Young Adult Novels
I learned a tremendous amount from this unit. The books that we read for this unit were Speak by Laurie Anderson, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, and The Austere Academy (Book the 5th) by Lemony Snicket. My favorite of these books were Stargirl and Speak because they were both books that really made me think and feel as though I was in the same situation as the main characters.
For our prompt on Speak we answered two questions in detail that I would like to consider for later use.
MY RESPONSE TO THE PROMPT:
1. Q: What do we know about Melinda so far? What does she say? do? think? How do others view her?
A: So far we know that Melinda has experienced something that has been very traumatic in her life. Melinda shows many signs of being an outcast, however, so far in the book the reason is not known. All that is known so far is that Melinda called the police at a party and that many people do not like her because of that. Melinda explains that she is longer friends with her old group of best friends and that she feels very alone. Melinda says, "There is no point in looking for my ex-friends. Our clan, the Plain Janes, has splintered and the pieces are being absorbed by rival factions,"(p.4). Melinda also seems to not have a very good relationship with her parents. One day when she was in the living room eating pizza on the couch, she made sure to be back in her room with the door closed before her dad got home. "By the time Dad unlocks the door, everything looks the way he wants to see it, and I have vanished,"(p. 15). This relationship that Melinda has with her parents seems very unhealthy and uncomfortable. She is often trying to avoid them and stays in her room most of the time. The things that Melinda says are very reserved. She does not know how to communicate and has trouble expressing her feelings and opinions. When Melinda walks around school she is very isolated and keeps to herself. Melinda's actions make it seem like she does not want to be noticed or ever heard. Melinda is an observer and over analyzes many of the things that go on at school. The way that Melinda thinks makes it evident that she has suffered from some kind of post-traumatic stress. She isn't very confident and is extremely self-critical. The only friend that Melinda has in the first half of the book is the new girl Heather. Heather is very fun, happy, and outgoing. When describing Heather, Melinda explains, "I used to be like Heather. Have I changed that much in two months? She is happy, driven, aerobically fit. She has a nice mom and an awesome television,"(p. 24). Others view Melinda as an outcast, a loser with no friends or personality. They view her as a troubled girl who has been ditched.
2. Q: What does the text seem to want its readers to talk about?
A: I believe that there are many things in this book that the author wants it's readers to think about. One of the main things that I thought about when reading this book were the use of symbols in the story that seem to represent broader ideas. Some of these symbols include how the mascots change, Melinda's lips, the closet, the tree, her sculpture with the turkey bones, the seasons, and mirrors. All of these symbols are used throughout this book in order to bring up deeper meanings. I believe that the author also wants the readers to talk about Melinda's personality and to think about what could of happened to her to make her act this way. It seems that Melinda sees her self worth through her grades that posted after each marking period. The text also wants the readers to talk about Melinda's identity and the role that school plays in her life. There is barely any parental involvement in school and I believe that this makes Melinda feel even more alone. They way that Melinda describes her teachers is a very important aspect of this book. Her teachers play a very important role in this story. All of Melinda's teacher who bother her or make her feel uncomfortable are not called my their true names. Melinda does not like her English teacher and explains that, "My English teacher has no face. She has uncombed stringy hair that droops on her shoulders. The hair is black from her part to her ears and then neon orange to the frizzy ends. I can't decide if she has pissed of her hairdresser or is morphing into a monarch butterfly. I call her Hairwoman, (p.6). The only teacher that Melinda has a good relationship with is Mr. Freeman. I believe this is because Melinda feels safe in his classroom and she feels like he understands her. She uses art as an outlet to express her inner emotions and as to explain who she is. Mr. Freeman plays a huge impact on Melinda at school and I believe that this is very important for the readers to talk about. Something else that I talked about with my group was that Melinda's identity and struggles are described by the change of mascots throughout this book. Melinda's attitude and personality reflects the constant change of mascots. One of my favorite lines in the book was when Melinda first introduced her school and how her mascot was recently being changed, "The school board has decided that "Merryweather High-Home of the Trojans" didn't send a strong abstinence message, so they have transformed us into the Blue Devils. Better the Devil you know than the Trojan you don't, I guess," (p.4). These lines really made me wonder how this could be related to Melinda's identity and also made me think about symbolism.
Questions to think about for Speak:
1. What do we know about Melinda so far? What does she say? do? think? How do others view her?
2. What roles are played by adults (parents, teachers…)?
3. What's the tone (the feel/mood) of the story?
4. Are you noticing symbols in the story that seem to represent broader ideas?
5. How does the school setting shape this text? What is the representation of school put forth by Melinda? Use examples from the text.
6. What does this text seem to want its readers to talk about?
7. What are the underlying theme(s) of the text?
I would also like to use the prompt for Stargirl for future use.
Prompt: What seems to be the purpose for the book? What do you suppose the author wanted his or her readers to “get” from reading the text? What evidence can you find in the text itself that supports this?
MY RESPONSE TO THE PROMPT:
I believe that there are many purposes for the book Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli. From the beginning of the story, Stargirl is described as an outcast. She is very unique and has her own sense of style and personality. Stargirl is nice to everyone and seems to not care about what others think of her. From reading this book, you get the sense that Stargirl is an individual, and that she stands out because of her extravagant personality. All of the characteristics that Stargirl embodies are unlike any of the other students at school. Everyone seems to be fascinated by her and are constantly watching her to see what her next move will be. At a basketball game, Stargirl ends up cheering for the other team and comforts a player on the opposing team when he is injured. The student body does not understand why she would do this, and in a turn of events Stargirl soon becomes hated by everyone. When Leo helps Stargirl realize that she is not liked she goes on a mission to become "normal." Stargirl transforms into someone she is not and stops doing everything that had made up her unique identity. The student body does not even react when Stargirl becomes "normal" and her mission desperately fails. During this time, Leo starts to slowly abandon Stargirl as well and she becomes very unhappy. This is very unusual because she is always so cheerful with a positive outlook on life. Stargirl then shows up at the Ocotillo Ball as her extravagant self and she ends up being the life of the party. Everyone realizes why they looked up to her so much and that she is not meant to be "normal." The purpose of this book seems to be that you should always be yourself no matter what others think. You should also never change who you are in order to satisfy others. Being an individual and unique, while having a positive outlook on life are good traits to embody.
I believe that Jerry Spinelli wanted the readers to understand that it is okay to be different from reading this text. I believe that the author wanted the readers to understand that it is okay to be an individual and to stand out. The story of Stargirl explains that you should never change who you are in order to satisfy others. When Stargirl attempts to become "normal" her plan ends up failing and she is left unhappy and feeling more alone than ever.
When Stargirl tries being normal and it is not successful, she decides to give up. "The answer is yes. I'm giving up on trying to be popular and normal,"(p.16y). "Because we live in a world of them, right? You told me that once, "(p.162). Stargirl becomes very frustrated when she turns into someone who is "normal" and she does not get a reaction from anyone. Stargirl changes who she is in order to be accepted and it ends up backfiring on her. One of my favorite moments in this book is when Stargirl arrives at the Ball and parents are fascinated by her. "Beautiful. Unusual. Interesting. Different. Regal. These words will come later from the parents lining the walk. For now, there are only stares as she makes her way from the entrance to the ball,"(p.167). This is evidence that Stargirl is admired for who she is, even though she may be different and an outcast. When Stargirl transforms back into her extravagant self at the Ocotillo Ball, everyone begins to appreciate her again when she starts a dancing movement. "In the days and weeks and years that followed, everyone agreed: they had never seen anything like it,"(p.167). This moment shows that Stargirl finally gets accepted once again for being an individual and being unique. Everyone realizes that although Stargirl may be different, she is extremely caring of others and has a heart of gold.
After reading Speak and Stargirl, we had to create a visual map of either one or both of these stories. for this assignment I chose to make a visual map about Stargirl. I created my visual map by cutting out words and phrases from magazines that described Stargirl's personality and obstacles. The final product of my visual map turned out very beautiful and it really displayed my understanding of Stargirl. I thought that this was a very successful assignment because I was able to express my ideas and thoughts in a way that I would have not been able to in an essay.
--In the future I believe that visual maps would be a great assignment for children to do because they are able to express their ideas and feelings in a unique and beautiful way.
The Austere Academy by Snicket Lemony was definitely unlike Stargirl and Speak. I enjoyed readying The Austere Academy, however, not as much as the other two books. The Austere Academy was a very easy read and was entertaining, but it was a book that I could not relate to at all. The Austere Academy is more of a fantasy book than Stargirl and Speak. I believe that the reason why I loved Stargirl and Speak so much was because I could picture everything that I was reading. I have seen girls who are like these two girls and that is what makes these books so fascinating. After reading these two books I had a new opinion on being different and an individual. I began to admire Stargirl and Melinda for who they truly were on the inside and outsid.
RESOURCES:
Newberry and Caldecott Winners:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal.cfm
Michael L. Printz Award:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/printzaward/Printz.cfm
Jerry Spinelli, author of Stargirl:
http://www.jerryspinelli.com/newbery_002.htm
Lemony Snicket, author of The Austere Academy:
http://www.lemonysnicket.com/
Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak:
http://www.writerlady.com/
So far this unit has been my favorite. I have began to release my inner love for reading because of this class. I never knew that I could be so into a character until I read Stargirl and Speak. I also enjoyed reading The Austere Academy and I plan on using all of these books in the future. I can't wait to see what else I learn in this class and I am excited to read the rest of the books that are required.
--I am happy that it is SPRING BREAK! Now it is time to start reading A Midsummer Night's Dream! Goodnight :)
For our prompt on Speak we answered two questions in detail that I would like to consider for later use.
MY RESPONSE TO THE PROMPT:
1. Q: What do we know about Melinda so far? What does she say? do? think? How do others view her?
A: So far we know that Melinda has experienced something that has been very traumatic in her life. Melinda shows many signs of being an outcast, however, so far in the book the reason is not known. All that is known so far is that Melinda called the police at a party and that many people do not like her because of that. Melinda explains that she is longer friends with her old group of best friends and that she feels very alone. Melinda says, "There is no point in looking for my ex-friends. Our clan, the Plain Janes, has splintered and the pieces are being absorbed by rival factions,"(p.4). Melinda also seems to not have a very good relationship with her parents. One day when she was in the living room eating pizza on the couch, she made sure to be back in her room with the door closed before her dad got home. "By the time Dad unlocks the door, everything looks the way he wants to see it, and I have vanished,"(p. 15). This relationship that Melinda has with her parents seems very unhealthy and uncomfortable. She is often trying to avoid them and stays in her room most of the time. The things that Melinda says are very reserved. She does not know how to communicate and has trouble expressing her feelings and opinions. When Melinda walks around school she is very isolated and keeps to herself. Melinda's actions make it seem like she does not want to be noticed or ever heard. Melinda is an observer and over analyzes many of the things that go on at school. The way that Melinda thinks makes it evident that she has suffered from some kind of post-traumatic stress. She isn't very confident and is extremely self-critical. The only friend that Melinda has in the first half of the book is the new girl Heather. Heather is very fun, happy, and outgoing. When describing Heather, Melinda explains, "I used to be like Heather. Have I changed that much in two months? She is happy, driven, aerobically fit. She has a nice mom and an awesome television,"(p. 24). Others view Melinda as an outcast, a loser with no friends or personality. They view her as a troubled girl who has been ditched.
2. Q: What does the text seem to want its readers to talk about?
A: I believe that there are many things in this book that the author wants it's readers to think about. One of the main things that I thought about when reading this book were the use of symbols in the story that seem to represent broader ideas. Some of these symbols include how the mascots change, Melinda's lips, the closet, the tree, her sculpture with the turkey bones, the seasons, and mirrors. All of these symbols are used throughout this book in order to bring up deeper meanings. I believe that the author also wants the readers to talk about Melinda's personality and to think about what could of happened to her to make her act this way. It seems that Melinda sees her self worth through her grades that posted after each marking period. The text also wants the readers to talk about Melinda's identity and the role that school plays in her life. There is barely any parental involvement in school and I believe that this makes Melinda feel even more alone. They way that Melinda describes her teachers is a very important aspect of this book. Her teachers play a very important role in this story. All of Melinda's teacher who bother her or make her feel uncomfortable are not called my their true names. Melinda does not like her English teacher and explains that, "My English teacher has no face. She has uncombed stringy hair that droops on her shoulders. The hair is black from her part to her ears and then neon orange to the frizzy ends. I can't decide if she has pissed of her hairdresser or is morphing into a monarch butterfly. I call her Hairwoman, (p.6). The only teacher that Melinda has a good relationship with is Mr. Freeman. I believe this is because Melinda feels safe in his classroom and she feels like he understands her. She uses art as an outlet to express her inner emotions and as to explain who she is. Mr. Freeman plays a huge impact on Melinda at school and I believe that this is very important for the readers to talk about. Something else that I talked about with my group was that Melinda's identity and struggles are described by the change of mascots throughout this book. Melinda's attitude and personality reflects the constant change of mascots. One of my favorite lines in the book was when Melinda first introduced her school and how her mascot was recently being changed, "The school board has decided that "Merryweather High-Home of the Trojans" didn't send a strong abstinence message, so they have transformed us into the Blue Devils. Better the Devil you know than the Trojan you don't, I guess," (p.4). These lines really made me wonder how this could be related to Melinda's identity and also made me think about symbolism.
Questions to think about for Speak:
1. What do we know about Melinda so far? What does she say? do? think? How do others view her?
2. What roles are played by adults (parents, teachers…)?
3. What's the tone (the feel/mood) of the story?
4. Are you noticing symbols in the story that seem to represent broader ideas?
5. How does the school setting shape this text? What is the representation of school put forth by Melinda? Use examples from the text.
6. What does this text seem to want its readers to talk about?
7. What are the underlying theme(s) of the text?
I would also like to use the prompt for Stargirl for future use.
Prompt: What seems to be the purpose for the book? What do you suppose the author wanted his or her readers to “get” from reading the text? What evidence can you find in the text itself that supports this?
MY RESPONSE TO THE PROMPT:
I believe that there are many purposes for the book Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli. From the beginning of the story, Stargirl is described as an outcast. She is very unique and has her own sense of style and personality. Stargirl is nice to everyone and seems to not care about what others think of her. From reading this book, you get the sense that Stargirl is an individual, and that she stands out because of her extravagant personality. All of the characteristics that Stargirl embodies are unlike any of the other students at school. Everyone seems to be fascinated by her and are constantly watching her to see what her next move will be. At a basketball game, Stargirl ends up cheering for the other team and comforts a player on the opposing team when he is injured. The student body does not understand why she would do this, and in a turn of events Stargirl soon becomes hated by everyone. When Leo helps Stargirl realize that she is not liked she goes on a mission to become "normal." Stargirl transforms into someone she is not and stops doing everything that had made up her unique identity. The student body does not even react when Stargirl becomes "normal" and her mission desperately fails. During this time, Leo starts to slowly abandon Stargirl as well and she becomes very unhappy. This is very unusual because she is always so cheerful with a positive outlook on life. Stargirl then shows up at the Ocotillo Ball as her extravagant self and she ends up being the life of the party. Everyone realizes why they looked up to her so much and that she is not meant to be "normal." The purpose of this book seems to be that you should always be yourself no matter what others think. You should also never change who you are in order to satisfy others. Being an individual and unique, while having a positive outlook on life are good traits to embody.
I believe that Jerry Spinelli wanted the readers to understand that it is okay to be different from reading this text. I believe that the author wanted the readers to understand that it is okay to be an individual and to stand out. The story of Stargirl explains that you should never change who you are in order to satisfy others. When Stargirl attempts to become "normal" her plan ends up failing and she is left unhappy and feeling more alone than ever.
When Stargirl tries being normal and it is not successful, she decides to give up. "The answer is yes. I'm giving up on trying to be popular and normal,"(p.16y). "Because we live in a world of them, right? You told me that once, "(p.162). Stargirl becomes very frustrated when she turns into someone who is "normal" and she does not get a reaction from anyone. Stargirl changes who she is in order to be accepted and it ends up backfiring on her. One of my favorite moments in this book is when Stargirl arrives at the Ball and parents are fascinated by her. "Beautiful. Unusual. Interesting. Different. Regal. These words will come later from the parents lining the walk. For now, there are only stares as she makes her way from the entrance to the ball,"(p.167). This is evidence that Stargirl is admired for who she is, even though she may be different and an outcast. When Stargirl transforms back into her extravagant self at the Ocotillo Ball, everyone begins to appreciate her again when she starts a dancing movement. "In the days and weeks and years that followed, everyone agreed: they had never seen anything like it,"(p.167). This moment shows that Stargirl finally gets accepted once again for being an individual and being unique. Everyone realizes that although Stargirl may be different, she is extremely caring of others and has a heart of gold.
After reading Speak and Stargirl, we had to create a visual map of either one or both of these stories. for this assignment I chose to make a visual map about Stargirl. I created my visual map by cutting out words and phrases from magazines that described Stargirl's personality and obstacles. The final product of my visual map turned out very beautiful and it really displayed my understanding of Stargirl. I thought that this was a very successful assignment because I was able to express my ideas and thoughts in a way that I would have not been able to in an essay.
--In the future I believe that visual maps would be a great assignment for children to do because they are able to express their ideas and feelings in a unique and beautiful way.
The Austere Academy by Snicket Lemony was definitely unlike Stargirl and Speak. I enjoyed readying The Austere Academy, however, not as much as the other two books. The Austere Academy was a very easy read and was entertaining, but it was a book that I could not relate to at all. The Austere Academy is more of a fantasy book than Stargirl and Speak. I believe that the reason why I loved Stargirl and Speak so much was because I could picture everything that I was reading. I have seen girls who are like these two girls and that is what makes these books so fascinating. After reading these two books I had a new opinion on being different and an individual. I began to admire Stargirl and Melinda for who they truly were on the inside and outsid.
RESOURCES:
Newberry and Caldecott Winners:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal.cfm
Michael L. Printz Award:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/printzaward/Printz.cfm
Jerry Spinelli, author of Stargirl:
http://www.jerryspinelli.com/newbery_002.htm
Lemony Snicket, author of The Austere Academy:
http://www.lemonysnicket.com/
Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak:
http://www.writerlady.com/
So far this unit has been my favorite. I have began to release my inner love for reading because of this class. I never knew that I could be so into a character until I read Stargirl and Speak. I also enjoyed reading The Austere Academy and I plan on using all of these books in the future. I can't wait to see what else I learn in this class and I am excited to read the rest of the books that are required.
--I am happy that it is SPRING BREAK! Now it is time to start reading A Midsummer Night's Dream! Goodnight :)
Friday, February 19, 2010
Fairytale Blog
I learned so much about fairy tales from this unit. I found it very interesting that many of the fairy tales we read all had similar common elements making them a fairytale. I found Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue extremely enjoyable because I felt that the book flowed very smoothly. This book was written very beautifully and I would definitely like to use it in the future. I also enjoyed reading The Classical Fairy Tales by Tatar because it was exciting to read all of the different versions of the same stories. For example, this book includes many versions of Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Cinderella, Bluebeard, Hansel and Gretel, and ect. This is definitely a book I want to explore more and consider for later use.
-Brain storm common elements that mark a story as a fairy tale.
These might include: fantasy;unrealistic, conflict, not always happily ever after, girl in distress/needing help, magical element, good vs. evil, marriage/love, obstacles, family dynamic, prince/princess/royalty, escape, animals, youth vs. old (age"), punishment/moral
FAIRYTALE STORY LINKS:
-The Goose Girl by the Grimm Brothers
http://www.fln.vcu.edu/grimm/gans_e.html
-Rapunzel by the Grimm Brothers
http://www.fln.vcu.edu/grimm/rapunzel_e.html
-Snow Queen by G.H. Anderson
http://www.russianlegacy.com/catalog.product_info.php?products_id=502
-Rumpelstiltzkin by the Brothers Grimm
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/4967/rumpel.html
-Little Brier-Rose by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0410.html#grimm
FAIRYTALE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
-Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue
-The Classic Fairy Tales by Tatar
Questions to think about:
1. What do the stories have in common?
2. How do you know a tale is a version of a familiar tale
3. How do some of the stories differ in their depictions of the main characters?
4. What are differences between the stories' themes?
FAIRYTALE SITES FOR USE WITH ELEMENTARY STUDENTS:
-Grimm's Fairytales
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~spok/grimmtmp/
-Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen
http://www.pacificnet.net/~johnr/aesop/aesophca.html
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BROTHER'S GRIMM:
Another aspect of the Brothers Grimm's Snow White that I was not familiar with was how Snow White was awaken after eating the poisonous apple. The son of the king was traveling through the woods and arrived at the dwarfs cottage where he saw the coffin of Snow White sitting on top of a mountain. After he convinced the dwarfs to let him take the coffin, he ordered his servants to carry it away on their shoulders. While transporting the coffin, they stumbled over a shrub causing the piece of poisonous apple to be freed from Snow White's throat. Snow White then came back to life and fell in love with the Prince. This surprised me because I always thought that Snow White was simply awaken by the kiss of her prince.
It surprised me that Walt Disney's version of Snow White also involved a huntsman who was ordered by the stepmother to take Snow White into the forest and kill her. I thought that this was very violent for a children's fairy tale, especially with the queen ordering the huntsman to bring back her lungs and liver as proof that he did the deed. Brothers Grimm's Snow White was much more violent and dark then the film produced by Walt Disney. It also surprised me that in the Brothers Grimm's story, the stepmother (new queen) attempts to get rid of Snow White so many times. I never knew that the stepmother looked into the magic mirror so many times and that it played such an important role in the story until now.
I believe that the theme of this story is mainly good versus evil. Throughout the story, Snow White is portrayed as an innocent, young girl who is very curious and trusting. Snow White is naturally beautiful, making her evil stepmother extremely jealous. Snow White's stepmother is willing to do anything in her power to eliminate Snow White so that she can become the fairest one of all. After many cunning attempts, the evil stepmother's plan backfires and she is the one who ends up losing her life. This theme of good versus evil also involves aspects of youth vs. old age and beauty vs. an ugly witch. I enjoyed reading Brothers Grimm's Snow White and now have a whole new view of fairy tales.
Fairytale Poem:
Hazel Tells Laverne
last night
im cleanin out my
howard johnsons ladies room
when all of a sudden
up pops this frog
musta come from the sewer
swimming around an tryin to
climb up the sida the bowl
so I goes ta flushm down
but so helpmegod he starts talking
bout a golden ball
and how I can be a princess
me a princess
well my mouth drops
all the way to the floor
and he says
kiss me just kiss me
once on the nose
well I screams
ya little green pervert
and I hitsm with my mop
and has ta flush
the toliet down three time
me a princess
-Katharyn Howd Machan
-Brain storm common elements that mark a story as a fairy tale.
These might include: fantasy;unrealistic, conflict, not always happily ever after, girl in distress/needing help, magical element, good vs. evil, marriage/love, obstacles, family dynamic, prince/princess/royalty, escape, animals, youth vs. old (age"), punishment/moral
FAIRYTALE STORY LINKS:
-The Goose Girl by the Grimm Brothers
http://www.fln.vcu.edu/grimm/gans_e.html
-Rapunzel by the Grimm Brothers
http://www.fln.vcu.edu/grimm/rapunzel_e.html
-Snow Queen by G.H. Anderson
http://www.russianlegacy.com/catalog.product_info.php?products_id=502
-Rumpelstiltzkin by the Brothers Grimm
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/4967/rumpel.html
-Little Brier-Rose by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0410.html#grimm
FAIRYTALE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
-Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue
-The Classic Fairy Tales by Tatar
Questions to think about:
1. What do the stories have in common?
2. How do you know a tale is a version of a familiar tale
3. How do some of the stories differ in their depictions of the main characters?
4. What are differences between the stories' themes?
FAIRYTALE SITES FOR USE WITH ELEMENTARY STUDENTS:
-Grimm's Fairytales
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~spok/grimmtmp/
-Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen
http://www.pacificnet.net/~johnr/aesop/aesophca.html
-Folk and Fairy Tales From Around the World
http://www.darsie.net/talesofwonder/
-Other Fairy Tales
http://www.lib.umd.edu/ETC/ReadingRoom/Fiction/FairyTales/
(from: http://www.readwritethink.org)
FAIRYTALE CARTOONS:
http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/f/fairy_tale.asp
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BROTHER'S GRIMM:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/
GOOGLE LINKS FOR FAIRY TALE SITES:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Folklore/Literature/Tales/Fairy_Tales/
My response to a prompt on the Brother Grimm's "Snow White":
Q: Walt Disney used aspects of this version of "Snow White" when creating his film, and many re-tellings of the story rely primarily on Grimm. Discuss the aspects of the tale that were NOT familiar. What in the story surprised you? What do you see as the them of this story?
A: I found Brothers Grimm's "Snow White" to be a very interesting version of the story of Snow White. This story was familiar to me in some respects, however, it presented many differences from Walt Disney's version that I remember. I watched the film Walt Disney created of Snow White so long ago that it is hard for me to remember specific details of the story. In Brothers Grimm's Snow White, the idea of having a beautiful daughter came to mind when the queen was sitting by a black ebony window while sewing and pricked her finger with a needle. Blood fell onto the snow and she thought this was a beautiful site. She then explained that she would love to have a child as white as the snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood. This aspect of the tale was not familiar to me because I never remember the presence of blood being involved. While watching Walt Disney's film of Snow White as a child, I thought that the story was very innocent and happy.Another aspect of the Brothers Grimm's Snow White that I was not familiar with was how Snow White was awaken after eating the poisonous apple. The son of the king was traveling through the woods and arrived at the dwarfs cottage where he saw the coffin of Snow White sitting on top of a mountain. After he convinced the dwarfs to let him take the coffin, he ordered his servants to carry it away on their shoulders. While transporting the coffin, they stumbled over a shrub causing the piece of poisonous apple to be freed from Snow White's throat. Snow White then came back to life and fell in love with the Prince. This surprised me because I always thought that Snow White was simply awaken by the kiss of her prince.
It surprised me that Walt Disney's version of Snow White also involved a huntsman who was ordered by the stepmother to take Snow White into the forest and kill her. I thought that this was very violent for a children's fairy tale, especially with the queen ordering the huntsman to bring back her lungs and liver as proof that he did the deed. Brothers Grimm's Snow White was much more violent and dark then the film produced by Walt Disney. It also surprised me that in the Brothers Grimm's story, the stepmother (new queen) attempts to get rid of Snow White so many times. I never knew that the stepmother looked into the magic mirror so many times and that it played such an important role in the story until now.
I believe that the theme of this story is mainly good versus evil. Throughout the story, Snow White is portrayed as an innocent, young girl who is very curious and trusting. Snow White is naturally beautiful, making her evil stepmother extremely jealous. Snow White's stepmother is willing to do anything in her power to eliminate Snow White so that she can become the fairest one of all. After many cunning attempts, the evil stepmother's plan backfires and she is the one who ends up losing her life. This theme of good versus evil also involves aspects of youth vs. old age and beauty vs. an ugly witch. I enjoyed reading Brothers Grimm's Snow White and now have a whole new view of fairy tales.
Fairytale Poem:
Hazel Tells Laverne
last night
im cleanin out my
howard johnsons ladies room
when all of a sudden
up pops this frog
musta come from the sewer
swimming around an tryin to
climb up the sida the bowl
so I goes ta flushm down
but so helpmegod he starts talking
bout a golden ball
and how I can be a princess
me a princess
well my mouth drops
all the way to the floor
and he says
kiss me just kiss me
once on the nose
well I screams
ya little green pervert
and I hitsm with my mop
and has ta flush
the toliet down three time
me a princess
-Katharyn Howd Machan
Sunday, January 31, 2010
About me
Hi, my name is Sarah Sylva. I am a sophomore at Chico State and a member of Greek life here on campus. I am from Pleasanton, Ca. I love spending time with my friends and family. I really want to teach because it is something I have always said I wanted to do since I was little. When I was younger I would always play school with my friends and insist on being the teacher and assigning them work to do. I would like to be a third grade teacher because my teacher in third grade made a huge impact on my life. Third grade was my favorite year of elementary school and I love the curriculum. Another reason I want to teach is because I would love to make a difference and inspire the youth of America through education. My expectations for this course are to learn about different types of children literature and to also be able to use the material I learn in this class in the future. I am really looking forward to this class and I can't wait to get started!
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