Helpful Websites for Children's Literature

Helpful Website

Linguistic helps:

·         Google Translate: http://translate.google.com/#en|ko|. I use frequently this site to inter-translate among various languages such as English, Korean, French, German, Chinese, or Latin.

·         Online Search—Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English: http://5yiso.appspot.com/

Bible Translation & Literacy:

·         Bibles International: http://www.biblesint.org/biweb/. Specialized in conservative Bible translation and literacy works; where I work.

·         Joshua Project: http://www.joshuaproject.net/. I check this site to remember the unreached people around the world. They need the Gospel of Christ and the Bible.

·         EQUIPU: http://equipu.kids4truth.com/. Free children’s ministry resources.

Professional Development for Educators:

·         ASCD (the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development): http://www.ascd.org/. an international educational leadership organization.

·         NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English): http://www.ncte.org/. I like their helpful journals.

·         Michigan Department of Education: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-28753---,00.html. Good for checking curriculum and standards.

·         The Reading & Writing Project: http://tc.readingandwritingproject.com/about/overview. good.

Teaching Resources:

·         Teacher Tap: http://eduscapes.com/tap/index.htm. Addresses common questions about the use of technology.

·         What Works Clearinghouse: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/. Offers high-quality research reviews that provide evidence.

·         Differentiation:

o    http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/. Offers info on principles and practices

o   Tiering: http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/Tiering

o   Layered curriculum: http://www.help4teachers.com/

o   Tiered instruction and assessment: http://challengebychoice.wordpress.com/. Choice of challenge within diverse classroom communities.

o   Renzulli Learning: http://www.renzullilearning.com/default.aspx. Tools & resources for differentiated instruction.

·         Teaching Channel: https://www.teachingchannel.org/. offers videos, lesson plans, and teaching ideas & resources.

·         StemResources (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics): http://www.stemresources.com/

·         Hubbard’s Cupboard: http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/index.html. A website for early childhood educators and parents.

·         Chartchums: http://chartchums.wordpress.com/. Creative classroom charts

·         Writing:

o   National Writing Project: 30 Ideas for Teaching Writing: http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/922

o   Common Core Writing Samples: http://curriculum.standard.k12.ca.us/index.php/curriculum/readinglanguage-arts/50-content-standards/166-common-core-writing-samples.html. Educational services

·         Assessment:

o   Pre-Assessment: http://www.stemresources.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=69. Importance of pre-assessment process.

o   Reading Assessment: http://tc.readingandwritingproject.com/resources/assessments/reading-assessments.html

o   Writing Assessment: http://tc.readingandwritingproject.com/resources/assessments/writing-assessments.html

Education in General:

·         Education Through Music: http://www.etmonline.org. This site and articles inspire me to a well-rounded education and well-restored human dignity as God’s creation.

·         Virtual Field Trip: http://www.field-trips.org/trips.htm. This site is one that I liked among similar sites. It offers science and other subject trips.

·         The Whole Child Approach: http://www.wholechildeducation.org/. thought-provoking.

Poetry:

·         Funny Poems for Free: http://www.funny-poems-for-free.com/.

·         http://www.ps4k.com/kids-poems/children-funny-poems-laugh/i-love-school.html

·         Ken Nesbitt’s Funny Poetry Playground: http://www.poetry4kids.com/

·         http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/jack_home.htm

·         http://www.loriswebs.com/youngpoets/

·         http://www.poetryteachers.com/

·         http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/karla_home.htm

·         http://www.gigglepoetry.com/

·         http://www.rhymezone.com/

Lesson Plan websites

·         Teacher Vision: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/. Lesson plans, printables, graphic organizers, and more.

·         Alliteration: I referred to the cites below when I first designed my alliteration lesson.

o    http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LAAliterationAdverbsAndAdjectives35.htm/.

o   http://www.doriebooks.com/plan.html

o   http://www.ehow.com/how_4772492_teach-alliteration-lesson-plan.html

o   http://www.buzzle.com/articles/alliteration-examples-for-kids.html

o   http://bogglesworldesl.com/alliteration_worksheets.htm

o   http://www.funny-poems-for-free.com/. Alliteration poems

·         Point of view:

o   http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LATheRansomOfRedChiefPointOfViewGraphicOrganizer8.htm/

·         Metaphor:

o   http://www.lessonplans.com/ext-resource.php?l=http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/slippery-ocean-unit-exploring-832.html

·         Reading Genres: http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/Genres.htm. Genre posters!

·         Jim Burke: English Companion: http://www.englishcompanion.com/classroom/materials.htm. The Digital Textbook & Unit Design Template.

Reading Workshop:

·         “The Reader’s Notebook”:

o   http://www.ourclassweb.com/sites_for_teachers_reading_workshop_binders.htm.

o   http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top_teaching/2009/11/readers-notebook by Beth Newingham

Phonics:

·         Starfall: http://www.starfall.com/. Offers games and audio books. Liked it.

·         Adrian Bruce’s Reading Stuff: http://www.printablereadinggames.com/index.htm. Offers reading games, word games, and strategies.

·         Nellie Edge: Kindergarten and Early Literacy: http://www.nellieedge.com/index.htm. Good ideas!

Templates for guessed the Covered Word:

·         Working with Words: http://www.scottsboro.org/~flewis/Working%20with%20Words.htm.

·         PowerPoint Template Free: http://www.powerpointtemplatefree.com/Powerpoint-Template/Game-Powerpoint-Template/Guess-the-Covered-Word---game-template.html

Games:

·         Free Rice: http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1370. Vocabulary, math, humanites, language learning, sciences, chemistry, geography, and more

·         Reading games: http://www.primarygames.com/reading.php#.UBKahKPHnKc. Not a gamer but for the sake of reading students!

Literacy Strategies:

·         Laura Candler’s Teaching Resources: http://www.lauracandler.com/. Free printables and lesson ideas for teachers.

Technology Integration websites:

·         Free website designing: http://www.wix.com/. Used it for my first website.

·         Go! Animate: http://goanimate.com/. Free video making

·         Wordle. http://www.wordle.net/. Generating “word clouds”

·         WebQuest Maker: http://www.zunal.com/. Used for my project-based learning assignment.

·         Free Internet Tools: http://sites.google.com/site/freetoolsoutthewazoo/

Literacy Website:

·         Beth Newingham’s third grade website: http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/

·         Hazel Ridge Workshop & Gallery: http://www.hazelridgefarm.com/. Gijsbert & Robbyn-artist, naturalist, teacher, and more.

·         American Library Association (ALA) ALSC Division: http://www.ala.org/alsc

·         Booklinks: http://www.ala.org/offices/publishing/booklist/booklinks/

·         Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site: http://carolhurst.com/

·         Banned Books: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek

·         Beth Newingham’s Teacher Resources: http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/teacher_resources.htm

·         Children’s Book Council (CBC): http://www.cbcbooks.org/

·         Children’s Books Central: http://www.eleanorsbooks.com/

·         Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database: http://www.clcd.com/

·         Children’s Picture Book Database: http://www.lib.muohio.edu/pictbks/welcome.php

·         Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC): http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/

·         Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com

·         Evaluating Children’s Books for Bias: http://www.intime.uni.edu/multiculture/curriculum/children.htm

·         International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY): http://www.ibby.org

·         International Children’s Digital Library: http://en.childrenslibrary.org/

·         Jim Trelease: http://www.trelease-on-reading.com

·         Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide

·         Kay Vandergrift Special Interest Page: http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/professional-development/childlit/

·         Literature Circles Resource Center: http://www.litcircles.org/

·         Picturing Books - A Website about Picture Books: http://picturingbooks.com

·         Planet Esme: http://www.planetesme.com

·         ReadingLady.com: http://readinglady.com/

·         Reading Rockets-Launching Young Readers: http://www.readingrockets.org

·         Resources for the Study of Children’s Literature: http://www.elmhurst.edu/~susanss/childinternet.html

·         Teaching Books Online K-12 Multimedia Literature Resources: http://www.teachingbooks.net

·         Picturing Books - A Website About Picture Books: http://picturingbooks.com

·         Reading Rockets-Launching Young Readers: http://www.readingrockets.org

·         GVSU Juvenile Literature page: http://libguides.gvsu.edu/content.php?pid=2358&hs=a

·         GVSU International Literature page: http://libguides.gvsu.edu/content.php?pid=100318&sid=752930

·         Multicultural Book Resources: http://libguides.lib.msu.edu/multicultural

Extra:

·         The PocketMod: http://www.pocketmod.com/. Keep yourself organized. Haven’t tried but seems useful.

·         Awakening…A Girl Like Me: http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/films/a_girl_like_me/. The video clip describes how a stereotype affects the entire society, as young as kindergarteners.

·    

Citation helps:

• Diana Hacker Research and Documentation: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/. Good for APA format checking.
• The Purdue Online Writing Lab: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/.
• Knight Cite: http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/index.php?standard=APA. Calvin College

Literary Elements of Children's Literature

As I learned literary elements of Children's Literature, I realized that I had learned them some time in my past. And...I refreshed my prior knowledge ^^. The notes are taken and adapted from Mrs. Storey's Resource Guide.

Literary Elements:

Characters: In children’s literature, character is used to mean a person or personified animal or object.

·         Character Development: collection of features that bring the character to life, inner and outer qualities

·         Revelation of Character occurs through the character’s thoughts, conversations, actions and behaviors; the author’s narration; or the thoughts of other characters

·         Types of Characters:

o   Round Characters: Fully developed in the story—central characters and protagonists

o   Flat Characters: Less important characters, but essential to the action

o   Dynamic Characters: Changes in the course of the action

o   Static Characters: No change in the course of the story—flat characters, stereotypes and foils (a minor character whose traits are in direct contrast to the main character)

·         Analysis of characterization:

o   Physical traits

o   Inner qualities

o   Revelation of the character

o   Relationship to other characters

o   Types of characters

·         Good Picture Books for Character Study:

o   Amazing Grace—Hoffman

o   My Great Aunt Arizona—Gloria Huston

·         Classroom Connection:

o   Character Cinquainography

o   Adjectives and Character Traits

o   Character Development Story Map

o   Character Diary Entries

Setting: the time and place where the story occurs.

·         Characteristics of setting:

o   Time identified as past, present or future

o   Setting is developed through text or illustrations

o   Setting provides details which reinforce the plot and characterization

·         Author’s use of setting to enhance story:

o   When the story depends upon reader understanding, envisioning, feeling and/or sensing a particular scene, an author often goes to great lengths to describe clearly the setting.

o   An author may sometimes choose not to clearly describe a setting, or make it too specific because to do so might limit the universality of the conflict

·         Types of Settings:

o   Backdrop Setting: setting is of secondary importance; story focus is likely to be on characters, character confrontation, dialogue, action and the development of conflict

o   Time and place influence action, character and/or theme. Characters behave in a given way because of time and place

·         Good Picture Books for Setting:

o   Gleam and Glow—Eve Bunting

o   Grandfather’s Journey—Allen Say

o   The Relatives Came—Cynthia Rylant

·         Classroom Connection:

o   Setting Comparison: Where I live vs. Story setting

Plot: Sequence of events showing characters in action. Sequence is chosen by the author as the best way of telling the story.

·         Three Elements of Plot

o   Narrative Order: the way or the order in which the writer chooses to unfold the story to the reader

§  Chronological: Events are related in the order of their happening

§  Flashbacks: Writer disrupts normal time sequence to recount some past event

o   Conflict: the struggles the protagonist of the story faces

§  Person-against-self: Character typically faces an internal conflict which pulls her/him toward two courses of action

§  Person-against-person: involves a struggle between two or more characters

§  Person-against-society: involves a struggle between a character, or characters and either social mores, cultural values or sometimes the law

§  Person-against-nature: involves a conflict between a character and some force or forces of nature

o   Pattern of Action: the pattern that the action of the story takes place

§  Suspense: state of uncertainty about what events will happen in the story—cliffhanger, foreshadowing, and sensationalism

§  Climax: peak and turning point of conflict, point at which the reader knows the outcome of the action

§  Denouement: resolution or tying together of the plot that gives the reader a sense of completeness at the end.

·         Good Picture Books for Plot

o   The Ugly Duckling

o   Harriet and the Promised Land

Point of View: The side of the story the reader sees as revealed by the author through the characters. Point of view is seen through the eyes and minds of characters as the plot unfolds.

·         Types of Point of View

o   First Person

§  Story told through first-person narrator “I” whose actions and feelings influence story

§  This character is limited in perspective because she/he cannot tell what another character thinks unless told by the other character

o   Objective Point of View

§  Author lets actions speak for themselves

§  Author describes only the characters’ actions; the reader is left to infer characters’ thoughts and feelings

o   Omniscient Point of View

§  Story is told in the third person with author talking about “they, he, or she”

§  Author is not restricted to the knowledge, experience and feelings of one character

§  Feelings, thoughts and even motives of any or all characters can be revealed to give the reader helpful information

o   Limited Omniscient Point of View

§  Combination of first-person and omniscient

§  Story is told through the eyes of a single character, usually the protagonist, but is not told in first-person

·         Good Picture Books for Point of View

o   The True Story of the Three Little Pigs—Jon Scieszka

o   Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog—Sara Miller

Theme: The idea that holds the story together or the author’s message to the reader. it is the main idea or the central meaning of the story

·         Themes often deal with society, human nature, the human condition, social issues, and good versus evil

·         Authors reveals theme explicitly as well as implicitly

·         Stories usually have a cluster of theme which are often related

o   Primary theme—central theme which is of more importance than the rest

o   Secondary theme—themes which seem of lesser importance than the primary one

·         “Themes are the underlyng ideas, morals, and lessons that give the story its texture, depth, and meaning….We infer themes.” (Harvey & Goudvis)

·         “A plot relates to a single story, whereas a theme is applicable to hundreds of stories.” (Donelson & Nilsen)

·         Classroom Connection: Theme boards using Proverbs

·         A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. ·         A friend in need is a friend indeed. ·         A stitch in time saves nine. ·         Absence makes the heart grow fonder. ·         As you sow, so you shall reap. ·         Beauty is only skin deep. ·         Better late than never. ·         Better safe than sorry. ·         Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. ·         Don’t cry over spilt milk. ·         Don’t judge a book by its cover. ·         Don’t through the baby out with the bath water. ·         Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. ·         Every cloud has a silver lining. ·         God helps those who help themselves. ·         Half a loaf is better than no bread. ·         He who laughs last laughs longest.

·         Make hay while the sun shines. Necessity is the mother of invention. ·         Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. ·         One man’s meat is another man’s poison. ·         Out of sight, out of mind. ·         Rome wasn’t built in a day. ·         The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. ·         The end justifies the means. ·         The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. ·         Too many cooks spoil the broth. ·         Two heads are better than one. ·         Waste not, want not. ·         When in Rome, do as the Romans do. ·         You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. ·         You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. ·         Let sleeping dogs lie. ·         Hunger is the best sauce.

Style: Author’s choice and arrangement of words in order to create plot, characterizations, setting, and theme.

·         Devices of Style:

o   Connotation: Associative or emotional meaning of a word; usually used to describe a character or situation

o   Imagery: the appeal of the senses; helps to create setting, establish mood and character

o   Figurative Language: Words used in a non-literal way, giving meaning beyond the usual sense. Ex) personification, simile, or metaphor

o   Hyperbole: exaggeration used for humor or to make a point

o   Understatement: opposite of exaggeration; used to play down a happening or situation

o   Allusion: tends to have more meaning for mature readers; relies on a reference to something in our common understanding, our past, or our literature

o   Symbol: something that operates on two levels of meaning, the literal and the figurative levels

o   Puns and Wordplay

·         Devices of Sound:

o   Onomatopoeia: words that sounds like their meaning

o   Alliteration: repetition of a similar vowel sound within a phrase

o   Consonance: close repetition of a consonant sound within a phrase but not in the initial position

o   Rhythm and Cadence

Tone: the author’s attitude toward what he or she has written. Ex) humor, mysterious, creepy, straight-forward, matter-of-fact, exciting, boring, etc.