LRC 480: Children's Literature in the Classroom Section 6 Spring 2002 Facilitator: Judi Moreillon

The goal of the experience is for you to explore your personal responses to the literature you read for each class session. As you read or after you have read each title, and/or after your literature discussion, record your personal response to the reading. Bring it to class each meeting and use it to guide your participation in small group and/or whole class literature circles.

The course facilitator will provide you with literature response sheets on which you will record your responses. After your literature discussion, you will write a reflection on the back of this sheet. You will turn in your Literature Responses at the end of each class period. Complete and thoughtful responses will earn ten points. (If you miss a class, you must turn in your response at the beginning of the next class. The maximum points for a late response is five.)

Examples of personal responses are found on Reading Record samples in your Course Packet. A personal response is just that - personal. The word "I" (my/we/our) should appear in your response. If you don't have a personal connection to the theme, characters, and/or plot of the book, comment on the author's style and/or illustrator's technique. Discuss the issues raised in the book and/or how you might lead a discussion on these issues with students. Make connections to other texts you have read.

By making personal, intertextual, and real world connections to the literature, you will be able to assist your future students in doing the same. Developing connections is what makes lifelong readers. The weekly literature responses are a critical part of your work in this class.

Reference Book Skeleton Outlines:

You will also turn in weekly skeleton outlines based on the readings in the reference book. You will be given a packet of outlines. The reference book skeleton outlines are also found on this Web site. The literature responses, skeleton outlines, and a class job comprise your participation grade for the course.

Main Page

Course Schedule

SW Children's Lit Web Site