Textbook Reflections 10-13
Realistic Fiction
These are believable stories with real characters, settings and events. One of my favorite to share is Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats. One of my favorite growing up was Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. I recently read The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexander. As a reader one can easily feel empathy for the characters in the story. Children can identify or enjoy books that they can identify with and or is like how they live. We also look to see if the theme is natural in the story. Lastly, we look at how the topic relates to modern readers.
I have found that I enjoy books of this format and so do my students. I tend to be a person who will read books in a series or books by a particular author. My students enjoy to compare and contrast with realistic fiction. They will often begin a class discussion on their own pointing out elements of the story. The theme of the story is something only about 50% of the students tend to get. I will make it a point to scaffold the questions while planning and presenting them to students.
Nonfiction
Nonfiction books include all kind of books. When evaluating nonfiction the first thing to do is look at the qualifications of the author. The author's background can be found on their website, or in their book itself. See if the author sought help from others experts on the topic. Check to see if the facts are accurate. We could look at other books on the topic and see what kind of research they did on the book. What is the purpose and scope of the book? We ask what is the reader suppose to learn from reading the book. How does the organization of the book assist readers with locating information. Having a table of contents help readers locate information. An index can help readers look for specific topics to be more specific when doing research. Lastly, what role do visuals play? Visuals can help break up the text and support the text. Visuals can support the purpose and scope of the book.
It is important to have a balanced library. It will not benefit our students to purposely not include books that we do not agree with in the library because of personal beliefs. Delight to Wisdom published by Oryx Press will be a good and helpful addition to a school library for teachers and the librarian. I have noticed that when I or the librarian read a non fiction book the students will check out books of the same genre. Am I reading enough nonfiction books to them? Probably not. I think I will check out books about animals and insects. Our library is slacking in this area. (Just last night I had a dream that I was taking over this library and that was the first thing on my list, non fiction books.) In talking with the fourth and fifth grade teachers they want the students to be taught how to research. With so much fake news it is important to teach students how to check for accurate information.
Fantasy/Science Fiction
These are stories that violate natural law. When evaluating science fiction characters must behave in consistent and believable ways. There must be rules for the fantasy world. Authors assist in the willing suspension of belief. The theme should explore universal truths. Dr. Perry mentioned steampunk, cyberpunk and biopunk. One that really caught my attention was Dystopia. In this format are different features. There is propaganda to control citizens and independent thought is not allowed. There is a figure head that is worshiped. Individualism is not encouraged and citizens are under constant surveillance. Then there is resistance to the government. Science fiction can be something that a willing reader will enjoy.
Learning the characteristics of dystopia made me realize why I don't particularly read it. I feel like if a person has enough imagination to create such a fictional world that it can become a reality. I don't want to dare live in a society like that. I like being my own individual person. Reading things like that causes me to be paranoid. I usually have dreams or nightmares about the books I read.I am praying that I over come that. Science fiction and fantasy has never been something that I have never been too interested in. However I do realize I have to expand my reading and I have done so. I have read a few books. I do remember the Goosebumps series. Maybe I will start with something like that. I do know I will take baby steps.What I did learn or realize that literature elements are found in these formats too. Students enjoy science fiction especially anything with zombies.
Graphic Novels
Graphic novels is a format that tells a story using pictures, panels, speech bubbles, and other conventions like a comic book. Graphic novels maybe enjoyed by a wide range of readers. The elements of a graphic novel include:
1. Color can be used in a variety of ways in graphic novels. Think about what colors are used and what they might symbolize. 2. Line and the direction of the lines and art are important and can imply different things. How do the artist use lines to draw the readers' eyes in a certain direction? 3. Composition is how the illustration is put together or composed. 4. Frames can be used to contain text and illustration and create panels. 5. Speech balloons contain the text and dialogue of the graphic novel. Questions about speech balloons are usually about do the text and illustrations blend together or are the separate? 6. White space is important in graphic novels. Events normally happen in the white space. 7. Media and technique /style of illustration functions in graphic novels as it does in any art. Artist use different approaches in their work of graphic like other artist do. Graphic novels pages include visual sound effects, gutters, caption, thought balloons, panels, and dialogue balloons.
Graphic novels are good to engage reluctant readers. They can be found in different sub genres. What I took from this that graphic novels can be enjoyable. I do recall the ten books I had to read for children's literature they were interesting. I had a hard time reading Persepolis. It is a narrative graphic novel about the revolution going on in Iran. I was eventually was able to get the flow. I appreciated the reminder that graphic novels are read top to bottom, left to right like we read other books. I have been missing out on so much literature. I honestly narrowed myself to picture books, historical fiction and fiction and non fiction. I remember enjoying the graphic novel El Deafo. Graphic novels can be enjoyable to reluctant readers because the pictures can break up the words.
These are believable stories with real characters, settings and events. One of my favorite to share is Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats. One of my favorite growing up was Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. I recently read The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexander. As a reader one can easily feel empathy for the characters in the story. Children can identify or enjoy books that they can identify with and or is like how they live. We also look to see if the theme is natural in the story. Lastly, we look at how the topic relates to modern readers.
I have found that I enjoy books of this format and so do my students. I tend to be a person who will read books in a series or books by a particular author. My students enjoy to compare and contrast with realistic fiction. They will often begin a class discussion on their own pointing out elements of the story. The theme of the story is something only about 50% of the students tend to get. I will make it a point to scaffold the questions while planning and presenting them to students.
Nonfiction
Nonfiction books include all kind of books. When evaluating nonfiction the first thing to do is look at the qualifications of the author. The author's background can be found on their website, or in their book itself. See if the author sought help from others experts on the topic. Check to see if the facts are accurate. We could look at other books on the topic and see what kind of research they did on the book. What is the purpose and scope of the book? We ask what is the reader suppose to learn from reading the book. How does the organization of the book assist readers with locating information. Having a table of contents help readers locate information. An index can help readers look for specific topics to be more specific when doing research. Lastly, what role do visuals play? Visuals can help break up the text and support the text. Visuals can support the purpose and scope of the book.
It is important to have a balanced library. It will not benefit our students to purposely not include books that we do not agree with in the library because of personal beliefs. Delight to Wisdom published by Oryx Press will be a good and helpful addition to a school library for teachers and the librarian. I have noticed that when I or the librarian read a non fiction book the students will check out books of the same genre. Am I reading enough nonfiction books to them? Probably not. I think I will check out books about animals and insects. Our library is slacking in this area. (Just last night I had a dream that I was taking over this library and that was the first thing on my list, non fiction books.) In talking with the fourth and fifth grade teachers they want the students to be taught how to research. With so much fake news it is important to teach students how to check for accurate information.
Fantasy/Science Fiction
These are stories that violate natural law. When evaluating science fiction characters must behave in consistent and believable ways. There must be rules for the fantasy world. Authors assist in the willing suspension of belief. The theme should explore universal truths. Dr. Perry mentioned steampunk, cyberpunk and biopunk. One that really caught my attention was Dystopia. In this format are different features. There is propaganda to control citizens and independent thought is not allowed. There is a figure head that is worshiped. Individualism is not encouraged and citizens are under constant surveillance. Then there is resistance to the government. Science fiction can be something that a willing reader will enjoy.
Learning the characteristics of dystopia made me realize why I don't particularly read it. I feel like if a person has enough imagination to create such a fictional world that it can become a reality. I don't want to dare live in a society like that. I like being my own individual person. Reading things like that causes me to be paranoid. I usually have dreams or nightmares about the books I read.I am praying that I over come that. Science fiction and fantasy has never been something that I have never been too interested in. However I do realize I have to expand my reading and I have done so. I have read a few books. I do remember the Goosebumps series. Maybe I will start with something like that. I do know I will take baby steps.What I did learn or realize that literature elements are found in these formats too. Students enjoy science fiction especially anything with zombies.
Graphic Novels
Graphic novels is a format that tells a story using pictures, panels, speech bubbles, and other conventions like a comic book. Graphic novels maybe enjoyed by a wide range of readers. The elements of a graphic novel include:
1. Color can be used in a variety of ways in graphic novels. Think about what colors are used and what they might symbolize. 2. Line and the direction of the lines and art are important and can imply different things. How do the artist use lines to draw the readers' eyes in a certain direction? 3. Composition is how the illustration is put together or composed. 4. Frames can be used to contain text and illustration and create panels. 5. Speech balloons contain the text and dialogue of the graphic novel. Questions about speech balloons are usually about do the text and illustrations blend together or are the separate? 6. White space is important in graphic novels. Events normally happen in the white space. 7. Media and technique /style of illustration functions in graphic novels as it does in any art. Artist use different approaches in their work of graphic like other artist do. Graphic novels pages include visual sound effects, gutters, caption, thought balloons, panels, and dialogue balloons.
Graphic novels are good to engage reluctant readers. They can be found in different sub genres. What I took from this that graphic novels can be enjoyable. I do recall the ten books I had to read for children's literature they were interesting. I had a hard time reading Persepolis. It is a narrative graphic novel about the revolution going on in Iran. I was eventually was able to get the flow. I appreciated the reminder that graphic novels are read top to bottom, left to right like we read other books. I have been missing out on so much literature. I honestly narrowed myself to picture books, historical fiction and fiction and non fiction. I remember enjoying the graphic novel El Deafo. Graphic novels can be enjoyable to reluctant readers because the pictures can break up the words.
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