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Bright

English 217

Spring 2011

English 217: Literature for Children and Adolescents Spring 2011

Instructional Resources Required Texts (all available at the GV Bookstore): The Norton Anthology of Childrens Literature by Jack Zipes et al. Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo The Giver by Lois Lowry Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Nightjohn by Gary Paulson Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos Supplementary Materials: Picture, fiction and nonfiction books from GV and local public libraries Blackboard Our course will be utilizing its own Blackboard site on a regular basis. You can log in to the site using your Grand View email address and your original email password. This site contains copies of the syllabus, assignments, and additional resources. You will be expected to regularly participate in Blackboard discussions, which will be included in your participation grade. Course Description This is a general survey of literature for children and adolescents, genre by genre, which analyzes and evaluates classic and contemporary works by major writers, illustrators, and poets. Our class will closely interact with the Library with the help of our semi-embedded librarian, Mr. Dan Chibnall. We will be visiting Mr. Chibnall in the library on a regular basis. He is a resource for all of you! Please do not hesitate to contact him for assistance with the library. Instructional Objectives Learning as Knowledge Students will: Sample and become familiar with several hundred works of childrens literature, both in fiction and nonfiction. Understand the characteristics, values, and limitations of the wide range of literary genre for children. Learning as Process Students will: Determine the uses and value of a childrens book according to its type and features. Distinguish good literature from mediocre by applying genre-specific criteria. Present books and poems to the classroom audience in an engaging manner. Analyze the elements of fiction within works written for children and Subject to change: students are responsible for all modifications 1

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adolescents. Analyze the quality of content in nonfiction books written for children and adolescents. Learning as Attitude Students will: Treasure childrens literature for its own rather than simply as a tool for teaching reading. Appreciate literature as a shared experience as well as a private one, sharing reading experiences and engaging in collaborative learning activities. Value both a well-balanced literature curriculum for children and a wide variety of reader response. Writing and Critical Thinking Writing and Critical Thinking are essential to developing an understanding of any kind of literature, and childrens literature is no exception. We will be looking at the texts we read critically to see what purpose they could serve in a classroom. We will also be writing to explore the childrens literature as we go along. In addition to whatever personal goals you have for this course, my goals for English 217 include: Learning to apply course material to improve thinking problem solving, and decisions. Gaining a broader understanding and appreciation of intellectual/cultural activity. Secondary goals include: Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view. Learning how to find and use resources for answering questions or solving problems. Your goal(s) for this class: _________________________________________________________________ Requirements and Assessment Project 1 100 Project 2 100 Project 3 100 Project 4 100 Final Project 200 points Reading Responses (as a whole) 190 Participation: In and out of class participation, reading completion and presentations, library assignments, Blackboard posts, and a conferences 400 points points points points points points

Total number of possible points: 1900 points Projects 1-4 (100 points each) You will have four smaller projects, focused on a specific genre or theme we have discussed in class, throughout the term. Each project will be explained in more detail as it comes up on the calendar. We will decide on grading criteria as a class. Final Project (200 points) All semester you will be learning about genres in children and adolescent literature. You will apply this knowledge and demonstrate your excellent library skills in larger, two-part project that we will discuss early in the semester. You will be responsible for creating an annotated bibliography and a accompanying visual element to represent Subject to change: students are responsible for all modifications 2

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the theme or genre we have discussed in class. Reader Responses (190 Points as a whole only) Reader response papers should be 1-2 full pages, typed, double-spaced written explorations of the readings as assigned. I will not be looking for organization or a claim, but each response paper should be an honest reaction to the materials we have read, NOT a summary. All response papers are due at the beginning of class. I may provide you with some possible topics for discussion in these responses, but you should write about what compels you. You may discuss the literature itself in these responses, including discussions of theme, characters, conflict, etc. You may also choose to discuss how you would envision using this material in a classroom setting with real live children. Please see the example in the syllabus for an example. Because these response papers will be graded as a whole unit, failure to hand in ALL 19 will result in zero points for this portion of the total grade. Late papers will be subject to the late paper policy. Even if you miss a class, you need to hand in all 19 of these essays to get credit for any of them. Participation (400 points) Your success in this course depends in a large part on discussion and participation, so this is a critical aspect of your grade. You will earn participation points for not only attending class, but for coming to class prepared and ready to learn. You will also be assessed from your out of class behaviors (e.g. Blackboard posts and visits to public libraries). You will also earn points in our lessons at the library outings and for meeting with me at least one time this semester to discuss progress on your progression in this course.

Grand View University Institutional Undergraduate Syllabus Statements Academic Honesty/Code of Integrity Grand View University is dedicated to the development of the whole person and is committed to truth, excellence, and ethical values. Personal integrity and academic honesty in all aspects of the University experience are the responsibility of each faculty member, staff member, and student. A student has an obligation to do work that is his or her own and reflects his or her learning and quest for academic knowledge. Dishonesty and cheating are not acceptable behaviors. Examples include helping others during exams, writing papers for others, falsifying data/records, copying other students work, taking work directly from the Internet or any printed source and claiming it as ones own, and downloading/purchasing papers on-line. Students who cheat, could risk severe penalties, which may include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, or expulsion from the University. As a member of the Grand View University community, and in accordance with the mission of the University and its Lutheran identity, I agree to appreciate and respect the dignity and worth of each individual. I will honor and promote a community of open interaction, personal integrity, active and intellectual engagement, and academic honesty with students faculty and staff. Accelerated Courses Grand View offers courses in accelerated or alternative delivery formats. They cover the same subject content and require the same or comparable assignments that are associated with a traditional fourteen week course. Subject to change: students are responsible for all modifications 3

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Accommodation Grand View University prohibits unlawful discrimination and encourages full participation by all students within the university community. When a student requires any instructional or other accommodation to optimize participation and/or performance in this course, it is the responsibility of the student to contact both the instructor and the Director of Academic Enrichment and Disability Coordinator and apply for any requested accommodation. The director is Dr. Kristine Owens and she can be reached at (515) 263-2971.

Class Attendance The Federal Government requires that students receiving financial aid attend classes. Students, who are identified by the instructor as not attending classes, will be reported to the Registrars Office. Students who fail to return to classes may lose all or a portion of their financial aid.

Classroom Conduct Students should conduct themselves as responsible members of the University community respecting the rights of others. Any student behavior interfering with the professors ability to teach and/or the students ability to learn constitutes a violation of the Code of Student Conduct found in the Grand View Catalog. The professor may ask the student to leave the classroom and that student will be subject to disciplinary sanctions.

University E-Mail Account It is essential that all students check their Grand View University e-mail account or set their account to forward to a preferred e-mail address. Students may set-up an e-mail auto forward from the myView website. Click on the Manage and Update Personal Information link and then select set myView Mail Forwarding Address under the Links for You section.

Appeal of Final Course Grade or Other Academic Disciplinary Action Students who wish to appeal a final course grade or other academic disciplinary action of an instructor must complete at least section I.A. of the Academic Appeal on-line within fourteen calendar days after the published due date for the final grade submission of the academic term in which the issue of disagreement occurred. Visit site below to complete first part of form https://secure/grandview/edu/gradeapprealform.html. This form must be submitted electronically to the Office of the Provost. Nursing students appealing a grade in a nursing course must follow the Nursing Division procedures.

Classroom Polices Attendance and Lateness: This class may differ from your other courses. It is largely based on in-class work and cooperative participation. In order to critically engage the field of childrens litearture, attendance in this class is mandatory. More than two unexcused absences may significantly affect your participation grade and can reduce your grade by 10%. In-class work for missed days may not be made up. It is your responsibility to find out what was missed. More than four unexcused absences may result in a failure of the course. In addition, please make sure that you arrive to class on time. Arriving to class more than 15 minutes late may result in an Subject to change: students are responsible for all modifications 4

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absence for that day. Please notify me in advance if any circumstances will keep you from meeting your attendance or other requirements.

Participation: A significant percentage of your grade is based on your participation in class. This means that you must not only come to class, but you must come to class prepared, having completed the reading or writing assignment for that day. You will often be called upon to share your interpretations of topics covered in the course, either through writing assignments or classroom discussion. Therefore, it is vital that you come to class prepared. Active participation also includes creating a safe space in the classroom, where students listen respectfully to others opinions. Conferences: The best way to give you immediate feedback on your writing is through one-on-one conferencing. All students are required to have at least one conference with me during the semester so we can monitor your progress in the course and help you map out your future in the class. An appointment is recommended any time you wish to see me during office hours. Email: Email is my preferred method of communication. I will regularly communicate information about our class (including updates on the schedule and assignments) to your Grand View email. Cell phones: Please turn off cell phones before entering the classroom as a courtesy to your fellow students. Note: This policy includes the use of text messaging. Any student using cell phones in class will be asked to leave the class and marked absent for the day. Late assignments: All assignments will be collected on the due date at the beginning of class on the day they are due. The syllabus clearly outlines due dates of assignments, please ask if you have any questions. You must turn in all assignments to pass this course. Late assignments will not be accepted. Resources: If you are a student with a documented disability and would like to discuss special accommodations please contact me during office hours or by email. If you think you might have a learning disability, it is your responsibility to contact the Director of Academic Enrichment and Disability Coordinator and apply for any requested accommodation. The director is Dr. Kristine Owens and she can be reached at 263-2971. Additional support can be found at the Career Center at 263-2955, and at the Counseling Center at 263-2986. More importantly, academic support can be found at the Tutoring Center (for all concerns outside of writing) and the Writing Center. The Tutoring Center is located on the second floor of the library. The Writing Center is located at 205 Rasmussen. I strongly recommend making appointments at the Writing Center to review drafts of EVERY essay you turn in during this course.

A final note: Please feel free to contact me at any time during the semester if you have questions about the course, the campus, etc. I am a resource for you, so please just ask me if you have a question or come see me in my office hours.

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Spring 2011

Resource for Reading Responses: Responding to Readings Regularly responding to the assigned readings is part of the goals and the long-term learning of this class. You will regularly be asked to respond thoughtfully to all of our assigned readings. Essentially, I see this task as your reflective consideration of the readings. Include: You may include comments on what is of particular interest to you, how the reading has (or has not) enhanced your understanding of the topic you have read, what the author discusses and whether you agree or disagree, what you found troubling, confusing or enlightening. The focus of your response is not as important as showing how you engaged with the reading. Format: Each response will be typed, double-spaced should be one to two pages in length. Please include an appropriate heading and includes the title of the article(s) and the author(s) in a prominent location (note: please use MLA formatting for the publishing information).

Jessie Munoz September 4, 2010 English 100 Bright Response to Reading for: Katz, Nathan. The End of the Road: Technology for Tomorrow. New York: St. Martins Press, 1999. Katzs essay is his personal story of frustration as an engineer for a major automaker. He writes of the difficulty in keeping up with all the new gadgets in cars, stating just when we think were on top of the latest navigation system, we install it only to find that it is obsolete within two years of the cars sale. I can understand how Katz feels when he describes his frustration. Last summer, I worked for a computer repair shop and used my lunch breaks to rebuild my hard drive. It seemed like just when I had given my computer all the latest in power, memory and upgrades, Id find something new to add within six
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months. I felt like I had wasted all those lunch breaks. Another point Katz makes is that technology can never really be caught up with; our knowledge is always moving forward. I think.

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Date Tuesday A. Bright 1/11/11

Thursday 1/13/11

English 217 Schedule of Assignments Class Topic Before Class Introductions; English 217 course description and goals; conference sign up with instructor Historical Read: Alphabets, pages 1-31 childrens Bring: An alphabet book to class literature Write: Reader Response #1 MEET IN LIBRARY Folklore, fairy tales, and fables

Spring 2011

Tuesday 1/18/11

Thursday 1/20/11

Folklore, fairy tales, and fables

Read: Introduction to fairy tales, pages 175-184; at least FIVE versions of Little Red Riding Hood, pages 338-386 Bring: 2-3 picture book versions of the same fairy tale from the PUBLIC LIBRARY Write: Reader Response #2 Read: Introduction to animal fables, pages 387-393; Jack the Giant Killer, pages 47-49; The Master Cat, pages 185-189; Beauty and the Beast, pages 200-208; Hansel and Gretel, pages 208-214 Write: Reader Response #3 Read: The Lady and the Merman, pages 324-327; The Paper Bag Princess, pages 327-329; Antelope Woman, page 336-338; Jack and the Devils Daughter, pages 317-324 Write: Reader Response #4 Read: The Happy Prince, pages 257-263; The Sorcerers Apprentice, pages 284-287; The Discontented King, pages 280-283; The Griffin and the Minor Canon, pages 248-257 Write: Reader Response #5

Tuesday 1/25/11

Folklore, fairy tales, and fables

Thursday 1/27/11

Folklore, fairy tales, and fables

Tuesday 2/1/11 Thursday 2/3/11

Gendered Expectations Watch Tough Guise in class Gendered Expectations Intro to Project #1; MEET IN LIBRARY Fantasy Fantasy

Write: Reader Response #6response to DVD

Tuesday 2/8/11 Thursday 2/10/11

Read: The Tale of Despereaux Write: Reader Response #7 Read: Summer Reading Is Killing Me!, pages 875-896; The Capture of Father Time, pages 582-589; Winniethe-Pooh, pages 1658-1665; Frog and Toad selections, pages 144-150 Write: Reader Response #8 Read: BAAA, pages 1068-1097 Bring: At least one Caldecott book to class from Public or GV Library collections

Tuesday 2/15/11

Picture Books Fiction and Nonfiction; Project #1 DUE; Intro to Project #2 Thursday Subject totoday No class change: 2/17/11 instructor at conference Tuesday Picture Books

students are responsible for all modifications 8 Read: The Hundred Dresses, pages 1906-1919

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