Modern Fantasy

I. What is modern fantasy?

Generally speaking, modern fantasy is literature that take revolves around alternate universes and other worldly environments. Books like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia, come to mind. Here, characters of the "normal" world are taken or transported to worlds where laws of this universe do not apply.

Also, modern fantasy can consist of stories such as James and the Giant Peach. Although the story takes place in the "real" world, some of the characters and the situations they encounter are beyond the normal universe.


II. Design a classroom activity.

Although common, my favorite activity to assign my students would be for them to lift passages from their favorite stories and act them out. This is ideal for groups of 3 to 5 students. This is ideal for many reasons. Students who aren't able to read as well as others will still be able to get the story down. Also, it enables students to practice public speaking. And of course, learning to work in groups is a great skill to acquire.

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Traditional Literature

Traditional Literature

I. Give a Super Sentence (who came up with this word?) definition of Traditional Literature. One definition of traditional literature is that it is a type of story. It could be a fable, a folktale, a myth or legend. It is passed down from older generations to younger ones in the form of a tradition.

II. How can you use traditional literature in the classroom? Give details.

Any time folktales, fables, legends or myths are introduced to students, they will be exposed to traditional literature. For younger grades, a story like the Jack and the Beanstalk or The Three Little Pigs or Billy Goats Gruff. Also, stories like The Tortoise and the Hare, The Hardworking Ants and the Lazy Grasshopper, and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. You can use these stories to teach students about repercussions and consequences of their actions.

III. Will I use traditional literature in my classroom? Why or why not?

How can you avoid using it in your classroom? Well . . . I guess if you tried hard enough, you could avoid it. But yes, of course I will use traditional literature in my classroom. I think it is a great tool for teaching values. My favorite example is that of The Grasshopper and the Ants. What a great story to use to teach that: a) idleness brings want b) to work today is to eat tomorrow, and c) it is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

Of course Disney, much as I love Walt and the crew, softened their version a bit. Their (politically correct)version of the fable shows the ants taking pity and giving the grasshopper some food, on the premise that turning the grasshopper away in his time of need is also morally questionable. In their 1934 animated short subject produced by Walt Disney, the Queen of the Ants decrees that the grasshopper may stay in the ant colony, but he must play his fiddle in return for his room and board. He agrees to this arrangement, and the ant tunnels become a grand ballroom where all the ants happily dance to the music of the grasshopper, who finally learns that he needs to make himself useful.

Nowadays, we just use food stamps.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Picture Books

picture book: a book that consists wholly or chiefly of pictures
Function: noun
Date: 1847

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Picture books are the type that tell stories through a series of pictures combined with little or no text. Picture books emphasize the importance of illustrations, especially books made for younger children. By using picture book, children are able to create their own stories that coincide with the pictures.

Although picture books are primarily used in lower grade levels, say pre-kindergarten through third grade, they can be used in any grade level. At lower grade levels, picture books are mostly use for entertainment. At higher grade levels, picture books could be used in conjunction with an English Composition class.

When evaluating picture books, the instructor needs to determine what he or she is trying to accomplish. Lower grades will be happy with picture books. Higher grade school children will not be so easily content with picture books. They need something more challenging.

When I was a young child, I loved to read. Since I lived 'out in the boonies', my choice of books to read were whatever my mom bought at one of the many yard sales that were common in my neck of the woods. At first, my parents were proud that I chose to read instead of watch television. However, they weren't to so happy with my selections: The Godfather, The Entity. But again, these paper-backs were the only thing available to me!




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International vs Multi Cultural Literature

First, thanks to everyone for sending me the blog questions. I had a senior moment and left class before writing them down. I think they make a pill for this . . .

International vs Multicultural Literature

What is international literature? How does it different from multicultural literature?

International literature is considered to be a book that has originally been published in a country other than the United States, in the native language of that country. If the book is later translated to English and published in the United States, it is considered international literature.

Multicultural literature is literature that represents any cultural group through accurate (non stereo type) portrayal. For the book to be considered authentic, the author needs to be either from that culture or write from the perspective of people from that culture. There are awards that are given annually to the most representative book of the year. Examples of these awards are the Coretta Scott King Award that honors black authors and illustrators of children's books. The Pura Belpe Award that honors Latino writers and illustrators whose work best reflects the Latino culture. The Notable Books for a Global Society provides an annual list of trade books for children which help children experience other cultures.

Multicultural literature helps students to compare and contrast their lives with the lives of people from other places. It also helps to prevent or reduce prejudice based on lack of knowledge of a foreign culture.

These types of books can be used to help students connect with people from other countries and cultures. By exposing students to international literature, students can broaden their horizons by realizing that Podunk, TX is not the center of the universe as they know. Students will learn about diversity and out to appreciated cultures from around the world. They can see how it relates to their own classrooms and how they differ.

Multicultural Activity No 1: Middle and High School levels students can make a meal or prepare a dish from some country or region other than their own.

Multicultural Activity No 2: Have students locate and identify other countries using a map or globe. Compare that country to the United States. For example, have students compare the size of the country, language spoken, physical appearance, what side of the road to they drive on or even if the have cars or not.

Evaluating Literature for Children

Effectively evaluating books for children is contingent upon two things: the age of the child and the values of the community in which you live or the school system where you teach. I think that the age appropriateness concept is rather self explanatory. Stories about Dick, Jane & Spot may captivate the minds of first and second graders, but will bore sixth graders. There is a chart on page 65 in our book that delves deeper, using specific questions that may help an instructor choose reading material.

The “values” concept may be more of a challenge. Books that may seem simple and benign to one school district, may be offensive to another. Public schools tend to be less stringent than religious schools. But even public schools can have their share of overly zealous parents who wish to impose their values on those around them. The Harry Potter series may be a big hit in most public schools, but I have seen in the news reports of many Catholic school systems banning them from being in their libraries. However, in all fairness, I have seen attempts by parents in public schools to have this series banned in public schools as well. (They failed.) I wonder if these same parents are as diligent in monitoring their children's television viewing as they are in keeping tabs on what books are in the public library . . .

After reading the book you have carefully chosen and deemed appropriate, it is now time to do character and setting analyses. Why? To help students relate to the characters in the story. If the students can not relate to the characters in any way, the less likely they are to enjoy the book.

For example, in the book my group read in class, The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy, the protagonist is a young black girl. Does this mean that only black children will like the book? Only girls? Or will the story appeal to everyone in the class.

By doing a setting analysis, we find the story takes place in a home not much different from any one else's home. Not all children live in a multi-generational household but some children do. By pointing out the similarities of the household, children will be more easily able to relate to the characters and the story itself.

Character analysis is done the same way. Have the students find out what the they have in common with the character. Do any of the students make quilts? Do any of them have a grandmother? Have any of them gotten sick or had to deal with a sick family member? Do any of the students engage in projects with their parents?

If the student can relate to the characters and find similarities in their own lives and surroundings to those in the book, the more likely the students will enjoy the book.

Chapter Two

Once upon a time . . .

It only makes sense that the first books were printed versions of folktales and mythologies passed down from one generation to the next. Although I had heard words like bard and minstrel, I didn't know that they were actually another word for storyteller. I find it odd that the stories being told were aimed at both young and old alike. I guess that a “Parental Guidance Suggested” concept hadn't been conceived of yet.

I remember from some other class the name of the German who invented the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg, but I had forgotten the year – around the 1450's. I am still not sure what hornbooks are. I will Google it later. Whatever they were, they were popular until the 1700's when the battledore became more prevalent. After these two came chapbooks.

Something I learned but doesn't surprise me any is that much of the printed word after the invention of the printing press was religious in nature. No children's literature per se, - just bible verses and such. Interestingly, the Puritans who came over on the Mayflower mad it mandatory that all of their children and even their servants be taught to read. Again, mostly bible verses and religious text.

All of this was long before any type of First Amendment Rights were around. Leave it to the government, in this case the British monarchy, to allow printing presses only in four cities: London, Oxford, Cambridge and York. This was the law in 1637 if you lived in England!

Around the same time, John Locke, an English philosopher of the 'blank slate' or tabula rasa fame began to advocate milder ways of teaching children. He recommended books like Aesop's Fables and Reynard the Fox. The books delighted children and adults alike.

In 17th century France, a Charles Perrault published Contes de ma Mere l'Oye (Tales of Mother Goose). Apparently, mother goose rhymes back then were different than they are today. 17th century Mother Goose consisted of "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," "Puss in Boots," "Little Red Riding Hood," and "Blue Bear." Personally, I like the 1994 version of "Little Red Riding Hood" from Jim Garner's Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. Google it. Trust me, you'll get a good laugh from it.

The rest of the chapter is simply more dates and authors. Rather boring stuff if you ask me, with the exception of the section that talks about children's literature in the Victorian Age. (The time period in which Queen Victoria ruled Great Britain, 1837 -1901.) Books around that time centered around the white, middle to upper classes. And all the books cast boys and girls into "rigidly distinct roles expected of them as adults."

There were a couple of notable exceptions. The English poet Elizabeth Barrttt browning wrote of the woes of poor children in her poem, "The Cry of the Children." I think the poem is still relevant today. The other is Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. Timeless.

OK, the hail is hitting my window pane so hard, I think the glass is going to crack. Not to mention the lightning is making my monitor flicker . . . gotta go!

And now, Michael's Blog presents the word for the day . . .


Main Entry: di·dac·tic Listen to the pronunciation of didactic
Pronunciation: \dī-ˈdak-tik, də-\
Function: adjective

Etymology: Greek didaktikos, from didaskein to teach
Date: 1658

1) a: designed or intended to teach
b: intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment

2) making moral observations


— di·dac·ti·cal Listen to the pronunciation of didactical \-ti-kəl\ adjective
— di·dac·ti·cal·ly Listen to the pronunciation of didactically \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
— di·dac·ti·cism Listen to the pronunciation of didacticism \-tə-ˌsi-zəm\ noun

Taken from http://www.m-w.com/