Field Experience Reflection

1.    How many hours did you complete?

For this course,  I completed six hours and forty minutes of field experience.  
2.    In a short paragraph or bulleted list, how did you spend your time?

I interviewed my school’s library media specialist and I implemented (then revised) a KTIP lesson plan which focused on literacy. As I prepared for a new school year, I analyzed and reflected upon my instructional practices, my curriculum and content resources with focus on theories of teaching and learning shared in this course.  I created three book talks which I shared with a local public library for a summer reading event. Furthermore, I attended professional development trainings on differentiated instruction, engagement, and literacy within content areas. Finally, I also attended a regular school board meeting in July at which I heard several discussions about curriculum and instruction concerns.

3.    How did the experience help you to strengthen at least one Kentucky Teacher Standard? (be sure to name the standard)
Specifically, implementing and reflecting upon a KTIP lesson plan has strengthened my instructional practices with regard to Kentucky Teacher Standard 2.   In order to properly create and teach this lesson,  I have to know my content and my students,  develop significant objectives, use appropriate instructional strategies, and plan activities that address student needs and learning levels.

4. Talk a little about one thing you learned because of this field experience.
As a result of the technology requirements for this course,  I was able to create and present book-talks at a local library during a summer reading event.  I have been using book-talks and book trailers in my classroom since school started. I also plan to create an interactive display which will help students when choosing a book to read in my classroom or in our media center.  Book-talks are such powerful tools for literacy because these short little commercials are engaging and informative.  Students need such help when trying to find the next great book to read.

Informational/Non-fiction Reflection: Four Perfect Pebbles

Perl, L. & Lazan, M.B. (1996). Four perfect pebbles: A Holocaust story. New York: Avon Books.  

“If she could find four perfect pebbles of almost exactly the same size and shape, it meant that her family would remain whole. Mama and Papa and she and Albert would survive Bergen-Belsen. The four of them might even survive the Nazis’ attempt to destroy every last Jew in Europe.”

         I discovered this book a few years ago while researching Jewish experiences during the Holocaust for a primary source project in a History of Austria class.   As with several other sources,  I included it in a lengthy annotated bibliography and promptly forgot about it when I completed the course.  This summer, as I prepared units of study for my sixth grade students,  I decided to focus on themes of characters overcoming adversity and the resilience of hope; another search of children’s literature helped me to re-discover this writing.  While the authors focus on specific historical events in Marian B. Lazan’s life,  Lazan shares her emotions and revelations about those events, thus making this novel more of a memoir than an autobiography of her life.  This is more than just expository writing to relay facts because Mrs. Lazan shares her first-hand experiences of historically significant events; she tells a history of her life within the frame of the Holocaust. 
          Marian Blumenthal Lazan and her family were trapped in Nazi Germany during World War II.  Planning to escape to Holland as Hitler closes his fists on the Jewish citizens of Germany,  the Blumenthals are faced with devastating challenges and setbacks which keep them trapped within the borders of Hitler’s country.  Although it is non-fiction, this selection is rife with conflict.  Marian’s family struggles to maintain contact as they are moved from camp to camp; they battle hunger, illness, freezing temperatures, utter degradation, and loneliness as well as Hitler’s plan to exterminate all Jews in his quest for domination. 
          As you would expect, Mrs. Lazan tells her life’s story chronologically from her childhood to her liberation from a Nazi extermination camp and then her life after the camps; however, with the help of Lila Perl, she also recalls memories through flashbacks  which is an element of fiction sometimes found in memoirs.  For example, she tells the story of making soup while sitting in a crowded cabin in a prisoner’s camp. As her mother works over the boiling soup, Marian describes how she recalled another time of making soup that was quite different than sitting hunched over a small metal can of boiling water and rotting vegetables.  Likewise, her ten-year old determination to find four, perfect pebbles in the prison camp’s yard is heart-rending and sad; each pebble represents a member of her family.  If  Marian has those four pebbles, then her family will stay together.  Such vivid details, in addition to photographs from Marian’s family albums,  provides the reader with a well-written account of the harrowing experiences of life as a Jewish citizen and prisoner during the Holocaust and the resilient hope of a survivor’s story.   For more information about Marian B. Lazan, please visit her website at http://www.fourperfectpebbles.com/.

          Because of the historical significance of the Holocaust,  this novel clearly falls into the category of high interest reading within informational literature.  Students are curious about the life experiences, the violence of war, and the survivors of this time period.  However, I would caution against allowing younger children to read this novel because of the graphic nature of the photographs and some of Lazan’s detailed descriptions of violent events.   

            Curriculum Connections:  This autobiography could be read in a Social Studies class as a primary source during a study of World War II, Hitler’s rise to power, and the Holocaust.  Likewise, in a Writing class,  an excerpt of Four Perfect Pebbles could be used as an anchor text when studying the nuances and structures of biography, autobiography, and memoirs.

          Big Questions:  Even though we are members of different communities, can we find similarities in our life stories?  How are we all challenged by adversity? What does hope mean to you?

Historical Fiction Book Talk: Sounder

Armstrong, W.H. (1969). Sounder. New York: HarperCollins.

Please enjoy a booktalk on my historical fiction selection. Click here for audio

      My name is Sounder. You can hear my voice all through the woods when I get a coon or possum caught up in wild grapevines or an old persimmon tree.  My redbone hound voice carries on until I catch another scent.  The boy says, "There ain’t no dog like Sounder.”  I reckon he is right. Being a sharecropper’s dog is a hard life…little food, cold nights, lots of hunting. Times get even harder when the men come with guns and take away the boy’s father. No more long hunts in the cold, windy woods.  No more calloused hands on my neck and whispers of “good Sounder, good Sounder” after a hunt. I chased after the boy’s father, I got hurt and I couldn’t find him.  If I don’t have my voice, life won’t be the same at the cabin with the boy.  Read my story and find out what happens to me, the boy, and the boy’s father in Sounder by William H. Armstrong.

My Reading Log: The List

            I admit it; I am a bookworm.  I enjoy reading...no, devouring books.   If I sit next to some unsuspecting stranger at a doctor's office and they are reading a paperback,  I find subtle ways to get a glimpse of the cover.  Have I read it?  Nope. Add it to my potential menu.  I despise book covers and electronic reading tools only because it's difficult to see what you are reading. Wait, sometimes, that's a good thing! 
             If someone asks, "Hey! Have you read this?"  I feel small butterflies in my stomach at the mere hint of something new to read. When I don't make time to read,  I feel like my brain is withering away like a neglected tomato on a dying vine.  I love to share reading experiences with others.  Fiction, magazines, nonfiction, poetry, dramas, young adult, old adult, almanacs...I'll read anything!  I also want to ask questions about what you've been reading.  Have you read any good books lately? 
           Here is a list of books I've read this summer as an assignment for my Young Adult and Children's Literature class.  This is, by no means, the list of everything I have read.  I have, however, read some new choices based on suggestions from my professor and my classmates' blogs. I revisited some favorites from my own childhood.  I even grabbed a book recommended by a six year old while visiting the public library!   

I. Non-fiction/Informational

1) Nimmo, B. & Scott, D. (2000). Rachel’s tears.  Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

2)Pelzer, Dave. (1995). A child called “It.” Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications.

3) Frank, A. (1993). Diary of a young girl. New York: Bantam Books.

4) Perl, L. & Lazan, M.B. (1996). Four perfect pebbles: A holocaust story. New York: Avon Books.  

II. Poetry

1)     Hesse, K. (2001). Witness. New York: Scholastic.

2)     Hesse, K. (1997) . Out of the dust. New York: Scholastic.

3)     Creech, S. (2004). Heartbeat. New York: Scholastic.

4)     Sones, S. (2001). What my mother doesn’t know.  New York: Simon Pulse.

5)     San Souci, R.D.  (2000).  Cinderella skeleton. New York: Harcourt.  

III. Modern Fantasy

1)     Levine, G.C. (1997). Ella Enchanted. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.  

2)     Huxley, A. (1932). Brave new world. New York: Perennial Classics.

3)     Keyes, D. (1959). Flowers for Algernon. New York: Bantam.

4)     Yolen, J. (1988). The devil’s arithmetic. New York: Viking.

5)     DuPrau, J. (2003). The city of Ember.  New York: Random House.

6)     King-Smith, D. (1982). Pigs might fly: A novel. New York: Viking Press.

7)     Bacigalupi, P. (2012). The drowned cities. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

8)     Oppel. K. (2004). Airborn. New York: EOS.

IV. Historical Fiction

1) Armstrong, W. (1969).  Sounder. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

2) James, H. (1898). Turn of the screw. New York: MacMillan Company.
3) Crane, S. (1983). Red badge of courage. New York: Puffin Books.

4) Boyne, J. (2004). Boy in the striped pajamas. New York: Random House.

5) Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars. New York: Yearling Books.  

6) Hunt, I.  Across five Aprils. New York: Berkley Books.

7) Cushman. K. (1994). Catherine called Birdy. New York: Harper Trophy.

8) Taylor. M.D. (1976). Roll of thunder, hear my cry. New York: Penguin.  

V. Traditional

1) Chase, R. (1943). The Jack tales. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

2) Brooke, W.J. (1994). Teller of tales. New York: Harper Trophy.

3) Averbeck, J. (2013). The market bowl. Massachusetts: Charlesbridge Publishing.

4) Schlitz, L.A. (2007). The bearskinner: A tale of the brothers Grimm. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.  

VI. Realistic Fiction

1)     Barkley, B. (2007). Dream Factory. New York: Dutton Books.

2)     Creech, S. (1994). Walk two moons. New York: Harper Collins.

3)     Paulsen, Gary. (1987) . Hatchet. New York: Puffin Books.

4)     Paulsen, Gary. (1984). Tracker. New York: Scholastic.

5)     Peck, R. (1998). Long way from Chicago. New York: Dial.

6)     Erskine, K. (2010) Mockingbird. New York: Scholastic.

7)     Lord, C. (2006). Rules. New York: Scholastic.

8)     Kidd. S.M. (2003). The secret life of bees. New York: PenguinGroup Inc.

 

VII. Picture Books

1) Young, E. (1992). Seven blind mice.  New York: Scholastic.

2) Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

3) Wolf, A. (1989). True story of the three little pigs. New York: Penguin Books.  

4) Winter, J. (1988). Follow the drinking gourd. New York: Dragonfly Books.

5)Bunting, E. (2002). The bones of Fred McFee. New York: Harcourt.
6) Locker, T. (1984). Where the river begins. New York: Puffin Books.

7) Moulton, M.K. (2003). Twisted sistahs. Wisconsin: Lang Books. 

Realistic Fiction Book Trailer: The Secret Life of Bees

 Kidd, S.M. (2003). The Secret life of bees. New York: PenguinGroupInc.        

          While I have created and edited Powerpoints during many late night planning sessions as an educator,  I must admit that I have not used Windows MovieMaker 2.6 until this summer's Young Adult & Children's Literature class.  I found this to be an interesting, yet nervewracking, experience for a technologically-challenged, impatient person who wants to get those slides timed perfectly.   With practice, I can utilize this quick tool to make my ho-hum presentations into be-dazzled wonders of instructional mayhem and magic.    

Please enjoy my attempt at a booktrailer for Sue Monk Kidd's critically-acclaimed coming of age story called The Secret Life of Bees.    

An Interview with a SLMS

A summary of my interview with our SLMS:

        The mission statement of our media center is posted prominently on its Moodle page: “the mission of the East Hardin Middle School Library Media Center is to provide a program which incorporates curriculum, technology, and staff to enable students to retrieve, evaluate, and utilize information as well as develop a love of reading and life-long learning.”  Our library media center is staffed with one LMS and one library clerk.  Our LMS maintains the school’s home page, activities calendar, and computer labs, sponsors our school news team known as the “Rebel Reporters,” and often collaborates or co-teaches with colleagues.   She is essentially one of the “movers and shakers” at our school.   I like to think that if she doesn’t have the answer to my question, she knows where to go to find it.

            The media center policies are posted clearly on their Moodle page which is linked to our school’s page.  New students are given an orientation to the media center during the first few weeks of school via Rebel Reports and class visits.   Students are allowed to borrow two library books at one time and books are circulated for a two-week period, which does not include weekends and school holidays. Most resources are arranged by general categories as nonfiction, fiction, and biography; we also have an extensive collection of paperbacks arranged by author and genre.    For students, reference books and magazines are restricted to library use only; however, teachers are permitted to check out any available resources.  Since our training in Literacy First, the media center has been adding Lexile numbers on books during cataloging and processing.  We have an online computer catalog with access to several libraries in our county; if you can’t find a book or resource on our shelves, our LMS will request it on interlibrary loan or purchase it for our school collection.
            When asked about our material selection policy, our LMS sent a copy of the policy and forms required for filing a challenge.   There are two ways to challenge instructional materials: an informal reconsideration requires a school representative to explain the selection process and qualifications of those person(s) selecting materials to the complainant while a formal reconsideration requires the complainant to fill out a detailed “request for reconsideration of instructional materials”  to specifically explain the concerns with the material. This form is then reviewed by special committee appointed by our SBDM.   We have had few formal challenges to instructional materials because most concerns are addressed by school representatives informally.  
            For classroom use, our media center has eighty-three trade book sets with additional resources that are indexed by grade level; new sets are being added to the collection often.   In addition to a research lab that houses twenty-five small computers, our media center has a mobile notebook cart that can be checked out by teachers.   Teachers also have access to several print professional development resources arranged by topic or content area.  Our LMS will collaborate on lessons when requested; she has worked with me on several research projects during my time at EHMS.  For example, we created a biography research project for my sixth graders and we gathered several nonfiction resources for my students to use.  She made suggestions for research topics and seemed to have a never-ending list of sources, both print and online, for students to use. 

Poetry Reflection: Cinderella Skeleton

San Souci, R.D.  (2000).  Cinderella skeleton. New York: Harcourt.

        I chose Cinderella Skeleton for my poetry reflection this week.  Since reading Ella Enchanted for my modern fantasy, I have been caught up in story of Cinderella.  There are so many versions of this traditional fairy tale!  To me, poetry is an expression of emotions and ideas, so I read this single-illustrated poem very carefully, ignoring the colorful illustrations of this picture book during my first reading. I wanted to visualize the characters of the poem without any help from an award-winning illustrator like David Catrow. While this picture book could be considered a fairy tale and modern fantasy, I believe it is better suited to the poetry genre.  

       This is a narrative poem which tells the story of a young Cinderella Skeleton who lives with her Stepmother Skreech and two awful stepsisters, Gristlene and Bony-Jane.  Cinderella attends a Halloween Ball with the help of a witch, meets Prince Charnel, and falls in love with her, um, handsome suitor. You know the rest of this story, but San Souci makes it an unusual tale with a “Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton” perspective.  With all of the disgustingly descriptive and narrative language that assault your senses to help you visualize these odd characters, San Souci writes a tale in which you simply can’t ignore the sense imagery along with the beautiful, and weird, cartoon art of David Catrow.  Cinderella is “everything a ghoul should be” with “dankish hair hung down hanks,” yellow nails, and green teeth.

       Much like other fractured fairy tales, this book is filled with poetic elements and figurative language hidden within an interesting and macabre twist to the beautiful, well-loved fairy tale we know and love.   For example, the sound patterns jump from the pages as you read this poem aloud. From the very first stanza, you read rhymes in words like “fright” and “right” and alliteration, the repetition of beginning consonants, can be heard with “decayed, decrepit” and “withered wreath.”   

       As for figurative language, San Souci cleverly compares characters to other objects. When Prince Charnel says, “Your beauty burns like bonfires ablaze at night,” he is comparing Cinderella’s dazzling looks to a fire burning at night using a simile. (Wow!)  When Stepmother Skreech is berating Cinderella, she calls her “common clay” meaning that she believes her stepdaughter to be plain, undecorated, and, well, ugly using a metaphor.  These are common themes from the traditional Cinderella, but the ideas are re-worked and retold to engage even the faintest of heart.

       Because of the complexity of text and abstract ideas, I would not recommend this book to students younger than fourth grade.  However, this poem could be read to older students in connection with other ghoulish literature to set the mood for Halloween in a Language Arts class.  With a quick Internet search, I found an audio version and a short cartoon version of this tale, so it would be interesting for students to experience the story in different mediums and then write a personal response about which version they liked best.  It might also be helpful to read another version of a fractured Cinderella tale and make a comparison of stories. 

Curriculum Connection: CCR: Reading Literature 6.7 Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.

Big Questions: Why is Stepmother Skreech so mean to Cinderella? How is this version different than a traditional Cinderella tale?  If we change the setting of a story or a character, like in a fractured fairy tale, does this change affect the story’s themes?

Traditional Literature Reflection: The Bearskinner

Schlitz, L.A. (2007). The bearskinner: A tale of the brothers Grimm. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

            This week, I chose a picture book for my traditional literature reflection.  Rather, I think this book chose me because I found it resting upon “my” study table at our public library.  The beautiful illustration on the cover pulled me into its pages;  I just can’t ignore a brothers Grimm story!

           As you may notice from the title, this book is a retold tale-another version of a German fairy tale which stays true to the traditional story elements even though it has been written by a different author.  I would clarify this is not a contemporary, or modern, version of the Grimm brothers’ tale if we consider details such as the soldier travels by horseback and gold is used as the currency that fills his pockets.  Based on those observations, the setting of this story is integral because it has to happen in these woods during this time period.   However in keeping with the morose style of Grimm, Schlitz tells us a sad,  haunting story of a soldier, having nothing left after the war, makes a desperate deal with a mysterious devil. Rather than tell the story in episodes or scenes, the author uses a progressive plot to introduce the characters and then move directly to a developing conflict.  This conflict is the ultimate battle of good and evil: the honorable protagonist faces off against a devious antagonist who hopes to win another soul.  The devil demands that the soldier must wear a bearskin and follow the rules for seven years; in return, the devil will pay him untold riches.  The turning point of the story occurs when the soldier realizes that he can find some good in this awful situation through charity to others; he helps a gambler who has three beautiful daughters.  As I read, I considered what I would be willing to do for pockets full of gold, silver and gemstones.  I wondered if I could I give up my humanity just to be rich.   Sincerely, I can empathize with the soldier because I have made a bad decision or two, but I have learned from my mistakes just as this character does.  Don’t worry, even though this story is Grimm, it does have the traditional fairy tale’s resolution, a “happily ever after” ending. 

            I made notes throughout the story about the impact of the illustrations and style of writing.  The illustrator, Max Grafe, chose muted colors to complement the creepy, dark mood of the story.  The pages themselves are framed as though from an old, tattered book with rough edges and yellowed paper.  At first glance, the artistic style seems to be realistic because you can distinguish natural forms of the bear, the soldier, trees, and the devil but the dream-like quality of the sketches make these illustrations more surrealistic. The shadows and textures seem to fill the pages, especially when the devil is featured in his velvety-green coat and the soldier dons the soft, furry bearskin.  The imagery of the story is shared through such dramatic illustrations and well-written text that reaches all of your senses.  As Schlitz continues the tale and describes the soldier, the bearskin becomes rotted but Bearskinner cannot take it off.   The description of his unwashed condition, covered in lice and sores with maggots and reeking of a rotting animal skin, made me ill.  I felt sorry for this poor, desperate man and I hated the devil even more for taking advantage of the soldier’s misfortune.

           An example of my text-to-self connections happened when one of the minor characters describes the soldier, she says, "Such a fierce fellow, too! A great ugly bear of a man!”  This metaphor reminds me of my best friend's father because he was very tall and stout.  During the winter, he would grow his beard long, and I can still remember how frightening he looked to me when I was eight years old. 

           I would recommend this book for older students who can appreciate the abstract story elements; it might be difficult for younger readers to truly grasp the Bearskinner’s sadness and the opportunistic evil of the devil.  With that in mind, the curriculum connection for an English or Language Arts class would be to focus on characterization by analyzing how the author reveals the courageous Bearskinner and his awful enemy through appearance, actions, thoughts, dialogue, and interactions with other characters.  This story lends itself to a discussion about a character’s motivation as well.  Some questions to consider: How is the soldier going to survive this deal with the devil?  Is he strong enough to endure the physical and mental hardships of wearing the bear’s skin in order to reap the extrinsic reward?  If you had to switch places with the Bearskinner, would you?  What would you do differently if you were the protagonist in the story?  What motivates us?

 

Modern Fantasy Reflection: Ella Enchanted

Levine, G.C. (1997). Ella enchanted. New York: HarperCollins.

As a fractured fairytale, this novel is a retelling of the ever-popular Cinderella with a few twists and interesting revisions to bring the story into our modern world.  It is a wonderful representation of person against person conflict as we sometimes envision a “good” character such as Ella battling an “evil” stepmother.   As a modern version of Cinderella,  Ella provides a young girl who isn’t perfect as our strong central character, but she is able to overcome adversity to win in the end.  With all of the different peoples and lands described, this story teaches clear lessons about social sensitivity and cultural diversity.  

When our protagonist was born, Eleanor of Frell was given a very special gift by “that fool of a fairy, Lucinda”—the gift of obedience.  According to Ella, anyone could control her with a direct command, but a wish or request had no effect. Not obeying meant Ella would suffer nausea and other pains. Ella’s mother dies and Ella is left with her father, Sir Peter, and the cook, Mandy.  Upon further questioning, Ella discovers that Mandy is her fairy godmother, but Mandy cannot help Ella with her curse although she does give Ella a wonderful magic book.  Among many colorful and imaginative characters, Ella meets Prince Char, and she falls in love with him. As the story progresses, Ella attends a masquerade ball at the castle, and meets Prince Char again.  He doesn’t recognize her, and he falls in love with “Lela” who leaves behind a beautiful glass slipper.  As with any fairytale, our story travels many unexpected twists and turns before reaching “happily ever after.”

      I have always enjoyed Cinderella, in all its many versions of the traditional fairytale, but I appreciate the extra step that Levine has taken with this perspective.  In reality, Ella’s curse is a disability.  Levine’s characterization of Ella, showing us her unselfish actions and strong-willed personality through colorful dialogue and familiar interactions with others,  teaches us that we can overcome our disabilities or mistakes with patience, love, and understanding.  Levine took the familiar characters and went just a little farther to create a new and fresh outlook on a “tried and true” moral with a fairytale ending.
    
       For students, this novel could be used during a discussion about point of view in a Language Arts class.  Because it is written in first person from Ella’s perspective, we are able to learn her thoughts and feelings immediately. Sometimes, it is quite obvious what Ella is about:  “I wanted to make him laugh again. I pawed the ground with my right foot and tossed my head as though I had a mane.” (41)  It would be interesting for students to consider what happens to a story when written from a different perspective, which is just the idea of a fractured fairytale.  Moreover, this novel could be beneficial during lessons about diversity in a Social Studies class when you consider the different cultures, languages, and races of characters that Levine writes about in this fantasy world of Ella Enchanted.

Big Questions:   Is there a difference between fate and destiny? If so, how do we describe that difference?  Should we always accept our fate or try to change it like Ella?  How can we learn to be more accepting of others?

BookTalk: Follow the Drinking Gourd

Winter, J. (1988).  Follow the drinking gourd. New York: Dragonfly Books.

                   

“For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom…If you follow the drinking gourd.”  A gourd is a squash with a long, skinny neck and a round bottom. A drinking gourd is made by trimming the top of the round section and then scooping out the insides to make a dipper for drinking water.  

You might be asking, “What does a gourd have to do with freedom?”  You will find the answer in the pages of a historical fiction story called Following the Drinking Gourd.  The words “drinking gourd” were part of a folk song sung by slaves during the Civil War. They used these words to mean the Big Dipper in the sky.  So, how did they use the Big Dipper to find freedom? 

 Find out when Peg Leg Joe teaches Molly and her family to follow a group of stars in Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter.  

                                     

If you would like to listen to an audio version of this book talk, please click here.

Picture Book Reflection: The Giving Tree

     

     

Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York: HarperCollins. 

“Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy.” Shel Silverstein begins his story with such a simple sentence; however, this picture book written in 1964 carries a much deeper meaning within its sixty-four pages.  Through the use of black and white realistic art,  Silverstein tells a short story of a little boy who interacts with an apple tree. This unnamed child climbs branches, gathers leaves to make crowns, and eats apples.  As “Boy” grows older, he begins to ask for more of the tree and because she loves him, she fulfills his requests.   While the illustrations are simple black lines, Silverstein made a dramatic artistic choice to create doublespreads, spilling the pictures across two facing pages to show openness, movement and passage of time. 

When I read this story as a child, I always thought about the sweet, simple message of being unselfish and giving to others.  Arguably, The Giving Tree is suitable for children 6-8 years as just an engaging picture book; however, older children could discuss more complex themes found within the illustrations and poetic text. Moreover, this book is an example of personification because the tree speaks to the boy and behaves as a human throughout the story. Even the illustration on the dustjacket gives the impression of the tree’s humanlike qualities as she bends forward to drop an apple into the boy’s outstretched arms.  



Big Questions: What would you be willing to give to someone in need? What do the words “selfish” and “selfless” mean to you?  Why did the tree continue to give to the boy without asking for anything in return?

KCAS Connections: RL6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.    RL6.5  Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.

Introduction

Hello! Welcome to my bookworm’s blog for a Young Adult and Children’s Literature class through University of the Cumberlands. My name is Sherrie Norris, and I teach Language Arts to sixth graders at East Hardin Middle in Glendale, Kentucky. 

I will begin my fifth year of teaching in August with four classes of Language Arts,  one Reading, and one Reading Enhancement. (A bookworm’s dream come true!) I have a BA in American Studies and History through Georgetown College, and a post-BAC in Middle Grades Education through Western Kentucky University.  At UC, I am working on my Masters as a Reading and Writing Specialist; I have completed two classes and will be working on two classes for this summer session. (Yes, I am busy this summer!) 

In my few treasured moments of free time, I enjoy reading and watching movies, cheering on my two teenage daughters as they play soccer or music, chasing my Jack Russell terrier, and tracking down “out of the way” restaurants with my husband.   Fellow bookworm, please visit my small corner of the world often!