Sorry this is a bit late (I was in a car accident Friday after school and just came back to school yesterday), but luckily I had already read the chapter!
I have never been a huge fan of science fiction or fantasy until Harry Potter, which I am sure I already made clear I love.:) I also enjoy (guilty!) the Twilight series although the recent hype because of the movies has sort of killed that for me. I appreciated this chapter for two main reasons-first, I know this is one of the hottest genres right now and the book lists were very useful, and second, the definitions and explanations the author gave regarding the genre made me appreciate it more.
I liked the part about science fiction "speculating about the past, present, and future." What a great definition that is simple yet sums it all up. It is natural for the human mind to be curious, and these authors are sharing their own and satisfying other's curiosities. Science fiction answers the "what if" questions f science and technology, a time when it is okay to ask that question. The genre overlaps many other genres too. I thought it was also important to note that sci fi must be grounded in some sort of science or reality, or historical events for time period's sake. It needs to have an internal consistensy-some type of rules for the skeptics (verus fantasy where you have even more freedom in a sense). There can also be social commentary components to this genre, giving it more literary merit. Not only did this make me appreciate sci fi more, but helped me understand what is good sci fi. The section that divides all the possible topics up would be especially useful for my students with Asperger's who tend to get "stuck" on one subject.
Fantasy, on the other hand, is defined by magic and enchantments. I think that currently, although the two oftne blend together, fantasy is more popular than sci fi. All the side genres such as urban fantasy were interesting to me, and the tools for teaching it, such as visualizing. This genre is rich of visuals and can help students become better at descriptive and figurative language. It takes a proficient reader to be able to form mental images, but the genre of fantasy is a great place to start. The journal entries the book showed on this look great, if I had more time to finish my lit circles I would definitely use them-I guess there is always next year!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Nonfiction
I personally connected to this chapter because as a youth, I remember I hated reading or writing nonfiction because I was also wanting to read something "fun" or write something creative. I have since had to become better at nonfiction because of my schooling and because of my former job in PR and in the journalism field, and I have often learned that nonfiction can be an art and a craft as well as fiction, and can be just as interesting depending on the writer.
It is funny watching my students, because some are better at one or the other. If you have a creative mind, fiction can flow from your pen, but nonfiction can take a lot of work because you must fact check and interview constantly. For those not as creatively inclined, having an idea and somewhere to go, as well as cold hard facts, is much easier, while dreaming up a whole other world is daunting.
I read In Cold Blood a couple years ago and was so impressed I read all of Truman Capote's works (an excellent writer even if there might be some rumors about him fabricating part of it). It showed me that you can make nonfiction enjoyable (fun isn't really the right word since it was a murder, but interesting nonetheless) because it read like a murder mystery. Likewise, I have read history books that bored me to tears, and ones I couldn't put down, all because of the difference in writing style and information presented.
I also read the Chicken Soup books as well-I loved the Teenage one although now they have gone a bit overbored with everything from Cat Lovers to Gardeners. Many of my students choose to read these when they have silent reading. What they love about this is they are being able to related to something that actually happened-it isn't fiction, and the stories are short and told in an engaging, conversational tone.
What I took away from this chapter was that it is important to remind kids they read everyday, not just fiction in English class, but news in the paper, magazines, or internet, or things people post of facebook or myspace. The questions for nonfiction books were helpful on p. 464 as well as all of the nonfiction book lists. The last section on text structure was good because we don't always think of teaching that when teaching nonfiction; we mostly focus on content only.
Our group is going to read Freedom Writers, a story about something I think every English teacher wishes they could secretly do-go work in an inner city and get kids to write. Stay posted.
It is funny watching my students, because some are better at one or the other. If you have a creative mind, fiction can flow from your pen, but nonfiction can take a lot of work because you must fact check and interview constantly. For those not as creatively inclined, having an idea and somewhere to go, as well as cold hard facts, is much easier, while dreaming up a whole other world is daunting.
I read In Cold Blood a couple years ago and was so impressed I read all of Truman Capote's works (an excellent writer even if there might be some rumors about him fabricating part of it). It showed me that you can make nonfiction enjoyable (fun isn't really the right word since it was a murder, but interesting nonetheless) because it read like a murder mystery. Likewise, I have read history books that bored me to tears, and ones I couldn't put down, all because of the difference in writing style and information presented.
I also read the Chicken Soup books as well-I loved the Teenage one although now they have gone a bit overbored with everything from Cat Lovers to Gardeners. Many of my students choose to read these when they have silent reading. What they love about this is they are being able to related to something that actually happened-it isn't fiction, and the stories are short and told in an engaging, conversational tone.
What I took away from this chapter was that it is important to remind kids they read everyday, not just fiction in English class, but news in the paper, magazines, or internet, or things people post of facebook or myspace. The questions for nonfiction books were helpful on p. 464 as well as all of the nonfiction book lists. The last section on text structure was good because we don't always think of teaching that when teaching nonfiction; we mostly focus on content only.
Our group is going to read Freedom Writers, a story about something I think every English teacher wishes they could secretly do-go work in an inner city and get kids to write. Stay posted.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Historical Fiction
I guess I already did my historical fiction post a week early (I was confused!) titled Hattie Big Sky, but here are my thoughts on the reading this week:
First off, I love historical fiction! I used to read all of Ann Rinaldi's books. I really found the lists of books useful (I want to read a lot of them), especially in how they categorized them by historical time period and/or social issue they cover. This would really help in intergrating LA with other classes, especially SS or psycology and humanities. Using the books in lit circles also might prove helpful while reading a classic work of literature. For example, my freshman are reading to Kill a Mockingbird, and if in lit circles they were reading a piece of historical fiction about the civil rights or the Depression, they could make the connection in class and on their own.
I completely agree with the idea that historical fiction is all about the "human experience." Instead of being upset that the students might learn some incorrect facts about specific time periods, we should be glad they are interested in reading and learning about the human condition. The past should not be forgotten and what better way to have students remember than to read a fun ficition piece about it? I thought it was beautiful how it said in the book that historical fiction made history "human" and come and alive, it gives it dimention, not just facts on a page.
This is how I felt about Hattie Big Sky. I didn't know much about WWI and probably wouldn't read a "boring" old history book and try to find out, but now that I know more about it, Id like to find out more. The book was heartwarming and entertaining because it had a good plot and real characters I could relate to. Obviously it was fiction and I knew that but the facts woven in about WWI made me so interested I want to look up how Germans were persecute and ask my mom about her grandfather who was German preacher at this time in an all German-congregation. I also learned that my fiance's grandpa lived in Mexico as a boy to escape the predjucice, and he lived in Oregon!
I would like to try some more of the think alouds on p. 286 with my students while they read TKAM. This week I tried summarizing, questioning, clarifying and predicting. It came so natural I didn't realize I was doing it but it was quite easy and they understood so much better! ( hopefully their hw reflects that this week!:))
First off, I love historical fiction! I used to read all of Ann Rinaldi's books. I really found the lists of books useful (I want to read a lot of them), especially in how they categorized them by historical time period and/or social issue they cover. This would really help in intergrating LA with other classes, especially SS or psycology and humanities. Using the books in lit circles also might prove helpful while reading a classic work of literature. For example, my freshman are reading to Kill a Mockingbird, and if in lit circles they were reading a piece of historical fiction about the civil rights or the Depression, they could make the connection in class and on their own.
I completely agree with the idea that historical fiction is all about the "human experience." Instead of being upset that the students might learn some incorrect facts about specific time periods, we should be glad they are interested in reading and learning about the human condition. The past should not be forgotten and what better way to have students remember than to read a fun ficition piece about it? I thought it was beautiful how it said in the book that historical fiction made history "human" and come and alive, it gives it dimention, not just facts on a page.
This is how I felt about Hattie Big Sky. I didn't know much about WWI and probably wouldn't read a "boring" old history book and try to find out, but now that I know more about it, Id like to find out more. The book was heartwarming and entertaining because it had a good plot and real characters I could relate to. Obviously it was fiction and I knew that but the facts woven in about WWI made me so interested I want to look up how Germans were persecute and ask my mom about her grandfather who was German preacher at this time in an all German-congregation. I also learned that my fiance's grandpa lived in Mexico as a boy to escape the predjucice, and he lived in Oregon!
I would like to try some more of the think alouds on p. 286 with my students while they read TKAM. This week I tried summarizing, questioning, clarifying and predicting. It came so natural I didn't realize I was doing it but it was quite easy and they understood so much better! ( hopefully their hw reflects that this week!:))
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Picture Books: The Wall
My mother's good friend who is a librarian recommended "The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain" by Peter Sis to me.
This book chroniciles the author's life, who was born and raised in what was formerly called Czechoslovakia at the start of the Cold War. He includes illustrations he has done for the book as well as illustrations he did during that actual time period, which is really cool. He mixes his memories, including diary entries he wrote growing up, with facts, so a reader gets a good dose of history as well as an interesting and visual look into Peter's life.
The pages start out black and white because everything was so regulated and censored, except for pieces of red everywhere because of communism. Then, as Peter decribes the Western influences that seeped in (he wanted to be a part of the Beatles) we see a welcoming change in the pictures with color, until we get a glorious two full pages of color, reminiscent of a Beatle's album cover, circa Sgt. Pepper and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. There are some entertaining journal entires: "turns out she's a he!" referring to Elvis, and according to the goverment, "jeans are a sign of Western decadence."
And then, it is back to black and white when the Russians invade. (The current Czech president was too light on censorship in their opinion). We follow Peter, an aspiring artist, all the way to when he becomes a radio jockey and tours with the Beach Boys. Then the Wall falls in 1989 and as he says "sometimes dreams do come true."
This book chroniciles the author's life, who was born and raised in what was formerly called Czechoslovakia at the start of the Cold War. He includes illustrations he has done for the book as well as illustrations he did during that actual time period, which is really cool. He mixes his memories, including diary entries he wrote growing up, with facts, so a reader gets a good dose of history as well as an interesting and visual look into Peter's life.
The pages start out black and white because everything was so regulated and censored, except for pieces of red everywhere because of communism. Then, as Peter decribes the Western influences that seeped in (he wanted to be a part of the Beatles) we see a welcoming change in the pictures with color, until we get a glorious two full pages of color, reminiscent of a Beatle's album cover, circa Sgt. Pepper and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. There are some entertaining journal entires: "turns out she's a he!" referring to Elvis, and according to the goverment, "jeans are a sign of Western decadence."
And then, it is back to black and white when the Russians invade. (The current Czech president was too light on censorship in their opinion). We follow Peter, an aspiring artist, all the way to when he becomes a radio jockey and tours with the Beach Boys. Then the Wall falls in 1989 and as he says "sometimes dreams do come true."
Hattie Big Sky
The Newberry Honor book I chose to read was Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson. This book was of especial interest to me because my mother bought it for me last summer when she went to a book talk by various young adult writers and had it signed by the author. My mother has been writing a children’s book for the last couple of years, and she has known that I have always wanted to write books myself someday.
Hattie Big Sky is about an orphan girl who inherits some land in Montana during WWI and has to homestead it within a year. The book deals with her struggles as an orphan and a girl coming into womanhood, homesteading a claim on her own, and issues people around her face regarding the war.
The most impressive thing about the novel is how many little details about WWI and the homesteading trend in the west during the early 1900s are used. This time period seems to be left out a lot in historical fiction; I not only enjoyed the book but learned a lot! The part about storekeepers calling cabbage liberty cabbage reminded me of when we called French fries freedom fries. I had no idea Germans were persecuted like that during this time period. I had a German great-grandfather who preached at a Lutheran church in the West too, similar to that in the story. When I told my fiancé about the novel, he said that is why his grandfather’s family moved to Mexico when he was a small boy, because of German persecution in the States.
The author also uses colorful language-the descriptive and unique verbs make the story entertaining and give us insight into Hattie’s colorful and grown-up yet childlike personality, and the words are just about right as far as challenging levels go.
The novel is also believable-the author pains a realistic view of life on the prairie and some true tragedies happen-the ending isn’t depressing, but not everything works out just right. There is a touch of romance with Hattie and her seemingly nice neighbor who ends up causing a great deal of trouble, and her pen pal who is at war, but not enough to overshadow the rest of the novel.
Hattie faces some hard choices that teens struggle with today-liking someone who makes you feel good but doesn’t treat others right, being friends with people who others see as different, and standing up for the right thing, even when you may have a lot to lose. I think that Hattie Big Sky would be an excellent choice for most middle school and some high school girls, and maybe a few boys. It would be a great compliment to a WWI unit.
Vocab words:
• Kaiser-p.1
• Contemptible-p.9
• Muddle-p. 14
• Honyocker-p. 16
• Oration-p. 17
• Valise-p. 21
• Sod house-p. 39
• Coulee-p. 56
• Husbandry-p. 65
• Sedition-p. 77
• Camphor-p.79
• Cauterwauling-p.109
• Conscripted-p.117
• Burgeoning-p.140
• Homily-p.147
• Chintz-p. 181
• Shocks-p.237
Hattie Big Sky is about an orphan girl who inherits some land in Montana during WWI and has to homestead it within a year. The book deals with her struggles as an orphan and a girl coming into womanhood, homesteading a claim on her own, and issues people around her face regarding the war.
The most impressive thing about the novel is how many little details about WWI and the homesteading trend in the west during the early 1900s are used. This time period seems to be left out a lot in historical fiction; I not only enjoyed the book but learned a lot! The part about storekeepers calling cabbage liberty cabbage reminded me of when we called French fries freedom fries. I had no idea Germans were persecuted like that during this time period. I had a German great-grandfather who preached at a Lutheran church in the West too, similar to that in the story. When I told my fiancé about the novel, he said that is why his grandfather’s family moved to Mexico when he was a small boy, because of German persecution in the States.
The author also uses colorful language-the descriptive and unique verbs make the story entertaining and give us insight into Hattie’s colorful and grown-up yet childlike personality, and the words are just about right as far as challenging levels go.
The novel is also believable-the author pains a realistic view of life on the prairie and some true tragedies happen-the ending isn’t depressing, but not everything works out just right. There is a touch of romance with Hattie and her seemingly nice neighbor who ends up causing a great deal of trouble, and her pen pal who is at war, but not enough to overshadow the rest of the novel.
Hattie faces some hard choices that teens struggle with today-liking someone who makes you feel good but doesn’t treat others right, being friends with people who others see as different, and standing up for the right thing, even when you may have a lot to lose. I think that Hattie Big Sky would be an excellent choice for most middle school and some high school girls, and maybe a few boys. It would be a great compliment to a WWI unit.
Vocab words:
• Kaiser-p.1
• Contemptible-p.9
• Muddle-p. 14
• Honyocker-p. 16
• Oration-p. 17
• Valise-p. 21
• Sod house-p. 39
• Coulee-p. 56
• Husbandry-p. 65
• Sedition-p. 77
• Camphor-p.79
• Cauterwauling-p.109
• Conscripted-p.117
• Burgeoning-p.140
• Homily-p.147
• Chintz-p. 181
• Shocks-p.237
Romance, Humor, and Sports
"Literature doesn't always have to be so serious." I very much agree with this quote, because as someone who tends to overthink everything, literature is my break from real life.
I enjoyed the background on how romance grew as a genre, having read many of the books myself; in fact, Jane Austen and LM Montgomery have always been two of my favorite authors. I also read the Sweet Valley Twins/High books! I personally feel a lot of romance has gotten a bad name as of late, but I am especially fond of the new chick lit genre that blends humor and romance together-I think it is quite witty. I wish though, that romance didn't have to be the horrible Danielle Steele or Nora Roberts, carbon copies or "porn" for women, but rather was either smart like the genre I just mentioned, or stayed true to the Victorian or Early Modern Europe eras when they were more than just love stories. Even though I too believe many romances out there are now sort of polluting kid's minds, I think it is good that they are at last reading. My biggest issue with romance of any kind however, is that it sometimes needs to be realistic. There is a time and place for escaping or happy endings, but as I have heard many women say, "romance novels are like porn is for men"-if readers are not smart or educated about it, and use romance novels as there only basis for what true love is, they will be sorely disappointed. The guy doesn't always get the girl the first time, men aren't always knights in shining armor, exc.
I also enjoyed the humor section, loving that it is human to have the "ability to laugh while crying. I think a little humor is always good to have even in the toughest situations in life, so why not novels? As someone who wants to write someday, I feel that humor will be difficult to implement though, because it can be often offensive or hard to understand. I really appreciated the guide to developmental humor on p. 197-I think this will be invaluable when choosing appropriate book selections to students.
The sports section didn't really appeal to me as I have always found reading about sports even more boring than playing them, unless it was running (you know what kid I was :)), but the lists of books will be good for choosing novels for students; I have many students who like to read books about sports.
I enjoyed the background on how romance grew as a genre, having read many of the books myself; in fact, Jane Austen and LM Montgomery have always been two of my favorite authors. I also read the Sweet Valley Twins/High books! I personally feel a lot of romance has gotten a bad name as of late, but I am especially fond of the new chick lit genre that blends humor and romance together-I think it is quite witty. I wish though, that romance didn't have to be the horrible Danielle Steele or Nora Roberts, carbon copies or "porn" for women, but rather was either smart like the genre I just mentioned, or stayed true to the Victorian or Early Modern Europe eras when they were more than just love stories. Even though I too believe many romances out there are now sort of polluting kid's minds, I think it is good that they are at last reading. My biggest issue with romance of any kind however, is that it sometimes needs to be realistic. There is a time and place for escaping or happy endings, but as I have heard many women say, "romance novels are like porn is for men"-if readers are not smart or educated about it, and use romance novels as there only basis for what true love is, they will be sorely disappointed. The guy doesn't always get the girl the first time, men aren't always knights in shining armor, exc.
I also enjoyed the humor section, loving that it is human to have the "ability to laugh while crying. I think a little humor is always good to have even in the toughest situations in life, so why not novels? As someone who wants to write someday, I feel that humor will be difficult to implement though, because it can be often offensive or hard to understand. I really appreciated the guide to developmental humor on p. 197-I think this will be invaluable when choosing appropriate book selections to students.
The sports section didn't really appeal to me as I have always found reading about sports even more boring than playing them, unless it was running (you know what kid I was :)), but the lists of books will be good for choosing novels for students; I have many students who like to read books about sports.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)