Purposes of the Literature Program
- Find the purposes of the literature program.
- Determine which should be the major purpose of the literature program in the elementary school.
- Find some ways children can link literature to their own lives.
- Determine the place of knowledge about literature in the whole of the elementary school literature program.
- Find the authors' views on how children should learn about (a) various types and genres of literature, (b) the elements of literature, (c) the classics, and (d) authors and illustrators.
Different Plans for Literature Programs
- Find some reasons for the growth of literature-based reading programs in recent years.
- Learn some of the differences between a basal and a literature-based program.
Components of a Literature Program
- Identify the most important aspect of the classroom environment.
- Read about the makeup of the classroom book collection.
- Read suggestions for developing a classroom reading center.
Sharing Literature with Children
- Find the values of reading to children.
- Note the caution about reading books at too advanced a level.
- Find procedures and techniques for reading aloud to a class of children.
- Note techniques for storytelling, using feltboard stories, and giving a book talk.
Providing Time to Read and Discuss Books
- Find the basis on which the authors build their case for giving more school time to reading books of children's choices.
- Read about the meaning and some problems of sustained silent reading.
- Find ways children can talk informally about books.
- Learn guidelines for structured discussion of books.
Writing about Children's Books
- Learn ways in which children can keep track of their written responses to books.
- Note several ways in which books support children's writing.
Exploring Literature through Art and Media
- Identify several materials children could use while exploring collage.
- Learn media forms that can be successfully explored by children.
- Learn the values of children working on murals and constructing displays, dioramas, and graphic organizers.
Singing and Movement in the Classroom
- Find several uses for picture book editions of single songs.
- Learn values for matching music with literature, composing music for books, and moving to poetry.
Extending Literature through Drama
- Note the distinctions among these forms of drama: dramatic play, creative drama, Readers' Theater, and formal plays.
- Find the values of creative drama and puppetry.
- Learn about Readers' Theater.
Connecting Literature and Life
- Find the purposes for making collections and displays of book-related materials and for creating maps and timeliness
- Define jackdaws.
Connecting Books across the Curriculum
- Develop a definition of webbing as a strategy.
- Determine ways with which to plan in-depth studies of books
- Note ways that thematic units are different from traditional curriculum.
Evaluation and Assessment
- Identify the areas of children's reading that can be evaluated.
- Read about several techniques for keeping records.
- Determine the means by which teachers can evaluate children's literary understanding.
- Learn "Guidelines for Evaluating Growth of Children."
The School and the Community
- Determine ways an entire school can be involved with the literature program.
- Note some ideas for participation by a principal.
- Learn the services of a school library media center and what specialists are essential to the literature program.
- Identify the reasons why book selection is important.
- Identify the factors that should be included in library book selection policy.
- Learn the major reviewing journals.
- Be able to differentiate examples of actions that are censorship or professional selection.
- Read the Library Bill of Rights.
- Learn the suggested procedure to follow when books are challenged.
Working with Parents and the Community
- Read about the role of parents in the literature program.
- Find ways in which public libraries are serving teachers and the community.
