TE 930 A/B Language Arts & Reading Methods

Jill Kerper Mora
San Diego State University

 

Literature Response Group Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is for teacher candidates to engage with various genre of literature for elementary school children and plan appropriate instructional activities to help students increase their learning and their enjoyment from literature. The instructor will provide multiple copies of selected books to take home and read to complete this assignment. Teacher candidates will work in groups of five or six on a single title of multicultural children's fiction.

1. You will write a written response to the book using the aesthetic-response guide in advance of group activities in class.

2. You will select a favorite scene or passage from the book to read orally to the group in class.

3. Teacher candidates will participate in activities to respond to elements of a piece of literature based on values and interests. Examples are character interviews, a values continuum, Awareness Wheel, etc.

4. You will write a second reflection based on your response to the reader response activities and a deepening knowledge and appreciation of the children's book you selected. This reflection will include response to the multicultural elements of the book.

4. As a group, you will design a unit to teach children's about the book you selected. The lesson will have the following components:

A visual display of aspect of the book done by each member of the group and put together as a book collage or mural. This display if for the presentation to the class of your book unit.

A five-step lesson plan for each member of the group describing in detail an activity that would be included in a unit on the book. These lessons should include activities designed to elicit both aesthetic and efferent responses from students. The lesson plan will also include a description or prototype of your piece of the group visual display.

5. Individually, you will complete a third reflection on the book and what you have learned from preparing your lesson and the group collaboration in preparing the book unit. This should focus on your evolution and deepening appreciation of the book and reflections on how you as a teacher will convene this to students.

6. As a group, you will turn in the three reflections and your lesson plan together in a light weight three ring binder on the date specified in the syllabus.