Posted: December 1st, 2015

Literary Analysis – The graduate analyzes the uses of literary elements and conventions in children’s literature.

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Competency 152.1.2.: Literary Analysis – The graduate analyzes the uses of literary elements and conventions in children’s literature.
Competency 152.1.4: Genres and Themes of Children’s Literature – The graduate differentiates among various characteristics of genres and traditions within children’s literature.
Competency 152.1.5: Visual Analysis – The graduate analyzes the relationships between visual illustration, narrative, text, and the reader in children’s literature.

Introduction:

As a classroom teacher, you will be integrating quality children’s literature into academic instruction. In order to do this effectively, you will have to analyze quality children’s literature and determine how to connect it to academic content. Children’s literature can anchor a lesson in the classroom and enhance students’ interests, understandings, and comprehension of a lesson topic.

Note: Do not use the following types of children’s literature for this task: books written by celebrities; books based on comics, cartoons, toys, athletes, or celebrities; books with religious instruction; or activity-type books. Do not use multiple books written by the same author, even for different genres. Use only one book for each representative genre. Careful book selection is critical for meeting all of the task requirements.

Requirements:

A. Identify three high-quality children’s books with a common theme.

Note: You should identify a total of three books from three different genres (e.g., folklore, fantasy, science fiction, contemporary realistic fiction, historical fiction, biography/memoir, nonfiction) appropriate for the age and grade ranges within the elementary classroom.

1. Identify the common theme that connects the three books identified in part A.

2. Identify the genre of each of the three children’s books identified in part A.

3. Explain two common literary conventions found within each of your identified genres from part A2.

4. Identify one literary element in each book (e.g., plot, setting, characterization, point of view, mood, style) that relates to the dominant theme.

Note: The literary elements can be the same for all three books, or each book can have a different literary element.

a. Explain how the literary elements identified in part A4 help to convey the dominant theme within the selected books (suggested length of 1 paragraph for each of the selected books).

i. Provide one specific example from each of the three selected books that illustrates how the dominant theme is revealed.

B. Create an original lesson plan that applies your understanding of literary and thematic analysis at the elementary education level, using the three books identified in part A, ensuring that the lesson plan includes each of the following:

• identification of general information (e.g., lesson title and subject, topic, grade level, instructional setting)

• identification of state core curriculum/student achievement standards

• identification of lesson objectives (should be measurable: condition, behavior, and criterion)

• identification of materials/resources for students and teacher

• description of prerequisite skills or connections to previous learning (i.e., What previously learned skills are necessary for students to be able to participate in and benefit from the planned lesson?)

• explanation of presentation procedures for new information, guided practice, independent practice, and culmination

• description of technology use for teacher and/or student

• explanation of assessment

Note: You may use the attached lesson plan template or any other lesson plan template of your choosing. In addition to the template, your task may require you to incorporate additional elements. Be sure to review all materials carefully.

1. Explain the modifications to your lesson plan that are necessary to address the needs of English language learners (ELL).

a. Provide course source material or other academic research to support your explanation from part B1.

2. Explain the modifications to your lesson plan that are necessary to address students with special needs, identifying the exceptionality.

a. Provide course source material or other academic research to support your explanation from part B2.

3. Discuss a scaffolding technique that could be included in the lesson plan to better meet diverse learner needs.

a. Justify the scaffolding technique discussed in part B3.

C. Analyze how images from one illustrated book or picture book contribute to and support each of the following aspects of the story, using one image and one textual example for each (suggested length of 1 paragraph for each aspect):

Note: For part C, you may select a book used in part B, or you may select another high-quality illustrated book/picture book.

Note: The cover art is not an appropriate illustration. You will need a different illustration for parts C1–C3, as a single illustration rarely serves for all three aspects.

1. development of plot

2. development of setting

3. development of characterization

D. Include a copy of each illustration within your analysis for part C.

E. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: Be sure to cite any images or illustrations you used in your task. Provide a full, APA-formatted reference citation for each book. Citations for illustrated books should include the name of the illustrator with the full reference according to APA Style guidelines.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.