To go along with the weekly lessons on Shel Silverstein's books done in class, please review the following videos and website links:
Shel Silverstein's Website Page
Shel Silverstein's Lesson Enrichment Links
To go along with the weekly lessons on Shel Silverstein's books done in class, please review the following videos and website links:
Shel Silverstein's Website Page
Non Fiction Literature- Phineas Gage A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science
I chose to do my non fiction review on Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman. I found the book title intriguing. While perusing the pages of the book I realized just how far pictures can go in bringing a story to life. This book is geared toward children ages 9-11 and serves multiple purposes. Along with historical images, it also provides a glossary, index and resource list to aid students. Books of this nature sometimes prove difficult to comprehend for students who are not familiar with scientific vocabulary. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science provides extensive clarification.
So who was Phineas Gage? Mr. Gage was a railroad construction foreman in Vermont in the 1840's. While on site blasting rock, Mr. Gage was impaled with a thirteen pound iron rod through the brain. Miraculously, Gage survived this horrible accident which led to a neuro-science case study. This book tells the story of Mr. Gage's journey while also educating students on facets of how the brain works.
The book covers the events leading up to Gage's injury. It provides sketches and images of the impalement. There is also extensive information about bacterias and infections doctor's are forced to contend with regarding an injury of this magnitude. The second chapter walks through the doctor's discoveries in the operating room. The book shows pictures of who was in the room during the evaluations and subsequent operations. The book delves into the anatomy and functions of the brain, complete with diagrams that are helpfully connected to the glossary. In later chapters, Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science discusses how doctors were able to put Phineas Gage back together. It covers how this single event changed the face of science and the understanding of the brain. From tragedy came truly wonderful discoveries for mankind. Phineas Gage will not only be known throughout history as the man that survived a iron rod through his skull, but as a man who's story gave science an unbelievable boost.
What is a thoughtful Journal Entry?
A thoughtful journal entry can have many aspects within it. Sometimes a journal entry can be as simple as writing down your thoughts and how you feel about something in particular. It can be connecting what you learned to your own life experiences. It can be memories triggered. It can allow open ended questioning. Journal entries can be brain storming your ideas for a project of some sort. Journal entries are a great therapeutic element as well and something that students may not race to but when finished they may find themselves soothed and relaxed. Journal entries are simply gathering your thoughts questions, answers and anything in between and even more. The sky is the limit.
1 comment:
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Melissa HollandJune 21, 2014 at 4:40 PMWOW! That is some book! I'm amazed that someone was able to live after having something go through their face and brain, as shown in the pictures that you posted. I can see this being a book that boys would really enjoy reading and learning about. I think it would depend on the age and maturity level of the girls for whether or not they would enjoy a book like this. Needless to say this book could definitely be used in a science lesson to teach students about the different parts of the brain. Great post, Melissa.ReplyDelete
Poetry
After viewing the video
I thought that Jonathan Holden did an awesome job at incorporating higher order thinking questions into poetry. Personally, poetry was not something that I remember reading much of in elementary school which made it harder for me to understand later on in life. I love that he embraced different opinions of students and how they interpreted poems. I think we often forget that poems are a form of art and it can be up to the reader/observer to decide how it makes them feel and what it makes them think about. I also think that he has done a great job showing students that their voice matters and that their opinions and views matter. He has given his class the freedom to explore poetry in a way that is fun while building the appropriate foundation needed to be successful when dissecting literature.
I think poetry can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom. It can be used for rhyming techniques, choral readings, comprehension, interpretation, influencing skills, sequencing of events and much more. I think poetry can be intimidating for students who are not used to reading it because the dialogue is so different and unrecognizable at times. The more students hear and read poetry themselves, the more comfortable they will become. There are so many books that they can be introduced to weekly.
Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
Brown Bear Brown Bear is a very popular children's book written by Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle. I chose to read this book because of its popularity with young students. I believe we should jump into the shoes of our students more often in order to understand what books they like and why. The pictures in this book are very friendly with vibrant colors. The background and outline of the book is white causing the vibrant colors stick out as much as possible. I can see why the book is visually appealing to kids and a popular one for them to go after. The book is great for kids who are learning their colors, and learning identification skills. What I love most about the book is the catchy tune you find yourself in when reading through it. The words are simple, but create a rhythm that is easy to sing to. I actually had my little sister read this book to me and I loved how she used an excited pitch and tone throughout the book. It showed me that it was enjoyable for her to read. This book would also be great for teaching letter sounds and phonics to students. Toward the final pages of the story you come across a page showing students of all nationalities and skin tones. This provides them with an important message that we all are able to see and experience the same things no matter what culture we come from. We all can appreciate the beautiful things we see in life such as colors and animals. We can also learn to appreciate the differences we find in each other.
Little Red Riding Hood- Comparing Two Perspectives
There are many popular folk tales that are read or told to children at a very young age. These Folk Tales that we know and love are not necessarily THE story. Throughout the world these simple stories have been told in a variety of different ways. Yes themes and characters may be different but there are many differences that could be found between not only different contestants but countries as well.
For example I am going to take Little Red Riding Hood and compare the folk tale between the French culture and the German culture.
We find many similarities between these two right from the start. We have our main character known as Red. She wears a little red cap with a hood and we find her walking alone through the woods. We also have the wolf who is the villain in the tale. Although both versions of the story succeeds in getting the main point across (which in my opinion would be to warn kids about the dangers of strangers and going off alone), each one is unique in the details told about main events. In fact some details can get a bit gruesome.
Now that we have established some similarities lets move along to pointing out these differences. One of the main differences I found in these two stories is the use of another character who is the hunter. The hunter is featured in the German version and not in the French version. In fact, he plays a major role in the actual ending result of the story. You see the French went the rough route and ends the story with 1- grandma getting swallowed in whole by the wolf and 2- Red too getting swallowed by the wolf. Once these two events happen the tale almost drops off a cliff and ends. I can tell you this was not the version I was told growing up! On the other hand, we have the German version which may be a bit more relieving to some. This key character that is not found in the French version is almost like the prince coming to rescue his princess from the wicked witch. The wolf first of all did not eat grandma whole but rather tied her up and locked her in a closet. The wolf also did not succeed in eating Red because the hunter barges in slices open the wolf as he is sleeping. Now here is where it gets gruesome and leaves you wondering why this story is ever told to children. The wolf does not die from the stabbing but rather from grandma and Red filling his body with stones. As the wolf awakens and tries to get up he collapses and dies.
So there you have it! Two versions of the same story by two different cultures. I can only imagine what other cultures have to say about the fate of the Red, grandma and the wolf!
For example I am going to take Little Red Riding Hood and compare the folk tale between the French culture and the German culture.
We find many similarities between these two right from the start. We have our main character known as Red. She wears a little red cap with a hood and we find her walking alone through the woods. We also have the wolf who is the villain in the tale. Although both versions of the story succeeds in getting the main point across (which in my opinion would be to warn kids about the dangers of strangers and going off alone), each one is unique in the details told about main events. In fact some details can get a bit gruesome.
Now that we have established some similarities lets move along to pointing out these differences. One of the main differences I found in these two stories is the use of another character who is the hunter. The hunter is featured in the German version and not in the French version. In fact, he plays a major role in the actual ending result of the story. You see the French went the rough route and ends the story with 1- grandma getting swallowed in whole by the wolf and 2- Red too getting swallowed by the wolf. Once these two events happen the tale almost drops off a cliff and ends. I can tell you this was not the version I was told growing up! On the other hand, we have the German version which may be a bit more relieving to some. This key character that is not found in the French version is almost like the prince coming to rescue his princess from the wicked witch. The wolf first of all did not eat grandma whole but rather tied her up and locked her in a closet. The wolf also did not succeed in eating Red because the hunter barges in slices open the wolf as he is sleeping. Now here is where it gets gruesome and leaves you wondering why this story is ever told to children. The wolf does not die from the stabbing but rather from grandma and Red filling his body with stones. As the wolf awakens and tries to get up he collapses and dies.
So there you have it! Two versions of the same story by two different cultures. I can only imagine what other cultures have to say about the fate of the Red, grandma and the wolf!
My Purpose For This Blog
My name is Melissa Huff. I am currently a teacher candidate for Elementary Education. Through the teaching program I have been enlightened to all of the roles a teacher has. Not only are we educators but we are life coaches to these little ones. My hope is that I can equip my students to develop confidence in themselves and a passion for curriculum. I want to see students break away from the mentality that school is hard or that they will never be able to understand certain subjects. I also want students to develop a desire for reading that they can appreciate as they get older.
This blog will be used for my Children's Literature course at Florida Gulf Coast University. Here I will be reflecting on readings done in class. I will be responding to children's literature I have read throughout the semester. My responses will be based on personal reactions and feelings about the literature, characters, and authors.
This blog will be used for my Children's Literature course at Florida Gulf Coast University. Here I will be reflecting on readings done in class. I will be responding to children's literature I have read throughout the semester. My responses will be based on personal reactions and feelings about the literature, characters, and authors.
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