Literacy and the Community

Project Overview

Literacy is the priceless key that opens the door to a successful future for all young children. It is imperative that the teachers of tomorrow recognize the importance of literacy and find ways to motivate and stimulate their students’ interest in reading and writing. This exercise will provide future teachers with a meaningful opportunity to explore ways to encourage their young students to utilize their own community and experiences to develop and exercise literacy skills. Participants will learn about how two noted authors used their life experiences and community to create exciting and thought provoking illustrations of daily life. By looking at the life and work of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Faith Ringgold, participants will first research the source of inspiration for both female authors, read, evaluate and create activities based on one book written by each author, and then utilize their research and the data collected about their own lives and environment to create their own children’s book on the community that surrounds them.

 

  

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Student Learning ObjectivesFor this RWLO, the student will be able to:

Understand how authors engage readers in learning about the unique community features found in specific children's books. 

Understand how an author can inspire readers to appreciate and value the unique qualities of communities that represent different time periods and regions of the United States by reviewing children’s literature and uncovering authors’ goals and perspectives through research. 

Acquire an understanding of how to use children's books to cultivate readers' value of their own community and daily experiences. 

Create electronic and paperback children's books that reflect the unique qualities of their own communities using photographs, interviews and demographics. 

Communicate with one another by using a blog.

Use PowerPoint to present the results of their work.

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ProcedureTime: This is project that will span the semester period. Students will work in class using college computers for approximately 20 minutes per class session. Materials: Computers, Internet Access, PowerPoint, Folders, Notepads, Pens and Pencils

Prerequisites: Ample exposure to children’s literature, knowledge of the following terms: biographies, author, illustrator, community, literacy, and familiarity with activity plans and state standards will be offered throughout the semester.

Implementation: This RWLO can be used in the classroom to enhance a unit on children’s literature, female authors, socio-cultural, socio-economic, historical and or developmental perspective on the lives of children and their families, writing styles, or communities in the United States. This RWLO can be modified and used during one session or function as a semester long project. It can incorporate both independent and group work expectations.

Steps:Phase I: Biographies/Assessment

1. Have students choose a partner to work with to complete this project. It is recommended that students choose partners based on shared community experiences and close proximity of dwellings. An interesting challenge would be to pair students with someone outside their community, in order for students to increase their awareness of someone else’s community experiences. Once in groups, have students recall what they already know about Laura Ingalls Wilder and Faith Ringgold. Jot down the information they can recall.

2. Attend a library presentation on accessing and using resources and the library services. The presentation should be geared towards finding information about the two authors. Ask student groups to verbally identify the ways in which they plan to begin their research on the two authors. Provide at least one supervised visit to the library where students will gather resources and information. Students should maintain a group research folder to house their materials.

3. After you review their chosen resources, they can begin researching and developing biographies on Laura Ingalls Wilder and Faith Ringgold. Students will utilize the suggested websites to access facts and images to include in their writing.

4. Once students have written their draft biographies, have them share them with classmates via a blog. Encourage students to offer feedback on each

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groups’ work. Additions to their reports can be made, with appropriate citation, to enhance group biographies.Literacy and the Community Blog: http://literacyandthecommunity.blogspot.com/

5. Prior to the midterm point, remind students to prepare for their presentations. Student groups will share their final biographies with their classmates through the use of PowerPoint and other presentation formats. The presenters will offer their classmates an assessment tool to indicate their comprehension of the presented materials. Students will create a short quiz, word puzzle, math word problems, or logic puzzle and writing prompts to be shared with the class during the midterm presentation. Videotape the presentations for RWLO assessment.

Phase II: Familiarity with Authors’ books

6. Have student groups select one book by Laura Ingalls Wilder and one by Faith Ringgold to read, evaluate, and compare. They will use provided forms to evaluate the books and create an activity plan including props and a sample of the end product for each book. The focus is on the way each author depicts “community” in their literature.

7. Have students share their information via blog and during an in-class book discussion session. Videotape the discussion session for RWLO review.

Literacy and the Community Blog: http://literacyandthecommunity.blogspot.com/

Phase III: Creating a Community Children’s Book8. Have students begin working on their own children’s books. 9. In a folder, students must collect the following information.

a. Have them take photographs of their community. b. Then they must interview at least 4 community members, including

family and friends, who may become character inspirations. c. Have gather information about the community demographics.

10.Student group members will decide on the title, theme, illustration and age group. After creating a draft of their children’s book, students will post them on the Blog. Members must create questions that are aligned with Bloom’s Taxonomy levels of cognition. These questions must directly relate to the books they create and will be asked following their presentations.

Literacy and the Community Blog: http://literacyandthecommunity.blogspot.com/

11.Final books will be presented at the end of the class. Students will be encouraged to write the book in at least two languages. Visual aids are required when the students read their books, like a teacher, to their

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classmates. After each presentation, the listeners will be asked questions regarding how well the authors and illustrators represented “community” and what information they gathered about that community. Student created questions will also be asked. Videotape the presentations for RWLO assessment.

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Content Material

Student Directions:Phase I: Biographies/Assessment

1. Student participants will choose a partner to work with to complete this project. It is recommended that students choose partners based on shared community experiences and close proximity of dwellings. An interesting challenge would be for students to pair themselves with someone outside their community, in order for students to increase their awareness of someone else’s community experiences. Once in groups, participants will recall what they already know about Laura Ingalls Wilder and Faith Ringgold. This information will be posted for future reference. 2. Attend a library presentation on accessing and using resources and the library services. The presentation will be geared towards finding information about the two authors. Students will be asked to identify the ways in which they plan to begin their research on the two authors. One supervised visit to the library will be conducted so that students can gather resources and information. Students should maintain a group research folder to house their materials.

3. The instructor will review the students’ group research folders before students move forward with their research and biographies. Afterwards, participants will begin researching and developing biographies on Laura Ingalls Wilder and Faith Ringgold. Students will utilize the suggested websites to access facts and images to include in their writing.

Students will make one request from retired school teacher, June Silliman, by filling out the communication form found by following the provided link. http://www.hoover.archives.gov/LIW/dearlaura.html

Students will participate in redesigning one of Faith Ringgold’s stories, “How People Became Color Blind,” found by following the provided link. Students must use the “Send Message” feature to rewrite, comment on and question the author’s writing. http://www.faithringgold.com/ringgold/story.htm

4. Once students have written their draft biographies, the participants will share them with classmates via a blog. Students will be expected to provide feedback on each group’s work. Additions to their reports can be made, with appropriate citation, to enhance group biographies. Students will create a quiz, word puzzle, math word problems, or logic puzzle and writing prompts to be shared with the class during the midterm presentation.

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Literacy and the Community Blog: http://literacyandthecommunity.blogspot.com/

5. Student groups will share their biographies with their classmates through the use of PowerPoint and other presentation formats. These presentations will be videotaped.

Phase II: Familiarity with Authors’ books 5. Student groups will select one book by Laura Ingalls Wilder and one by Faith Ringgold to read, evaluate, and compare. Participants will use provided forms to evaluate the books and create an activity plan including props and a sample of the end product for each book. The focus is on the way each author depicts “community” in their literature.

A list of Faith Ringgold’s books can be found at: http://www.faithringgold.com/ringgold/books.htm

A list of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books can be found at: http://www.hoover.archives.gov/LIW/bibliography.html

6. Students share their information via a Blog and during an in-class book discussion session. The discussion session will be videotaped for RWLO assessment. Literacy and the Community Blog:

http://literacyandthecommunity.blogspot.com/

Students will send their comments to Faith Ringgold by filling out the Send a Message form found at the following link. http://www.faithringgold.com/ringgold/message.htm

Phase III: Creating a Community Children’s Book 7. Students begin working on their own children’s books.

In a folder, students must collect the following information. a. Have them take photographs of their community. b. Then they must interview at least 4 community members, including

family and friends, who may become character inspirations. c. Have gather information about the community demographics.

8. Student group members will decide on the title, theme, illustration and age group. After creating a draft of their children’s book, students will post them on the Blog. Members must create questions that are aligned with Bloom’s Taxonomy levels of cognition. These questions must directly relate to the books they create and will be asked following their presentations. Literacy and the Community Blog:

http://literacyandthecommunity.blogspot.com/

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The following is the link to the guide “Major Categories in the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.”http://faculty.washington.edu/krumme/guides/blooms1.html

Key words and questions relating to each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy can be found on page 14 of this RWLO. The Book Lesson Plan can be found on page 12 of this RWLO. 9. Final books will be presented at the end of the class. Students will be encouraged to write the book in at least two languages. Visual aids must be used when the students read their books, like a teacher, to their classmates. After each presentation, the listeners will be asked questions regarding how well the authors and illustrators represented “community” and what information they gathered about that community. Student created questions will also be asked. Videotape the presentations for RWLO assessment.

Referenced URLs:

http://www.hoover.archives.gov/LIW/pioneering/

http://www.writely.com/

http://www.epals.com/projects/book.club/

http://world.altavista.com

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/index.html

http://www.faithringgold.com

http://www.faithringgold.com/barbaraco/contents.html

http://www.nj.gov/njded/cccs/

http://www.nj.gov/njded/ece/expectations/

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AssessmentBiography Report

A rubric will be used to assess the report. It will include assessment on grammar and spelling, content/facts, use of images, meeting assignment criteria, citations, and packaging. Access to the rubric, number 1315443, found at Rubistar is:

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1315443&

Biography PresentationA rubric will be used to assess the report. It will include assessment on

grammar and spelling, content/facts, use of graphics and links, meeting assignment criteria, citations, and presentation skills; eye contact, voice, articulation and volume. Access to the rubric, number 1306171, found at Rubistar is:

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?&screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1306171&

Activity PlansStudents will be assessed on the completion of the plans, the provision of

sample products, and the use of NAEYC and state literacy standards. (Page 13)

Book Evaluation and Reading Students will complete a book evaluation form and assess their own and

one another’s reading techniques by filling out a reading assessment form.

Children’s BookA rubric will be used to assess the completed product, questions and

presentation.

Access to the rubric, number 1306178, found at Rubistar is:

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?&screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1306178&

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Links to Course CompetenciesThis RWLO could be applied in the following courses: Course:  ECE 215-Emerging Literacy. Specifically, this RWLO meets the following course competencies:

Promoting Child Development and Learning Create a supportive and respectful environment that promotes the development of

social language.

Building Family and Community Relationships Identify and describe the role the teacher, family and community have in language

development and learning and linguistic mastery and how the teacher can involve families and communities in the learning process.

Demonstrate knowledge about and understanding of family and community characteristics, ways to support and empower families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships, and strategies to involve families and communities in their children’s development and learning.

Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families Observe groups of children and using a variety of techniques, or methods, for

organizing, recording and analyzing data collected.

Teaching and Learning Use own knowledge of effective approaches, strategies and educational resources and

ethical and academic standards outlined by NAEYC and the New Jersey Department of Education to design, implement and evaluate meaningful, challenging literacy curriculum, lesson plans, and materials to promote positive learning outcomes.

Adopt unbiased, culturally sensitive strategies for helping linguistically different children master literacy skills.

Demonstrate techniques that are developmentally appropriate for teaching receptive and expressive language, reading, handwriting, spelling and composition.

Becoming Professional Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of ethical standards and professional

guidelines associated with working with young children.

Utilize the internet and other resources to enhance knowledge and stay current with research, literature and the work of local and national organizations that focuses on literacy issues.

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Supplementary Resources

Potential Field Trips for the 2006-2007 Academic Year

Faith RinggoldOct 12, 2006Panel Discussion at Rutgers

Saturday, Oct 28, 2006NYCATA/UFT ARTWORKS06 All Day Art Education Conferenceat Fiorello La Guardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts65th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, NYC.Artist-of-the-Year Award Recepient and Keynote  10:30am212 598-7772

LegaciesNew-York Historical Society 2 West 77th Streetat Central Park WestNew York, NY 10024 (212) 873-3400Legacies: Contemporary Artists Reflect on Slaveryopening June 16, 2006 - Jan7, 2007curator: Lowery Sims

Laura Ingalls Wilder Local Library Discussion with a librarian Listen to the librarian read a book by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Library and Web Resources

Laura Ingalls Wilder Books and Website Resources:Books:

Anderson, William. “Laura Ingalls Wilder-A Biography”

Anderson, William. “Laura’s Album”

Anderson, William. “Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Iowa Story”

Anderson, William. “The Story of the Ingalls”

Anderson, William. “The Story of the Wilder’s”

Bennett, Phillip. “Laura’s Pathway Home” (Also on DVD)

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Miller, John E. “Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder – The Woman Behind the Legend”

Rosen Publishing Group. “Laura Ingalls Wilder”

Walker, Barbara. “Little House Cookbook

Web Resources:Encyclopedia Britannica Article: “Laura Ingalls Wilder”

http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9382702Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum

http://www.hoover.archives.gov/LIW/pioneering/National Geographic

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/index.htmlLaura Ingalls Wilder

http://www. lauraingallswilder .com/ Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum

whttp://ww. lauraingallswilder home.com/ Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society

whttp://ww.liwms.com/Wikipedia Article: “Laura Ingalls Wilder”

http://wikipedia.org/wiki/ Laura _ Ingalls _ Wilder

Faith Ringgold Books and Website Resources:Books:We Flew Over the Bridge: The Memoirs of Faith Ringgold(Boston: Little, Brown, 1995)Talking to Faith Ringgold by Faith Ringgold, Linda Freeman & Nancy Roucher (Crown Publishers, Inc., New York)

Web Resources:Artcyclopedia

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/ringgold_faith.html

Encyclopedia Britannica http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9002959/Faith-Ringgold

PBSArts & Culture:Art Focus:Social Activismhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/aaworld/arts/ringgold.htmlA Century of Quilts: Faith Ringgold

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http://www.pbs.org/americaquilts/century/stories/faith_ringgold.html

Randomhousehttp://www.randomhouse.com/kids/catalog/author.pperl?authorid=25610

Wikipediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_Ringgold

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Recommendations

Recommendations for Integration: This extensive RWLO could be integrated into a variety of course topics. Any English, Writing or Women’s Studies course could incorporate the RWLO into existing learning experiences.

Back-up:

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Book Lesson PlanName Date

Title Author

Illustrator Number of Pages

Type of Book Props

Group Age Group Size

Setting for Reading Experience Goals for Reading

Questions I

II

III

IV

V

VI

Activities

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Activity Plan

Date Age of Children Domain Activity Name

Intermediate Objective

Immediate Objective

Content

Materials

Opening

Body

Closing

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Evaluation

Bloom's Taxonomy

(Based on Quick Flip Questions for Critical Thinking, Linda G. Barton, M.S. Ed., Edupress) Bloom's Taxonomy divides the way people learn into three domains. One of these is the cognitive domain which emphasizes intellectual outcomes. This domain further divides into categories which are arranged progressively from the lowest level of thinking, simple recall, to the highest, evaluating information.

Level I Knowledge Exhibits memory of previously-learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts and answers. Key Words: who, what, spell, list, why, when, match, name, omit, relate, where, tell, which, recall, choose, find, select, show, how, label, define

Questions: What is ...? Where is...? How would you show...? Can you list the three...? Can you recall...? When did happen?

Level II Comprehension Demonstrate understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas. Key Words: compare, illustrate, summarize, contrast, infer, show, demonstrate, outline, classify, interpret, relate, explain, rephrase, extend, translate.

Questions:How would you classify the type of..? Can you explain what is happening...? What facts or ideas show...? How would you summarize...?

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Level III Application Solve problems to new situations by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way. Key Words: apply, make, use of model, build, organize, identify, choose, plan, construct, select, develop, solve, interview, utilize

Questions: How would you use...? What other way would you plan to .. ? What questions would you ask in an interview with..:?

Level IV Analysis Examine and break information into parts by identifying motives or causes. Make inferences and find evidence to support generalizations. Key Words: analyze, dissect, take apart relationships, categorize, divide, test for function, classify, examine, distinguish, motive, compare, inspect, list, inference, contrast, simplify, distinction, assumption, discover, survey, theme, conclusion. Questions: What are the parts or features of...? Why do you think...? How would you categorize...? How is related to ...? Can you list the parts...?

Level V Synthesis Compile information together in a different way by combining elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions. Key words: build, choose, combine, compile, compose, construct, imagine, invent, plan, predict, propose, solve, delete, test, improve, happen, change, create, design, develop, estimate, formulate, solution, change, original, improve, adapt.

Questions: What would happen if..? How would you improve...? Can you invent...? How would you test...? What way would you design...? What could be combined to improve...?

Level VI Evaluation Present and defend opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria.

Key Words: award, choose, conclude, criticize, decide, defend, determine, mark, rate, compare, rule on, agree, select, recommend, dispute, evaluate, judge, opinion, interpret, prove, justify, measure, explain, support.

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Questions: Do you agree with the actions...? Why was it better that...? , What is your opinion of . . . ? What would you select...? What would you recommend...? How would you evaluate...?

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