Story Telling Visit?

Dr. Chuck Stead is with us today to show the art of story telling.  He discussed indigenous cultures telling stories during winter for animals to keep them from over hearing. Hides are created with icons of stories that the story teller knows with connected paths. Now the story teller will remain for an hour and then when the story is retold by the listener it alters as needed.
He acted out his details and emphasized key details he wanted us to remember. He presented examples of his notes and work preparing him for future stories. Chuck discussed and shows his discovery of Ford damaging the environment. (Ford is an icon on his hide.)
 Now we are entering the salamander icon from his hide. This comes from the Navajo believe that salamanders bring bad fortune to the environment and to the individual. Chuck mentions furnaces that were created and destroyed the atmosphere and ones career when realized.
The turtle comes from a folklore about turtle island.
The ford icon or totem represents how he effected the community both beneficially and negatively. He broke you down to one job where you depended on him and he never depended on anyone else. Chemicals represent the lead in paint on cars during the 1940's. Lead during that time was considered as harmless as milk and acetone was also no different. Ninety percent of used paint were sent as waste.Paint slugs going into water demonstrated the exposure to water and natural resources that were hurt by such neglect. Video demonstrates the media's portrayal which is misunderstood and inaccurate of insidious people. Does not discuss the real issues of the environment and not nonexistent issues in the community. Wounded deer represents the health issues and the professionals refuse to make you a priority. People rarely live past 60's.Deer head is the living stories that continue to try to remain strong. Written text, pictures, strong pride for rediscovery. Small house was supposed to burned. He had picture taken and thought his screw gun was a pistol so too scared to enter. Kids gained grant to rebuild the house instead. Students helped this research center obtain DEC support and Ford recognition to clean the area from their damaging affects.Sweat grass 42000 tons of slug removed from the area with Fords help and successfully created a harvest garden. There are also trees with 5 years gauze tee life span.

Eric Irwin

Eric Litwin is a great author for children's books and gears his books toward education. He obtained two masters degrees and thus unafraid of handwork and practices patience. As a former school teacher he understands the expectations of educators and students thus creating books geared toward curriculum. Eric also has a fondness of music, noticeable since he released two children albums within two years of each other, which is why his stories are so lyrical. This makes the books easy for children to understand, read, and remember. Eric shares his skills through twelve children albums real eased in total and four children's books published. By combining all his passions his books demonstrate great detail and desire to share life lessons.

Historical Fiction

Historical fiction is based on past world events, people, and cultures through imaginative narratives grounded in facts. This genre utilizes fact to re-create a time and place within the world's past. Authors who create well written historical fictions weave history and fictional attributes together to formulate a masterpiece. The story line remains realistic through the people portrayed and events that occurred prior to recent times. Some people are real, while others are more on the imaginative side and yet still capturing the readers desire to read.

This genre contain various aspects in order to gain readers attention and desire to read. These aspects include historical accuracy, setting, characterization, plot and theme, and style. The basis of a historical fiction is the past, therefore it should be consistent with historical evidence. Although the story has an imaginative narrative, the background must be based on facts. To help ensure the accuracy the story's setting must be authentic and consistent with past events and geographical features. Then the characters can be more believable when they behave in the manner that is associated with the times. By making exciting, plausible plots and themes that propel the narrative's lines, the author make the characters further relatable. Along with the setting, characters, and events the style of language should keep with the time period and area. Although it can be difficult to understand sometimes, it still promotes curiosity and encouragement to learn and entertain. Combined together the attributes create a wonderful piece or writing that enhances students' love of literature.

Nonfiction Literature

Nonfictional books are based on facts and concepts on any topic. This genre includes information, exploratory, some biographies, and some memoirs. These books usually entice the desire to know and discover facts that could be utilized during the reader's life. Although they have an emphasis on these topics and believed to be less entertaining than fictional books, some are meant for entertainment along with providing information.

For meaningful nonfictional accuracy, organization, design, and style must be done well. Accuracy comprises current facts with a balance of theory. When the information is applicable various points of view are present to demonstrate the authentic details. Stereotyping is avoided as it is not factual but opinionated. Organization refers to the logical development of the the accurate content. Therefore the information would be presented in a clear sequential pattern that structures the text. To contribute to the organization in order to grab readers is the design. The design should be attractive with illustrations to enhance to text. Then style pertains to how the facts are presented to create interest and stimulation. Through the use of terminology and selective language readers become curious and wonder about the world around them. Thus readers can gain education independently and occasionally through entertainment making the readers want more.

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Contemporary Realistic fiction has a strong sense of life presented with social and personal concerns. This genre discusses experiences from the recent past in the real world. Many readers draw on the characters' and events' obstacles to gather courage. Eventually contemporary realistic fiction becomes historical fiction as time continues on the stories change with it. Each story is unique in its own way of connecting to readers of various ages.


This genre has several important components such as setting, characterization, plot, theme, and style. The setting is based on a place and time that are plausible during the current era. Then the characters reflect true humanity through power and failings. Within the plot characters overcome obstacles that are probable and matter to the reader. Then the themes reflect important issues of society throughout all ages. Finally styling supports the characters' and plot's development throughout the pages of a story. Together these pieces frame a wonderful, memorable story for various readers.

Folklore

Folklore is the oldest of literatures by including nursery rhymes, folktales, myths, epics, legends, fables, songs, and ballads. They are usually passed down for hundreds of years by storytellers to entertain and enlighten generations of all ages. Although they may have been revised over the years most remain true to their original tales and inner lessons.

These stories have patterns throughout them in the conventions, motifs, and themes. Conventions are cornerstones of folktales such as story frames. Most children recognize the pattern of setting, characters, plot, and resolution. Some stories even have a repetition of numbers, letters, or words. Motifs have more intentions associated with them as they pertain to a phrase, word, event, action, character, object, or ideas.  The themes express the values and life philosophies of the authors who created them. All together these aspects create memorable folklore that all generations can enjoy.

Poetry

There is no true definition for poetry as it is meant to express feelings above all else. Expressing feeling is more of an action than a format therefore this genre is unique. Though poems and verses typically have less words than books, their meanings and themes are just as significant.

Poems use content, language, and structure to enhance meaning for young readers to understand. Good authors know to write poems with varied interests and experiences. to improve on that content authors use language to capture reader's attention by describing objects, events, feelings, or ideas through imaginative words. To complete the poem the structure must show more about the meaning than the other aspects. Structure manipulates the language in away that best demonstrates the experience and interest of the poem.

Tuck Everlasting

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is a great american story of a girl who dreams of leaving the normal. She takes a risk a enters her family forest leaving the safety of the fenced yard. Suddenly Winnie comes across an old tree with a stream next to it and a boy drinking from it. The boy is skeptical about Winnie as she has come across something special upon that tree. She meets the boy's family and learns of their ways and secret. However,  they are all in terrible danger as a stranger searches for both the family of Tucks and Winnie to uncover the secret within the wood.

This great fantasy novel has gained awards due to its theme, setting, characterization, style, and more.    There are various themes as living forever, dying, living life to the fullest, good vs. evil and more.  Each character plays a key role in the plot with the man in the yellow suite as the villain, Winnie Foster as the heroine, and the Tucks as devil advocates in their own ways. The motif of the novel was the chances for change through the turmoils while keeping ones commitments. All this and other attributes allowed this book to be award winning and desirable for education curriculums.

Kevin Henkes

One student acted as Kevin Henkes for the Author talk. He is a great children's picture book author who was given many awards.  Before all this though he was a normal young man.

During his senior year of high school he was introduced to a book that described picture books and how they are formed. This intrigued him to learn about publishing. Throughout his college years he studied education and where children's literature was headed in correspondence to instruction. It did not take long after his studies to begin writing and publish a book. To remain using his studies, all his books are written toward helping teachers educate the young minds.

It is no surprise that he is a famous author in the education world.

I am Jen Brett

A task we had to complete was to research an author or illustrator that publish children's books. I choose to research both through Jan Brett. I have loved her books for years, since I was young. It is only fitting that I learn about one I admire and discover how she does such great work.
Jan Brett has wanted to be an illustrator since kindergarten as she drew everyday of her life. Later on in life she went to college and got a job in a publishing company. Not too soon after Jan illustrated her first book making her name known to many. Suddenly one day she decided to write a book it started her career. Jan even illustrated her own books with her signature art, foreshadowing borders.
Learning and pretending to be Jan Brett was a great honor.

Fantastical Presentation

My classmates and I had the privilege of teaching our fellow classmates about fantasy literature. Although the PowerPoint was prepared we still had manny tasks to complete a day before the actual lesson. Some of us discussed the activities that we could create to make the lesson more engaging. Our group decided to have the class make a KWL chart to help guide our lesson. We also created a game that could be expanded in various ways according to lessons a teacher may instruct.

During the presentation, our PowerPoint lasted longer than we anticipated and took over our instruction. However the class found the activity of the game and celebration afterward rewarding. They learned of the difference between science fiction and fantasy. By reading a summary, they now have foundation for determining the genre and interest value of each book before adding it to their library.

If you wish to see the PowerPoint to learn some things about Fantasy, take a look.

Love That Dog

We read and discussed Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, which is a novel and supposedly one large poem. I did not see this as I saw many poems, some understandable, and others not quite. It is written in the format of a teacher taking a student's writing and helping him understand that poetry is not hard nor scary. It in turned help me see that as well.
Each section is like a scene in a play or story with it's own set of 'rules' followed by the writer. Words are not always rhyming, patterns with words can sometimes be seen, and other times there is both recognizable. This book taught me that poetry can be whatever the author wants as long as it conveys an emotion.

K.L. Going's Talk

We had a great novelist come and talk to us today about her writings. She writes novels and children's picture books for the masses. K.L. Going always wanted to be a writer since she was young. During her childhood, after reading a novel, she would think of ways to change the story or make it more appealing to herself. This remarkable woman even wrote her own personal novel one high school summer just to see if she could write a novel. The book has never been edited by another, so therefore is unpublished. She continued to show her love for stories as she worked for publishing company that one day encouraged her to have one of her own books read and published for the public.

K.L. Going's novels were all created by "what if.." ideas that lead to great plots. The Liberation of Gabriel King has been used in classrooms all over the world. This great story is about two children who overcome their fears during the summer together. Another published book was Fat Kid Rules the World which obtained much publicity over it wording and content. Although there was controversy over the story of a large boy becoming part of a band, Going invested in making it into a movie. Saint Iggy takes the point of view of a young man with learning disabilities trying to figure out life. He typically does the wrong things for right reasons and the right things for wrong reasons. In the end one questions their own actions in his/her life. Garden of Eve tells of a girl who is trying to enjoy life after loosing her beloved mother. Then there is King of the Screwups, where a young beautiful man tries to become a geek to better himself. Finally she wrote the children's book Dog in Charge, as a change of pace, about a pet dog who is left to babysit various pet cats in his household. This last book personally brought her joy as her children could read it currently.
Each book took approximately 1 year to publish. There are various people who work together on each story. K.L. Going is a great author who changes the thoughts of reader's whom follow her.

Lisa Cline-Ransome's Talk

Today we met and listened to a famous author, Lisa Cline-Ransome. She is a lovely lady and was kind to take the time to speak with us. Lisa wrote the biography picture book "Words Set Me Free" which is loved and inspiring to many. She did not want to write books, but instead a investigative journalist.  However, Lisa found love in writing children's books as her husband illustrates them. Although her family may not

In her life she continues reading for information and inspiration. Lisa has a blog for fun to keep herself writing with freedom. When she decides to write any story, Lisa does research and collect notes. She drafts several times before this author is pleased with her work. After all the writing, typing of a manuscript comes into play to send to an editor. Breaking of paragraph for pages are done here as well. IT is not until 2 to 3 years after delivering the final draft to the editor does the illustrator, her husband receive the piece to draw. At first he take pictures of scenes by using family member to inspire his art.

Prior to her speech and our conversations, the class had the assignment to read the book "Words Set Me Free," which was an inspiring biographical picture book about Fredrick Douglas. This great story depicts about how Fredrick Douglas learned to read and write. It was a struggle as he was forced to learn independently and find discrete methods of utilizing lessons to progress through education. Fredrick eventually used those learned words to set his mind and body free from the burdens of his past. Lisa stated that this was her easiest and enjoyable book she has created. This can be read by the words presented within the story as in many of her books shared with all.

Recognizing "Problematic Books"

Today during class we had Dr. Gangi visit our class and present various "problematic books" that are presented to children even still today. She discussed racism, bias, offensive genre, and more discriminating stories. We found most books were racist toward dark colored people and countries outside of Europe. Plots using  negative emotions, cannibalism, undesired portrays, and more toward lower economic countries. Also, many of the stories were sexist again women by depicting them as house workers and lacking knowledge. Although many of us know this is not the case few may believe it to be true due to our backgrounds and thus children have the potential of following that pattern.

Us as teachers must demonstrate various ways of thinking and encourage our students to avoid such thoughts. I believe making students aware of these problematic books early and discussing them could be potential for future corrections and understandings. Dr. Gangi provided proof of this through having our class do a reading theater, where we read fifth graders' responses to her discussion with them on such literature. The students were surprisingly insightful and knowledgeable on the situations. The students noted the racism, offensive wordings, incorrect facts, and more that made them upset. Many said that the books needed to be corrected or newer and better books should be created with proper ideas and facts. This demonstrates the potential for the future and the benefit of sharing and discussing these "Problematic Books" for corrections.

Once upon a time, when I was a child my father used to read to my brother and I every night. He would read fairy tales, adventure, and mystery stories for us. The most memorable and frequently read story was Bony-Legs by Joanne Cole. My father would change his voice for each character and you swear he was the witch. To this day he is still able to sound like the creepy, old, nasty woman and it amazes me. This book and his abilities, I believe, was when I truly became infatuated with reading.

During my school career I continued to read for pleasure and never truly drifted from the paranormal and fantasy genres. During middle school and high school years, teachers grew impatient with my resistance for their nonfictional and occasional reality or history fiction because I would be bored and confused by them. Throughout my school career textbooks, nonfiction, historical fiction, reality fiction, ect. has been difficult for me to read and process for understanding. Many times, I would feel as if my brain would truly shut down when such readings were given. Even so I continued to try throughout my middle school years and the some of high school. Although I would get decent grades, I felt they came more from the discussions in class then the readings at home. Therefore, by the time college began I would refuse to read such texts and assignments looking for other methods to complete tasks.

Grades continue to to be fair as my methods of cliff notes and discussions helped me complete class assignments. However the difficulty of understanding textbook and assigned readings remains. I learned that this is due to being a kinesthetic learner and not a visual learner which is why discussions help me comprehend more and my mind is not “blocked” with confusion. I become actively part in the practice or story. I still read for pleasure and vocabulary thus enjoying it greatly and with that joy stories provide my brain stimuli and engagement to continue.