Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Science Fiction & Modern Fantasy

About the Genre

Science Fiction
Modern Fantasy
  • Literary genre that is an imaginative or fanciful work, possibly dealing with unnatural events or characters.  Usually takes place in an alternative world.  There is some overlap between "fantasy" and "modern fantasy" which combines fantasy and science fiction
  • Contains elements that are not realistic
    • Talking animals
    • Magical powers
    • Often set in a medieval universe
    • Possibly involving mythical beings

Use in the Classroom

Book List

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Reference Information
  • Publisher: Scholastic Press (2009)
  • ISBN-10: 0439023483
Grade Level
  • Interest Level: Grades 6-8
  • Grade Level Equivalent: 7
  • Lexile Measure: 810L
  • ATOS Level: 5.3 
  • Text Complexity: Grades 4-5
Themes
  • Family Life
  • Homelessness and Poverty
  • Survival
  • Violence
  • Government
Qualities of Writing
  • This book is written in a way that hooks the reader and keeps their interest throughout the entire text
  • The book is one that cannot be put down
  • It easily engages students
  • Because it is in a series, it also encourages students to continue reading
Difficult Components of the Text
  • This book is very futuristic and could cause some confusion for students
  • There are also a lot of violent parts of the text that might be hard for students to read.  For example there are parts in this text where we are told about arrows going into people.  We are also told, in detail, about people being mauled by dog-like creatures.
Divergent by Veronica Roth

Reference Information
  • Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (2011)
  • ISBN-10: 9780062024039
Grade Level
  • Interest Level: Grades 8-12
  • Grade Level Equivalent: 9
  • Lexile Measure: 700L
  • ATOS Level: 4.8
  • Text Complexity:
Qualities of Writing
  • This book provides a lot of detail so that the reader is able to form a vivid mental image of the text in his/her head
  • The different factions can be related to because each of the factions are a realistic representation of the type of people that are in society.
Difficult Component of the Text
  • There is some violence in this book that is too violent for the classroom.  There is a specific part in which there was a girl who got knives thrown at her and couldn't flinch.  There are also parts where people have to fight each other until one goes unconscious.  These violent scenes are a little extreme for most students. 
  • There would definitely need to be some guidelines tin place in order to bring these books into the classroom

Resources


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Realistic

About the Genre

  • Literacy genre concerned with, or based on what is real, practical, or characterized by things as they really are, resembling or simulating life and representing current times and concerns.
  • Realistic fiction deals with many complex problems and situations from understanding sexual orientation to dealing with family problems.
  • The characters in the novel should be believable and their language and actions should be appropriate for the setting of the story and reflective of the culture and social class in which they live.
  • Authors have to beware of the fine line between stereotyping and realistic, objective writing
  • They challenge readers to learn the importance of moral and ethical behavior by drawing their own conclusions after they consider the events and facts from their personal perspectives using their moral and ethical judgments

In the Classroom

  • Often times you can find a realistic fiction book that teaches a lesson or provides a positive role model that young adults can emulate.
  • They reflect life and focus on the conflicts that young adults face
  • Here are some specific activities that can be done with young adults reading a realistic fiction book:
    • Identify with characters who have similar interests and who must deal with similar problems
    • Realize that, while their problems and challenges are difficult, they are shared by other adolescents
    • Extend their horizons and broaden their interests
    • Better cope with grief, fear, and anger as they read about other young adults or characters who have dealt with adversity

Book List

Hoops by Walter Dean Myers

Reference Information
  • Publisher: Ember; Reprint edition (2012)
  • ISBN-10: 0307976114
Grade Level
  • Interest Level: Grades 3-5
  • Grade Level Equivalent: 2.5
  • Lexile Measure: 260L
  • ATOS Level: 4.6
  • Text Complexity: K-1 (Lexile) or 2-3 (ATOS)
Themes
  • Poverty
  • Persistence
  • Sports
Qualities of Writing
  • Would be liked by many with an interest in basketball
  • Let's readers see what life in Harlem is like
  • Dialogue is well written and realistically represents the setting and characters in which the author is portraying
  • Depending on the type of town or school that you teach in, this book could be relatable to many students and could provide them with a motivational story on how to be determined to improve the quality of life
Difficult Components of the Text
  • The heavy slang used in the text can make reading difficult at first.  Once the reader gets into it though it becomes more natural.
  • However, any low level reader or non-English student would find this book ver challenging and confusing

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

Reference Information
  • Publisher: Flux (2012)
  • ISBN-10: 0738726001
Grade Level
  • Lexile Measure: 730L
  • ATOS Level: 4.6
  • Text Complexity:
Themes
  • Honesty
  • Rumors
  • Adolescents
  • Friendship
  • Relationships
Qualities of Writing
  • This book can be related to by many high school teens, especially the grls
  • The book is about a senior in high school who goes to a party and a huge rumor about her seeing raped gets started.  
  • She is torn with timing a time to tell the truth.  Once she tells the truth, everyone is mad at her for lying, making her life miserable
  • Rumors and dishonesty are common issues in middle school and high school
Difficult Aspects of the Text
  • The topic of rape is often pretty thick and hard to read about.
  • This would be a hard book to use as a required reading because of it's heavy content, especially for middle school age students.

Resources

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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Poetry

About the Genre

  • Literacy genre focusing on verse, prose, rhythm, rhyme, writing styles, literary devices, symbolism, analogies and metaphors.
  • Poetry is characterized by sound of language, arrangement, and meaning.
  • May use devices such as assonance and repetition to achieve musical or incantatory effects.
  • It is difficult to translate from one language to another
  • Can be dificult to interpret and can cause different interpretations depending on the reader
  • There are reasonable interpretations, but there is never a wrong interpretation
  • http://www.poetry.org/whatis.htm

In the Classroom

  • Reading Rockets shares ten ways to use poetry in the classroom (I will share a few of them with you):
    • Poetry provides a quick and fun way to activate prior knowledge
    • Establish Theme: the perfect poem can lead to a wonderful writing reflection or discussion that allows students to construct the theme and essential questions for themselves.
    • To explore language
    • Focus on Facts: creating poetry is a wonderful way for students to share information they learned through class or independent study
    • Set a Scene: Poems could spark discussion, curiosity, and prior knowledge, ultimately building excitement and anticipation for the new unit
    • See New Perspectives: one of poetry's transcendent powers is its ability to refocus, if not totally transform, our point of view.
  • http://www.readingrockets.org/article/56555/

Book List

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech

 Reference Information

  • Publisher: HarperCollins (2001)
  • ISBN: 0064409597
Grade Level
  • Interest Level: 6-8
  • Grade Level Equivalent: 4.9
  • Lexile Measure: 1010L
  • ATOS Level: 4.5
  • Text Complexity: 2-3 (ATOS) or 6-8 (Lexile)
Themes
  • Writing
  • School Life
Qualities of Writing
  • Author (Sharon Creech) is an Newbery-Medal winner and Newbery Honor medalist for two of her other published books
  • The author uses italics, bold, different font sizes, and different formatting for the shape of the poem
  • This would make a great mentor text for students who are learning how to write poetry.  Not only can they learn about formatting, but it also shows students that poems don't always have to rhyme.
  • Reading poetry can help with fluency because it helps teach students where to put emphasis while reading and where to pause for effect.
Difficult Components of the Text
  • Interpreting poetry, especially at this length, can be a challenge because there aren't very many words and therefore there is a lot more to think about as a reader. 
  • There is a lot more inferencing that needs to be done before this book can be comprehended

Math Curse by Jon Scieszka

Reference Information
  • Publisher: Viking Juvenile (1995)
  • ISBN: 0670861944
Grade Level
  • Interest Level: Grades 1-5
  • Grade Level Equivalent: 3.8
  • Lexile Measure: 560L
  • ATOS Level: 3.7
  • Text Complexity: Grades 2-3
Themes
  • Math through Literature
  • School Life
Qualities of Writing
  • Does an excellent job of connecting math and literacy
  • The author formatted the text in a  way that made the words even more interesting
  • It is comical and entertaining for students
  • The older the children get, the funnier it is because there are some humorous aspects of the book that make it funny as you grow older
  • It is very helpful for students to see how much math applies to all aspects of life, not just school
Difficult Components of the Text
  • Illustrations might distract the learner from the text, however, the illustrations are necessary so I wouldn't suggest hiding them

Resources

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Mystery

About the Genre

  • Literary genre whose plot involves a crime or other event that remains surprisingly unsettled until the conclusion.
  • Mysteries have the ability to get reluctant readers and writers enthusiastic about reading, thinking, and writing.
  • Mysteries often contain intriguing characters and are often able to hold a student's interest with their suspenseful and dynamic plots.
  • Mysteries are a wonderful vehicle for teaching critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills in an exciting and enjoyable way.
  • http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/exploring-mystery-genre
  • Mysteries, with their intrigue, characters, and gradually revealed story line, hold the students' interest. 
  • Students become involved in what they are reading because they use deductive reasoning and research skills to solve the mystery

In the Classroom

  • Mysteries can be applied to all stages of Bloom's Taxonomy:
    • Knowledge: Students arrange characters and events in the mystery.
    • Comprehension: Students classify events, describe characters, and explain precisely what has occurred.
    • Application: Students apply exiting knowledge to the mystery by illustrating, dramatizing, and writing their interpretations.
    • Analysis: Students analyze, categorize, and differentiate characters and events.
    • Synthesis: Students collect and organize facts fto form hypotheses.
    • Evaluation: Students appraise, argue, assess, and evaluate their opinions in the process of solving the mystery
  • http://www.mysterynet.com/learn/

Book List

Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Reference Information:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/double-identity
  • Publisher: Scholastic (2006)
  • ISBN: 0439827876
Grade Level:
  • Interest Level: Grades 6-8
  • Grade Level Equivalent: 6.1
  • Lexile Measure: 810L
  • ATOS Level: 5.0
  • Text Complexity: 4-5
Themes
  • Family Life
  • Individuality
  • Determination
  • Love
Qualities of Writing
  • The characters in this book were very believable.  This is a critical part of the book because it helped the book become even more intense.  The plot wasn't as realistic as the characters, but it was realistic enough that it was still convincing.
  • This book is appealing to both the boys and the girls in the classroom. 
  • The author keeps the plot moving, so it is an engaging text
  • The author has very good descriptions of what is going on, including good details about the story (an aspect of writing mystery books that is important for anyone).  
  • The authors language lends itself to allowing the reader to provide a detailed mental image
Difficult Components of the Text
  • There are a lot of different characters to keep track of.
  • It is an emotional book, especially for anyone who has had some family issues in the past.

Magic Tree House: Buffalo Before  Breakfast by Mary Pope Osborne
Reference Information
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/buffalo-breakfast
  • Publisher: Scholastic Book Services (1999)
  • ISBN: 0439136598
Grade Level
  • Interest Level: 3-5
  • Grade Level Equivalent: 2.5
  • Lexile Measure: 380L
  • Type of Book: Early Chapter Book
  • ATOS Level: 3.3
  • Text Complexity: K-1 (Lexile) or 2-3 (ATOS)
Theme
  • Cooperation
  • Teamwork
  • Courage, Bravery, Heroism
  • Native American
  • Honor 
  • Siblings
Qualities of Writing
  • It is apart of a series which, if the students enjoyed the book, would encourage them to continue reading different books from the series
  • The characters were believable with their interactions with the Indians from the Lakota Tribe
  • Readers can learn a lot about the Lakota Tribe people and the information given about them is realistic
  •  This book, and the other Magic Tree House books, would be great to use with science and social studies because certain concepts within the content area are embedded in the fictional stories.  The non-fiction parts of the stories are bold so that helps students to be able to identify which parts of the story are fiction and which parts are non-fiction.
Difficulties of the Text
  • The only difficulty that I can think of is distinguishing fiction and non-fiction, but the bold text would really help students identify this.
  • A graphic organizer would also help organize this


Resources



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