Maeve Visser Knoth: 08/01/2006 - 09/01/2006

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Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Picture Books during PE

In response to a question from a recent reader, I would like to describe a little about ways I have seen picture books used as part of an elementary school physical education program. I strongly believe that the right picture book can be used to start almost anything with children. Picture books can be part of a birthday party, part of rainy day recess, the thing you pull out of your bag when there is a line at the bank or the way to introduce a group of kids meeting each other for the first soccer practice. That said, I have seen picture books become an integral part of a physical education program and I have had fun inventing games to use with picture books.

One teacher I have observed starts most classes by reading aloud a picture book. Sometimes the book is just a way to focus the children and get them ready to listen to instructions. Sometimes the story leads into a game. When this is the case, the game often comes directly from the story. We would call most of these games "glorified tag" but to the students, these games are invented just for them.

Many books lend themselves to being "played". I enjoy reading The Great White Man-Eating Shark by Margaret Mahy and having kids act out the book as a game. The story is about Norvin, a very homely boy who looks very much like a shark. Norvin discovers that if he straps a dorsal fin to his back and streaks "back and forth like a silver arrow" through the nearby cove, the other swimmers flee and he has the water to himself. I have often read this book to an enthusiastic audience of 1st and 2nd graders and had them "shoot back and forth" across the gym floor pretending to be sharks. Once they have acted this out several times, the kids can smoothly transition into a game of tag with some children being "Norvin" trying to catch the innocent swimmers.

Counting books can be another good resource for PE teachers. Ten Sly Piranhas by William Wise is a funny reverse counting book that lends itself to physical play. Depending on the size of the group, I write the numbers from 1 through 10 with chalk on the ground or on large pieces of paper. The numbers can be a kind of "base" so that when there are ten pieces of paper on the floor and ten piranhas alive, the children have ten safe places to stand. As fish get eaten in the story, I pick up the numbers and there are fewer places to stand without getting caught. You will recognize this as a variation on "musical chairs".

Much of the time when I am reading to young children and trying to find ways to extend their literary experience, I fall back on traditional games. I don't have to invent a new game, I just have to come up with a slight twist on an old favorite. The book Avocado Baby by John Burningham has tremendous appeal to kindergartners and first graders because it is about a baby who becomes incredibly strong when he eats avocados. Few little children have not fantasized about having amazing strength. After reading Avocado Baby children enjoy a good game of "Simon Says" but this time it is not Simon who is in charge, it is Avocado Baby. So "Avocado Baby says touch your toes...and Avocado Baby says show your muscles!"

I would love to hear about more games that are directly connected to picture books.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Books about Friendship for Kindergarten-Second Graders

A couple of years ago a teacher asked me for a list of books about friendship that would work as read alouds during those first few weeks of school. These are not "starting school" books, but rather picture books about children navigating the often rewarding, sometimes treacherous shoals of friendship. Hopefully you can find something that you enjoy here.

A BARGAIN FOR FRANCES Russell Hoban

A WEEKEND WITH WENDALL Kevin Henkes

ADDIE MEETS MAX Joan Robins

ALEX IS MY FRIEND Marisabina Russo

AMANDA PIG AND HER BEST FRIEND LOLLIPOP Jean VanLeeuwen

BEEZY AT BAT Megan McDonald

BEST FRIENDS FOR FRANCES Russell Hoban

CHESTER’S WAY Kevin Henkes

CHRYSANTHEMUM Kevin Henkes

DIGBY AND KATE Barbara Baker

EARL’S TOO COOL FOR ME Leah Komaiko

EMILY AND ALICE Joyce Champion

EMMA’S MAGIC WINTER Jean Little

ENEMY PIE Derek Munson

FRIENDS Helme Heine

FROG AND TOAD ARE FRIENDS Arnold Lobel

GEORGE AND MARTHA James Marshall

HENRY AND MUDGE Cynthia Rylant

HORACE AND MORRIS BUT MOSTLY DOLORES James Howe

IRA SLEEPS OVER Bernard Waber

JAMAICA AND BRIANNA Jaunita Havill

LEO AND EMILY Franz Brandenberg

LEO, ZACK, and EMMIE Amy Ehrlich

LITTLE BEAR’S FRIEND Else Homlund Minarik

LOTTIE’S NEW FRIEND Petra Mathers

LUNCH BUNNIES Katherine Lasky

MAKING FRIENDS Margaret Mahy

METROPOLITAN COW Tim Egan

MY OUTRAGEOUS FRIEND CHARLIE Martha Alexander

OWEN FOOTE. SECOND GRADE STRONGMAN Stephanie Greene

PINKY AND REX James Howe

ROSIE AND MICHAEL Judith Viorst

SOPHIE AND LOU Petra Mathers

STEVIE John Steptoe

SURVIVING BRICK JOHNSON Laurie Myers

THE UNFRIENDLY BOOK Charlotte Zolotow

THY FRIEND OBADIAH Brinton Turkle

TOGETHER George Ella Lyon

TOOT AND PUDDLE Holly Hobbie

WANTED: WARM, FURRY FRIEND Stephanie Calmenson

WE ARE BEST FRIENDS Aliki

WEMBERLY WORRIED Kevin Henkes

YO! YES? Chris Raschka

YOKO Rosemary Wells

ZELDA AND IVY AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR Laura Kvasnosky



Sunday, August 27, 2006

Leave a comment or question here...

I'd appreciate a comment that describes who you are and your interest in children's books. Also, if you have a question about books for children, please leave them in a comment.

Thanks,

Maeve

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

The Illustrated Mum

This morning I finished reading The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson. The book is not new- it was first published in Britain in 1999 but the first American edition came out in 2005. In any case, it is new to me. Another children's librarian recommended it at a book discussion meeting and I was intrigued. The book is about a ten-year-old child named Dolphin who, with her older sister Star, lives with a mother who suffers from manic depression. The girls' mother, Marigold, is loving, imaginative and artistic. She designs special tattoos that cover most of her skin and wears unusual, showy clothing. Dolphin and Star live in fear of the times Marigold falls apart, drinks heavily and ceases to manage even the smallest aspects of their life.

As I was reading, I was very affected by the descriptions of what life has been like for Star and Dolphin. Everything that I think is fundamental to family life has been missing from theirs. They have moved endlessly, sometimes sneaking out in the night. The girls have been to so many schools they can't keep track of them all. When Marigold provides the girls with something to eat, the meals don't have any relationship to the recommended food pyramid. In spite of her many many failings, Marigold is not a villain. Somehow Jacqueline Wilson makes Marigold sympathetic even as the reader is rooting for the girls to get out of her care.

I'm not sure what I would have thought of this book had I first read it as a child. The life Dolphin and Star lead is frightening but the ending is happy enough to have satisfied the 12-year-old that I once was. I would give this to a reader who likes sad books.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

County Fairs- in life and in literature

After spending the last ten days immersed in life of the San Mateo County Fair, I found myself thinking about fairs I have read about in children's books. I have been to fairs before- as a child and also as an adult-- but I have never been part of the fair as I was this past week. My children were showing their 4H chickens so we had to arrive by 7 a.m. and spent most of every day hanging around the animal barns. Lots of children over the years have shared this same experience but it was a new one for the Knoths.

One of my favorite books as a 2-4th grader was Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. This was the first book without pictures that I ever read. I remember the feeling of accomplishment when, as a second grader, I started and finished the book in one day. Yes, it was a rainy day, and yes there was not much else competing for my time but I was wowed with my own reading ability. In this very satisfying, very well-plotted novel, Betsy is sent to life with her cousins in rural Vermont. The shy, sickly, much-doted-upon city girl has to adjust to life on a farm and cousins who expect that she can do things for herself. One of my favorite chapters is the chapter in which Betsy goes to the County Fair. She has a day rich with new sights and sounds. Fisher describes the fair so well I felt as if I were there too. When the neighbors who are to drive Betsy home leave without her, Betsy screws up enough courage to earn money so that she and her young charge (I can't remember the little girl's name) can buy tickets to ride the cars home. The Betsy who is so accomplished at the fair is a child I longed to be. Of course I did not want to be left on my own, but I hoped I would be able to solve problems as well as Betsy did. The first time I went to a New England fair, I felt as if it were familiar, thanks in part to Fisher's description in Understood Betsy.

Donald Crews has a lovely, exuberant picture book titled Night at the Fair that gives me a feeling of the lights, sounds and excitement of a fair at nighttime. The black backgrounds set off the golds, reds and yellows of the blinking lights. The other picture book that does a fine job conveying life in a country fair is Elisha Cooper's Country Fair. The square white pages house several small, detailed sketches and his descriptive text adds just enough to give the careful reader a new way of looking at the familiar. I enjoy sharing Cooper's books with a wide range of children- preschoolers notice some of the details, but 6th graders also see the world a new way after looking closely at Cooper's lively sketches. The books would be a great starting place for either a writing or an art project with older kids. In Cooper's world, it is minutiae that is special.

Mary Alice, Joe and Grandma Dowdel have a memorable experience at the fair in A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck. What are the other great moments at county fairs in children's literature?

Friday, August 18, 2006

Some classroom ideas for A YEAR DOWN YONDER

I was asked today for my teaching ideas around Richard Peck's novel A Year Down Yonder. My ideas are not yet full-fledged lesson plans, and I don't really think in terms of lesson plans, more in terms of how can fifth and sixth graders really appreciate what Peck is doing with this novel. A Year Down Yonder is a very fun book, with lots of great moments and beautiful, colorful language. I try to strike a balance so that the activity/discussion helps the kids think and write and read more deeply but doesn't beat the book to death. A light touch is necessary to help them see that literature is all about having a richer life,. Yes we can find vocabulary words in every chapter, but the reason Peck uses interesting words in not to challenge his reader, or to have her use a dictionary all the time, but to convey a textured world.

Some things that come to mind:
Kids will enjoy going through the text to find some great examples of Grandma Dowdel's personality (maybe share in small groups the things kids find). Kids could make something that represents Grandma- a menu, a poster, a collection of imaginary telephone messages.

Kids can write about a grandparent of one's own (or grandparent-type figure). In this case I would encourage the sketch to come in the form of a story...what happened on one visit to my grandfather's house...

Writing imaginary postcards seems also to fit this book since Mary Alice is away from home for a year. What would she say to her brother?

There are a couple of chapters that especially beg to be read aloud. Some of the kids will have missed much of the descriptive language as they read to themselves. I would definitely read aloud from this book.

The Halloween chapter provides students with another writing opportunity-- a chance to introduce a visitor to the Halloween traditions at our school in this era.

Pull out some of the figurative language and play charades...have groups figure out what expression the other group is acting out.

The picture book The Gardener by Sarah Stewart is a perfect match for this novel. A child goes to stay with a crotchety uncle...I think it is the Depression or maybe some epidemic so she is sent off to keep safe. There are fun comparisons between the Grandma Dowdel and this uncle...and a good parallel between the heroines in the two books. Most kids love to be read aloud to and I think seeing similar themes in a much more compact form will help them extract themes from A Year Down Yonder.


I look forward to hearing just which of these ideas the 5/6th grader teacher uses.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

The wrong summer reading book!

Much to my surprise, I learned yesterday that we have been busily reading aloud the wrong book for my son's summer reading requirement. The silly thing is that I had a hand in choosing the book that the incoming 5th and 6th graders of the San Carlos Charter Learning Center are all required to read. I had it in my head that they were to read Richard Peck's A Long Way From Chicago.

Two weeks ago I began reading the funny novel aloud to my 8 and 11 year olds. We have all been enjoying the language and the wise view of life. Richard Peck has a wonderful storyteller's voice. His books are full of expressions that I can't quite place. Are they real expressions that one would have heard in rural Illinois in the 1930's? Or are they the kinds of expressions that one hears from a colorful grandparent? They sure sound great in either case.

I was waxing poetic about A Long Way From Chicago to another parent of a 6th grader when she pulled me up abruptly and asked, "Aren't they supposed to be reading A Year Down Yonder?" Sure enough, they are. A Long Way From Chicago is a companion novel to A Year Down Yonder so all our reading has not been for nothing. (Actually our reading could not ever be 'for nothing' since we are having such a lovely time with it.) My son is a fast reader and when we finish the one book, probably by tomorrow, he can race through A Year Down Yonder and be ready for school next Tuesday.

Both these books are the best kind of summer reading. They are accessible but will stretch some readers without ever being painful. They are alternately funny and thoughtful. They are peopled with characters I wish I lived with. They sound beautiful when read aloud and they lend themselves to reading aloud to the whole family. Younger and older siblings will like these novels as much as the intended reader.

I look forward to hearing how my son's classmates enjoyed the books, and I can't wait to read the final chapter of A Long Way From Chicago aloud tomorrow as we lie on the cool living room floor digesting our lunches.