Assignment:
Overview:
As amazing as it may seem, the time to start reading to children is when they are infants! In the first year of life, babies start absorbing and comprehending language. Children who hear stories read to them can acquire important language skills that build a strong foundation for continued growth. The type and variety of books toddlers experience contributes to the depth of their learning. Different genre books expose them to different types of language and encourage different interactions and conversations with children.
For this assignment, you will evaluate four (4) different book genres for very young children and then answer a set of questions. There are 16 questions included, each worth 6.25 points. You are encouraged (as always) to use actual hard copies of the books. However, for your
convenience, you may use the video links provided in the unit to choose books for this assignment.
Instructions:
First, select one book from each category below for a total of four (4) books you will evaluate:
1. Picture Storybook: Text and illustrations tell the story; colorful, clear illustrations; artwork supports a simple storyline; illustrations often provide additional information not covered in the text; rhyming; repetition.
2. Alphabet Book: Helps children recognize letters and realize that letters are used in language; most basic ABC books show the letter and objects beginning with the letter; others tell a story using the alphabet format; often features creative artwork; usually has a theme; uses familiar and interesting objects to highlight the alphabet, i.e., fruits, vegetables, colors, animals, the ocean, or flowers.
3. Counting Book: Fun illustrations of everyday items and objects that feature the numbers from 1-5 or 1-10; elaborate counting books count to 100 or 1000 and use a theme; introduces the language associated with numbers; develops the concept that numbers are symbols for counting, just as letters are symbols for sounds and word.
4. Mother Goose or Nursery Rhyme Book: Often recited from memory, passed down from one generation to another; most cultures have some form of nursery rhymes and songs. Then, in the assignment link in Blackboard, discuss each of the following questions using complete sentences that explain your ideas:
Children's Literature and Language Arts
Assignment: Evaluating Books for Very Young Children
1. Share which Picture Storybook you chose and why you chose it. Then, provide a brief summary of the book.
2. Does the Picture Storybook provide clear, uncluttered illustrations with little or no distracting background? Describe how this is done or not done.
3. Does the Picture Storybook provide some humor? Explain. How can an author use humor to make the child feel superior?
4. Does the Picture Storybook provide opportunities for participation and interaction? Using specific examples, describe ways in which the book encourages/can encourage participation and interaction.
5. Share which ABC book you chose and why you chose it. Then, provide a brief summary of the book.
6. For very young children, only one or two objects should be pictured on a page. Do any of the pages of the ABC book have too many picture objects? Explain.
7. Common objects or animals that are easily identifiable are best for the young child. What objects or animals does this ABC book use? Are they easily identifiable? Why or why not?
8. The illustrations should be consistent with the text and reflect the mood of the book. How do the illustrations of the ABC book achieve or fail to achieve consistency with the text? How do they reflect the mood of the book?
9. Share which Counting book you chose and why you chose it. Then, provide a brief summary of the book.
10.Objects to be counted should stand out clearly. Do the objects of the Counting book stand out? If so, how is this accomplished? If not, what needs to be done to accomplish this? Explain your answers.
11.Counting common objects that children know, such as fingers and toes, is usually best for the young child. What counting objects does the book use? Explain why the objects are appropriate or inappropriate for the young child.
12.Number concepts should not be lost in the story. How does the Counting book keep number concepts prominent?
13.Share which Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme book you chose and why you chose it. Then, provide a brief summary of the book.
14.How many Nursery Rhymes are included in the collection? Does the number seem too low or too high? Explain.
15.Are the Nursery Rhymes well-known, or are there some unusual ones? Explain and provide examples.
16.Does the collection provide rhythm and rhyme? Would you determine these Nursery Rhymes catchy and enjoyable for young readers? Explain.
Requirements:
• Use your own words and include the in-text citation for any resources you may use when answering some of these questions.
o For example, if you are citing your textbook, use the in-text citation: (Kiefer & Tyson, 2019) and the reference: Kiefer, B. Z., Tyson, C. A., Parsons Barger, B., Patrick, L. & Reilly-Sanders, E. (2019). Charlotte Huck's children's literature: A brief guide (3rd ed.).
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
• Be sure to use appropriate paragraph breaks and keep your writing free from spelling and grammatical errors.