What I found very interesting about this chapter on creating a classroom library is that it has so many different aspects that the classroom library should be made up of. As a student, I never thought about the variety that should be in a classroom library. Today I will be blogging about the "books themselves" and the aspects of a classroom library that I did not know.
Development of Literacy Language- Children need to learn that how a character in a story can develop their own language that is not grammatically correct. If students know this, they can understand that the character has different characteristics which make that character speak a different way. With literary language, students must also realize that the words we read are most likely more complex than the words we use in our verbal speaking language. (Johnson, 134).
Story Structure- We all have been in a class where the teacher writes up on the board: Who, What, Where, When , Why and How. As students we are drilled into being able to identify these five different parts of a story. What is important here is not just identifying these parts that make up a story, but understanding how these elements come together in a story. (Johnson, 135).
Illustrative Accuracy- Wow! How do we what know Chinese people look like? How do we know what Germans look like? We know these illustrations teach us how these people look. It is important to realize that the books we keep in the library must be "Illustrated Accurately" (Johnson,132).
I have to add some of these Traditional Tales because I love passing on stories from generations to generations and learning the stories in the classroom is a great way to keep this tradition alive:
1)Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: a Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman
A folktale on the story of Cinderella
2) How The Stars Fell into The Sky by Jerrie Oughton
A retelling of the Navajo legend
3)The Hunter by Mary Casanova
Understanding the language of animals
4) Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
A journey of small creates capable of big things
5) Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
A trip to find a fruit filled forest and never ending river
6)Peggony-Po: A Whale of a Tale by Andrea Pinkney
Searching to catch a huge whale
7)Rapunzel by Paul Zelinsky
A story of a beautiful girl trapped in a tower who lets her hair down
8)Silly and Sillier: Read Aloud Tales From Around the World by Judy Sierra
20 different cultures folk tales
9) The Three Princes: A Tale From the Middle East by Eric Kimmel
A princess promised to marry a prince and find a secret treasure
10)Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema
A retelling of a traditional West American tale about a mosquito.
It is also important that we know the categories of traditional literature. The categories include:
~Fable-A brief story in which the moral is explicitly stated
~Myth-Explains aspects of culture or how something came to be in the natural world.
~Legend-Traditional narrative based on historical truth
~Religious Stories-Stories of important events and people of different religions
~Tall Tale-Exaggerated humorous stories of characters that perform impossible acts
and...
~Folktales-A fairy, human or animal tale passed down by word of mouth. (Johnson,125-126).
What do the professionals say about traditional literature? Follow these links to find out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOEVWY8KdmE&playnext=1&list=PLC68DB326CF2D69B4&feature=results_main
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX2oaJX_dBE
Monday, April 1, 2013
Book Collections, Chapter Five, Creating your Classroom Library
Collections!!
~Aesop's Fables by Jerry Pinkey (2000, SearStar Books).
~The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault by Sandy Holmes (1993, Houghton Mifflin).
~Favorite Folktales from Around the World by Jane Yolen (1986, Pantheon).
~The Great Fairy Tradition by Jack zipes (2001, Norton).
~The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton (1985, Random House).
~Porch Lies by Patricia McKissack (2006, Random House).
~Aesop's Fables by Lisbeth Zweger (1991, Simon and Schulster).
~Aesop's Fables by Jerry Pinkey (2000, SearStar Books).
~The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault by Sandy Holmes (1993, Houghton Mifflin).
~Favorite Folktales from Around the World by Jane Yolen (1986, Pantheon).
~The Great Fairy Tradition by Jack zipes (2001, Norton).
~The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton (1985, Random House).
~Porch Lies by Patricia McKissack (2006, Random House).
~Aesop's Fables by Lisbeth Zweger (1991, Simon and Schulster).
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Chapter 14, Reading by Children
Independent Reading and Writing and Literature Circles:
This chapter is great for explaining how important it is for students to read and write individually. This chapter really inspired me to research many ways in students work individually and how it helps them succeed and grow as students.
In this post, you will find information that I have researched as well as my own view on this chapter.
What I have taken in from this chapter is that students need to express their skills by reading out loud and working with different venues to express themselves. "Children learn that their own words matter by participating in a quality writing program that is based on the understanding that writing like reading is a process in which language is the foundation..." (Johnson, 430). In addition, with practicing the English language through writing and reading, students can transform into interested readers and listeners. By working individually with reading and writing, students can learn the traditions of literature and learn to be a part of the the world by relating through literature in the community.
The following are reasons describing the importance of independent reading and writing.
To enhance fluency.
Fluency is an essential part of successful reading. Fluency is based on automaticity (a reader's ability to recognize words automatically). If children are to become both automatic and fluent readers, they need practice. Preparing to read a text aloud expressively provides children with the time and means to recognize words automatically and to read a text with a high percentage of accuracy. When children practice by engaging in repeated oral readings, their levels of fluency increase significantly (Rasinski 2000; Martens 1997).
To strengthen comprehension.
When children use techniques for expressive oral reading, their comprehension of what they are reading dramatically increases. Since fluency is closely tied to comprehension, when children become smoother and more accurate readers they will also become more knowledgeable ones. By practicing a text, children will become more familiar with its words, sentence patterns, and organizational structure. Once children become familiar and comfortable with a text, they are then in a position to make discoveries about the different kinds of meanings (both denotative and connotative) that may emerge from their interaction with the text (Apol & Harris 1999). Because they are approaching and envisioning reading anew, children who know how to read expressively show a greater understanding of the texts they have chosen to read (Davis 1997).
To develop critical reading skills.
For children to read expressively, they must make conscious decisions about how to read and what they should emphasize while they are reading so that they can effectively communicate both the surface and deeper meanings of a text. For instance, if children are to read and communicate both the denotative level (content) and the connotative components (emotions and attitudes) of the opening line of Robert Louis Stevenson's "My Shadow" ("I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me"), they must decide what the text is literally saying and what emotions are being implied. Once children have decided what emotions and attitudes are being implied, they will have to decide how to use their voices to communicate those emotions and attitudes (Popp 1996; Barton & Booth 1990). By reading and expressing two levels of the text at once, children have necessarily engaged in critical thinking: they have examined and analyzed the text, made inferences, drawn conclusions, and have made informed decisions about how to vocally communicate those inferences and conclusions (Richards 2000). In this way, children who learn to read aloud expressively will become more sensitive to the workings of print language and will gain insights into what they are reading (Martinez, Roser, & Strecker 1999).
Additionally, when children gather in their reading response groups to rehearse their readings and gain feedback from their peers, they learn how to use critical listening to critique one another's readings. As they give supportive and helpful feedback to each other, children learn that texts are open to interpretation and negotiation, and that meaning is a matter of how one analyzes and performs the text (Enciso & Edmiston 1997).
To develop other important reading skills.
When children prepare to read expressively, they will develop competence in grammar, memory, attention, sequencing, and understanding cause and effect (Healy 1990). Reading well takes time, focus, and attention; and if children are going to read aloud well, they must give the requisite time, focus, and attention to prepare the text. As children prepare a text for oral reading, they will gain a greater understanding of how grammatical and rhetorical structures (sentences, stanzas, and paragraphs) work and how the sequencing of words and ideas plays an important role in the delivery of meaning (Hancock 2000).
To help struggling readers.
When struggling readers learn to use expressive oral reading skills and apply them to something they are going to read aloud, they become stronger readers. By rehearsing their readings through repeated practice, struggling readers improve their accuracy and word recognition abilities (Morado, Koenig, & Wilson 1999).
Additionally, as struggling readers read aloud, they can more effectively monitor themselves. As they read, they can listen to discover if what they are reading "sounds right" and if it makes sense. Moreover, they can also record their readings and listen to themselves; in this way, they can locate areas that need improvement and work on them. By monitoring themselves as they read aloud, struggling readers become more fluent and more confident readers (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn 2001).
To build confidence.
When children read with expressive skills, they will also develop more confidence in themselves as readers. No longer limited either to rapid word-calling or to stumbling over print, children will discover that, with practice and guidance, they can become more fluent, purposeful, and effective readers of the kinds of print material that had previously frustrated or befuddled them. And with repeated success, their confidence levels will rise (Davis 1997).
To facilitate collaborative learning.
As children gather together in small groups—Reading Response Groups—to practice their oral readings, they receive feedback from the other members of the group. Through the exchange of ideas about the practice readings, and through the critical feedback that they give one another, children enter into collaborative learning. As children work to assist one another to become stronger expressive readers, they work together to increase the purposefulness of learning: how to connect with one another and how to connect new skills to texts they are choosing to read aloud.
I would incorporate individual reading and writing in the classroom and use many of the techniques that I have outlined above. By using other methods of organizers and methods such as reading response journals, we can transform our classroom into learn portals for our students to succeed.
You can follow the links below to find lessons using the methods I have summarized above.
http://www.fcrr.org/assessment/pdf/smallgroupalternativelessonstructures.pdf
Online literature discussion search:
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/thoughtful-threads-sparking-rich-1165.html
This chapter is great for explaining how important it is for students to read and write individually. This chapter really inspired me to research many ways in students work individually and how it helps them succeed and grow as students.
In this post, you will find information that I have researched as well as my own view on this chapter.
What I have taken in from this chapter is that students need to express their skills by reading out loud and working with different venues to express themselves. "Children learn that their own words matter by participating in a quality writing program that is based on the understanding that writing like reading is a process in which language is the foundation..." (Johnson, 430). In addition, with practicing the English language through writing and reading, students can transform into interested readers and listeners. By working individually with reading and writing, students can learn the traditions of literature and learn to be a part of the the world by relating through literature in the community.
The following are reasons describing the importance of independent reading and writing.
To enhance fluency.
Fluency is an essential part of successful reading. Fluency is based on automaticity (a reader's ability to recognize words automatically). If children are to become both automatic and fluent readers, they need practice. Preparing to read a text aloud expressively provides children with the time and means to recognize words automatically and to read a text with a high percentage of accuracy. When children practice by engaging in repeated oral readings, their levels of fluency increase significantly (Rasinski 2000; Martens 1997).
To strengthen comprehension.
When children use techniques for expressive oral reading, their comprehension of what they are reading dramatically increases. Since fluency is closely tied to comprehension, when children become smoother and more accurate readers they will also become more knowledgeable ones. By practicing a text, children will become more familiar with its words, sentence patterns, and organizational structure. Once children become familiar and comfortable with a text, they are then in a position to make discoveries about the different kinds of meanings (both denotative and connotative) that may emerge from their interaction with the text (Apol & Harris 1999). Because they are approaching and envisioning reading anew, children who know how to read expressively show a greater understanding of the texts they have chosen to read (Davis 1997).
To develop critical reading skills.
For children to read expressively, they must make conscious decisions about how to read and what they should emphasize while they are reading so that they can effectively communicate both the surface and deeper meanings of a text. For instance, if children are to read and communicate both the denotative level (content) and the connotative components (emotions and attitudes) of the opening line of Robert Louis Stevenson's "My Shadow" ("I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me"), they must decide what the text is literally saying and what emotions are being implied. Once children have decided what emotions and attitudes are being implied, they will have to decide how to use their voices to communicate those emotions and attitudes (Popp 1996; Barton & Booth 1990). By reading and expressing two levels of the text at once, children have necessarily engaged in critical thinking: they have examined and analyzed the text, made inferences, drawn conclusions, and have made informed decisions about how to vocally communicate those inferences and conclusions (Richards 2000). In this way, children who learn to read aloud expressively will become more sensitive to the workings of print language and will gain insights into what they are reading (Martinez, Roser, & Strecker 1999).
Additionally, when children gather in their reading response groups to rehearse their readings and gain feedback from their peers, they learn how to use critical listening to critique one another's readings. As they give supportive and helpful feedback to each other, children learn that texts are open to interpretation and negotiation, and that meaning is a matter of how one analyzes and performs the text (Enciso & Edmiston 1997).
To develop other important reading skills.
When children prepare to read expressively, they will develop competence in grammar, memory, attention, sequencing, and understanding cause and effect (Healy 1990). Reading well takes time, focus, and attention; and if children are going to read aloud well, they must give the requisite time, focus, and attention to prepare the text. As children prepare a text for oral reading, they will gain a greater understanding of how grammatical and rhetorical structures (sentences, stanzas, and paragraphs) work and how the sequencing of words and ideas plays an important role in the delivery of meaning (Hancock 2000).
To help struggling readers.
When struggling readers learn to use expressive oral reading skills and apply them to something they are going to read aloud, they become stronger readers. By rehearsing their readings through repeated practice, struggling readers improve their accuracy and word recognition abilities (Morado, Koenig, & Wilson 1999).
Additionally, as struggling readers read aloud, they can more effectively monitor themselves. As they read, they can listen to discover if what they are reading "sounds right" and if it makes sense. Moreover, they can also record their readings and listen to themselves; in this way, they can locate areas that need improvement and work on them. By monitoring themselves as they read aloud, struggling readers become more fluent and more confident readers (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn 2001).
To build confidence.
When children read with expressive skills, they will also develop more confidence in themselves as readers. No longer limited either to rapid word-calling or to stumbling over print, children will discover that, with practice and guidance, they can become more fluent, purposeful, and effective readers of the kinds of print material that had previously frustrated or befuddled them. And with repeated success, their confidence levels will rise (Davis 1997).
To facilitate collaborative learning.
As children gather together in small groups—Reading Response Groups—to practice their oral readings, they receive feedback from the other members of the group. Through the exchange of ideas about the practice readings, and through the critical feedback that they give one another, children enter into collaborative learning. As children work to assist one another to become stronger expressive readers, they work together to increase the purposefulness of learning: how to connect with one another and how to connect new skills to texts they are choosing to read aloud.
I would incorporate individual reading and writing in the classroom and use many of the techniques that I have outlined above. By using other methods of organizers and methods such as reading response journals, we can transform our classroom into learn portals for our students to succeed.
You can follow the links below to find lessons using the methods I have summarized above.
http://www.fcrr.org/assessment/pdf/smallgroupalternativelessonstructures.pdf
Online literature discussion search:
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/thoughtful-threads-sparking-rich-1165.html
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Modern Fantasy- Chapter 6
Defining Modern Fantasy-
Modern fantasy is about beings, places and events not occurring in the real world. Identifiable authors create extraordinary characters and worlds which challenge and expand our sense of the norm.
Qualities in Modern Fantasy
- stories must always meet criteria for excellence in narrative fiction
- effective settings are detailed and believable within the context of the story
- themes are meaningful, challenging the reader to ask questions and think about life
- writing is rich and structures, syntax and word choices are clear
- story events are imaginative, and logically consistent within the story world
- characters are multidimensional, with consistent and logical behavior
A writer makes fantasy seem believable by providing vivid descriptions of characters, setting and action while giving details such as color, taste, and smell of the fantasy worlds. Writers also engage the hearts of the reader by grounding the story in reality and the human condition: humor, joy, grief, pride, shame, hope, and despair. Lastly, the writer maintains consistency by abiding by the rules established in the fantasy world. Veering from the rules causes the reader to stop and speculate about the viability of the story, preventing suspension of disbelief.
Types of Fantasy
| Animal |
|
Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo
| 
The Underneathby Kathi Appelt
|
| Miniature Worlds/Enchanted Realism |
| 
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
| |
| Literary Lore |
| 
The Stinky Cheese Manby Jon Scieszka
| 
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale
|
| Quest Tales |
|
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
|
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
|
Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, p. 207-208.
Why is Modern Fantasy important to teach?
Modern Fantasy incorporates some of my favorite books of all time. The Wizard of Oz, Charlottes Web, Winnie The Pooh are just a few examples of what demonstrates Modern Fantasy literature.
So why is Modern Fantasy important to teach? When reading fairy tales or modern fantasy, children learn how to use their imagination, to view situations from various perspectives, and to know that events can be seen from different viewpoints. These stories are not real, they are even sometimes unimaginable. Modern Fantasy captures the interest of children and adults, and allows them to use their imagination, something that may not often be tapped into, to create an image of the story they read.
Categories of Modern Fantasy include: Time Warps, Unreal Worlds, Ghost Stories, Magic Powers, Preposterous Characters/Situations and Quest Tales. ( Johnson, pg.149.) Time Warps focus on the main character moving through difficult periods of time and life through ideas such as time travel. When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead, is a great example of the category time warps. When You Reach Me Book Trailer
Unreal worlds can be defined as a story that is set in a fantasy land. The fantasy land is so developed that it makes the world almost believable to the reader. Books in this category have so much detail, so much fantasy that the books themselves seem to come alive. I love the category of unreal worlds because it helps spark students imagination. I would use books such as these in my English class. Reading a story like Coraline by Neil Gaiman, we can then use the book to write alternate endings, a writing strategy. Books that are so developed such as Coraline, are also sometimes made into feature films. Reading this book then becomes an entire unit of study that you know the students will be interested in following.
The next categories Ghost Stories and Magic Powers can be linked to one another. Ghost stories speak of ghosts and hauntings. Magic Powers is just that. A character can have powers. If we correlate the two together, we can say that a character can see ghosts, using a magic power to see the ghost.
The last two categories in this section are Preposterous Characters/Situations, and Quest Tales. Preposterous Characters are characters developed through clear and descriptive images. The features, dress, looks, and personality are so descriptive in this type of reading, that you can close your eyes and see the characters. Games and the Giant Peach is a great example of a book falling in this category. When creating my classroom library, I will make sure to have plenty of Preposterous Characters/Situations books on the shelves. These books inspire the students to read and catch their imaginations along the way making the books themselves interesting and fun.
Quest Tales are tales that "borrow" magical settings and characters from traditional tales of heroism. What this means is that the tales are lead by well known characters. Batman, Superman, even Curious George are examples of quest tales and can be classified by creating a common theme of good over evil.
Modern Fantasy Literature Trailor
Here is an idea of some Modern Fantasy series for younger readers:
1) Adventures of Captain Underpants 11) Frog and Toad
2) Amelia Bedelia 12) Froggy
3) Arthur 13) George and Martha
4) A Series of Unfortinate Events 14) Harvey Angell Trilogy
5) Berenstain Bears 15) Little Bear
6) Bunnicula 16) Magic School Bus
7) Clifford, The Big Red Dog 17) Magic Tree House
8) Commander Toad 18) Mercy Watson
9) Dragon Slayer's Academy 19) Olivia
10) Eddie Dickens Trilogy 20) Paddington Bear Adventures
*Remember in previous posts that we MUST check and make sure the books we are adding to our classroom library are not on the banned list for our school. Hunger games and Harry Potter are not allowed in the classroom....If you have missed that post, scroll back! It is very interesting!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Chapter 8-Historical Fiction
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis is a great piece of literacy that exemplifies Historical fiction. This book works to incorporate a story of a young boy encountering a very violent time, and an African American family's fictional account. (Johnson,208)
The definition of historical fiction is as follows: Historical Fiction presents readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. This type of writing evokes a world where there is strong connections to our own experiences. In the text, Winters and Schmidt state the following," The writer of historical fiction creates another world, but it is a world firmly rooted in the real world and, in creating it, to allow the reader to see his or her own world more fully, from more perspective, from deeper inside."
My interpretation of this quote is that Historical Fiction works create a place that makes people see history more clearly, and these readers are able to make connections to their own lives in the process.
Another way to look at Historical Fiction is by noticing that it: conveys a sense of life as it was lived, happens to ordinary people, broadens perspectives, and helps children to understand that the present and future are linked to actions of the past. (Johnson, 209)
Gone With The Wind, written by Margaret Mitchell and Pat Conroy, is a great example of a Historical Fiction work. My favorite section in this chapter of the text is early on, when Johnson talks about how historical fiction helps children realize they are not just outsiders looking in, that they can connect with a character and have a deep experience about the time, and their role in the future.
Outlined are Categories of Historical Fiction.
1) Ancient Times- Stories of ancient civilization including Greece, Rome and Egypt. Examples: The Thieves of Ostia,by Caroline Lawrenence and The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare.
2) Medieval Times- Stories taken place during the Middle Ages, after the fall of the Roman Empire. Examples: Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman and A Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli.
3) Colonial Times- Stories of the settlements of Jamestown, Plymouth, and Boston. Examples: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare and The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alica Dalgliesh.
4) Revolutionary Area-Stories about the events of the Revolutionary war. Examples: Early Thunder by Jean Fritz and Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen.
5) Early Frontier Era- Stories about the move westward before the Civil War. Includes different perspectives of settles and Indians. Examples: Lyddie by Katherine Paterson and Adaline Falling Star by Mary Pope Osborne.
6) Civil War- Books that describe the antebellum period, slavery, and the war between the states.Examples: Charlie Skedaddle by Patricia Beatty and Nettie's Trip South by Ann Turner.
7) Post Civil War- Stories about the move westward and the Industrial Revolution, and immigrants. Examples: Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Immigrant Girl by Brett Harvey.
8) World War 1-Stories surrounding events of World War 1 and its aftermath. Focuses on different countries characters. Examples: Summer Soldiers by Susan Lindqust and No Hero for the Kaiser by Rudolph Frank.
9) Great Depression- Stories surrounding the economic depression in the 1930's. Books often portray the hardships faces by main characters. Examples: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse and Bud,Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis.
10)World War 2- Stories surrounding World War 2, Hitler's rise and fall, and Japanese Military Activity. Often focuses on characters who struggle with effects of war. Examples: Number The Stars by Louis Lowry and Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi.
11) Post-World War 2- Stories about the continued conflict in Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia. Examples: The Wall by Eve Bunting, and Grandfather's Dream by Holly Keller.
12) Civil Rights Movement- Stories about the fight for civil rights that took place from the late 1800's through the mid-1960's. Focuses on the discrimination in the South and the struggle for equal rights. Examples: Francie by Karen English and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor.
Later in the chapter, the role of historical fiction in literacy development is explained as the knowledge that children need in the primary and intermediate grades in history. At this time, it is said that the students have little prior knowledge of history. Effective ways to teach historical fiction can be by reading outloud, showing pictures, and viewing drama events such as movies and plays. (Johnson, 222)
Another great aspect that always interested me while I learned in Social Studies was viewing artwork. In the past we have so many different ways people expressed their lives, emotions, and feelings. A great way of doing this is by viewing these paintings, photos, drawings, or whatever you can get your hands on as a classroom teacher. Every county has some sort of museum or historical place that you can take your students to learn and explore pieces or artwork to connect them to the material talked about in class.
Lee County- Historical Sites to Visit
The definition of historical fiction is as follows: Historical Fiction presents readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. This type of writing evokes a world where there is strong connections to our own experiences. In the text, Winters and Schmidt state the following," The writer of historical fiction creates another world, but it is a world firmly rooted in the real world and, in creating it, to allow the reader to see his or her own world more fully, from more perspective, from deeper inside."
My interpretation of this quote is that Historical Fiction works create a place that makes people see history more clearly, and these readers are able to make connections to their own lives in the process.
Another way to look at Historical Fiction is by noticing that it: conveys a sense of life as it was lived, happens to ordinary people, broadens perspectives, and helps children to understand that the present and future are linked to actions of the past. (Johnson, 209)
Gone With The Wind, written by Margaret Mitchell and Pat Conroy, is a great example of a Historical Fiction work. My favorite section in this chapter of the text is early on, when Johnson talks about how historical fiction helps children realize they are not just outsiders looking in, that they can connect with a character and have a deep experience about the time, and their role in the future.
Outlined are Categories of Historical Fiction.
1) Ancient Times- Stories of ancient civilization including Greece, Rome and Egypt. Examples: The Thieves of Ostia,by Caroline Lawrenence and The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare.
2) Medieval Times- Stories taken place during the Middle Ages, after the fall of the Roman Empire. Examples: Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman and A Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli.
3) Colonial Times- Stories of the settlements of Jamestown, Plymouth, and Boston. Examples: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare and The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alica Dalgliesh.
4) Revolutionary Area-Stories about the events of the Revolutionary war. Examples: Early Thunder by Jean Fritz and Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen.
5) Early Frontier Era- Stories about the move westward before the Civil War. Includes different perspectives of settles and Indians. Examples: Lyddie by Katherine Paterson and Adaline Falling Star by Mary Pope Osborne.
6) Civil War- Books that describe the antebellum period, slavery, and the war between the states.Examples: Charlie Skedaddle by Patricia Beatty and Nettie's Trip South by Ann Turner.
7) Post Civil War- Stories about the move westward and the Industrial Revolution, and immigrants. Examples: Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Immigrant Girl by Brett Harvey.
8) World War 1-Stories surrounding events of World War 1 and its aftermath. Focuses on different countries characters. Examples: Summer Soldiers by Susan Lindqust and No Hero for the Kaiser by Rudolph Frank.
9) Great Depression- Stories surrounding the economic depression in the 1930's. Books often portray the hardships faces by main characters. Examples: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse and Bud,Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis.
10)World War 2- Stories surrounding World War 2, Hitler's rise and fall, and Japanese Military Activity. Often focuses on characters who struggle with effects of war. Examples: Number The Stars by Louis Lowry and Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi.
11) Post-World War 2- Stories about the continued conflict in Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia. Examples: The Wall by Eve Bunting, and Grandfather's Dream by Holly Keller.
12) Civil Rights Movement- Stories about the fight for civil rights that took place from the late 1800's through the mid-1960's. Focuses on the discrimination in the South and the struggle for equal rights. Examples: Francie by Karen English and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor.
Later in the chapter, the role of historical fiction in literacy development is explained as the knowledge that children need in the primary and intermediate grades in history. At this time, it is said that the students have little prior knowledge of history. Effective ways to teach historical fiction can be by reading outloud, showing pictures, and viewing drama events such as movies and plays. (Johnson, 222)
Another great aspect that always interested me while I learned in Social Studies was viewing artwork. In the past we have so many different ways people expressed their lives, emotions, and feelings. A great way of doing this is by viewing these paintings, photos, drawings, or whatever you can get your hands on as a classroom teacher. Every county has some sort of museum or historical place that you can take your students to learn and explore pieces or artwork to connect them to the material talked about in class.
Lee County- Historical Sites to Visit
Places to see:
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Chapter 10- Nonfiction: Biographies and Informational Books
"Children deserve the opportunity to read books they choose every day. Classroom library's must reflect the interests of all children, and high-quality, visual, intellectually and emotionally appealing nonfiction should constitute a significant part of the collection." (Johnson,269).
What does this mean to teachers?
As classroom teachers, we must take into account the interests of our students. Lets say for example there is a library shelf with 20 books. 10 of them are nonfiction and 2 are about cars, student A's interest. 10 of the books are fiction and 8 of them are about cars. What is the likelihood that student A will read nonfiction over fiction? The ratio of fiction to non fiction books is 3/4. This gives student A much more access to books that are fiction pertaining to his interests.
When planning a classroom library, we must make a consensus of what our students are interested in. Ideally, we would like our students to choose books based on balance, choosing fiction and nonfiction reflectively. In order for this to happen, we have to make sure we have a large stock of materials for that child to read. In this chapter, the author mentions the importance of getting to your local library. There is no better way to engage students than to switch out the books in the library monthly. I think this is a great idea, because as a future first year teacher, my income will be slightly low and purchasing materials for the classroom would be very difficult. Taking advantage of the resources we have, can give us the best of both world, keeping our students engaged in a diverse set of books and types of readings.
Table 10.2, partly replicated below, shoes the goals of teaching multicultural non fiction.
Goal
In this section of the text, Eric Carls fiction story about a caterpillar was used to introduce a lesson. Because the caterpillar ends up changing his form, to a butterfly, using a nonfiction book about what a chrysalis, is about, is a great way to get your students to understand what the change is and in turn, appreciate the fiction and nonfiction book much more.
When choosing a nonfiction book, we have to make sure that the book meets the proper criteria to be used as an informational book. My Season with Penguins by Sophie Webb is an excellent example of a fictional book. This book introduces the topic and informative text in a way that is organized for a student to make a easy read. Nonfiction books do not need to be complex reads, they need to be reads that work to our students levels of learning.
Myths and Facts About Nonfiction Biography and Information Books
Myth:
Nonfiction is only a dry recitation of facts, badly reproduced photographs, and practical prose.
Fact:
Today's quality nonfiction is a piece of literature that is a work of art.
Myth:
The Information in textbooks is more effective than trade books for learning about a content area.
Fact:
Problems with textbooks have been a major force driving the trend toward using trade books. Trade books generally are more up to date, and provide a more focused, in depth look at particular subjects.
Myth:
Both boys and girls would rather read fiction than nonfiction.
Fact:
Children of all ages prefer reading nonfiction when given the opportunity. First-grade girls and boys prefer nonfiction books; however generally, boys are more drawn to nonfiction than girls.
Below is a short video clip from Patrick Allen, a very well known educational leader who trains teachers on how to incorporate different aspects into their teachings. This clip is about introducing informative books in the classroom using a read-a-loud method. Hope you enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va9UWr7Y6rg
What does this mean to teachers?
As classroom teachers, we must take into account the interests of our students. Lets say for example there is a library shelf with 20 books. 10 of them are nonfiction and 2 are about cars, student A's interest. 10 of the books are fiction and 8 of them are about cars. What is the likelihood that student A will read nonfiction over fiction? The ratio of fiction to non fiction books is 3/4. This gives student A much more access to books that are fiction pertaining to his interests.
When planning a classroom library, we must make a consensus of what our students are interested in. Ideally, we would like our students to choose books based on balance, choosing fiction and nonfiction reflectively. In order for this to happen, we have to make sure we have a large stock of materials for that child to read. In this chapter, the author mentions the importance of getting to your local library. There is no better way to engage students than to switch out the books in the library monthly. I think this is a great idea, because as a future first year teacher, my income will be slightly low and purchasing materials for the classroom would be very difficult. Taking advantage of the resources we have, can give us the best of both world, keeping our students engaged in a diverse set of books and types of readings.
Table 10.2, partly replicated below, shoes the goals of teaching multicultural non fiction.
Goal
- Contribute to students' self-esteem and self-awareness
- Help children of diverse cultures appreciate the contribution of their ancestors.
- Contribute to the development of respect across cultures.
- Illustrate the history of various diverse cultures in this country and abroad.
- Provide up-to-the-minute portrayals of everyday lives of youngsters from diverse cultures living today.
I incorporated this section of goals because it is a reference we should keep within reach, reminding us the importance of nonfiction references. When learning about promoting multicultural understanding, pg. 272, I learned a technique worth sharing. When teaching a lesson, no matter what subject, use fiction and nonfiction books interchangeably.
In this section of the text, Eric Carls fiction story about a caterpillar was used to introduce a lesson. Because the caterpillar ends up changing his form, to a butterfly, using a nonfiction book about what a chrysalis, is about, is a great way to get your students to understand what the change is and in turn, appreciate the fiction and nonfiction book much more.
When choosing a nonfiction book, we have to make sure that the book meets the proper criteria to be used as an informational book. My Season with Penguins by Sophie Webb is an excellent example of a fictional book. This book introduces the topic and informative text in a way that is organized for a student to make a easy read. Nonfiction books do not need to be complex reads, they need to be reads that work to our students levels of learning.
Myths and Facts About Nonfiction Biography and Information Books
Myth:
Nonfiction is only a dry recitation of facts, badly reproduced photographs, and practical prose.
Fact:
Today's quality nonfiction is a piece of literature that is a work of art.
Myth:
The Information in textbooks is more effective than trade books for learning about a content area.
Fact:
Problems with textbooks have been a major force driving the trend toward using trade books. Trade books generally are more up to date, and provide a more focused, in depth look at particular subjects.
Myth:
Both boys and girls would rather read fiction than nonfiction.
Fact:
Children of all ages prefer reading nonfiction when given the opportunity. First-grade girls and boys prefer nonfiction books; however generally, boys are more drawn to nonfiction than girls.
Below is a short video clip from Patrick Allen, a very well known educational leader who trains teachers on how to incorporate different aspects into their teachings. This clip is about introducing informative books in the classroom using a read-a-loud method. Hope you enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va9UWr7Y6rg
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Chapter 7 Post
Chapter 7 response:
Chapter
seven really captures how important it is for students to be read two. Page 180
of the text stuck out to me in the following ways:
“Helping children think about texts is an essential to the
teaching of reading as it is to the whole of our lives, and the most powerful
way to teach this kind of thinking is through book talks based on read-aloud
books.” (Lucy Calkins, 2001).
1)
Relating this quote to my personal intern
teaching experiences really helps to liven up the students and show them how
reading can be a great excitement. I have tried guided, and out loud readings
twice in the first two weeks of my internship. Incorporating realistic fiction
in the classroom allows the students to make the onnection to real life
situations. It is incredible to see their faces as they follow characters in
the reading and see them going through experiences that the children might one
day happen to them.
Part two of the section Special Topic: Perspectives on
Censorship was very interesting to me. It was interesting because it talked
about a topic I have never read of before. Censorship in the classroom is a
very sensitive subject. From reading this section, pg.190, I learned that
individuals have the right to challenge the school board or library trustees. I
found that through these challenges, books can get removed from the curriculum.
With
further reading, I found a list of books that have been banned from
curriculums. Some of these books include: The Adventures of Huckleberry Film,
Of Mice and Men, The Giver, and The Catcher in the Rye. Growing up, these were
classics of literature that were read and discussed in the classrooms. I
understand that parents and other individuals can have opinions, it is just
upsetting to me that the students will be unable to enjoy these great works.
On another note, being a future ESE teacher, I have wanted
to list of realistic fiction picture books. These are great additions to have
in your classroom library and are directly from Chapter 7, pg.201.
1)
All the
World, by Liz Scanlon, (2009). This book illustrates the importance of
small and large things in our world. The book beautifully opens up important
classroom discussion.
2)
Flower
Garden, by Eve Bunting, (1994). This book illustrates an important family
connection from father to daughter.
3)
Fred
Strays with me!, by Nancy Coffelt, (2007). This book illustrates living in
two homes, one with mother and one with father. This is something half of the
students in the classroom can relate to and help to increase a safe classroom
environment where the students feel safe.
4)
Nana
Upstairs and Nana Downstairs, by Tomie DePola,(1973). This book illustrates
three generations of family and shows how the main character has to learn about
death. This is also very relatable to students in our classrooms. The students
are at ages where they have to face the same thing, and sharing this story may
in the end help the children mourn.
5)
The Old
Woman Who Named Things, by
Cynthia Rylant, (1996). This book illustrates again that life is fragile and
each day is a gift.
6)
Pictures
from Our Vacation, by Lynne Perkins, (2007). This book illustrates that
joys, like a family vacation, are best when recorded so the memories can be
relived again.
7)
The
Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, (1985). This book illustrates a family
reunion.
8)
Shortcute,
by Donald Crews, (1992). This book illustrates adventure, where children take a
trip off the beaten path and explore many great excitements and dangers along
the way.
9)
Weslandia,
by Paul Fleichman, (1999). This book illustrates crop production in the form of
having a garden, and all the wealth that comes to the family from the abundance
from their garden.
10)
Wilfred
Gordon McDonald Patridge, by Mem Fox, (1985). This book illustrates the tie
of two boys and their friendship. It explores the emotion of empathy, and shows
the bond between two friends.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Chapter 11- Diverse Perspectives in Children's Literature
Chapter 11- Diverse Perspectives in Children's Literature-
First and Foremost lets take a minute to think about the diversity here in our SW Florida schools.
It is incredible to see the different cultures in our classrooms. This chapter discusses schooling and its different perspectives in children's literature. What is that? The definition of perspective is: The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance: tried to keep my perspective throughout the crisis.
When teaching in our classrooms, we have to be flexible to students different perspectives. In my opinion, it is very hard for a student to be completely wrong answering a open ended question, due to the students different and diverse perspectives. As we know, diversity means "to see other cultures and life experiences" Pg. 305, text.
Multicultural text is very important in the classroom. The need for multicultural literature, pg.265, text, allows us to better understand the United States as a nation. It is very important to incorporate literature in our classrooms that deal with different nationalities and cultures. To read about a Hispanic family and their lives, puts us in a place where we can be sympathetic to others and their experiences. This is important because it is a way that we can have our students connect with one another in our classrooms.
What caught my eye in this chapter was the different categories of Multi Cultural Literature on pg.311 of the text. The text defines these categories as follows:
Culturally neutral- Books that include culturally diverse characters, but topics are not related.
Culturally generic- Books that focus on diverse characters but also include different cultures from the larger American culture.
Culturally specific- Books that incorporate specific, culturally authentic details that define the characters, plots and themes.
These books go from neutral to specific on a spectrum of general to specific. What I learned in studying about these different focused books is that the full range of books in the classroom is necessary, because the different ranges in books offer a different spin, and emphasis of the different cultures.
Above is a short video example of the bonus that the students get in learning by teaching diversity through children's literature in the classroom. I would use videos like this and the following: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A5V0w0TMCI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU4uWL9qXLc
as a segway to reading and talking about different cultures and the diversity in the area in which we live. I think it is a great way to introduce a unit, connecting to the different ways the literature can be interpreted as well as discuss the different views from different readers.
To further study about the different perspectives in children's literature, I have incorporated some great print resources to follow:
Ada,A. (2003). A magival encounter: Latino children's literature in the classroom (2nd ed.). New York: Allyn& Bacon.
Bishop,R. (2007). Free within ourselves: The development of African American children's literature. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Bothelho,M., & Rudman, M.(2009). Critical Multicultural analysis of children's literature: Mirrors, windows, and doors. New York: Routledge.
Cowhey,M. (2006). Black ants and Buddhists: Thinking critically and teaching differently in the primary grades. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Day,F. (2000). Lesbian and gay voices: an annotated bibliography and guide to literature for children and young adults. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Dozier, C., Johnston, P., & Rogers, R. (2006). Critical literacy, critical teaching: Tools for preparing responsive teachers. New York: Teachers College Press.
Dyches, T. (2008). Teaching about disabilities through children's literature. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Gebel,D. (2006). Crossing boundaries with children's books. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.
Henderson, D., & May, J. (2005). Exploring culturally diverse literature for children and adults: Learning to listen in new ways. Boston: Pearson.
Reis,S. (2002). Book bridges for ESL students: Using young adult and children's literature to teach ESL. Lanhan, MD: Scarecrow Press.
First and Foremost lets take a minute to think about the diversity here in our SW Florida schools.
It is incredible to see the different cultures in our classrooms. This chapter discusses schooling and its different perspectives in children's literature. What is that? The definition of perspective is: The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance: tried to keep my perspective throughout the crisis.
When teaching in our classrooms, we have to be flexible to students different perspectives. In my opinion, it is very hard for a student to be completely wrong answering a open ended question, due to the students different and diverse perspectives. As we know, diversity means "to see other cultures and life experiences" Pg. 305, text.
Multicultural text is very important in the classroom. The need for multicultural literature, pg.265, text, allows us to better understand the United States as a nation. It is very important to incorporate literature in our classrooms that deal with different nationalities and cultures. To read about a Hispanic family and their lives, puts us in a place where we can be sympathetic to others and their experiences. This is important because it is a way that we can have our students connect with one another in our classrooms.
What caught my eye in this chapter was the different categories of Multi Cultural Literature on pg.311 of the text. The text defines these categories as follows:
Culturally neutral- Books that include culturally diverse characters, but topics are not related.
Culturally generic- Books that focus on diverse characters but also include different cultures from the larger American culture.
Culturally specific- Books that incorporate specific, culturally authentic details that define the characters, plots and themes.
These books go from neutral to specific on a spectrum of general to specific. What I learned in studying about these different focused books is that the full range of books in the classroom is necessary, because the different ranges in books offer a different spin, and emphasis of the different cultures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU4uWL9qXLc
as a segway to reading and talking about different cultures and the diversity in the area in which we live. I think it is a great way to introduce a unit, connecting to the different ways the literature can be interpreted as well as discuss the different views from different readers.
To further study about the different perspectives in children's literature, I have incorporated some great print resources to follow:
Ada,A. (2003). A magival encounter: Latino children's literature in the classroom (2nd ed.). New York: Allyn& Bacon.
Bishop,R. (2007). Free within ourselves: The development of African American children's literature. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Bothelho,M., & Rudman, M.(2009). Critical Multicultural analysis of children's literature: Mirrors, windows, and doors. New York: Routledge.
Cowhey,M. (2006). Black ants and Buddhists: Thinking critically and teaching differently in the primary grades. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Day,F. (2000). Lesbian and gay voices: an annotated bibliography and guide to literature for children and young adults. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Dozier, C., Johnston, P., & Rogers, R. (2006). Critical literacy, critical teaching: Tools for preparing responsive teachers. New York: Teachers College Press.
Dyches, T. (2008). Teaching about disabilities through children's literature. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Gebel,D. (2006). Crossing boundaries with children's books. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.
Henderson, D., & May, J. (2005). Exploring culturally diverse literature for children and adults: Learning to listen in new ways. Boston: Pearson.
Reis,S. (2002). Book bridges for ESL students: Using young adult and children's literature to teach ESL. Lanhan, MD: Scarecrow Press.
Favorite Reads
The follow list illustrates some of my favorite personal reads. I will give you the name, author and a summary to follow if you are interested. I will update this page periodically adding new books and new information.
Plot Overview- The Great Gatsby -F.Scott Fitzgerald
Nick Carraway, a young man from Minnesota, moves to New York in the summer of 1922 to learn about the bond business. He rents a house in the West Egg district of Long Island, a wealthy but unfashionable area populated by the new rich, a group who have made their fortunes too recently to have established social connections and who are prone to garish displays of wealth. Nick’s next-door neighbor in West Egg is a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby, who lives in a gigantic Gothic mansion and throws extravagant parties every Saturday night.
Nick is unlike the other inhabitants of West Egg—he was educated at Yale and has social connections in East Egg, a fashionable area of Long Island home to the established upper class. Nick drives out to East Egg one evening for dinner with his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and her husband, Tom, an erstwhile classmate of Nick’s at Yale. Daisy and Tom introduce Nick to Jordan Baker, a beautiful, cynical young woman with whom Nick begins a romantic relationship. Nick also learns a bit about Daisy and Tom’s marriage: Jordan tells him that Tom has a lover, Myrtle Wilson, who lives in the valley of ashes, a gray industrial dumping ground between West Egg and New York City. Not long after this revelation, Nick travels to New York City with Tom and Myrtle. At a vulgar, gaudy party in the apartment that Tom keeps for the affair, Myrtle begins to taunt Tom about Daisy, and Tom responds by breaking her nose.As the summer progresses, Nick eventually garners an invitation to one of Gatsby’s legendary parties. He encounters Jordan Baker at the party, and they meet Gatsby himself, a surprisingly young man who affects an English accent, has a remarkable smile, and calls everyone “old sport.” Gatsby asks to speak to Jordan alone, and, through Jordan, Nick later learns more about his mysterious neighbor. Gatsby tells Jordan that he knew Daisy in Louisville in 1917 and is deeply in love with her. He spends many nights staring at the green light at the end of her dock, across the bay from his mansion. Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle and wild parties are simply an attempt to impress Daisy. Gatsby now wants Nick to arrange a reunion between himself and Daisy, but he is afraid that Daisy will refuse to see him if she knows that he still loves her. Nick invites Daisy to have tea at his house, without telling her that Gatsby will also be there. After an initially awkward reunion, Gatsby and Daisy reestablish their connection. Their love rekindled, they begin an affair.After a short time, Tom grows increasingly suspicious of his wife’s relationship with Gatsby. At a luncheon at the Buchanans’ house, Gatsby stares at Daisy with such undisguised passion that Tom realizes Gatsby is in love with her. Though Tom is himself involved in an extramarital affair, he is deeply outraged by the thought that his wife could be unfaithful to him. He forces the group to drive into New York City, where he confronts Gatsby in a suite at the Plaza Hotel. Tom asserts that he and Daisy have a history that Gatsby could never understand, and he announces to his wife that Gatsby is a criminal—his fortune comes from bootlegging alcohol and other illegal activities. Daisy realizes that her allegiance is to Tom, and Tom contemptuously sends her back to East Egg with Gatsby, attempting to prove that Gatsby cannot hurt him.When Nick, Jordan, and Tom drive through the valley of ashes, however, they discover that Gatsby’s car has struck and killed Myrtle, Tom’s lover. They rush back to Long Island, where Nick learns from Gatsby that Daisy was driving the car when it struck Myrtle, but that Gatsby intends to take the blame. The next day, Tom tells Myrtle’s husband, George, that Gatsby was the driver of the car. George, who has leapt to the conclusion that the driver of the car that killed Myrtle must have been her lover, finds Gatsby in the pool at his mansion and shoots him dead. He then fatally shoots himself.Nick stages a small funeral for Gatsby, ends his relationship with Jordan, and moves back to the Midwest to escape the disgust he feels for the people surrounding Gatsby’s life and for the emptiness and moral decay of life among the wealthy on the East Coast. Nick reflects that just as Gatsby’s dream of Daisy was corrupted by money and dishonesty, the American dream of happiness and individualism has disintegrated into the mere pursuit of wealth. Though Gatsby’s power to transform his dreams into reality is what makes him “great,” Nick reflects that the era of dreaming—both Gatsby’s dream and the American dream—is over.Plot Overview- Of Mice and Men- John Steinbeck
Two migrant workers, George and Lennie, have been let off a bus miles away from the California farm where they are due to start work. George is a small, dark man with “sharp, strong features.” Lennie, his companion, is his opposite, a giant of a man with a “shapeless” face. Overcome with thirst, the two stop in a clearing by a pool and decide to camp for the night. As the two converse, it becomes clear that Lennie has a mild mental disability, and is deeply devoted to George and dependent upon him for protection and guidance. George finds that Lennie, who loves petting soft things but often accidentally kills them, has been carrying and stroking a dead mouse. George angrily throws it away, fearing that Lennie might catch a disease from the dead animal. George complains loudly that his life would be easier without having to care for Lennie, but the reader senses that their friendship and devotion is mutual. He and Lennie share a dream of buying their own piece of land, farming it, and, much to Lennie’s delight, keeping rabbits. George ends the night by treating Lennie to the story he often tells him about what life will be like in such an idyllic place.The next day, the men report to the nearby ranch. George, fearing how the boss will react to Lennie, insists that he’ll do all the talking. He lies, explaining that they travel together because they are cousins and that a horse kicked Lennie in the head when he was a child. They are hired. They meet Candy, an old “swamper,” or handyman, with a missing hand and an ancient dog, and Curley, the boss’s mean-spirited son. Curley is newly married, possessive of his flirtatious wife, and full of jealous suspicion. Once George and Lennie are alone in the bunkhouse, Curley’s wife appears and flirts with them. Lennie thinks she is “purty,” but George, sensing the trouble that could come from tangling with this woman and her husband, warns Lennie to stay away from her. Soon, the ranch-hands return from the fields for lunch, and George and Lennie meet Slim, the skilled mule driver who wields great authority on the ranch. Slim comments on the rarity of friendship like that between George and Lennie. Carlson, another ranch-hand, suggests that since Slim’s dog has just given birth, they should offer a puppy to Candy and shoot Candy’s old, good-for-nothing dog.The next day, George confides in Slim that he and Lennie are not cousins, but have been friends since childhood. He tells how Lennie has often gotten them into trouble. For instance, they were forced to flee their last job because Lennie tried to touch a woman’s dress and was accused of rape. Slim agrees to give Lennie one of his puppies, and Carlson continues to badger Candy to kill his old dog. When Slim agrees with Carlson, saying that death would be a welcome relief to the suffering animal, Candy gives in. Carlson, before leading the dog outside, promises to do the job painlessly.Slim goes to the barn to do some work, and Curley, who is maniacally searching for his wife, heads to the barn to accost Slim. Candy overhears George and Lennie discussing their plans to buy land, and offers his life’s savings if they will let him live there too. The three make a pact to let no one else know of their plan. Slim returns to the bunkhouse, berating Curley for his suspicions. Curley, searching for an easy target for his anger, finds Lennie and picks a fight with him. Lennie crushes Curley’s hand in the altercation. Slim warns Curley that if he tries to get George and Lennie fired, he will be the laughingstock of the farm.The next night, most of the men go to the local brothel. Lennie is left with Crooks, the lonely, black stable-hand, and Candy. Curley’s wife flirts with them, refusing to leave until the other men come home. She notices the cuts on Lennie’s face and suspects that he, and not a piece of machinery as Curley claimed, is responsible for hurting her husband. This thought amuses her. The next day, Lennie accidentally kills his puppy in the barn. Curley’s wife enters and consoles him. She admits that life with Curley is a disappointment, and wishes that she had followed her dream of becoming a movie star. Lennie tells her that he loves petting soft things, and she offers to let him feel her hair. When he grabs too tightly, she cries out. In his attempt to silence her, he accidentally breaks her neck.Lennie flees back to a pool of the Salinas River that George had designated as a meeting place should either of them get into trouble. As the men back at the ranch discover what has happened and gather together a lynch party, George joins Lennie. Much to Lennie’s surprise, George is not mad at him for doing “a bad thing.” George begins to tell Lennie the story of the farm they will have together. As he describes the rabbits that Lennie will tend, the sound of the approaching lynch party grows louder. George shoots his friend in the back of the head.When the other men arrive, George lets them believe that Lennie had the gun, and George wrestled it away from him and shot him. Only Slim understands what has really happened, that George has killed his friend out of mercy. Slim consolingly leads him away, and the other men, completely puzzled, watch them leave.
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