Blog Post #4: 2nd 6 Weeks

After doing a little research on the topic of last week's post, I found out that books are banned or challenged for certain age groups. For instance, a book like the one I read a couple of weeks ago, Olive's Ocean, is banned specifically from elementary schools. The age of the protagonist in that book is 12. When I read it, I thought it was the perfect book for middle school kids. From a personal standpoint, I can see why this book might be too advanced for elementary school children. The author of this book, Kevin Henkes, traditionally writes elementary books.

The age of the protagonist should automatically clue readers in to the fact that the book might be geared more toward children around that same age. I think looking at the ages of the characters is an effective way of determining the targeted population for several reasons. First, young kids have a lot less experience than older people. If a book is about a 20 year old person, a 12 year old might not be able to identify with the character. Second, in the same scenario, a 20 year old has likely gone through a lot more than a 12 year old. The character would be more experienced than the reader. Third, the issues 20 year old people deal with on a daily basis are very different than the issues a 12 year old deals with. In other words, the content might be inappropriate for 12 year olds.

Looking at the age of the characters does not always work, as many books have older characters but are actually targeted toward younger audiences and vice versa. So, gauging the ages pf the characters to determine the audience is not foolproof. It is a starting point, though.

So here is your initial question: What other ways are there for identifying the target audience of a book, short story, or even poem? In other words, how do you know what age group the author intended the reader to be? To answer this question, consider the following sub-questions: 1) What might make a book too advanced for you? 2) How do you know if the intended audience is younger than you? 3) What books have you read and enjoyed that are age-appropriate for middle school kids?

Answer the initial question and sub-questions in 4 complete, thoughtful sentences. Go back and look at your response and the other responses from last week. Remember, I want 4 sentences that show me you actually gave this topic some thought.

Blog Post #3: 2nd 6 weeks

Can you believe it is already almost time for progress reports? This year is flying fast, isn't it! We had a busy week last week, and we are in for another busy week this week. This week we are starting something new--menu! No, I am not going to serve you gourmet meals in my classroom. I am going to serve you some great learning opportunities, though!

So here's our topic for this week, and it coincides perfectly with some of the things we will be discussing in class on Monday. I want you to consider the word censorship. What does that word mean? Censor comes from the Latin word cens or censor, meaning to give one's opinion, recommend, or assess. A censor can also refer to a person who examines books, TV programs, news reports, etc. or to someone who supervises the manners of others. When you add the suffix -ship, which denotes condition, character, office, or skill, you have a definition that basically means the condition of giving one's opinion.

I recently finished a wonderful book called Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes. I thought it was a perfect book for students around your same age. I'm not going to tell you about the book, but I am going to tell you that it is a challenged book, meaning some people do not believe it is appropriate to have in a school library. When I read the book, I could not see any reason why someone would consider it inappropriate. I honestly thought it was excellent! Olive's Ocean is one of many, many books that are challenged. Some libraries will not carry challenged books because they contain or mention controversial topics. Controversial means debatable, indicating that the topics mentioned may not be for young audiences.

So here is our initial question: Do you think it is fair for school libraries to keep books that contain controversial topics off the shelves? To answer this question, consider the following sub-questions: 1) What sorts of topics might be considered controversial and why? 2) What appeal would challenged books have to readers such as yourselves? 3) How does censorship affect our individual rights, or does it affect them? 4) What real-world application do such books have in relation to you?

Answer the initial question and sub-questions in four complete, thoughtful, and insightful sentences. Remember, we are reflecting on our personal views because successful learners need to understand why they think the way they do. Put some thought into this post!

Blog Post #2: 2nd 6 Weeks

In our ELAR class, we've been talking about tone and mood. We've discussed that TONE is the writer's attitude toward the characters, subject, or events. We've also talked about how MOOD is how the reader feels when reading or listening to a story. We've continued talking about these two very important concepts this week. We've also introduced the concept of THEME, which is one of the most important literary terms you will learn this year. Remember--tone and mood help readers to identify theme.

I'm going to tell you about one of my favorite books and point out the tone, mood, and theme of that story before I ask you to answer the initial and sub-questions. I love the short story Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss.  Many of you may know this story because you saw the movie that came out a while back. If you are not familiar with it, though, let me fill you in. First off, Horton is an elephant. He finds a speck of dust one day that contains a whole civilization of Who people. No one will believe Horton when he tells them that he hears the Who people. He endures lots of ridicule and teasing because he decides to help the Whos. Even still, Horton proves to be a hero when he perseveres and saves the day (and the Who folk)! The tone of this short story is very light-hearted and whimsical. It is told in rhymes, and it is quite silly, like most Dr. Seuss stories. The mood is playful, although there is one part that is a little heart-breaking (not too much, though). If you watch the movie or read the book, the tone and mood are evidenced by the bright colors and funny characters. Because I know what the tone and mood are, I am better able to interpret the theme. You must also note that you HAVE to be familiar with the plot of the story in order to determine theme, too. Think of your plot chant! So, the theme of Dr. Seuss's classic elephant tale has to do with making a difference. But that's not enough, is it? No! Theme is ALWAYS in the form of a complete sentence, telling how the author feels about the subject of the story. It answers the question What is the author trying to tell us? So, I ask the question: What is Dr. Seuss saying about making a difference? The answer gets me the theme: Anyone can make a difference by standing up for what they believe in. I believe this is one of the messages Dr. Seuss was trying to convey to us. Please also note that many books, stories, movies, or even songs can have more than one theme.

So here is the initial question: What is the theme of something you have recently read, heard, or watched? To answer the initial question, follow my thinking process with Horton Hears a Who and consider the following sub-questions: 1) What is going on in the story, song, or movie? 2) What is the tone? How do you know? 3) What is the mood? How do you know? 4) What is the subject? (Note: I asked what, not who. This distinction is important.) And don't forget to go back and explain the answer to the initial question!

Answer the initial question and sub-questions in 4 complete, thoughtful, and insightful sentences. Meet the requirements in order to get an optimal grade. We want 4s, not anything less!

Blog Post #1 2nd 6 Weeks

We're back in full swing after the break we took last week due to district assessments. Your rubrics for blog posts are going to be passed back on Tuesday when you report to school. Please pay careful attention to how I grade these responses. Take note that each response is 1/5 of your blog post grade, which counts one grade each 6 weeks. Some of you performed wonderfully, while others need a little push in the right direction. Here's your topic for this week.

Picture books are typically associated with younger students and even little kids, but these books have a lot of value even for older readers. Did you know that some libraries call picture books "everybody books" because they are, well, for everybody? While you are answering the questions below, think about a time when you read a picture book or had one read to you.

The initial question: What value do picture books have for older students like yourself? To answer the initial question, consider the answers to the following sub-questions: 1) Think of a time when a teacher used a picture book to introduce a skill, such as tone and mood, sequencing, summary, or even specific literary elements. Was it effective in sparking your interest in the topic? 2) Have you read any picture books that you particularly enjoyed or remember? 3) Why would these books be called "everybody books?" 4) Can you think of a specific picture book that might help teach a certain skill to you and your peers?

Answer the initial question and sub-questions in 4 complete, thoughtful sentences. To get full credit, you must answer each part, show that you put thought into your answers, and write the full 4 sentences. Remember, Mackenzie Raiders strive for 4s, meaning anything less should not be acceptable.