LIBR 260-10
Resources for Children, Ages 0-6
Summer 2008 Greensheet
Penny Peck
E-mail
| Greensheet Links Textbooks and Readings Course Requirements |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS eBookstore |
Students must self-enroll for this course on Blackboard, beginning on May 27, 2008 , and must be self-enrolled by June 6, 2008. You will be required to use a password access code that will be provided through the MYSJSU messaging system.
Course Description
Survey of children's materials for ages up to six, with emphasis on board books and pictures books, books for emergent readers, media, and integration of this material into library and school programs, and collection development and program planning for this age group.
Course Prerequisites: none.
Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate a familiarity with a variety of children’s literature and information books as well as various media for this age group,
- Critically review and evaluate materials, and use related collection development resources and selection tools,
- Assist parents and caregivers with questions about appropriate materials for their children,
- Prepare and present a program for this age audience, and
- Develop a collection development policy for these materials.
LIBR 260 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- use the basic concepts and principles related to the creation, evaluation, selection, acquisition, preservation and organization of specific items or collections of information;
- use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users;
- demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations;
- evaluate programs and services on specified criteria.
In addition, this section supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- articulate the ethics, values and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom;
- compare the environments and organizational settings in which library and information professionals practice;
- recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use;
- apply the fundamental principles of planning, management and marketing/advocacy;
- understand the nature of research, research methods and research findings; retrieve, evaluate and synthesize scholarly and professional literature for informed decision-making by specific client groups;
- contribute to the cultural, economic, educational and social well-being of our communities.
Textbooks and Readings
- Horning, Kathleen T. From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children’s Books. HarperCollins, 1997. $13.95. ISBN 0-06-446167-X.
- Ghotin, Saroj Nadkarni and Martin-Diaz, Pamela. Early Literacy Storytimes @ Your Library. ALA, 2006. $45. ISBN 0-8389-0899-3.
Go to SLIS eBookstore.
Other Assigned Reading
Be sure to see the Course Documents on the Blackboard for the assigned readings for the class, including the journal articles assigned for the class. You will also see a sequence of lectures, the weekly topic for the discussion question, and more extensive descriptions of the assignments.
You will also want to visit your local public library to find the children’s books you will use for the assignments as well as reading book reviews in School Library Journal, Horn Book, Booklist, and Publishers’ Weekly.
Course Requirements
Course Format
Students must self-enroll for this course on Blackboard, beginning on May 27, 2008, and must be self-enrolled by June 6, 2008. You will be required to use a password access code that will be provided through the MYSJSU messaging system. Students will also be required to attend one "in person" class on Saturday, July 26, 2008 in Fullerton, 10am-4pm. This "in person" class is mandatory.
Class Discussion
Our class discussions (worth 20 percent of your grade) will be your responses to a different discussion question posted each week. Always post to the Discussion Question by the date listed on our Reading Assignments calendar. You will be graded on both the content of your posts (not just “I agree”), and meeting the minimum of posting at least once a week. Last day to post to the Blackboard Discussion Board is Friday, August 8, 2008. Related competencies: A, B, C, D, F, G, M, N, O.
Assignments
All assignments (except Assignment 4) should be a Word file posted to the Blackboard site in the Digital Dropbox, or sent as a Word document attachment to email. All assignments must use APA format for sources. Assignment 4 is presented at the class meeting (see above).
Assignment 1: Due Friday, June 20, 2008, by 11:59pm.
Assignment 2: Due Friday, July 11, 2008, by 11:59pm.
Assignment 3: Due Friday, July 18, 2008, by 11:59pm.
Assignment 4: Due: Saturday, July 26, 2008 at the in person class in Fullerton, 10am-4pm. At the class, you will present Assignment 4.
Assignment 5: Due Friday, August 8, 2008, by 11:59pm.
Assignment 1: Board Books and Picture Books
Choose five board books and five picture books to read and evaluate. Write a book review of each book. Each book review should be at least 100 words in length, not counting the bibliographic information. Give full bibliographic information. Look at reviews in School Library Journal or Horn Book for a model. These are evaluative reviews, not just plot descriptions. Evaluate the text and the illustrations, commenting on the media used for the illustrations and how (or if) the text and illustrations work well together. Would the book be good for Storytime? There is a clear explanation of the difference between Board Books and Picture Books in the lectures, but feel free to email me if you are not sure a book “fits” for this assignment. List all your sources. Related competencies: F, G, M, O.
Assignment 2: Visit to a Public Library Storytime
Observe a Storytime at a Public Library (you should phone and make arrangements to attend and talk to the presenter after the storytime). Write up a report of this observation, listing all the books, songs, and other activities used during the storytime. What age group was the target audience – Baby Lapsit, Toddler, Preschool, Family, Bilingual, Head Start, etc.? What was the demographic of those in attendance? How did the presenter handle any disturbances? Was the presenter a children’s librarian, support staff, or volunteer? How do they publicize the storytime? Is registration required? Were any Kindergarten Readiness skills featured? How will the storytime help emergent readers? List all your sources. Related competencies: A, B, C, G, I, M, N, O.
Assignment 3: Children’s Television/DVD
Watch three television programs or DVDs intended for toddlers or preschoolers. Write a review of each program/movie, keeping in mind the intended audience. Was the show well produced (high quality acting, music, sets, lighting, cinematography, costumes, etc.)? Will the show add to a child’s vocabulary or knowledge? Is the show suitable for a library program or Kindergarten class, or just a “time waster?” List all your sources. Related competencies: A, C, F, G, M, O.
Assignment 4: Storytime
Design a half-hour Storytime you could present at a public library, daycare, preschool, or Kindergarten. You will present an oral demonstration of one book and one song or fingerplay from this program at the “in person” class meeting (see above). Designate if this Storytime is designed for Baby Lapsit, Toddler Time, Preschool Storytime, Bilingual Storytime, Family Storytime, Families for Literacy Storytime or ELF Storytime, or for a Kindergarten Class. Create a handout outlining the Storytime, listing which books (include at least five and with full bibliographic information), songs, fingerplays, flannelboards, apron stories, puppets, craft, and/or other parts of the Storytime you would use. List any and all websites or books you used to find ideas. Make 30 copies of this handout and bring to the “in person” class meeting to distribute to your fellow students. Related competencies: A, B, C, F, G, I, M, N, O.
Assignment 5: Reader's Advisory Notebook/Database
Create an entry for 50 items (books and media) appropriate for children ages 0-6. Each entry should include the bibliographic information, a brief plot description, your personal thoughts on the book (yes, you need to read each book), and mention of any books that are similar in style, content, theme or characters. Also include any of the following items that you think might help you with reader's advisory activities in the future:
- Subjects/themes
- Awards
- Series Information
- Character names/descriptions
- Programming/lesson ideas
- Anything else you'd like to add
Complete project should include entries for all different book genres and reading levels discussed in class, and media. Complete project should include several recent (1990+) award winning titles (such as Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpre, or Caldecott Award picture books).
Entries must be formatted using Microsoft Word. You may not use any of the books used in your other assignments. These are 50 other books besides those. They can be a mix of board books, picture books, nonfiction, easy readers, folktales, DVD/video, magazines, CDRoms, or audio recordings for our age group (but not websites). List all your sources.
Related competencies: A, C, F, G, M, O.
Grading
Class discussions are worth 20 percent of your grade; Assignments 1, 2, 3 are worth 10 percent each, Assignments 4 and 5 are worth 25 percent each. Assignments submitted late are not accepted.
Grading Scale
The standard SJSU SLIS Grading Scale is utilized for all SLIS courses:
| 97-100 | A |
| 94-96 | A- |
| 91-93 | B+ |
| 88-90 | B |
| 85-87 | B- |
| 82-84 | C+ |
| 79-81 | C |
| 76-78 | C- |
| 73-75 | D+ |
| 70-72 | D |
| 67-69 | D- |
| Below 67 | F |
In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:
- C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
- B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work;
- A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.
Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0.
Academic Integrity
Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San José State University, and the University's Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_conduct.
Reasonable Accommodation of Disabilities
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability,
please e-mail me as soon as possible. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires
that students with disabilities register with the Disability Resource Center
(DRC) to establish record of their disability.
No matter where students reside, they should contact the SJSU DRC to register. The DRC Web site: http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/
One Washington Square - San José, California USA, 95192-0029
Phone: 408-924-2490
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