https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZdgULjz1b-ABrFBScpwktByYcgzl0Q7wmgNi04z-B40/edit?usp=sharing

Bucking the Sarge by Christopher Paul Curtis was published in 2004. The book is about Luther, a 15 year old boy, who grows up in Flint, Michigan. Luther’s mother is involved in an extremely sketchy, manipulative, and shady business dealings. Luther has a passion of philosophy early in the book and it carries through in the novel. From an outsider’s perspective on Luther’s life, people view his lifestyle as luxurious and envious because of his expensive car, a phony license that says he is 18, and an education fund worth $92,510. He is a top student and is in the running for becoming the winner of the science fair. However, as we get to know Luther, he is negatively getting brought down by his mother. His hyper strict mother is also known as “the sarge”. This is a woman who has lied, extorted, and cheated into her way of owning the ghetto. When Luther is not in school, he is forced to be in charge of the Sarge’s dirty work. This involves cleaning out the rat-infested apartments of evicted tenants and taking care of the elderly residents at the adult rehabilitation center in town owned by his mother.

To relate to an element of literature, the key message and theme in this book could relate to the aspect of happiness, independence, and humor. To further express this, happiness and independence seem to be out of Luther’s reach initially in his life. However, he devises a plan to “buck” the “Sarge” the same exact way she has “bucked” the system. Luther can be looked at as a hero with his effective sense of humor and his interest in philosophy. His interest in philosophy was introduced near the beginning of the novel and can, now, be related to the key message in the novel. These aspects are effective in tying the novel together and emphasizing the character development. Due to the book featuring characters that are so lively and gratifying, the resolution is captivating in wrapping the book together. The book portrays a modern-day battle between morality and greed that proves there are multiple ways to come out on top.

The grade level that I would like to teach is first grade. The biography that I found is “Who Was Walt Disney?” by Whitney Stewart. My reaction as to how I would use this book in my classroom is that I find it effective to express what a biography is. This book explains who Walt Disney was and his life. The readers and children would learn that Walt Disney loved to entertain people and that lead him into getting in trouble. His family was poor and he spent most of his life living on a farm in Missouri. 

To include something that I learned from the readings, “Picture Book Biographies for Young Children: A Way to Teach Multiple Perspectives” By Hani Morgan, it emphasized the importance of multiple perspectives. To relate this to how I could connect to the biography “Who Was Walt Disney?”, I would teach my students the importance of gaining new perspectives through reading biographies. Students can think about how they could imagine how life was for Walt Disney and then compare it to their perspective on their own life. 

Worksheet: https://alyssasteachingcornerhome.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/img_9535.jpg

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13BlyzWyNxDAkk8i4il6yA7IXZrZQkSgrPtHz57tbIq8/edit?usp=sharing

One way you can teach biographies is by using speaking and listening activities with biographical texts. This technique allows for students to interact the biography in an approachable way. This teaching technique allows for a low-risk environment for students to negotiate meaning, tackle ideas, and work together. Another technique is using writing activities to respond to biographical texts. This lets students think critically when understanding biographies and sometimes even creatively. This is a beneficial teaching technique because it allows for students to interact with each other to tackle the subject within the biography. It is important for the students to understand the context behind the biography and how to make connections. I also feel that biographies are important for students to understand because it builds language skills and vocabulary with how to write and talk about life. Students will be able to relate the biographies to their experiences and cultures. It is important to teach students about multiple perspectives because it will express to them how to understand various cultures. A strategy with teaching biographies in the classroom could be to include thematic standards that have global connections and global diversity. That is important for students to understand by gaining multiple perspectives. We can determine if a children’s biography book is culturally authentic by using well-written picture book biographies which represent individuals from diverse backgrounds. These books can be determined if they are culturally authentic if the aspects of the biography book include references of people from different groups. By having children’s biography books in the classroom that are culturally authentic, it will emphasize to the students the importance of developing multiple viewpoints at a young age.

The reading, “Engaging Language Learners with Biography-Based Lessons, Units, and Courses” emphasized the importance of implementing biographies into the classroom. An example that I liked was, “First and foremost, biographies are a form of a story, and storytelling is a universal human activity”. I liked this piece from the reading because it showed how biographies can tell a story to the reader. In addition, this shows how the aspect of storytelling is helpful in human activity. Biographies can engage students to learn and emerge themselves into reading biographies in school.

Jessica and I began reading Bucking the Sarge. We talked about 15 year old Luther is given everything any teenage boy living in a poor city would want. Specifically, he wants a nice car, an illegal license, nice clothes, and more. However, being realistic in life he is forced to follow in his mother’s footsteps. He has to go along with her scams and skeptical real estate company, a loan shark business, and a group home for the mentally disabled. Her nickname fits her well and sarge is very militant. We reflected that Luther has a good and genuine heart and takes care of the clients. We thought it was heartwarming when he was reading to the clients. Luther has an interest in philosophy, as we discussed. Jessica and I predicted that he will use that in the book and do something with it. @JessicaLeClerc

According to the reading, dialogic reading is an extremely effective way to read aloud with young children. This technique is a way to allow for the child to be the teller of the story. The position of the teacher is to be the listener, audience, and questioner. The PEER sequence is used as the fundamental reading technique in dialogic reading.

The award winning children’s book The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister (as well as him being the illustrator) received the Christopher Award (1993) among many other awards. This book was an international bestseller. Every page has eye catching illustrations to keep the readers engaged. Every page is glittering with characters and contains bright colors. These colorful pages instantly catches children appeal. The universal message of this children’s story involves the beautiful fish who learns to make friends by sharing his most prized possessions. This created a lasting value in the book.

A literary element in the book is the plot and structure. In the book, the fish is the most beautiful fish in the sea. None of the fish want to be friends with him. None of the shiny scales will be shared with the other fish in the sea. The fish ends up sharing his scales and is the happiest fish in the sea.

The award winning children’s book The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith and illustrator Katz Cowley was awarded the children’s choice award and the song associated with it was awarded the APRA New Zealand Children’s Song of the Year. This children’s book depicts funny and amusing aspects with each page that you read. Each page showcases something new about the donkey. The donkey is an interesting character and the book revolves around various qualities that the donkey has. Children, who are the readers, find the book a hilarious read. It is effective for the children to follow each page because it deepens their understanding of the donkey’s journey and they learn different characteristics of the funky donkey. With each page, it keeps readers guessing as to what funky word the donkey will be described as next. Each page contains new descriptions of the donkey. This would be a great book to read aloud to children because it could easily keep them engaged and intrigued to follow along with the book.

The literary element in the book is rhyming. The use of rhyme is effective because it allows the readers to understand the spirit of the donkey. Another element is theme in the book. The theme that the readers can learn is the donkey has a spirit of its own and it is important to stay true to yourself.