Chapter 10: Nonfiction: Biographies and Informational Books

Growing up I was never keen on nonfiction books. They existed on the side of the library I wouldn't dare explore unless it was required for my class. Nonfiction is easily stereotyped as a boring, informational book that consists of cold hard facts and nothing more interesting than an occasional picture of an animal and wordy text. I have learned through this class that this stereotype is stretched far from the truth. Nonfiction books consist of biographies and informational texts that pin point  the social and scientific world. This genre has come a long way from the poorly represented photographs that once appeared throughout nonfiction books, even receiving the Caldecott award three times.

These days children of all ages prefer to read nonfiction when given the opportunity over historical fiction, realistic fiction, and modern fantasy. Nonfiction offers many benefits to readers that every teacher should be aware of. Nonfiction addresses children's interests and questions, and builds knowledge of the natural and social world. Informational books consist of expository text structure which means to explain, inform, and describe. Most commonly these books are organized by the Dewey Decimal System to help organize the type of nonfiction book. Nonfiction books are a great way for students to learn informational facts about whatever they want to learn. This genre is great for students to build knowledge and questions off of about the natural and social world.
                                 

Chapter 12: The World of Online Children's Literature

This chapter discusses how children today are digital natives. 93% of children ages 8-18 spend an average of 90 minutes a day use a computer at home. Research shows that nearly 75% of this time is spent social networking, watching videos, and playing computer games. Most very young students even come into school having experience with digital gadgets. Statistics show however, a great majority of students are not using digital gadgets to go beyond what they learn in school. This is a teachers goal to teach students how to appropriately use digital texts and engage, motivate, and extend children's understanding with children's literature.
Digital texts open up ways children can be engaged in reading. Digital texts offer children to be able to change the size and or color of the text along with decide if they want to listen to the book rather than read it. Digital texts support a great way for readers to access a variety of learning supports, like prompts to stop and summarize, predict, visualize, and question the text helping students gain meaning. Digital texts also may cause controversy when students are searching the internet for accurate information. It is important that the teachers show students how to determine if information on the internet is accurate and unbiased.
                                        

Chapter 11: Diverse Perspectives in Children's Literature

In today's world we as a nation have a very diverse, multicultural population and being able to translate that through stories can better help us, understand the United States as a nation. For children to better see other cultures and life experiences opens their perspective, insight, and possibilities as they grow to become citizens of the world. Multicultural literature helps young readers see themselves as a reflection to the stories, these stories show them how people unlike them feel, think, and live. By using multicultural literature in the classroom children are gaining awareness, appreciation, and understanding of people like, and unlike themselves. Multicultural literature also connects children to the outer world by introducing them to diverse points of view other than the ordinary.
 Sharing risky books as a new teacher can sometimes be scary, but the benefits from sharing risky books are detrimental. Books that are considered controversial through social issues provide opportunities for children and teachers to engage in diverse view points and build conversations that will give the children perspectives that are different from their own. By sharing risky books it also encourages cross-curricular connections within the classroom.

Chapter 7 Realistic Fiction

Realistic fiction is one of the most relatable and popular genres for young readers to divulge themselves in. Realistic fiction is most realistic because the settings, characters, and events are likely to happen in real life however, these stories are fiction because the characters and events haven't happened.  Realistic fiction ranges from the pains and conflicts of growing up to the most cheerful, carefree, and humorous storylines. Children can benefit a lot from realistic fiction by gaining a better understanding of human problems and relationships. Realistic fiction also allows young readers to understand the world through a different perspective.
Realistic fiction can provide a gateway for students to connect to characters through Science, Math, and social Studies. Readers will find Social Studies more meaningful when they can connect to the characters that they have grown to know and care for, when reading about current events.