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Reading
Responses
We will be reading three
textbooks and occasional articles in this course. It is
imperative that you keep up with this reading. You are to
complete the readings prior to the class meeting for
which they are assigned. Our class discussions and
activities are predicated on all of us having read this
material. Many class sessions will begin with a discussion
during which reading reflections are shared. Students'
preparation and participation will be noted.
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State
of America's Children Presentation:
With a
group of classmates, you will summarize and analyze the
status of children, focusing on a specific issue: child
health, child welfare and mental health, early childhood
development, education and youth development, and family
income and jobs. We will primarily use the information
compiled by the organization The Children's Defense Fund,
which is found at its website: http://www.childrensdefense.org/
Look on the left side of the CDF's home page for
"Meeting Children's Needs".
Your
group will research your topic, using the CDF's information
and links. As a group, decide which information would be
most relevant for your classmates to learn. Then decide how
best to present this information. You will share your
findings in a 30 minute class presentation and a one-page
brochure or handout.
In your
presentation or handout, include these items:
- define the main concerns
which are detailed in your issue
- define how the problems
affect the different populations in our country and/or
state (e.g. rural, White, Hispanic, female,
etc.)
- highlight some of the ways
in which the government addresses these
issues
- a list of Internet
resources, with annotation, which presents additional
information on this topic (see the Links page on the
course website for some ideas)
- the names of local
agencies which support our community in this
matter
Your
presentation may take any form, though the most effective
ones include an active component that your classmates will
remember. Consider designing a learning activity which will
help explain the issue to us. It is not necessary to discuss
each of the 5 elements above, as long as the information is
included in your handout. If you want help preparing any
audio-visuals for your presentation, let me know (e.g.
PowerPoint presentations, overhead transparencies, posters,
etc.) Each group will have 30 minutes to present. Make sure
that you allow enough time for each member of the group.
Also take care that each group member's ideas and
contributions are valued.
Your
grade on this assignment will be based on your preparation
for your presentation and the effectiveness of the
presentation and handout. Both your classmates and I will be
grading your efforts, and you will receive an individual
grade as well as a group grade.
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Analysis
of a Children's Book
Books which
are designed for children, whether fiction or textbooks, are
written with the children's development and learning in
mind. In this assignment you will read either a children's
chapter book or a school textbook to apply what you are
learning about child development and analyze the author's
theoretical perspective.
There are two
options for the type of book you read and analyze. If you
are in the SSU multiple subject credential program, you may
wish to take option B, and use this assignment as evidence
for the Performance Expectation #5 in your digital portfolio
CSW1.
Option
A:
Read a chapter
book that portrays a developing child who is in middle
childhood or adolescence. (A chapter book has chapters and
is written for children approximately 3rd grade and up.)
Make sure that you choose a book that depicts, with enough
detail, the physical, cognitive, and socio/emotional
development of the main character. Also, do not select a
book that is part of an extended series of books (e.g.
Goosebumps, The Babysitters' Club). Check with me if you are
unsure whether the book is appropriate for this
assignment.
Your analysis
will have two parts:
- Describe the character's
development in the book in all domains: physical,
cognitive, and social/emotional. Use examples from the
children's book to analyze the character's development
and to make comparisons with the normative development
defined in Meece. Identify the theories of development
that are portrayed in the book: behavioral, cognitive,
social-cultural and ecological.
- Define the themes that are
developed in the book and explain how they are relevant
to the child-reader. Why would a child-reader enjoy/not
enjoy this book? How are cultural, linguistic, economic
and learning differences portrayed in the book? How
accessible is the book to children who are from diverse
backgrounds? What are the underlying assumptions that the
author makes regarding children and their relationships
to family, peers, and school?
Option
B:
Read a current
textbook for any grade level, kindergarten to grade 6. You
may choose any subject area: language arts, social sciences,
math or science, though a social studies or language art
text may be easiest to analyze.
Your analysis
will have two parts:
- What must a child reader
be able to accomplish physically, cognitively, socially,
and emotionally to be successful with the book? Use
examples from the children's textbook. How does the
content of the book compare with what you know about
children's development? How does the content address the
diversity in learners and learning styles?
- Describe what are the
theoretical perspectives of the authors of the children's
text. What are the authors' underlying assumptions
about how children learn, the relationships among
children in a classroom, the role of the teacher, and how
parents and the community influence a child's
learning?
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In-Depth
Study
Choose a topic which holds a
personal interest for you and which relates to the content
of this course. Any of the ideas which we have discussed in
class or are covered in the textbook are suitable for study.
You can choose to do a research paper or a creative project.
Some possible ideas for papers or projects are included
below. You may work with a partner or by yourself. If you
work with a partner, the study must include more complex
components than an individual study.
Topics must be approved before
beginning this project. Complete a proposal form given in
class. I will give you feedback on your proposal and return
it to you the next week. Please let me know if I can help in
any way.
If you choose to work with a
classmate on this study, make an appointment to discuss with
me how each of you will contribute to your research and
presentation.
The research paper will
have six parts:
- Introduction: The question
or topic studied and your reason for studying it -- Why
is this topic important and relevant?
- Summary of research -- Use
at least 4 different resources in your research. What
have other researchers, authors or practitioners said
about this topic? Resources can include scholarly
articles, mainstream articles, books, newspaper articles,
interviews, etc. At least two of the sources must be from
scholarly writings. Make sure that you reference your
sources in the summary using the APA style:
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/social_sciences/intext.html
- Analysis -- Your personal
evaluation of the different points of view that you
studied.
- Conclusions -- What are
your new understandings and insights into this subject?
What are your suggestions for how this subject can be
addressed differently? How can your new understandings be
practically applied? What questions do you still
have?
- Works cited page using
correct format: http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/social_sciences/intext.html
- Appendix of the research
articles used.
The write-up for the creative project will have five
parts:
- Introduction: Description
of what your project is and why the project is important
and relevant?
- Relation of project to
research -- Use at least 2 different resources to help
frame the scope and methods of your project. What is
already known about your topic? Resources can include
scholarly articles, mainstream articles, books, newspaper
articles, interviews, etc. At least one of the sources
must be from scholarly writings. Make sure that you
reference your sources in this section.
- Summary of project -- How
you carried out your project and what you discovered.
- Conclusions -- What are
your new understandings and insights into this subject?
What are your suggestions for how this subject can be
addressed differently? How can your new understandings be
practically applied? What questions do you still
have?
- Works cited page using
correct format.
- Appendix of the research
articles used.
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Presentation
Board and Rubric
Each student will present
his/her study in a gallery format during the last two course
sessions. Be prepared to explain your study and to answer
questions. You will need the following for your
presentation:
- A presentation board -
Purchase a 3-sided poster board and make a visually
interesting and informative display. Your presentation
board will summarize what you studied. It will include
the main points of the first 5 sections of your write-up.
Since the purpose of your presentation is to convey your
research to your classmates, find ways to give the
necessary specifics without overwhelming us. It is not
necessary to write anything new, but I suggest that you
use bulleted points to highlight:
- Why the topic is
relevant
- What you learned in
your research
- Your analysis (paper)
or a description of your project (creative
project)
- Your
conclusions
- Your research sources
(Don't list all of your works cited, only those which
you would recommend to your classmates if they wanted
to learn more about your topic.)
You
may add anything else to your presentation board which
will add to our understanding of your topic (e.g. photos,
graphs, tables, illustrations). Those of you who are
completing a creative project should bring in your
project or photos of the product.
The
following website is a great resource for creating
presentation boards: http://www.lcsc.edu/ss150/poster.htm
- A 1-page abstract that
includes a brief summary of the five sections included on
your poster board, copies for each student in the
class.
Your
presentation poster grade will be based on the following
rubric:
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Outstanding -
A
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Good -
B
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Adequate -
C
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Inadequate - D
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Poster
Text
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All
requirements included:
* topic's relevance
* research
* analysis (paper) or
project description
* conclusions
* research sources
Text demonstrates depth of understanding of
topic.
Analysis is complex and original.
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All
requirements included:
* topic's relevance
* research
* analysis (paper) or project description
* conclusions
* research sources
Text demonstrates modest understanding of
topic.
Analysis is present, but lacks depth.
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Most
requirements included.
Text demonstrates vague understanding of
topic.
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Few
requirements included.
Little unders-tanding of topic is
apparent.
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Creativity
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Excellent
spatial design layout.
Uses many images and graphics.
Understanding of the topic is enhanced by
visuals.
Poster is very original & aesthetic.
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Good layout
of information.
Uses some images and graphics.
Some originality apparent.
Aesthetic presentation.
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Material
presented with little originality or
interpretation.
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No special
efforts made to present creative
display.
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Format
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Text
size and font very easy to read.
No spelling or grammar errors.
Good quality writing.
Bibliography uses correct citation format.
Professional presentation.
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Text
size and font easy to read.
Minor spelling errors.
Writing quality adequate.
Bibliography with some minor citation format
errors.
Good presentation.
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Text is
difficult to read.
Frequent spelling errors.
Writing quality meets minimal levels.
Bibliography with major citation format errors.
Adequate presentation.
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Text is
illegible.
Writing quality deficient.
No Bibliography.
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Responses to
Questions from Audience
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Responses
to questions show strong command of topic.
Responses add new information and depth.
Clear articulation of ideas.
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Responses
to questions show good command of topic.
Limited new information added.
Adequate articulation of ideas.
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Responses
show little command of topic.
Lacks depth.
Lacks clarity.
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Difficulty
in responding to questions.
Deficient command of content.
No depth.
No clarity.
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Abstract
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Clearly
describes:
* topic's relevance
* research
* analysis (paper) or project description
* conclusions
Sources included.
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Describes:
* topic's relevance
* research
* analysis (paper) or project description
* conclusions
Sources included.
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Not
all components included.
Too long, too short.
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Information
incoherent or incomplete.
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Ideas
for in-depth studies:
- treatment of
ADD
- single sex classes and
schools
- effects of divorce on
children
- transracial
adoptions
- art education in
school
- the Reggio Emilia
approach
- second language
acquisition
- participation in organized
competitive sports
- educating gifted
children
- strategies for teaching
dyslexic children
- high school
dropouts
- environmental
terratogens
- effects of advertisements
on children
- achievement tests used in
California schools
- effectiveness of charter
schools
Ideas for
creative projects:
- compiling an annotated
bibliography of children's literature
- compiling an annotated
list of children's computer software
- conducting Piagetian
conservation tasks with a variety of children
- surveying high school
students about their concerns
- observing play patterns in
a preschool setting
- creating a slide show
about the depiction of children in art
- analyzing playground
design
- observing parent/child
interactions
- surveying how p.e. is
taught in schools
- surveying how art is
taught in schools
- surveying how
character/moral education is taught in
schools
- observing a variety of
classrooms to see how educational theories are
applied
- compiling a reference of
health and safety resources for families
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