RUNNING HEAD: Literature Project

Master’s Portfolio: Literature Project

Violet Brooks

Dr. Katy Spangler

University of Alaska Southeast

May 31, 2018

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Abstract

A reflection on a project produced for a college class and submitted for my master’s portfolio.
The project itself contains an Alaska Studies collection of books and a brochure that outlines
what the books are about and into what category they fall. Initial introduction explains how this
could be used within the classroom to encourage the exchange of ideas and co-operative
learning.

Key Words: Literature, book display, education, read aloud, public education, student
perception
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For my literature piece for this Master’s portfolio, I decided to include a book display and

brochure I created for my Children’s Literature in the Alaska Context class. This project was a

cumulative experience where we would select books that were interesting and appropriate to

students and would invite them to learn more about the Alaskan culture. The books ranged from

folk tales to social studies texts. I enjoyed a great many of the books from that class and was

sorely tempted to included my annotated bibliography, but felt this was little more reader

friendly. The brochure was printed off separately and put in a stand beside the display case in

the front lobby of our local elementary school.

During the first few weeks of school, I wanted to introduce myself to the new students as

the in-building sub and build a sense of community in the lobby in the mornings (Maslin-

Ostrowski, et al 2018). Having an adult mixed in with the throng of students helped with

behavior as well. I suspected that by doing a morning read-aloud we could mentally prepare the

students for the days interactions, encourage readings, and improve student attitudes about

reading in general (Ledger & Merga, 2018).

I started with picture books and folk tales, wanting to improve on the drama of the stories

themselves by lending voices to the characters, knowing it would be a huge draw to the crowd

(Jacobs, K. B. 2016). The Hungry Giant of the Tundra (Sloat, 1993) was exceptionally good at

drawing student’s attention. The children were so used to the stories where characters were

never in any real danger that they ate up the idea of the naughty children in the story being

kidnapped by a giant preparing to eat them.

We had the display up and I would pull a book out and read while students were waiting

to be sent to class. If students were very interested in the book, I would let them go to the library

and check it out immediately. By the second week, I had photocopies of the covers up for most
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of the picture books because little hands had wanted to take the books themselves home.

Students not only enjoyed hearing me read the story, but after becoming familiar with it, wanted

to read it again and again. The picture books were easy to read, and the folk tales allowed

students to use their prediction skills. Students would ask me to read them the same books day

after day, and I knew that doing so might help with not only their language but reading skills

(Landa & Barbetta, 2017). The students wanted to memorize the story, and they loved the voices

and acting out the different parts. I eventually had to move us into the gym in the mornings, but

I don’t think the office people were upset.

The readings were always a big hit, with many students stopping their private

conversations to listen in. We had many impromptu lessons in the lobby, and students started

their day with someone taking the time to read to them. I let a few students stand up on a bench

and read to each other. I hoped that by building their confidence, and by setting a fun example,

the students that chose to read would improve their literacy and empower others to try (Lee, C.

D., 2012). I was surprised to see students that did struggle attempt the read aloud. I was able to

contrast stories they had heard me read with their in class reading. Some of them did much

better reading after they had heard the story all the way through. The big improvement was on

inflection. Students who were usually monotone gave far more emphasis and were careful to

pick out quotation marks.

There were many books that did not make it into my final cut, but I did bring them with

me and read a chapter at a time when I could. Students loved A Year with Miss Agnus and

Prince William, but I ran out of time to finish Julie of the Wolves. I had wanted to read Dancing

on the Odinochka (Hill, 2005) and Toughboy and Sister (Hill, 1990), but some of the more

violent themes made it an inappropriate read aloud for 3rd graders.

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After the first few weeks of school, I made photocopies of the covers and commandeered

an upstairs bulletin board in the fourth grade hallway (where they were doing Alaska studies and

preparing for a trip the Alaska Native Heritage Center) to display the titles and blurbs, while

making a ‘take one’ slip for the brochures. The books continued to circulate well in the library.

Going forward, I would like to incorporate this into my classroom and have the display

be student-led. I expect to make time in my classroom for reading and writing workshops.

During the reader’s workshops, I would like to have a wall display of what students have read

and a short blurb underneath where they can describe if they did or did not like the book. Each

student will have their own spot and can change their book and blurb as they see fit. It will be

important for them to understand that they are allowed to not like a book, but must be able to

defend their idea in a professional manner. It astounds me how many students believe they have

to like all books, have to finish every book. It’s only by giving them some literary agency that

we can teach reading for pleasure.

Once the display is in place, students can ask each other questions and suggest books to

each other. They will have a physical piece of work that they can show off to others. Once

blurbs are written and students are comfortable with the routine, if I feel comfortable with their

work, I may also encourage them to draw a new cover for their book. The cover project would

be a simplified image; one concrete thing that is the key to the whole book. For example, in

Dancing on the Odinochka (students might draw the river, or the house, or the main character, or

dancing hands, or even a rifle to emphasize the violence. In Prince William, students might draw

the oil on the bay, or the sealife center when William recovered. I would need to scaffold this

task with a lesson on symbolism, metaphor, or main idea.

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This also has a potential to work in so many other academic areas. This could be a great

tool for social studies as we learn about different cultures, or the stories we study within the

literature class, or a project about mathematicians. In the reader’s workshop, students would be

free to study and read about whatever topic interests them. It would empower them the be hungry

to learn and share. The beauty of the project being that students are encourage to not only read,

but comprehend and synthesize their ideas into concrete artifacts, and that through their literacy,

they can impact and communicate to others. This is literacy to its’ truest purpose, the sharing of

ideas.
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Jacobs, K. B. (2016). The (Untold) Drama of the Turning Page: The Role of Page Breaks in
Understanding Picture Books. Children's Literature In Education, 47(4), 357-373.

Johnston, Peter (2012). Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Lives. Portland, ME:
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Landa, K. G., & Barbetta, P. M. (2017). The Effects of Repeated Readings on the Reading
Performances of Hispanic English Language Learners with Specific Learning
Disabilities. Journal Of International Special Needs Education, 20(1), 1-13.

Ledger, S., & Merga, M. (2018). Reading Aloud: Childrens Attitudes toward being Read to at
Home and at School. Australian Journal of Teacher Education,43(3), 124-139.
doi:10.14221/ajte.2018v43n3.8

Lee, C. D. (2012, January 1). Teaching Students with Severe and Multiple Disabilities: The
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Kamii, C. and Ewing, J. K. (1996) Basing Teaching on Piaget’s Constructivism, Childhood

Education. Vol. 72.5, (pp. 260-263).

Landrigan, Clare and Mulligan, Tammy. (2013). Assessing Authentically, Every Day. In
Assessment in Perspective: Focusing on the Reader Behind the Numbers (Pp. 71-98).
Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers

Maslin-Ostrowski, P., Drago-Severson, E., Ferguson, J., Marsick, V. J., & Hallett, M. (2018). An
Innovative International Community Engagement Approach: Story Circles as Catalysts
for Transformative Learning. Journal Of Transformative Education, 16(2), 130-150.

Miller, Debbie (2008). Teaching with Intention: Defining Beliefs, Aligning Practice, Taking
Action. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishing