Classroom Resource
Kit
We decided to do a kit for the topic of
language arts. To narrow our topic, we decided to research children’s
fiction literature for grades K-5. We looked up sites that would
help teachers teach different types and grade levels of this literature,
and also sites for one specific book that a teacher could teach in her
classroom. There are sites for students to explore and sites for
teachers to find information on this topic.
We found specific curriculum standards
that could be used along with the resources we found. They are taken
from both the Tennessee curriculum standards and the National Council of
Teachers of English standards.
Curriculum
Standards
The student will develop the reading skills
necessary for word recognition, comprehension, interpretation, analysis,
evaluation, and appreciation of the written text.
Group Information
Katherine Casey
is an Elementary Education major. She can use this project for her classroom
which she will one day have. Katherine developed the beautiful Power
Point presentation and contributed to the findings within the resource
kit.
Wendy Trundle
is also an Elementary Education major. She plans to also use the resources
in her classroom. Wendy was a co-creator for the Trackstar,
which was our created resource. She also contributed to the findings of
the resource kit.
Christy Culbertson
is a Psychology major. She enjoyed doing the project and had lots of fun
while playing the games. Christy co-created the Track
for our group resource. She also contributed to the findings of the resource
kit.
Leslie Bennett
is an Early Childhood major. She plans to use this project in her classroom
one day. Leslie created the Handout for the audience. She also contributed
to the resource kit.
Chincoteague Travelers: A WebQuest
Internet Project
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/student/jappleyard/webquest.htm
This resource is to be used by the
students after they have read the book Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite
Henry. The students are to create an article for a travel magazine
about Chincoteague, VA. They are put into groups and assigned certain
components to be put into the article: the physical features of the island,
a history and timeline, a dictionary of Indian words, a history of the
ponies, a book review, and a biography of the author. More than enough
links are given so that the students can find the information that they
need. The website author even includes a scoring rubric so that the
students can see exactly what they will be graded on.
This site should be used as an extension
activity after the students (grades 4 or 5) have read the book. I
believe that it will help them to learn even more about this island and
its history. It will also help them to learn that this is a real
place instead of a totally fictionalized story. I loved the book
myself, and I found the links interesting to visit, even though I wasn’t
looking for information to complete the project.
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
Content Resource
http://www.peterrabbit.co.uk/templates/jphome.cfm
This site, with its beautiful graphics,
charming sounds, and famous stories was able to even captivate me!
I believe that it would be a good introduction into the literature of Beatrix
Potter. The site is for a student to explore. They can play
games with the characters, create crafts, or watch a film show. Under
Meet the Characters, students can even have books read to them! This
could be very useful for a kindergarten class, or even a special education
class.
The teacher could use this site
to introduce the Beatrix Potter books, or as an extra activity after the
class has read them. There are links to buy the books and a link
to a competition (quiz) that the students can take. Older students
can research the life of Beatrix Potter in a very informative section.
This could be used in a project about children’s authors.
Children’s Literature
Reference Tool
http://childrenslit.com/
This site is a site just for teachers.
One of its purposes is to sell books, but it also contains good information
about children’s literature. There is a section to meet children’s
authors and illustrators in case students or teachers needed to research
those. There is a link to book reviews by subjects. Only about
15 subjects were there, but they had an extensive list of books and their
summaries. There was also a link to teaching materials that go along
with certain books.
This site does try to sell the books,
but it provides enough useful information to make a visit worthwhile.
A teacher could use the teaching materials link in preparing for a book.
They include the topics that the book covers and instructional objectives
that the book meets. Again, the teacher can use the site for research
on authors.
The Official Eric Carle Website
Content Resource
http://www.eric-carle.com/index.html
This website features all the art
and books done by illustrator Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar and
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?). The site is for anyone,
but I would say that is more useful for teachers. It features a comprehensive
list of all the books he has done. Each linked book can be bought
online and the link also gives the skills that each book teaches.
Especially useful is a bulletin board for posting ideas for using the books.
The list is organized by book title and features lesson plans and ideas
for how to use the books.
A teacher could use this site as
beginning research in how she can incorporate the books into her classroom.
The ideas on the bulletin board seemed to be very useful and she/he can
even post some of her own! Besides all this, it is just a wonderful
site to see examples of Carle’s artwork.
The Official Berenstain Bears Website
Content Resource
http://www.berenstainbears.com/
This would be a fun website for
the students to visit to get them excited about the Berenstain Bears series.
It could be used in class as an extension activity. There are games
to play, you can take a tour of the house, or watch a Berenstain Bears
movie! At the library, teachers and parents can find a complete list
of books by Stan and Jan Berenstain and newer books are listed under What’s
New. At the post office, children can send an email to Papa, Mama,
Brother, or Sister Bear. This would be a good activity for students
to do in class as they are learning to read and write. They could
email the Bears about what they like about each character, what their favorite
book was, or with a future idea for a book.
The website opens with a map of
Berenstain Bear Country and from here, visitors pick where they want to
visit. The schoolhouse features fun and educational activities that
students could do in their free time. Overall, this is a fun website
for students to visit to get them excited about reading the Berenstain
Bear series of books.
Antbee’s Children’s Books and Stories
Content Resources
http://www.antbee.com/default.asp
This website is targeted to kids.
It features eight different stories (more are being added) that children
can read online. They choose each page of the book and are shown
a large color picture and the words that go with it. The books are
for beginning for intermediate readers.
I think this is a great idea for
a website. The books looked good and they seem to be fiction subjects
that would interest kids. Teachers could use this to have students
explore the web and practice reading at the same time. None of the
titles are famous ones, so students would not have read them already.
However, the site does not give a grade level or skills taught for each
story.
Classic Children’s Stories
Content Resources
http://childhoodreading.com/
This site is a site listing children’s
fairy tales and providing their text online. Many stories also include
brilliant illustrations. They can be listed by author or illustrator.
The tales include some by Hans Christian Anderson, Aesop, and Robert Louis
Stevenson.
This site is simple, yet effective.
It provides a place for children to visit and read classic fairy tales,
along with illustrations. The tales are in large, readable print,
and are probably on a third or fourth grade reading level. The teacher
could bookmark this site and have the children read the story and maybe
even write their fairy tales.
Super Kids Review of Animal Friends
Software Evaluation
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/reading/8/animals/merge.shtml
This review is of an interactive
software program that allows children to explore literature, especially
stories about animals. The program has three stories for kids in
grades K-1. They have a pre-reading activity to do and then they
read the full text of the story, or it can be read to them. After
that, they have several activities and questions to answer about the story.
This program was rated very high
in educational value, kid appeal, and ease of use. A teacher could
use it in a classroom to introduce students to actually analyzing stories,
not just reading them. It could be well used in a young classroom
because the program can read the text to the students. For this same
reason, this feature of the program could also be used in a special education
classroom.
Super Kids Review of The Cat in the
Hat
Software Evaluation
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/e_read/3/catinhat/merge.shtml
This site reviews a piece of software
called The Cat in the Hat by Broderbund. It is for ages 3-7 and is
an interactive book. It allows children to read the full text of
the book in several ways. The text could be read to them, or the
program can replace more difficult words with pictures that will help the
child figure out the word. After the text, there are several games
the child can play, including arranging a puzzle, drawing in a picture
frame or on a whiteboard. Along with reading skills, the program
is also useful in getting children used to working with a computer.
A teacher could use this program
in a classroom with beginning readers to introduce them to reading Dr.
Seuss’s literature. They can “read” the book in the picture mode,
or have it read to them. With this function, the program could also
be useful in a special education classroom with children who are blind,
or have not yet learned how to read. The program could also be used
to introduce children to working on a computer. The program received
high reviews in educational value, kid appeal, and ease of use.
Super Kids Review of How the Leopard
Got His Spots
Software Evaluation
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/e_read1/leopard/merge.shtml
This review is for a program called
How the Leopard Got His Spots. It includes the full text of the book
by Rudyard Kipling and wonderful graphics. Each page of the text
is on a scroll with traditional African illustrations. The book is
for intermediate readers, but the text can also be read. In fact,
the narrator is Danny Glover! There are also games to play after
reading the text. The child can play the traditional African game
of Mancala, either against the computer or a friend. They can put
a puzzle together, play memory, or manipulate animal characters.
This book could be used in a classroom
during a unit on Africa. It provides examples of African illustrations
and games. While the students are playing the memory game, the program
uses African tribal songs along with pictures. This would be a good
introduction for younger children into the study of African culture.
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Type: Lesson Plans and Units
http://trackstar.hprtec.org/main/display.php3?option=text&track_id=21246
Purpose: Used by teacher
Description: This site describes the importance
of having students compare and contrast different versions of the same
story and their characters. It takes The True Story of the Three Little
Pigs, which is the wolf’s version, and it gives lessons for teachers to
use in the classroom. Many activity ideas are included; such as having
the children write a version of a story from their viewpoint. The site
also includes a storybook of The Three Little Pigs.
Evaluation: The teacher can use this site
to help them prepare for lessons on teaching comparison and contrast. There
are many great links to this site, which include various teachers’ ideas
and the results of when they taught the lesson.
Charlotte’s Web
Type: Lesson Plans
http://trackstar.hprtec.org/main/display.php3?option=text&track_id=35651
Purpose: Used by teacher
Description: This site is about Charlotte’s
Web. It includes various activities that a teacher could use in the classroom
while teacher reading curriculum. Many lessons include the students beginning
or finishing a fairy tale, which strengthens their writing skills. The
site contains links to different teacher’s lessons and also includes an
evaluation for the lessons.
Evaluation: Great way for teachers to
teach writing and reading skills. The site takes a well-known story and
gives teachers ideas on how to incorporate learning with the story.
Chita’s Christmas Tree Activities
Type: Content
http://www.pacificnet.net/~mandel//LanguageArts.html
Purpose: Used by students
Description: This site is a great site
for children’s use. It contains the actual story in a storybook form. The
children can have the book read to them, while following along. It contains
activities for the child to do after they have read the story. There is
also a list of vocabulary words that the child can view and learn.
Evaluation: The teacher can use this source
to help the students better their reading skills. It is a great way to
incorporate technology and reading. The teacher can also use this site
to help students learn vocabulary.
Ramona’s Back
Type: Internet Projects
http://www.harperchildrens.com/ramona/
Purpose: Used by students
Description: Ramona, the star of Beverly
Cleary’s best selling stories, is back after 15 years. This site contains
the first chapter of the book, giving children a chance to see
A glimpse of what the book is like. There
are also some activities just for kids and Ramona helps the children through
them.
Evaluation: This is a good site for the
teacher to use to help the students get excited about reading. The site
allows the child to get to know the character, while encouraging the child
to read the book.
Children's Storybooks Online
Type: Content
http://www.magickeys.com/books/
Purpose: For student's use
Description: This site includes books
for children to read. The reading level of the books ranges from young
children to older children. The site allows the student to choose one of
the listed books, then read it. There are illustrations for each book,
allowing the child to visually see the characters. Besides reading the
books, the students can also do the activities. There are sounds for the
students to listen to that relate to the books. There are also riddles
and mazes, all of which relate as well. Coloring books, with pictures of
the characters, are also included.
Evaluation: Teachers can use this resource
to incorporate technology with reading. The teacher can allow the students
to read certain books, then participate in the activities. It is a great
way for children to read on their own as well.
Award Winning Children's Books
Type: Reference Tools
http://awardbooks.hypermart.net/
Purpose: For Teacher's use
Description: This site's purpose is to
list the best of Children's Literature all in one place. This source contains
various awards such as Newbery Medalists, Caldecott-Medalists, and Children's
Choice Medalists. Under each Award is a list of books that have received
the award. The books under the Children's Choice do not contain descriptions,
however, the other Awards do.
Evaluation: This is a good site for teachers
to use to find books that have received high awards. A teacher can view
a list of the books and also read a description of many of the books. The
site also gives the teacher a list of places where the specified book can
be found.
A to Z Teacher Stuff
Type: Lesson Plan
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com
Purpose: For use by a teacher
Brief description: This site has
indexes of lesson plans. They are divided by grade, subject, and
theme. There are tips from other teachers on classroom management
and organization, as well as a growing collection of educational articles
and a chat room. A teacher created the site, and it contains over
500 pages of resources.
Evaluation: This site would be very
helpful to a teacher. A teacher could use this site if he or she
wanted to look for lesson plans that deal with a specific theme, such as
a holiday, season, or subject. If a teacher wants ideas for a lesson
plan, this site provides access to over 200 original lesson plans by teachers.
They can also get tips on many different things pertaining to their students
and classroom, such as displaying student work and getting students involved.
The site is effectively organized and updated frequently.
Dr. Seuss’s Seussville
Type: Content Resource
http://www.randomhouse.com/seussville
Purpose: For use by a student
Brief description: This site has
games for children that deal with the different books of Dr. Seuss.
There is a collection of links to all of Dr. Seuss’s books, new and old,
and CD-ROMS that children can browse. There is also a feature where
questions for the Cat in the Hat can be submitted.
Evaluation: This site is neatly organized, with attractive formatting and graphics. Teachers can use this web site in the computer lab, allowing students to play Dr. Seuss games or look through the many books of Dr. Seuss. This site would be especially helpful after reading and studying Dr. Seuss books in the classroom.
Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature
Site
Type: Lesson Plan
http://www.carolhurst.com
Purpose: For use by a teacher
Brief description: This site has
reviews of many children’s books, along with activities that may be used
in relation to the book. There is a Table of Contents and a search
form that make it easy to find information. There are also links
to books for educators, as well as other literature resources. This
site is basically an online magazine for teachers.
Evaluation: Carol Hurst’s web site
may be very helpful for a teacher who is interested in looking for a children’s
book on a certain subject. A teacher can also get ideas for learning
activities for those books that have been reviewed. The site may
also be a good resource for a teacher who wants ideas for topics for lesson
plans. The site didn’t have a date listed, so it’s not certain that
it has been updated.
Scholastic’s Home Page
Type: Content Resource for kids,
Lesson Plan for teachers
http://www.scholastic.com
Purpose: For use by both teacher
and student
Brief description: The site has
a section for teachers, parents, and students. The link to teacher
information provides resources that are organized into categories such
as lesson plans, authors and books, and online activities. The children’s
portion of the site contains links to information on some popular children’s
books and games to play that deal with literature. There are activities
listed that parents can do with their children, as well as tips for parents
to help their children in school.
Evaluation: This site would be very
helpful to a teacher, student, and even a parent. Teachers have access
to lesson plans, classroom activities, and links to children’s literature.
Students can browse through books, play online games, and find their favorite
characters. The site appears to be updated and is neatly organized.
Be A Web Site Sleuth
Type: Internet Project
http://www.yorkville.k12.il.us/webquests/webqwagner/webqswagner.html
Purpose: For use by student
Brief description: This is a Web
Quest for students. They work in pairs to complete the project.
There are four web sites about books and authors that they must examine
and evaluate: the Magic School Bus site, the Dr. Seuss site, the
Arthur site, and the site of author Hans Wilhelm. At each of these
sites, the students look for the book title, information on the author’s
life, how to contact the author, and games and activities they can do.
Then, students vote for their favorite site, and they make a bar graph
of the results.
Evaluation: This site would be fun
for children. They would learn a lot more about popular children’s
books and authors. A teacher could use this when taking the class
to the computer lab. Since the students are put in pairs, teachers
need more computers for this activity to be effective. The site is
neatly organized, and the instructions are clearly listed step-by-step.
School House Software Reviews
Type: Software Evaluation
http://www.worldvillage.com/wv/school/html/scholrev.htm#reading
Purpose: For use by a teacher
Brief description: In this site, the software
reviews are organized by subjects. Some of the most popular pieces
of educational software are reviewed on the site. There are many
reviews on language arts software, as well. The reviews are pretty
thorough, providing information on installation, graphics, cost, and how
the software works.
Evaluation: A teacher could use
this site if he or she was interested in purchasing a new piece of software
for the classroom, and needed more information. The site is neatly
organized and very easy to find information.
Jan Brett’s Home Page
Reference Tools
http://www.janbrett.com/
Purpose: To help teachers and students
to find more information on books that are appropriate for their specific
learning level.
Description: It is a web-site designed
to inform teachers and students about different reading materials appropriate
for their reading level. This site ahs been labeled a Quality Learning
Site for students and teachers, it also uses the Encyclopedia Britannica
in its lists of sources. Jan Brett is the author of this specific page
and has always had aspirations to be a great author of a children’s book.
Now as she has gotten older she is starting to share her talent with the
rest of the world. This site offers many of her books for children to read
and for teachers to have more information about her books selected for
this site.
Evaluation: Teachers are able to use this
resource in finding new and exciting reading materials for their classrooms.
This is a great site for helping students to learn more about reading in
their lifetime. It is an interactive site. This site has included quizzes
and other materials for their classroom to use and discover new truths
with.
Fiction Teachers.com
Lesson Plans and Units
http://www.fictionteachers.com/
Purpose: The purpose of this site is to
help teachers teach fiction in the classroom.
Description: This particular web page
offers teachers the resources and the ability to use lesson plans to help
their students what it means to study fiction materials. It also gives
helpful hints on writing specific fiction materials such as: scary stories.
Evaluation: Teachers are able to use this
web-site in the classroom to help them teach fiction to their class. It
helps them in leading their students in learning what it means to be creative
in a new way through e-mail, theatres, poetry and it gives the teacher
a chance to see what other teachers have done in the past.
Kids writing for kids
Reference Tools
http://www.kidstory.com/
Purpose: Welcome to Kid's Story, a fun
and exciting place to enjoy stories and poetry
created by kids just like you. You can
even have YOUR stories and pictures
placed here so that kids around the world
can check out your handiwork. Feel
free to explore, learn, laugh and have
fun. Come back often to see new and
exciting stories, play some games or to
see your stories up on the Internet. Want
to find out how to see your creations
on Kid's Story? Just check out the
submissions page to find out how easy
it is, or write a story here online. Don't
forget to check out our new Games! Also,
the School section has been expanded
to include clubs, scout troops, and other
organizations. If you want your
organization to have its own page, just
let us know!
Description: It is web-site designed for
students to explore the world of writing in a new and exciting way through
communicating with other students all over the world. It is a place to
write new and exciting stories and it lets the students learn what it means
to use the internet, by position their stories on the internet.
It helps teachers to teach their students
to become more aware of how the computer can help them to read and write.
Evaluation: It is a great web-site for
teachers to teach their students how to manage the computer while writing
new materials.
Barnaby, King of the Couch
Content Resources
http://www.barnabythescottie.com/
Purpose: To inform teachers and students
the cost of a new material for their classroom. It is a place to find new
books and reading materials for classrooms.
Description: This site is a must see for
teachers who would like for their students to read new material in their
classroom. It indicates the prices for their books and offers their descriptions
on the reading material listed on the site.
Evaluation: It is a great web-site for
teachers who need new materials for their students and want to expose their
students to new and exciting materials.
BksBooks
Content resources
http://bksbooks.com/childrens/childrens.html
Purpose: Your Official Site For Quality
Books,
With Rock Bottom Prices!
This site offers teachers and students
the opportunity to purchase new materials for their classroom at lower
prices than other sites.
Description: This site lists many new
resources for students and teachers that are available for purchase. Books
such as: Reading Rainbow, Magic School Bus, and I Can Read. After clicking
on the desired material to buy, the teacher may evaluate if the above price
and the book is truly desired for her teaching edification.
Evaluation: This site is great for teachers
and students who are looking for new materials to broaden their horizons.
Elementary
Resources
Print Resources
http://204.98.1.2/isu/langarts/element.htm
Purpose: Provides literary texts that
are devoted to elementary needs within the classroom.
Description: Teachers should be able to
access almost any public work on the sites that are indicated on the sites
listed. It also lists resources for all age types and students all over
the world. It provides servers for students to become more familiar with
the language arts world around them.
Evaluation: It is a great web-site for
students who want to learn more about reading online and how that will
always pertain to them in special ways. Students and teachers are able
to learn about places in the world that would be hard for them to visit
if they weren’t able to.
Multicultural Books for Children
Content Resources
http://www.wordweb.org/positive/index.html
Purpose: This particular site provides
Multicultural Books for Children.
Description: Multicultural Books for Children,
provides ways for a teacher or a student to view this particular site to
see what books this site has to offer its users. Not only will it provide
detailed descriptions of each book, but also the user will be able to purchase
the books if they choose to do so. It lists the books in an annotated catalog
and by the title of the book itself.
Evaluation: This is a great site for anyone
who is interested in purchasing books for children who need to learn about
multiculturalism. It provides great books on learning how to treat others
the way that you would want to be treated.
Where the Wild Things Are
Lesson Plans and Units
http://eduplace.com/tview/tviews/hoyler42.html
Purpose: This particular site is for teachers
who want reviews of the book Where the Wild Things Are, from other teachers.
Description: Teachers that have reviewed
this book have given their summary of this particular book and have responded
with activities for someone’s class to possibly do with this book.
Evaluation: This is a great resource for
teachers who need more ideas for their classroom. This provides fun lesson
plans for the teacher who is deciding to use this book in their classroom.
Beverly Cleary Teacher Resource File
Lesson Plans
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/cleary.htm
This site features resources for
teachers when teaching Beverly Cleary books. There is link to her
unofficial homepage, links to facts about her, and a biography. Farther
down on the page are the links to lesson plans using her literature.
There are plans for several Ramona books, including Ramona Quimby, Age
8, Ramona the Pest, and Beezus and Ramona. Also, there are lessons
for Dear Mr. Crenshaw.
A teacher could use this site in
researching the life of Beverly Cleary, but especially when looking for
lesson plans to do along with her books. At the bottom of the page
are resources found on ERIC.
Team Created Resource:
Our TrackStar Page
http://trackstar.hprtec.org/main/display.php3?trackid=44388
Our track is a site for students
to visit. It features extension activities to go along with books
that children may have read in the classroom. There are links and
directions for five website: Peter Rabbit and Friends, Dr. Seuss’s Seussville,
The Berenstain Bears, Arthur and Friends, and The Magic Schoolbus.