Thursday, December 31, 2015

Integrating Children's Literature

Wadham, Rachel L., and Terrell A. Young. Integrating Children's Literature through the Common Core State Standards. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-61069-608-1

Note: The Oregon State Library also has the related book, Integrating Young Adult Literature through the Common Core State Standards.

Publisher's Description
Implementation of the Common Core State Standards with the integration of children's literature can transform teaching and learning into a holistic and engaging experience.

Tackling nearly every aspect of the English Language Arts Standards and the measures they employ, it offers a thorough plan for engaging elementary school students with literature. It explores the benefits and teaching principles behind CCSS, and explains how to apply them to literature. Along with the strengths it has in connection to CCSS, you will learn about the history of children's literature and what both fiction and nonfiction bring to the classroom.

You will find plenty of practical applications of the CCSS, including book lists and lesson ideas, along with thorough examples. There is also a wealth of information on the kinds of readers you will encounter and explanations of how to meet their needs. A final section focuses on creating a curriculum, connecting the theory throughout the book with concrete lessons plans and units that cover the main CCSS skill sets.

Features
  • Offers an easy-to-understand explanation of the CCSS
  • Defines and explains the CCSS three-prong approach to text complexity
  • Provides usable lesson and unit plans
  • Explains how to use children's literature as a primary tool for implementing the CCSS