Syllabus

** __Course Title__ ** ** Early Childhood Literature for Student Engagement-101 ** ** __Course Credit Hours__ ** 3.0 Undergraduate Credit Hours ** __Course Description__ **  Children’s literature is an important part of effective teaching strategies, especially in Early Childhood Education. This course surveys popular children’s literature from various genres and incorporates these literary selections with methods for teaching and storytelling, and techniques for creating effective activities to engage young learners. The specific literary selections will focus on age appropriate reading and content for ages 2-4 years of age.  **__Faculty Contact Information__** Please check the Instructor link for my contact information and office hours. The instructor link is located to the left of the course home in the navigational area. ** __Course Learning Objectives:__ ** Ascertain the critical role children's literature plays in reading success, child development, and students' academic progress ([|www.my.gcu.edu]) (APTS 7; INTASC 1).  Evaluate children's literature based on appropriateness for developmental level and application to curriculum ([|www.my.gcu.edu]) ( APTS 1, 7; INTASC 1) Analyze various technological delivery methods to incorporate into a literature based learning environment (APTS 1, 5, 7; INTASC 1,4, 7, 10). ** __Course Learning Outcomes:__ ** Students will apply knowledge of classic literature texts to create technology-based early childhood literature learning experiences in the classroom. Students will work collaboratively to share ideas and create a thematic unit implementing technology-based activities and real world experiences with early childhood literature.

**__Course Resources, Texts, Web Links__** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">This course is not designed around a textbook because it is focusing on providing 21st Century methods of implementing literature in the classroom. Please check the Technology Resources link located in the navigational area to the left of the course home to find helpful resources and links. The Common Core Standards are used as a framework for assignments and can be found at this link: [|Common Core Standards]

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> **__Student Expectations__** This is a student-centered learning environment and here are the student expectations for the course! In order to be successful in the course, you need to make sure you follow these guidelines: <span style="color: #0000ff; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">__** Instructor Role and Expectations **__ ====<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">As your mentor, you can expect me to provide you with feedback and support throughout the term. If points are deducted for any assignments, I will always provide you with an explanation through the comments area in your gradebook. You can also expect me to respond promptly to any questions or concerns that you may have during my office hours, and through the internal course e-mail tool. Lastly, please expect to see me participating in your Class Discussion area on various days throughout each week. I will respond to all questions and concerns as soon as possible, but always within twenty-four hours. To sum up things, I will be here with you every step of the way this term! ====
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Make sure you have Internet connectivity and a personal computer, or frequent access to a computer.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Schedule a time to work on your assignments. You need to anticipate spending 5-8 hours completing coursework each week and participating in discussions.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Do not get behind on your assignments. Graded activities are based on your ability to compile and synthesize information from multiple resources.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Ask as many questions as you like. Please check out the Instructor link for my contact information. There is also a Class Cafe where you can communicate with your classmates.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Make sure you upload your assignments to the appropriate area for grading. You will find specific instructions for each assignment on the assignment page for each unit.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Print your syllabus. This will provide you with a road map for the journey in case you have technical difficulties.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Use Microsoft Word to create your emails and then copy and paste them into the discussion area in the classroom. This will allow you to Spellcheck your work before submitting it.

<span style="color: #0000ff; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">**__Academic Honesty Policy: Copyright and Plagiarism__**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">==== Academic Honesty is important and required for this course. We will be using a variety of outside sources to create effective lesson plans and thematic units to implement in our classrooms. Any source that is the creation of someone else, must be cited in APA Style. You will find resources for APA Style on the Technology Resource page. Plagiarism is not acceptable. Please remember that you cannot cite over 30% quoted material in one document, even if you have proper credit to the original owner, without violating copyright laws. This course's plagiarism policy is as follows: =<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">== = ===<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Creative Commons licensing is the use of information created by anyone, in this case the instructor and students of the course, which may be used with the permission and required citation of the original creator and owner. Since we will be working together to create effective lesson plans and thematic units which share our ideas and originate into new resources for future use, we will use the Creative Commons approach for sharing our materials with each other. These lesson plans and thematic units will help to build your portfolio of resources as you continue throughout your educational program. Please remember to cite your resources and to give credit where credit is due for original ideas. Without these, we are plagiarizing, even if it is your classmate or instructor who is the creator of the resource. Violation of this policy will be regarded with the same seriousness as any other plagiarism offense. ===
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">First instance of plagiarism will result in a zero grade for the assignment. Resubmission may be permitted with the requirement of a plagiarism instructional course and conference with the instructor.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Second instance of plagiarism will be documented in the student's permanent record and will result in a zero grade with no resubmission.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Third instance will result in documentation in student's permanent record and will result in review of student's conduct by the dean of the college. Possible expulsion from the college may result from these actions.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;">** __Unit One Individual Assignment:__ ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Throughout Unit One, we have been reviewing and discussing various literary texts and ways of incorporating these texts into the early childhood classroom through activities involving technology-based equipment. Now it is time for us to reflect on the classic texts we may have used in past lesson plans to see how we can bring these texts into the 21st Century classroom. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The instructions for this assignment are as follows:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Please review the links in the classroom webliography and choose one classic literary text that is age appropriate for the early childhood education classroom from one of the websites listed. The exceptions are: //Dr. Seuss’ A,B, C’s// and //Curious George// because we will be discussing these in the classroom.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Once you have chosen your text, use links in the webliography and also research the Internet to find appropriate technology-based activities that would be available for expanding this text.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Create a lesson plan that incorporates extended learning activities based on the text, using technology based-activities. (No worksheets will be acceptable.) These activities may include: games, interactive websites, videos, and audio materials.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The lesson plan must include at least three literature based activities that incorporate technology to reinforce learning.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The lesson plan must also contain at least one objective and learning outcome that aligns with Common Core Standards for Reading in Kindergarten. The document for these standards is located under the Syllabus page in the classroom.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The lesson plan format is open; however, please review the grading rubric for specific expectations.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Submit your completed lesson plan to the Unit One Individual Assignment Dropbox by Day Seven of Unit One. Please use the following title for your submission: Individual Lesson Plan_Last Name_First Initial. For example, my assignment would be: Individual Lesson Plan_Harrison_C.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Please see the Unit One Individual Assignment page for more complete details regarding this assignment.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;">** __Unit Two Team Assignment:__ ** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In Unit Two, we continued to discuss various texts and ways to incorporate these texts into the early childhood classroom. We have explored many different types of technology and we have reviewed examples of age appropriate literature centered activities. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">For this assignment, we will work together in teams of 5-6 classmates to create a thematic literature based unit that incorporates various technological resources and activities. We will also extend learning by creating cross curricula activities within our units. Your teams have been assigned and a general email with all team colors and members has been sent to you. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Team members are required to create a shared workspace in Google Docs, wikispaces, or another application and email me the link to the shared workspace. All team members are required to participate in the collaboration activity. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The instructions for this assignment are as follows:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Create a shared workspace for your team and email me the link to this shared workspace.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Collaborate with your team and choose three age appropriate literary texts that have a similar focus. These three texts will be the center of your thematic unit.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Please choose at least three additional texts for each of the original three texts that your team would use to support and extend learning. For instance, if you are using //Dr. Seuss’ A, B, C’s// you might want to choose three other alphabet texts that would reinforce this text. (You will have a total of at least 12 texts, plus activities.)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Collaborate with your team to decide the main them of your unit.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As a team review the grading rubric for this assignment to make sure you incorporate all the necessary components.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As a team you will create a five day thematic unit lesson plan that incorporates the three main texts, supporting texts, and various multimedia learning activities that are age appropriate for the early childhood classroom. Examples of these multimedia activities may be included as links to websites, or descriptions including various technologies. You may use the webliography for possible resources.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As a team you will provide complete daily lesson plans for five days that implement cross curriculum activities focusing on the theme. Include the necessary centers and activities that exemplify the early childhood classroom.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As a team you will align your objectives and learning outcomes to the Common Core Standards for Reading at the Kindergarten level. The Common Core Standards are located under the Syllabus link in the classroom.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As a team, you will compile your thematic unit into a final document and submit it on Day Seven of Unit Two.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As a team you will post a final draft of your thematic unit in your shared workspace before Day Seven of Unit Two.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">By Day Seven of Unit Two, each team member will submit a copy of the final document to the Unit Two Team Assignment Dropbox. You will label your assignment: Unit Two Team Assignment_Last Name_First Initial. For instance, my submission would be labeled: Unit Two Team Assignment_Harrison_C.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Please review the Unit Two Team Assignment page for more complete details regarding this assignment.

====<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Assignments will be graded within 72 hours after the unit ends. The Gradebook will be updated on Wednesday evenings, so the previous unit grades will be available by Thursday morning of the following week. ====

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**__Grading Scale__**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**90-100=A** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**80-89=B** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**70-79=C** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**Below 70=F**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**Discussions=10 Points Possible for Main Post, 10 Points for response to classmate=Total 20 Points per Discussion** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**Unit One Invidividual Assignment=40 Points Maximum** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**Unit Two Group Assignment=24 Points Maximum**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">//**Discussion Rubric**//
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Content ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Organization ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Ideas and Insight ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Sentence Fluency ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Mechanics ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Well focused, detailed, precise, correct, comprehensive, 250 word minimum ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Well constructed introduction, well placed transitions, strong conclusion, good placement of details ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Demonstrated use of information in new or non-standard ways, development of new questions regarding material, application of theory and principles ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Easy to read, fluid ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Proper spelling and grammar, use of punctuation that works with sentences ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 2 Points ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 2 Points ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 2 Points ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 2 Points ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 2 Points ** ||

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;">** Scores ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;">** 5=Advanced 4=Proficient 3=Satisfactory 2=Less than Satisfactory1=Unacceptable ** ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 26.6667px; text-align: center;">Unit One Individual Assignment-Grading Rubric ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;">** Total Possible Points Earned=40 Points **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Understands and accepts the importance of reading as a means to learn, access information, and to enhance quality of life. ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 5 4 3 2 1 ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Understands and is sensitive to differences among learners and how these differences influence reading. ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 5 4 3 2 1 ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Uses instructional and informational technologies to support literacy learning. ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 5 4 3 2 1 ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Demonstrates an understanding of emergent literacy and designs experiences to support it. ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 5 4 3 2 1 ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Teaches students to connect prior knowledge with new information. ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 5 4 3 2 1 ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Selects and evaluates instructional materials for literacy, including those that are technology-based. ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 5 4 3 2 1 ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** Lesson plan is well-written and indicates knowledge of the English language. ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 5 4 3 2 1 ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** All required components are addressed. ** || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">** 5 4 3 2 1 ** ||

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;">** Total Maximum Points=24 Points ** ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;">** Unit Two Team Assignment **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">CATEGORY || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">4 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">3 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2 || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">1 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Requirements || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">All requirements are met and exceeded. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">All requirements are met. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">One requirement was not completely met. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">More than one requirement was not completely met. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Content || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Covers topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Includes essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Includes essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Content is minimal OR there are several factual errors. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Mechanics || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">No misspellings or grammatical errors. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Three or fewer misspellings and/or mechanical errors. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Four misspellings and/or grammatical errors. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">More than 4 errors in spelling or grammar. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Organization || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Content is well organized using headings or bulleted lists to group related material. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Uses headings or bulleted lists to organize, but the overall organization of topics appears flawed. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Content is logically organized for the most part. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">There was no clear or logical organizational structure, just lots of facts. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Originality || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Product shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Uses other people\'s ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Uses other people\'s ideas, but does not give them credit. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Workload || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">The workload is divided and shared equally by all team members. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">The workload is divided and shared fairly by all team members, though workloads may vary from person to person. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">The workload was divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing his/her fair share of the work. || <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">The workload was not divided OR several people in the group are viewed as not doing their fair share of the work. ||

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">You may open and save the course syllabus by clicking on this document.