"Literary Imagination and Professional Knowledge: Using Literature in Teacher Education" establishes a foundation for expanding the use of literature in teacher education curricula. The contributors to this collection have a wide variety of education and experience, thus bringing a richness to the content of the volume. Literature can be…

Science teachers today need engaging projects to help students build 21st-century skills (NSTA 2011). Contemporary young adult literature (YA lit) can form the basis of one such project. YA lit--a genre of fiction geared toward 2 to 20-year-olds--opens a powerful avenue to connect with students and cover science topics in greater depth. YA lit is…

THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY ENGLISH CURRICULUM STUDY CENTER CREATED A SEQUENTIAL COURSE OF STUDY IN LITERATURE FOR GRADES SEVEN THROUGH NINE. A BASIC POETRY SEQUENCE, FOCUSING ON STUDENT RESPONSE TO POETRY, EMPHASIZES SOUND AND STORY IN GRADE SEVEN, IMAGE OR PICTURE IN GRADE EIGHT, AND METAPHOR AND TONE IN GRADE NINE. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE DRAMA…

This book is a reference guide to more than 100 Internet books. The book is divided into six chapters covering: (1) general Internet books; (2) books for educators and librarians; (3) books for parents, children, and students; (4) books for use in curriculum development; (5) juvenile fiction; and (6) books for web page design and creation. Within…

Presents a justification for courses in Western American literature at the university level. (AEA)

This preliminary study of 20 contemporary realistic fiction books for youth, in middle school and above, analyzed images of poverty using a framework adapted from the work of Robert Leahy. Findings are related to demographics, images of poverty and emerging themes. Results indicate that, as a whole, the sample of books rely on concrete images of…

Offers connections and resources about how to build a literature-based curriculum that goes beyond just the use of fiction. Provides an annotated list of 90 books on the topics of the cycle of seasons, weather cycles, cycles of the universe, and life cycles to use in connecting fiction and nonfiction. (MG)

Suggests the use of selected literature to explore the war in Vietnam with middle school students. Discusses the relevance of the war to contemporary students; presents an annotated bibliography of novels especially appropriate for middle school students; and suggests relevant class activities. (JPB)

Noting that instructional films can serve as a valuable tool to motivate students and to help them organize, interpret, and evaluate concepts presented, this program guide is designed to assist teachers in planning instructional activities that will effectively integrate films into the English language arts curriculum. The first section of the…

Describes an advanced undergraduate course introductory course designed to integrate two ways sociologists examine literature. Presents sociology of literature through reading fictional works, like Dickens'"Hard Times," that deal with sociological issues. Writing assignments provide opportunities to test ideas about authors, critics, and…

Discusses four types of historical understanding and argues for a developmental sequence in historical understanding. Suggests two frameworks: (1) the story-form framework (ages up to 8) and; (2) a romantic framework (ages 8-15), sketching a curriculum based on each. Argues that these forms are necessary for acquiring more sophisticated levels of…

This article provides a rationale for using literature in the classroom to explore conceptions of curriculum and teaching. We discuss a number of exemplars from children's and young adult fiction, both mainstream and less well known; offer a taxonomy for categorizing the range of visions of curriculum and teaching in the literature; and describe…

Maintains that the wide-ranging children's literature of Jane Yolen created a rainbow of effective instructional materials for elementary social studies. Recommends instructional strategies for teachers using Yolen's books. Presents a bibliographic essay describing 12 Yolen books. (CFR)

Presents annotated bibliographies of 30 fiction and nonfiction titles judged to be outstanding books of interest to preadolescents. Suitability for middle school curriculum; accuracy of information in nonfiction titles; and character development, plot, and style in fiction works are considered, and the depiction of violence is discussed. (LRW)

Discussion of science education reform focuses on elementary school science. Highlights include integrating science instruction with other curricular areas; children's trade books; and an annotated bibliography of 36 items that suggest teaching strategies for integrating science and language arts curricula using children's literature and trade…