Course Syllabus

ENGL 2330 Children's Literature

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to poetry, fiction and non-fiction written for children. Emphasis is on selection, critical analysis, and approaches for use, for both text and illustration within these works.

Justification

Children's Literature is an option in most Elementary Education programs. It fulfills General Education credit within the Humanities category (HU) and elective requirements for English majors.

The Humanities are a group of academic disciplines that study the many ways by which humans have attempted to understand themselves and their world. At Snow College, the Humanities focus on cultural traditions that are expressed largely through text or which have a strong textual component: languages, literature, and philosophy. The methods by which the Humanities study culture are at once analytical and interpretative, objective and subjective, historical and aesthetic.

General Education Outcomes

1. A student who completes the GE curriculum has a fundamental knowledge of human cultures and the natural world. Students will develop their understanding of the unique literary and artistic techniques used in children's literature throughout a myriad of cultures. Students will demonstrate this understanding through readings, creative responses, and research projects.
2. A student who completes the GE curriculum can read and research effectively within disciplines. Students will demonstrate these skills through engaging in reading and research projects that examine the work of major authors and illustrators, research the historical/cultural context and scholarly response for those authors and illustrators, and evaluate the creative methods and the literary and artistic merit of children’s books.
3. A student who completes the GE curriculum can draw from multiple disciplines to address complex problems. Drawing from multiple disciplines, students will examine and analyze literary and artistic elements in children's literature and consider the historical context for the literature. Students will demonstrate this outcome through completing creative responses and research projects that address literary and visual media factors as well as the historical context of children’s literature.
4. A student who completes the GE curriculum can reason analytically, critically, and creatively. Students will examine and analyze both critically and creatively literary and artistic elements in children's literature. Students will demonstrate this outcome through completing readings, creative responses, and research projects that examine the work of major authors and illustrators. They will evaluate the creative methods and the literary and artistic merit of children’s books.

General Education Knowledge Area Outcomes

1. Students will have an understanding of the beginnings and major developments in literature for children. Students will demonstrate this understanding through oral and written analytical discussion of readings; oral, written, and/or creative responses; and written and/or oral research projects and presentations. Students will have an understanding of the beginnings and major developments in literature for children. Students will demonstrate this understanding through oral and written analytical discussion of readings; oral, written, and/or creative responses; and written and/or oral research projects and presentations.
2. Understand how knowledge is created through the study of language systems, literature, and/or philosophy. Students will analyze and discuss the purposes behind children’s literature from the perspective of cultural context. Students will demonstrate this understanding through oral and written analytical discussion of readings; oral, written, and/or creative responses; and written and/or oral research projects and presentations.
3. Understand cultural traditions within an historical context and make connections with the present. Students will be able to identify authors and illustrators of significance in the past and present development of children's books, as well as authors and illustrators from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Students will demonstrate this understanding through oral and written analytical discussion of readings; oral, written, and/or creative responses; and written and/or oral research projects and presentations.
4. Critically read and respond to primary texts (original, uninterpreted) from a Humanities’ perspective. Students will be able to evaluate a book in terms of illustration and content. Students will demonstrate this understanding through oral and written analytical discussion of readings; oral, written, and/or creative responses; and written and/or oral research projects and presentations.
5. Write effectively within the Humanities discipline to analyze and form critical and aesthetic judgments. Throughout the course, students will focus on analyzing and forming critical judgments about the aesthetics and the implications of the written and visual content of children's literature; students will then demonstrate these skills through oral and written analytical discussion of readings; oral, written, and/or creative responses; and oral and/or written research projects and presentations.

Student Learning Outcomes

Course Content

The following outline is representative of course content but may vary depending on instructor preference.

Understanding Literature and the Child Reader
Developments in the History of Children's Literature
Exploring the Genres of Children's Literature
The Value of Reading Widely across Backgrounds, Cultures, and Learning Needs to Promote Student Success
Picture Books
Poetry for Children
Informational Books and Biography
Historical, Fantasy, and Science Fiction
Literary and Content Units
Promoting Discussion
The Classroom Library

The instructor should consider including course readings in children’s literature that represent a broad range of perspectives and ideas and provide relevant and engaging content to students from a variety of backgrounds.