reflection1

=Reflections on Use of Information and Ideas=

Library Networks and Databases Advanced Studies of Children’s Literature
 * Course(s): **


 * Semester(s):**

Fall 2004 Summer 2007

ALA/AASL Competencies: 1.0  Use of Information and Ideas 1.1 Efficient and ethical information-seeking behavior 1.2 Literacy and reading 1.3 Access to information 1.4 Stimulating learning environment Oklahoma Competencies: 6.0 Uses resources to support the personal, developmental, and curricular needs of students and the instructional development of the faculty.
 * Competencies addressed:**
 * 2.0  ** Motivates and guides students and faculty in recognizing literature as an essential base of cultural and practical knowledge and in reading for pleasure as well as for information.

For the Modern Fantasy artifact I had to research and examine the different t ypes of literature that fall under the Modern Fantasy genre. I created this power point artifact that illustrates the different types of fantasy and examples of each. The Holocaust pathfinder artifact consists of various search terms that can be used to find poetry and poems about the Holocaust. This artifact also contains a list of Internet sites that contain good poems that can be used for a Holocaust unit.
 * Summary of activities completed:**

The Modern Fantasy power point presentation relates to competencies ALA/AASL competencies 1.0, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 and Oklahoma Competences 2.0 and 6.0.The modern Fantasy power point presentation relates to these competencies for several reasons. First of all, within this power point, the form of modern fantasy literature, terms, and examples are explained and explored. This information related directly to several of the competencies because is encourages literacy and reading, provides a tutorial on how to access information (specifically modern fantasy), stimulates students and faculty to explore the world of fantasy, and motives students and faculty who view this power point to recognize that fantasy is an important literary genre. The examples of each type of modern fantasy category provided a list of resources that students and faculty can utilize as the seek to learn more or read more about the genre of modern fantasy. The Holocaust Poetry Pathfinder relates to ALA/AASL competencies 1.0, 1.1, and 1.3 and Oklahoma Competencies 6.0 because this pathfinder is a valuable source for students or faculty wishing to find poetry about the Holocaust. This pathfinder assignment provides access to information and how to reliably and ethically use that information to find reliable Internet sources or web pages that contain Holocaust poetry examples.
 * Explanation of how artifact relates to competencies:**


 * Explanation of how this experience helped you as a professional educator:**

In another graduate class (Curriculum Issues, Fall 2008), I developed a 15-week Holocaust Unit that I intend to teach my 8th grade reading class starting in the Spring of 2009. As part of that unit I was able to access the Holocaust Pathfinder assignment that I completed in the Fall of 2004 and use it to help me create my unit. This pathfinder was extremely helpful to me as an educator for this purpose. My modern fantasy assignment was very helpful to me as an educator because this year I started teaching literature circles with my 8th grade reading classes. I was able to access my Modern Fantasy power point presentation for book ideas that correlated to the fantasy genre. Many of my students are starting to explore this genre for the first time as books such as //Twilight// and //Harry Potter// continue to grow in popularity. Through this assignment, I learned a lot about the fantasy genre, and I am now able to pass that knowledge on to my students as I help them find books in this genre that they too might enjoy.

In regards to my Holocaust pathfinder artifact, I only created a pathfinder for poetry written ABOUT the Holocaust. If I were to create or use this artifact again, I would make a pathfinder that included searches for poetry by Holocaust survivors as well. I would also include or create a pathfinder that accessed artistic interpretations. I want to create a lesson plan where students access ART and POETRY by Holocaust survivors and about the Holocaust. If I were to create or use my Modern Fantasy power point artifact again, the biggest change I would make would be to actually use and show this power point to my 8th grade reading classes at the beginning of literature circles to help them better understand all the different types of books and stories that fall under the fantasy genre. Also, I would (or will) probably create a power point presentation similar to this one for ALL form of literary genres to use in my reading classroom for the future.
 * Explanation of what you would change if you were to create/use this artifact again?**