Gender in Children's Literature
CALENDAR - Spring 2009
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I. Analyzing Gender, Appreciating Children's Literature
Thursday, January 22
Reading: Your own favorite childhood picture book; bring it to class for in-class writing assignment
Monday, January 26
Readings (all on SOCS): Kimmel, Ch. 1 Introduction, and Ch. 5, The Social Construction of Gender Relations, from The Gendered Society, 3rd ed. (SOCS); Rosenblatt, chapter 6, "Some Basic Social Concepts," from Literature as Exploration
Also browse this website: ECLIPSE Mother Goose page. Choose a couple links of interest to you and take notes on your discoveries. Bring The Real Mother Goose to class.
Thursday, January 29
To prepare for this session:
- Explore The Real Mother Goose and select three different nursery rhymes, one with a female protagonist, one with a male protagonist, and one with neither or both.
- Research the history of the three rhymes. ECLIPSE has historical information on some rhymes; you can also find books on Mother Goose on reserve for the course and in the Children's Section of the library. Look for The Annotated Mother Goose (PN6110.C4 M6) or Mother Goose, from Nursery to Literature (PR507 .D45 1987).
- Find a different version of at least one of the rhymes, with either different text or different illustrations. Again, the Children's Section of the library will be extremely useful--it has LOTS of Mother Goose books, including some picture books based on individual rhymes. Bring this to class.
Readings (on SOCS): Kortenhaus, "Gender Role Stereotyping in Children's Literature"; Narahara, "Gender Stereotypes in Children's Picture Books"
Organize storytime circles
Monday, February 2
Readings (all on SOCS): Hancock, "Reader Response to Literature: From Rosenblatt's Theory to Classroom Practice"; Hall, "Reader Response Analysis"; Kimmel, Ch. 7 The Gendered Classroom from The Gendered Society, 3rd ed.
Storytime circles: share your library books
Sign-ups for Green Fair (extra credit)
Thursday, February 5 - TEACH-IN ON ENVIRONMENT
Reading (on SOCS): Kimmel, Ch. 6 The Gendered Family, The Gendered Society, 3rd ed.
Round 1 of Chapter Book Election: Nominations
Class will not meet at the regular times. For extra credit, sign up for Story Corner at the Green Fair (Brower atrium, 11:30-2:30). Find a kids' book related to climate change, environmental activism, or related issues to bring to the Story Corner and read aloud. (Try the library or a bookstore.)
Monday, February 9
Film: "It's Elementary."
Reading (on SOCS): Rodriguez, Introduction, Queering Straight Teachers (on SOCS)
Human Rights Campaign - Safe Schools
Web discoveries: Search online for a curriculum plan, teacher's guide, or news story about teaching LGBT issues in schools. Bring in a printout or good notes on your discoveries. (See for example GLSEN JUMP-START #4: Tips and Tools for Training Teachers--but there's lots more)
Thursday, February 12
Reading (on SOCS); Hall, "Gay/Lesbian/Queer Analysis," Rodriguez, "Boygirl"
LGBT Literature for Kids: Book Sharing.
Film: scenes from "Ma Vie en Rose" ("My Life in Pink")
II. FOLKLORE AND FAIRY TALES: Oral Sources, Fantastic Childhoods
Monday, February 16
Final day for Chapter Book Election Nominations
Reading: H. C. Andersen, "The Little Mermaid" (in Tatar, 302-331); Sells, "'Where Do the Mermaids Stand?' Voice and Body in The Little Mermaid" (SOCS)
Film, Disney, "The Little Mermaid"
Thursday, February 19
Reading: Morgan, "The Mer-Child"
Morgan, "No More Miss America!" (optional--to get a sense of what else Morgan has done as a leading writer in the US Women's Movement)
Organize Fairy Tale Circles
Monday, February 23
Reading: "Beauty and the Beast" (in Tatar); Zipes, "The Origins of the Fairy Tale" (SOCS)
Round 2 of Chapter Book Election: Vote!
Thursday, February 26
Reading: "Rumpelstiltskin" (Tatar); Zipes, "Rumplestiltskin and the Decline of Female Productivity" (SOCS)
Monday, March 2 SNOW DAY
Thursday, March 5
"Little Red Riding Hood" (in Tatar); Jack Zipes, "Introduction: Storytelling in Schools", "The Initial Encounter: Little Red Riding Hood" and "On the Use and Abuse of Storytelling" from Creative Storytelling: Building Community Changing Lives (SOCS)
Sign-ups for literature circle roles
General election for chapters books: 225-01 ballot
Monday, March 16
Fairy Tale Circle performances; Fairy Tale Portfolio due
Final vote for chapter books
III• BOYS, GIRLS, ADVENTURES, MORALS: Gender, Didacticism and Entertainment in 1908
Thursday, March 19
Reading (on SOCS): Murray, "Good Girls, Bad Boys, 1850-1890"; Hall, "Feminist Analysis" and "Race, Ethnicity, and Postcolonial Analysis"
Wordsworth, "Ode: Intimations of Immortality" (in class)
Monday, March 23
Reading: The Wind in the Willows, Ch. I-VI
Thursday, March 26
Reading: The Wind in the Willows, Ch. VII-XII
Monday, March 30
Reading: Laura Robinson, "Bosom Friends" (link to full text) (also on SOCS); Gubar, "Where is the Boy?"
Virtual Green Gables & PEI Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3
Thursday, April 2
Reading: L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, chapters 1-14
Monday, April 6
Reading: L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, chapters 15-25
Thursday, April 9
Reading: L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, chapters 26-38
IV• ALTERNATIVES: 20th century, 21st century
A. 20th Century Election Book
Monday, April 13
Chapter book essay due
Reading:
-01 (10 AM): Peter Pan (or Peter and Wendy), chapters I-VIII.
-03 (4 PM): Winnie the Pooh, chapters I-V.
Thursday, April 16
Reading:
-01 (10 AM): Peter Pan (or Peter and Wendy), chapters IX-end.
-03 (4 PM): Winnie the Pooh, chapters VI-X.
Sign up for book sharing presentations; proposal due for final project
Monday, April 20
Reading:
-01 (10 AM): Diary of a Wimpy Kid, pp. 1-113.
-03 (4 PM): The Tale of Despereaux, Book the First and Book the Second.
Thursday, April 23
Brainstorm questions for the third essay
Reading:
-01 (10 AM): Diary of a Wimpy Kid, pp. 114-end.
-03 (4 PM): The Tale of Despereaux, Book the Third, Book the Fourth, and Coda.
V• BOOK SHARING: Critical reading for home and school
Monday, April 27
Third essay due today or Thursday, April 30
Book sharing presentations
10 AM: Tara, Ellen, Sara, Nick, Kristin, Rebecca, Christina H., Michelle, Chet, James, Danielle, Kristen, Sarah
2 PM: Eman, Melissa, Whittney, Beth, Elizabeth, Ianna, Jen, Danielle, Mahikpreet, Daniel L., Evan N., Kaitlyn
Thursday, April 30
Book sharing presentations
10 AM : Maggie, Kenya, Nicholle, Elizabeth, Christina O., Katie, Asia, Rob, Amanda, Colleen, Gina, Kaitlin
2PM: Kyle, Sarah, Daniella, Natalie, Stephanie, Rachel, Cynthia, Julia, Kristin, Megan, Daniel R., Steven
Friday, May 8, before noon: Final project due
