1. Choose a topic of interest to you or that you consider an important aspect or transformative of childhood (think about your own experiences). For example: orphaned children, the first day of school (or any first), coming of age, heroic girls, family crises (alcoholism, death [of a parent or a sibling] domestic abuse, child abuse, homelessness, etc.), ghosts (dealing with a haunted past, etc.) sexism, racism or cultural conflict (children with Native American, Asian American, Latino American, African American, etc. backgrounds); immigration, etc.

2. Read at least 4 complete children's books (fiction) about the topic [or as close as you can get to it] and then assemble an annotated bibliography.

3. Read at least 10 scholarly articles [NOT FROM THE WEB] about the topic. These articles should help you see the texts from a more sophisticated perspective (whether psychological, sociological, historical etc.). Assemble an annotated bibliography in which you provide detailed summaries of each article (200-250 words).

4. After you have completed the above, choose 1 of the following:

Creative
Analytical
Teacher Preparation

Creative

Goal: Demonstrate your ability to develop an interesting and original story with attention to traditional narrative techniques: form, character, setting, theme, visual/descriptive language, solid plot development, etc.)

Length: 7- 10 pages

Audience: young adults

Assignment:

Write the first chapter of your book. Should be original and have the elements we have discussed.

Analytical

Goal: Reveal your abolity to think & write  critically about a young adult text.

Length: 7- 10 pages

Audience: scholars

Assignment:

Option 1: An Original, Framed, and Researched Critical Analysis
Option 2: Author Web Page

Teacher Preparation

Do not do this project if you did it for the fairy tale unit.

Goal: Demonstrate your ability of how to transmit an understanding of  texts, themes, and narrative strategies to students.

Length: 7- 10 pages

Audience: other teachers who want new approaches to the material

Assignment:

Assemble lesson plans for a unit in which you will teach 4 stories.

Part 1: Create a two month unit (which should include 4-5 books) on one of the genres we've discussed in the "modern fiction" unit.  Write an overarching essay (6 pages) in which you establish your texts, the rational for choosing them, your overall goals, your methodology etc.

Part 2: Then, write detailed lesson plans for each text: what are the goals for each day and each text? How you will present it? What activities will you have the students do that engages them analytically and creatively? Be as specific as possible. Create handouts etc.

1. Find five children's book publisher to which you can submit the text after you have revised based on feedback from me, your peers, and maybe some children. Go to the Davis Reference Desk to obtain addresses and other possible publishers.  For starters check the publishers of the works in your annotated bibliography.
2. Write a  formal business letter establishing your purpose, your text's originality, the market, etc.  (See my book prospectus.  Yours does not have to be as long.)  Send the letter and post a copy to your web page.
3. When you receive a letter from the publisher, read it to the class, post a copy to your web page, and give me a copy.

Return to Course Index