We're getting closer..

We're getting closer towards the end of the semester and I'm so in need of a break! I have really enjoyed this class though. I really love getting a chance to read fun and enjoyable fiction books! I usually take my time when I'm reading, but not I'm having to do speed reading. I finished my individual book the other day, Under the Blood-Red Sun. I came home early from school sick, so I just layed on the couch and read my book. It was very relaxing. I really enjoyed this book. I didn't realize how the Japanese that were already living in Pearl Harbor were accused of being spies for Japan. This book is told from a young Japanese-American boy's point of view.

On Thursday I met with the public librarian at Valdese Library. She gave me an insight on how to do a children's program. I am going to do my program on the season of Fall. For four weeks students will learn about different things that deal with the season of Fall, such as, Leaves, pumpkins, apples, and scarecrows. I am going to do my write-up lesson on leaves for 3-5 year olds. I could really get in depth with this and I am a little unsure of how broad I should get. I have most of it finished. I am glad I went with the public library on this project so I could see how they do their story time programs.

P.S. My mother-in-law found my dog Cocoa this past Thursday too!! Now if I could get over this stinkin cold and start to feel better. Also I found out today that a dear lady from my home church died last night. This funeral is going to be a hard one...

catching up

Well since we had our last class it's been really hectic. I lost my dog last Wednesday. I think someone stole her right out of my yard. So I've been a little down and out. I'm not ready to get a new one yet, but I know I want one. Her name is Cocoa.

Anyways, back to school things. I read my group book this weekend, Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry. It was a really good book about the Nazi German Soldiers. I've actually talked to a couple of people on some of the things that I learned from reading the book.

I've also started my individual book. It's called Under the Blood Red Sun. It's set in Hawaii, 1941, during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I'm about half way through it. Pretty good so far.

I'm still unsure of what to do for the Australian literature circle. I've noticed the teacher on the zone, but I don't know what to do. Oh well.

I'm so in need of a break..

Tuesday's class

Last class we shared our books on either chapter 7 or chapter 9. I did the book Shiloh from Realistic Fiction, chapter 9. The class was about half and half for each chapter.

Then we broke up into our groups for the learning theories and discussed what we learned from our own research. After that we got into groups where we had one person that represented each learning theory. Then we had to share and teach each other what we know about that learning theory. The learning theories are behaviorism, constructivism, and cognitivism. I had to research cognitivism. A lot of the things that we talked about I had learning in my behavior managment classes and psychology classes in my undergraduate classes.

Our next project is to meet with a teacher or public librarian to make a thematic unit/ or children's program. The thematic unit has to be something that the teacher may or may not have to time to teach, so the media coordinator could use their library time to do the lessons. For a children's program we have to do a program that relates to children...plan any speakers that will be a part of the program, advertisement and so on. I'm not sure which one I want to do. Public library kind of interests me b/c I haven't done anything from it yet and I'm doing the dual track for my degree.

One last note....I'm sad today, b/c I can't find my dog. Her name is Cocoa and she's a chocolate lab. :( :( :(

Chapter 9 Readings and Cognitivism

My group read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. That book was hilarious! I was actually laughing out loud through it. I posted on the DB to my group how it reminded me of a family of 7 rowdy boys that my husband and I went to school with. I would love to actually do this story as a Christmas play at my church. Sometimes we take for granted how important the Christmas story is, and we forget that some people and children have never heard of Jesus.

My individual book that I am reading Shiloh. It's about a boy that tries to save an abused Beagle from an old man. I'm about half-way through it. These types of books are made to make children interested in reading. This book is for children mostly in the 4th or 5th grade level.

I read up on some Cognitivism today. I remember learning about this stuff in college in my psychology classes. One of the psychologists that played a large role in Cognitivism was Piaget. He studied and researched the 4 stages of development.

We have class on Tuesday, March 17th. I will post more after class!

Still Reading Great Books

Okay, so I've done a lot of fun reading so far. I kind of start forgetting about everything else that I need to stay on top of too. I finished "The Root Cellar". Jerri and I are going to share it tonight without Noel, b/c she just lost her dad last Friday. We can fill her through the discussion boards. That's the least we could do for her. I've also read my individual book call "Dust". It was kind of weird, but I still read it in a day. It kept me wanting to read more. Another book that I've finished reading is "Boy". We are reading this book to do our discussions with the Australian all boy school.

I'm going to do my wiki for my individual book tonight too. This has been a busy week. We've had revival all week.

I have also printed a few things about Cognitivism, but I haven't read a lot about it yet. I'm not sure if I'm going to be too interested in that reading. We'll see.... At least it's a group effort on all of it!