Assignment

Application: Recommending Books for a Preschool Classroom Library

You have focused on the vital role that children's literature can play in developing a range of early literacy skills and you have been introduced to guidelines for selecting quality books to use with young children.

For your Application assignment, imagine that you are a preschool teacher. Your program director has asked you to review a variety of children's books and recommend eight of them-four fiction storybooks and four nonfiction, informational books-to add to your preschool classroom library. You're thrilled to have this opportunity and, because you share your director's belief that high-quality books not only foster early literacy learning but also inform children's development and thinking, you decide to use research-based, trusted guidelines to help you make your decision.

To complete this Application, do the following:

Step 1: Plan and Prepare

• Identify a library or bookstore in your area with a quality collection of books for children ages 3-5 .

• Print out your Children's Literature Selection Chart that will help you complete this assignment:

• Review the chart for information you will need to provide about each book.

• Review "Ten Steps for Reviewing Children's Books."

Step 2: Review and Select

• Bring the following materials with you:

• A printed copy of the Children Literature Selection Chart for taking notes on the eight books you select (or, if you have a laptop computer, you may choose to complete the chart electronically on site)

Please Note: You will need to submit your completed version of the Children Literature Selection Chart.

• A printed copy of "Ten Steps for Reviewing Children's Books"
• Text resources you choose to bring with guidelines for selecting quality books
• Keep these points in mind as you review books:

• You may select recently published books and/or older books.

• Make your recommendations based on the "Ten Steps for Reviewing Children's Books," other guidelines for judging quality, and opportunities for learning from and taking joy in a book's content and illustrations.

• Consider the range of diverse learners in a preschool program.

• Think about whether you and the children will find each book engaging.

• Complete the chart.

Step 3: Reflect

Considering what you have learned in your coursework, summarize the following in a Reflection:

• Your experience of reviewing and choosing books to recommend.
• Insights you gained or misconceptions corrected about selecting quality books for young children.
• Suggestions for the library or bookstore you visited concerning their children's literature collection, such as sharing recommendations based on the anti-bias guidelines.

Submit both your written Reflection and your completed Children's Literature Selection Chart.

Assignment length: 2-3 pages

APA format all orginal work.