In the section on characterization the text discusses that concept that actions, beliefs, and values of the characters should be of the historical time in the book. I had never thought about that level of detail. If I were an author I would have neglected to research what the beliefs were in a particular time. I think about technology, but not about beliefs. I was interested in an author's note in A Single Shard where the author explained that it would have been unlikely for the boy to have been living under a bridge because the custom was for someone to take a child in and take care of them. The author took a liberty and let the reader know about it.
This has been an interesting chapter for me. It brings up the subject to me of whether or not having books written in our slang and way of talking is a good thing. I can understand the idea that it makes the story more understandable,but if you are never exposed to a more proper way of speaking how are you supposed to learn english. To me I have seen the difference between those who have choosen to educate themselves and those who continue as they always have been. Those who have chosen to educate themselve have such a better command of the english language. Why would we want liturate that would take us back to the status of not seeming like we're educated?
LauraP I agree that how we speak and write is a sign of our education. Slang may seem the "in" thing as a teen, but it doesn' get you into the college you want or help you keep your job. It would be sad if some our students were held back by their language. It is important to get them to read, but if they can read at least some books with correct grammar and language choice, it will help them know how to write and speak properly.
Chapter 10 provided some great information on historical fiction. I never really quite understood the importance of historical fiction since it was not actually real. However, after reading the chapter, I realized that historical fiction presents the readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. In addition, historical fiction often presents actual events from the point of view of people living in that time period. I think this is very important because it provides the readers with valuable knowledge about the various eras, society and the culture associated with that particular society.
Furthermore, historical fiction allows the readers to use their imaginative and creative skills to experience and bring the past to life. It also gives the readers awareness that there are many similarities between the past and the present in regards to people’s needs and human relationships. I particularly like the part that states that historical fiction allows children/readers to judge relationships and realize that their present and future are very much linked to the actions in the past.
Historical fiction is my favorite literature genre. I read mostly historical fiction for my own enjoyment and have read some with my reading groups at school. This school year we have read Sarah Plain and Tall and Down the Yukon. The students really seemed to enjoy reading both of these books. Before, during and after reading them, we researched the time periods and how people lived and dressed. Because writing historical fiction requires a great deal of research, authors often write about the same time period. It is important for them to be accurate in their portrayal of characters and settings. Just as poetry can be used in any subject, historical fiction can bring any lesson or subject to life. Historical fiction can transport the reader to any place and time.
Alison, I love historical fiction. It is much more than just a history lesson. It teaches us something about history only through the eyes and words of characters in a believable story. I like history but it can sometimes be a bit boring with all the names and dates. Historical fiction on the other hand allows us to experience it not just read about it. I liked you comment about letting readers link their past to the present.
Chapter 10 was a very interesting chapter to me. As a child, I do not really remember reading historical fiction books besides Little House on the Prairie. History was never that interesting of a subject to me, but I believe if I was exposed to more historical stories as a child that may have been different. As stated in the Teaching With Historical Fiction section of this chapter, it states that "children can love and respect history when they vicariously share the experiences of a character with whom they identify." Therefore, I believe children can grow up with a more positive attitude when it comes to learning history than I did. I will definitely promote reading historical fiction books in the future!
I agree with you in the fact that I didn't know how much the author of historical fiction books have to know about the actions, beliefs, and characters of the book. Additionally, the author would have to have an in-depth knowledge of the historical event he or she is trying to portray. It seems silly now that we haven't recognized those details in the past after reading that section. Lastly, I loved that you added in the example of "A Single Shard."
I think this chapter has been the most interesting to me so far. I like how the chapter was separated by time period, showing in each era what was important to the people, the major ongoings and conflicts, and the themes most often used in books written today about those eras. It absolutely amazed me to see the major themes for each time period, many that persisted throughout the ages. For example, a major theme for ancient and medieval times was "Ignorance, prejudice, and hatred can have destructive consequences for all concerned," which mirrors another during Civil War years, "Moral sense does not depend on skin color, but on what is inside a person," and again during the early 20th century, "Prejudice and discrimination are destructive forces." It is a wonder how this theme is seen from the very beginnings of books, yet the prejudice and discrimination was so persisting that it lasted hundreds, even thousands, of years. I am also excited about all of the suggestions for books within each time period. This will be an invaluable resource in the classroom one day to create whole lessons, where reading lessons are also part of history lessons. How wonderful to teach about different time periods, also allowing students to experience them and relate to them more deeply by reading some of these books. And last, I personally like historical fiction very much. I knew it wasn't non-fiction, but also didn't realize it isn't quite fiction either. While the details of each person's story may be original to the author, their research into the time period makes the setting, plot, characterization, etc., create something between fiction and non-fiction.
Lacy E, I too don't remember reading many historical fiction books as a child, and history was also not a favorite subject. However, more recently, I have found that historical fiction, while technically fiction, still gives many historical facts about the time period, what it was like to live then, and the major events of the time. I think it will be a much more interesting way to teach students about the Roman empire than relying strictly on text books that can be somewhat dull.
I enjoyed the information that was introduced to me in chapter 10. I really hadn't thought about what historical fiction was all about until this chapter. At our school the sixth grade class reads as a group the Watsons go to Brimington. In eighth grade the students read as a group Johnny Tremain. Then my reading group is doing Bud, not Buddy. I have learned alot about different kinds of genre through out this book. Chapter by chapter I gain more knowledge about what I have been reading over the years and never realized that the book was historical fiction, cultural divisity, or fantasy. I just looked at it as a good book. Now as I pick out a book in the library I think about how it is classified and what message it might contain. I think that historical fiction is a great way for children to learn about history. It helps them to gain an understand of what has happen in our past history. As it states on page 417 "Children who read historical fiction gain an understanding of their own heritage."
Lacy E., I don't remember reading much historical fiction when I was younger either. I wish that I knew then what I know now about all the genre. It would have changed my whole outlook on reading. Historical fiction is a great way to gain knowledge about our history. I also agree that I am going to recommend historical fiction to my students more often. I think students will really find that these sorts of books are truly interesting and worth reading.
The best things from chapter 10 include the values of historical fiction, teaching with historical fiction, and the chronology of historical fiction. Reading about all these types of this helps to better understand the material. I think that this is maybe one of my favorite types of genres. I love learning about the past, and reading these types of books really gives people an idea of what times may have been like. Reading the values of historical fiction really gives you an idea of why these things are important, as a teacher it would be nice to share these values with your students. Obviously the section that talks about teaching with historical fiction would be beneficial for any teacher. I know that it is nice to have a back up if you can not figure something out on your own. The book says when sharing historical fiction with children, it may be good to understand some of the history of a time period. The book also says that in a study, the understanding, evaluation, and utilization of historical fiction of students improved if they books were discussed in chronological order. So knowing the chronology of historical fiction is important as well.
Re: Allison I agree with your statement about historical fiction being important because it provides readers with insight into what the world was probably like during a notable period in history. I can honestly say that kids would probably not be exposed to certain periods in time if not for historical fiction books.
Re: Robin A I think that you have a really good idea about researching the time that a book takes place before reading it. I can see how doing this may give the students a better understanding about the book and the things that go on in the book.
Great response! I never thought of historical fiction in that way but I do agree, historical fiction definitely teaches us something about history only through the eyes and words of characters in a believable story. I just never focused on the actual details. I will do now!
Re: Lucy S. I agree, this chapter has also helped me to better understand the material. I agree it is always a great idea to know and understand the various genres of books before sharing it with students. Therefore, I think it would definitely be good to understand historical fiction.
Re: Alison I agree that historical fiction helps the readers view a time in the past that they may not have had any previous knowledge or background in. I love historical fiction books, but sure didn't love history class in school. I think it stems from having history facts just thrown at us, but never really discussing the times and how the people felt. I am more of a visual learner, and I want to know what the people's feelings were. That is the main reason I love historical fiction books because I can get the history lesson plus know how the characters at that time in the book were feeling. I can place myself into that time period through reading the book.
Chapter 10 This chapter is about historical fiction. I enjoyed reading about different events in history and getting some ideas for books. For example, I am looking forward to reading The Sign of the Beaver that dealt with early expansion of the U.S. I found the whole section of teaching with historical fiction fascinating. I have experienced teachers using historical fiction with their students and the students have really enjoyed it. One activity I got from reading this book is using books to teach trails in westward expansion. I want to have one of my future classes read a book about the Oregon Trail. One item that I want to add to the book is having the students play Oregon Trail on the computer.
Historical fiction has always been such a mixed bag for me. I find that I enjoy reading about certain periods more than others. I'll never forget a book I read about a child that was suffering for a horrible illness caused by the atomic bomb in Japan. It explain that she was still in her mother's womb when the bomb went off but it still affected her. In the end of the story she died. None of the history books had conveded the vast distruction of the atomic bomb like the historical fiction book did. I think that historical fiction is a good way to help children understand and appriciate history more. With the help of these kinds of books you can get a childs attention by picking a book that will look at the same event with different points of view.
I loved this chapter. This is one of my favorite types of books to read. I love history, but some history books can get boring. These books make history fun and more animated. What I found interesting was the section on "Using Literary Elements to Evaluate Historical Fiction." I think these types of books are great for students to learn about history and to take on different views about what happened. I also really liked the chart on page 424-425 that gave different time eras and the themes that they may contain. This would be really handy to refer to not only for students, but for myself. I really liked this chapter because this is what I like to read, and I have read a lot of the books that it used as examples.
Lisa W. I used to play Oregon Trail all the time! I do think it is very educational. I do think that using these books to teach lessons is a great idea. It is important for students to also understand home life in history.
LacyE: I hate that you didn't get a lot of exposure to good history education. I love history, and I think it is so fascinating. History classes do get boring, so I think we need to find different ways to make it exciting. I think historical fiction books are the perfect way to go.
Tamika M In the beginning of the chapter it talks about how historical fiction can help children discover that in time people will need to depend on each other in some kind of way. It also says that they can learn about human relationships action. I think that this is so true. I am not one for reading historical fiction but after reading this section it made me think about all the books that my children have read that has in some way dealt with some kind of tardy or a human relationship. These books can help them to make sound judgments about their further and what action they may make for the good or bad of the world that is around them.
Re: Lisa W I am the say way. I didn’t like history when I was in school and I still don’t like it now. But as educators I think that we should find a way to make this subject more enjoyable for our students. Get them to ask more questions and find out what they would like to learn about in history. Make it friendlier and less stressful for them.
This chapter was interesting to read because I was never a big fan of historical fiction. The chapter talks about the types of historical fiction and how important it is to teach and read it to your students and children. We never read very much historic fiction and so it was nice to read this chapter and see how important it is for everyone to get the chance to read historical fiction or to have it read to them when they are young.
I have been so fascinated by the early years of France, and how that led to the Christian Crusades. I prefer to read non-fiction books on these historical topics, because these tend to lean on facts. Historical fiction requires a different level of writing. It’s one thing to write about facts. It’s another to write them into a story with fictional people. Historical fiction is a great way to get kids to learn about history. The children would learn some background information on a region, or a period in time in a fun and perhaps adventurous way. I guess as adults we’re always trying to get our kids to do and eat the right things. Sometimes we have to put what they need to do inside of something they would like to do, and tie them together with a bow. A properly well written historical fiction book seems to do all this so easily.
This chapter was pretty interesting. In the past I didn’t really give much thought to historical fiction having any value to children other than reading for enjoyment. I also didn’t realize how much time and effort had to be put into a story before it is even written. After reading this chapter I can now see the value that historical fiction has for children. The text book gave a nice listing of some great historical fiction books about events that I had heard of but maybe would have never considered reading. I am a big history person and now I have a list of children’s book s to read.
Sarah C. I liked your comments about historical fiction, and how odd it seems that history can often repeat itself. I also agreed with the idea of creating whole lessons. What a great idea that will be to merge reading and history together.
Tricia S, I absolutely love your analogy of putting something kids may not like into a prettier package! hopefully some students would like to read history for history's sake, but some will need that extra interest, like a fictional story, to go along with a few history lessons.
I think one important aspect of historical fiction that our book did not really highlight in this Chapter, is its ability to get children involved in and excited about history. Many times history books are written in really boring styles and they do not hold the attention of children. Also, history books do not give children that personal connection to the past that historical fiction may. Historical fiction allows children to relate to the people of the time and therefore have a deeper understanding of the history. One of the books I chose for my Newberry Award winner reading log was called "Good Masters, Sweet Ladies! Voices From A Medieval Village" by Laura Amy Schultz. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of historical fiction. Schultz is a Librarian at an Elementary school and wrote the book as a performance piece for the children there. It is written from the point of view of many different children, both male and female, from all castes. The book gives an accurate description of the experiences of children during the time. The best part is that it is written in play form and can be acted out with many different small parts, which makes it great fun for the children and gets everyone involved.
Response to Robin A: I think it is great that you are exploring historical fiction with your class. I think this a great genre to get children involved in history, as well as culture by allowing them to dress up, put on plays, and even recreate food from these time periods and places.
I like to read historical fiction books. From reading this chapter, there are several books that I want to read that I haven't, like The sign of the beaver and Sweetgrass. When I was a child I thought reading about history was boring, but now I like to read about it. With historical fiction books "the past comes alive".
I know that I like Historical fiction now better than when I was a child. I am fascinated by the pilgrims and Amish books due to how they take care of their families. I believe that I have read more Historical fiction books now than even. Jeanette Oke's books maybe hard to understand in written form but they make fabulous movies. The Love come softly series has become my families favorite dvd series. Even my Husband watches and he dislikes TV.
Chapter 10: Historical Fiction I thought this was an excellent chapter! I really enjoyed learning about the genre of historical fiction. I guess I could say that this is one of my favorite genres as well as the modern fantasy genre. I think this is my favorite because it is about history, yet it is fiction at the same time. My absolute favorite part of this chapter is Chart on page 424, as well as the section about these themes. I loved that it listed all the different themes in historical fiction. I think that it is really cool to see all the themes of this genre, mostly because I never really thought about all the themes. In my mind, it was basically wars all grouped into one, etc. I also loved the section in this chapter about teaching historical fiction. I know that I will struggle with this concept. I can come up with assignments and ideas galore for modern fantasy or some of the other genres, but historical fiction, for some reason stumps me every time. I think the idea of planning a pioneer day for children to display different ideas from the pioneer time period is a great idea.
Re: Tricia S. I agree, historical fiction is a great way to get kids into reading historical books. I think this is really neat to read a book that combines both realistic details of history with fictional characters. I, myself, prefer this genre over just history, but both are fantastic for getting kdis excited about reading and studing history!
Re: Robin A I think that you are right, writing historical fiction takes a lot of research and development so that the story is accurate and fictional at the same time. You don't want to confuse the kiddos or the adults for that matter! :)
Chapter 10 I love to read Historical Fiction. I like that the Literary Elements make Historical Fiction easy to imagine what life was like in the past. I think that it was interesting that Historical Fiction came after Contemporary Realistic Fiction in the book. It is ironic in the sense that a lot of things that were in Contemporary Realistic Fiction would never have been mentioned in Historical Fiction because of the differences in society. I never thought of how much detail and research goes into writing Historical Fiction. I thought the chart about Eras and Themes (pg. 424-425) was very interesting. And again, I love that the book offers ideas that one can incorporate into a classroom. The ideas are always good ones and often can be used with other books and other genres. One idea that came to my mind would be to read a Historical Fiction book as a class and separate into small groups. Assign each small group a number of chapters or pages and have them write a script and act out what was talked about in those sections. It would be a fun way to summarize a book as a class and would involve every student.
I liked what you said at the end of your first blog about how Historical Fiction allows children to be imaginative and use their creative writing skills to write a story about the past. I also think that in doing so they would learn a little bit about themselve and the past.
Chapter 10 I have never been a fan of any kind of history. This chapter talks about historical fiction. It took me awhile to learn about the genre's of literature. This chapter has really enlighted my thoughts about histroical fiction. It has a way of letting people know what took place in the past. It will help to continue to learn more about this kind of fiction because one would need to know what they are talking about when trying to teach it to students.
Aspen I also liked the way that they have page 424 all laid out for you. It is just there for information in case if a person is unsure about something.
Krista I can say that I was one of those children who didn't like history at all. I truly understand where you are coming from. Unless you have the eye and the ear history is very boring. It has to be a way for the teacher to catch the students interest early on before advancing to the next part.
History has also been one of my most interesting subjects. I loved reading, studying and observing history. This chapter had many interesting information that I did not know. Combing history and fiction can be an exciting way to entice children to study history. Using this approach with any literature, the setting, theme and character can be the key. Many of the characters in history lend themselves to political connections which are often funny, ironic or dismal. My favorite time in history has been the 1960’s because this period of time shaped my growth into adulthood.
Presented correctly historical fiction can excite a child’s reading on some topic. Some people view history as boring with too much detail. Using stories can connect kids to the idea of history and fiction.
Re: carolyn, I agree with you that history open our minds to connect with the past so that we do not repeat the (negative) but learn from the good that history have recorded. This has been a good chapter to read.
This chapter covered historical fiction, which I have always thought was a great way for children to study history without feeling like they are just memorizing facts. Reading historical fiction books helps children connect to the past by imagining specific people that might have been living and experiencing history as it was made. I have never heard of the Batchelder Award, but was glad to know there was somewhere specific to look at good historical fiction books. The book focused on the importance of authors for researching and creating realistic settings, characters and events. I found it very helpful that the book provided a timeline of historical periods and the common themes found in literature related to those times. This will be helpful as teachers select books to share with students and to help them compare and contrast different books. The book gave lots of examples of books related to each time period so that teachers can look into the best historical fiction books. The listed themes for each time period will no doubt help teachers past historical knowledge onto students in a fun, entertaining way.
To Ampulos, Your post shared a lot of things I agree with, most importantly that we can use historical fiction books to ignite students' interest in history, and help them develop a better understanding of different time periods. Although history instruction is still very important, I think that if students like to read, they are more likely to have a deep learning of the material if they experience it in book form rather than trying to memorize details. -Laura
I really enjoyed reading this chapter. I read Sara Plain and Tall the first time for one of our reading logs, and really enjoyed reading about the time period. This chapter also had a very useful chart to use. I have really enjoyed the different the different informational charts. The section on themes was very interesting, I was not aware there were some many different themes in historical literature.
Alison said that she realizes that historical fiction presents the readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. I think that Alison will start liking historical fiction more now.
In the section on characterization the text discusses that concept that actions, beliefs, and values of the characters should be of the historical time in the book. I had never thought about that level of detail. If I were an author I would have neglected to research what the beliefs were in a particular time. I think about technology, but not about beliefs. I was interested in an author's note in A Single Shard where the author explained that it would have been unlikely for the boy to have been living under a bridge because the custom was for someone to take a child in and take care of them. The author took a liberty and let the reader know about it.
ReplyDeleteThis has been an interesting chapter for me. It brings up the subject to me of whether or not having books written in our slang and way of talking is a good thing. I can understand the idea that it makes the story more understandable,but if you are never exposed to a more proper way of speaking how are you supposed to learn english. To me I have seen the difference between those who have choosen to educate themselves and those who continue as they always have been. Those who have chosen to educate themselve have such a better command of the english language. Why would we want liturate that would take us back to the status of not seeming like we're educated?
ReplyDeleteMeredithC
ReplyDeleteLauraP I agree that how we speak and write is a sign of our education. Slang may seem the "in" thing as a teen, but it doesn' get you into the college you want or help you keep your job. It would be sad if some our students were held back by their language. It is important to get them to read, but if they can read at least some books with correct grammar and language choice, it will help them know how to write and speak properly.
Chapter 10: Historical Fiction
ReplyDeleteChapter 10 provided some great information on historical fiction. I never really quite understood the importance of historical fiction since it was not actually real. However, after reading the chapter, I realized that historical fiction presents the readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. In addition, historical fiction often presents actual events from the point of view of people living in that time period. I think this is very important because it provides the readers with valuable knowledge about the various eras, society and the culture associated with that particular society.
Furthermore, historical fiction allows the readers to use their imaginative and creative skills to experience and bring the past to life. It also gives the readers awareness that there are many similarities between the past and the present in regards to people’s needs and human relationships. I particularly like the part that states that historical fiction allows children/readers to judge relationships and realize that their present and future are very much linked to the actions in the past.
Historical fiction is my favorite literature genre. I read mostly historical fiction for my own enjoyment and have read some with my reading groups at school. This school year we have read Sarah Plain and Tall and Down the Yukon. The students really seemed to enjoy reading both of these books. Before, during and after reading them, we researched the time periods and how people lived and dressed.
ReplyDeleteBecause writing historical fiction requires a great deal of research, authors often write about the same time period. It is important for them to be accurate in their portrayal of characters and settings.
Just as poetry can be used in any subject, historical fiction can bring any lesson or subject to life. Historical fiction can transport the reader to any place and time.
Alison,
ReplyDeleteI love historical fiction. It is much more than just a history lesson. It teaches us something about history only through the eyes and words of characters in a believable story. I like history but it can sometimes be a bit boring with all the names and dates. Historical fiction on the other hand allows us to experience it not just read about it. I liked you comment about letting readers link their past to the present.
Chapter 10 was a very interesting chapter to me. As a child, I do not really remember reading historical fiction books besides Little House on the Prairie. History was never that interesting of a subject to me, but I believe if I was exposed to more historical stories as a child that may have been different. As stated in the Teaching With Historical Fiction section of this chapter, it states that "children can love and respect history when they vicariously share the experiences of a character with whom they identify." Therefore, I believe children can grow up with a more positive attitude when it comes to learning history than I did. I will definitely promote reading historical fiction books in the future!
ReplyDeleteMeredith,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in the fact that I didn't know how much the author of historical fiction books have to know about the actions, beliefs, and characters of the book. Additionally, the author would have to have an in-depth knowledge of the historical event he or she is trying to portray. It seems silly now that we haven't recognized those details in the past after reading that section. Lastly, I loved that you added in the example of "A Single Shard."
I think this chapter has been the most interesting to me so far. I like how the chapter was separated by time period, showing in each era what was important to the people, the major ongoings and conflicts, and the themes most often used in books written today about those eras. It absolutely amazed me to see the major themes for each time period, many that persisted throughout the ages. For example, a major theme for ancient and medieval times was "Ignorance, prejudice, and hatred can have destructive consequences for all concerned," which mirrors another during Civil War years, "Moral sense does not depend on skin color, but on what is inside a person," and again during the early 20th century, "Prejudice and discrimination are destructive forces." It is a wonder how this theme is seen from the very beginnings of books, yet the prejudice and discrimination was so persisting that it lasted hundreds, even thousands, of years.
ReplyDeleteI am also excited about all of the suggestions for books within each time period. This will be an invaluable resource in the classroom one day to create whole lessons, where reading lessons are also part of history lessons. How wonderful to teach about different time periods, also allowing students to experience them and relate to them more deeply by reading some of these books.
And last, I personally like historical fiction very much. I knew it wasn't non-fiction, but also didn't realize it isn't quite fiction either. While the details of each person's story may be original to the author, their research into the time period makes the setting, plot, characterization, etc., create something between fiction and non-fiction.
Lacy E,
ReplyDeleteI too don't remember reading many historical fiction books as a child, and history was also not a favorite subject. However, more recently, I have found that historical fiction, while technically fiction, still gives many historical facts about the time period, what it was like to live then, and the major events of the time. I think it will be a much more interesting way to teach students about the Roman empire than relying strictly on text books that can be somewhat dull.
I enjoyed the information that was introduced to me in chapter 10. I really hadn't thought about what historical fiction was all about until this chapter. At our school the sixth grade class reads as a group the Watsons go to Brimington. In eighth grade the students read as a group Johnny Tremain. Then my reading group is doing Bud, not Buddy. I have learned alot about different kinds of genre through out this book. Chapter by chapter I gain more knowledge about what I have been reading over the years and never realized that the book was historical fiction, cultural divisity, or fantasy. I just looked at it as a good book. Now as I pick out a book in the library I think about how it is classified and what message it might contain. I think that historical fiction is a great way for children to learn about history. It helps them to gain an understand of what has happen in our past history. As it states on page 417 "Children who read historical fiction gain an understanding of their own heritage."
ReplyDeleteLacy E., I don't remember reading much historical fiction when I was younger either. I wish that I knew then what I know now about all the genre. It would have changed my whole outlook on reading. Historical fiction is a great way to gain knowledge about our history. I also agree that I am going to recommend historical fiction to my students more often. I think students will really find that these sorts of books are truly interesting and worth reading.
ReplyDeleteThe best things from chapter 10 include the values of historical fiction, teaching with historical fiction, and the chronology of historical fiction. Reading about all these types of this helps to better understand the material. I think that this is maybe one of my favorite types of genres. I love learning about the past, and reading these types of books really gives people an idea of what times may have been like. Reading the values of historical fiction really gives you an idea of why these things are important, as a teacher it would be nice to share these values with your students. Obviously the section that talks about teaching with historical fiction would be beneficial for any teacher. I know that it is nice to have a back up if you can not figure something out on your own. The book says when sharing historical fiction with children, it may be good to understand some of the history of a time period. The book also says that in a study, the understanding, evaluation, and utilization of historical fiction of students improved if they books were discussed in chronological order. So knowing the chronology of historical fiction is important as well.
ReplyDeleteRe: Allison
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement about historical fiction being important because it provides readers with insight into what the world was probably like during a notable period in history. I can honestly say that kids would probably not be exposed to certain periods in time if not for historical fiction books.
Re: Robin A
ReplyDeleteI think that you have a really good idea about researching the time that a book takes place before reading it. I can see how doing this may give the students a better understanding about the book and the things that go on in the book.
Re: Robin
ReplyDeleteGreat response! I never thought of historical fiction in that way but I do agree, historical fiction definitely teaches us something about history only through the eyes and words of characters in a believable story. I just never focused on the actual details. I will do now!
Re: Lucy S.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this chapter has also helped me to better understand the material. I agree it is always a great idea to know and understand the various genres of books before sharing it with students. Therefore, I think it would definitely be good to understand historical fiction.
Re: Alison
ReplyDeleteI agree that historical fiction helps the readers view a time in the past that they may not have had any previous knowledge or background in. I love historical fiction books, but sure didn't love history class in school. I think it stems from having history facts just thrown at us, but never really discussing the times and how the people felt. I am more of a visual learner, and I want to know what the people's feelings were. That is the main reason I love historical fiction books because I can get the history lesson plus know how the characters at that time in the book were feeling. I can place myself into that time period through reading the book.
Chapter 10
ReplyDeleteThis chapter is about historical fiction. I enjoyed reading about different events in history and getting some ideas for books. For example, I am looking forward to reading The Sign of the Beaver that dealt with early expansion of the U.S. I found the whole section of teaching with historical fiction fascinating. I have experienced teachers using historical fiction with their students and the students have really enjoyed it. One activity I got from reading this book is using books to teach trails in westward expansion. I want to have one of my future classes read a book about the Oregon Trail. One item that I want to add to the book is having the students play Oregon Trail on the computer.
Historical fiction has always been such a mixed bag for me. I find that I enjoy reading about certain periods more than others. I'll never forget a book I read about a child that was suffering for a horrible illness caused by the atomic bomb in Japan. It explain that she was still in her mother's womb when the bomb went off but it still affected her. In the end of the story she died. None of the history books had conveded the vast distruction of the atomic bomb like the historical fiction book did. I think that historical fiction is a good way to help children understand and appriciate history more. With the help of these kinds of books you can get a childs attention by picking a book that will look at the same event with different points of view.
ReplyDeleteI loved this chapter. This is one of my favorite types of books to read. I love history, but some history books can get boring. These books make history fun and more animated. What I found interesting was the section on "Using Literary Elements to Evaluate Historical Fiction." I think these types of books are great for students to learn about history and to take on different views about what happened. I also really liked the chart on page 424-425 that gave different time eras and the themes that they may contain. This would be really handy to refer to not only for students, but for myself. I really liked this chapter because this is what I like to read, and I have read a lot of the books that it used as examples.
ReplyDeleteLisa W.
ReplyDeleteI used to play Oregon Trail all the time! I do think it is very educational. I do think that using these books to teach lessons is a great idea. It is important for students to also understand home life in history.
LacyE:
ReplyDeleteI hate that you didn't get a lot of exposure to good history education. I love history, and I think it is so fascinating. History classes do get boring, so I think we need to find different ways to make it exciting. I think historical fiction books are the perfect way to go.
Tamika M
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the chapter it talks about how historical fiction can help children discover that in time people will need to depend on each other in some kind of way. It also says that they can learn about human relationships action. I think that this is so true. I am not one for reading historical fiction but after reading this section it made me think about all the books that my children have read that has in some way dealt with some kind of tardy or a human relationship. These books can help them to make sound judgments about their further and what action they may make for the good or bad of the world that is around them.
Re: Lisa W
ReplyDeleteI am the say way. I didn’t like history when I was in school and I still don’t like it now. But as educators I think that we should find a way to make this subject more enjoyable for our students. Get them to ask more questions and find out what they would like to learn about in history. Make it friendlier and less stressful for them.
This chapter was interesting to read because I was never a big fan of historical fiction. The chapter talks about the types of historical fiction and how important it is to teach and read it to your students and children. We never read very much historic fiction and so it was nice to read this chapter and see how important it is for everyone to get the chance to read historical fiction or to have it read to them when they are young.
ReplyDeleteRe: Lacy
ReplyDeleteI was never interested in it either and now I see why i really dont like history.
I have been so fascinated by the early years of France, and how that led to the Christian Crusades. I prefer to read non-fiction books on these historical topics, because these tend to lean on facts. Historical fiction requires a different level of writing. It’s one thing to write about facts. It’s another to write them into a story with fictional people. Historical fiction is a great way to get kids to learn about history. The children would learn some background information on a region, or a period in time in a fun and perhaps adventurous way. I guess as adults we’re always trying to get our kids to do and eat the right things. Sometimes we have to put what they need to do inside of something they would like to do, and tie them together with a bow. A properly well written historical fiction book seems to do all this so easily.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was pretty interesting. In the past I didn’t really give much thought to historical fiction having any value to children other than reading for enjoyment. I also didn’t realize how much time and effort had to be put into a story before it is even written. After reading this chapter I can now see the value that historical fiction has for children. The text book gave a nice listing of some great historical fiction books about events that I had heard of but maybe would have never considered reading. I am a big history person and now I have a list of children’s book s to read.
ReplyDeleteSarah C. I liked your comments about historical fiction, and how odd it seems that history can often repeat itself. I also agreed with the idea of creating whole lessons. What a great idea that will be to merge reading and history together.
ReplyDeleteTricia S,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your analogy of putting something kids may not like into a prettier package! hopefully some students would like to read history for history's sake, but some will need that extra interest, like a fictional story, to go along with a few history lessons.
I think one important aspect of historical fiction that our book did not really highlight in this Chapter, is its ability to get children involved in and excited about history. Many times history books are written in really boring styles and they do not hold the attention of children. Also, history books do not give children that personal connection to the past that historical fiction may. Historical fiction allows children to relate to the people of the time and therefore have a deeper understanding of the history. One of the books I chose for my Newberry Award winner reading log was called "Good Masters, Sweet Ladies! Voices From A Medieval Village" by Laura Amy Schultz. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of historical fiction. Schultz is a Librarian at an Elementary school and wrote the book as a performance piece for the children there. It is written from the point of view of many different children, both male and female, from all castes. The book gives an accurate description of the experiences of children during the time. The best part is that it is written in play form and can be acted out with many different small parts, which makes it great fun for the children and gets everyone involved.
ReplyDeleteResponse to Robin A:
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that you are exploring historical fiction with your class. I think this a great genre to get children involved in history, as well as culture by allowing them to dress up, put on plays, and even recreate food from these time periods and places.
TriciaS
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that children can learn about history by reading historical books.
Chapter 10-Historical fiction
ReplyDeleteI like to read historical fiction books. From reading this chapter, there are several books that I want to read that I haven't, like The sign of the beaver and Sweetgrass. When I was a child I thought reading about history was boring, but now I like to read about it. With historical fiction books "the past comes alive".
I know that I like Historical fiction now better than when I was a child. I am fascinated by the pilgrims and Amish books due to how they take care of their families. I believe that I have read more Historical fiction books now than even. Jeanette Oke's books maybe hard to understand in written form but they make fabulous movies. The Love come softly series has become my families favorite dvd series. Even my Husband watches and he dislikes TV.
ReplyDeleteChapter 10: Historical Fiction
ReplyDeleteI thought this was an excellent chapter! I really enjoyed learning about the genre of historical fiction. I guess I could say that this is one of my favorite genres as well as the modern fantasy genre. I think this is my favorite because it is about history, yet it is fiction at the same time. My absolute favorite part of this chapter is Chart on page 424, as well as the section about these themes. I loved that it listed all the different themes in historical fiction. I think that it is really cool to see all the themes of this genre, mostly because I never really thought about all the themes. In my mind, it was basically wars all grouped into one, etc. I also loved the section in this chapter about teaching historical fiction. I know that I will struggle with this concept. I can come up with assignments and ideas galore for modern fantasy or some of the other genres, but historical fiction, for some reason stumps me every time. I think the idea of planning a pioneer day for children to display different ideas from the pioneer time period is a great idea.
Re: Tricia S.
ReplyDeleteI agree, historical fiction is a great way to get kids into reading historical books. I think this is really neat to read a book that combines both realistic details of history with fictional characters. I, myself, prefer this genre over just history, but both are fantastic for getting kdis excited about reading and studing history!
Re: Robin A
ReplyDeleteI think that you are right, writing historical fiction takes a lot of research and development so that the story is accurate and fictional at the same time. You don't want to confuse the kiddos or the adults for that matter! :)
Chapter 10
ReplyDeleteI love to read Historical Fiction. I like that the Literary Elements make Historical Fiction easy to imagine what life was like in the past. I think that it was interesting that Historical Fiction came after Contemporary Realistic Fiction in the book. It is ironic in the sense that a lot of things that were in Contemporary Realistic Fiction would never have been mentioned in Historical Fiction because of the differences in society. I never thought of how much detail and research goes into writing Historical Fiction. I thought the chart about Eras and Themes (pg. 424-425) was very interesting. And again, I love that the book offers ideas that one can incorporate into a classroom. The ideas are always good ones and often can be used with other books and other genres. One idea that came to my mind would be to read a Historical Fiction book as a class and separate into small groups. Assign each small group a number of chapters or pages and have them write a script and act out what was talked about in those sections. It would be a fun way to summarize a book as a class and would involve every student.
RE: Alison M,
ReplyDeleteI liked what you said at the end of your first blog about how Historical Fiction allows children to be imaginative and use their creative writing skills to write a story about the past. I also think that in doing so they would learn a little bit about themselve and the past.
Chapter 10
ReplyDeleteI have never been a fan of any kind of history. This chapter talks about historical fiction. It took me awhile to learn about the genre's of literature. This chapter has really enlighted my thoughts about histroical fiction. It has a way of letting people know what took place in the past. It will help to continue to learn more about this kind of fiction because one would need to know what they are talking about when trying to teach it to students.
Aspen I also liked the way that they have page 424 all laid out for you. It is just there for information in case if a person is unsure about something.
ReplyDeleteKrista I can say that I was one of those children who didn't like history at all. I truly understand where you are coming from. Unless you have the eye and the ear history is very boring. It has to be a way for the teacher to catch the students interest early on before advancing to the next part.
ReplyDeleteCHAPTER 10
ReplyDeleteHistory has also been one of my most interesting subjects. I loved reading, studying and observing history. This chapter had many interesting information that I did not know. Combing history and fiction can be an exciting way to entice children to study history.
Using this approach with any literature, the setting, theme and character can be the key.
Many of the characters in history lend themselves to political connections which are often funny, ironic or dismal. My favorite time in history has been the 1960’s because this period of time shaped my growth into adulthood.
Presented correctly historical fiction can excite a child’s reading on some topic. Some people view history as boring with too much detail. Using stories can connect kids to the idea of history and fiction.
Re:
ReplyDeletecarolyn, I agree with you that history open our minds to connect with the past so that we do not repeat the (negative) but learn from the good that history have recorded. This has been a good chapter to read.
This chapter covered historical fiction, which I have always thought was a great way for children to study history without feeling like they are just memorizing facts. Reading historical fiction books helps children connect to the past by imagining specific people that might have been living and experiencing history as it was made. I have never heard of the Batchelder Award, but was glad to know there was somewhere specific to look at good historical fiction books. The book focused on the importance of authors for researching and creating realistic settings, characters and events. I found it very helpful that the book provided a timeline of historical periods and the common themes found in literature related to those times. This will be helpful as teachers select books to share with students and to help them compare and contrast different books. The book gave lots of examples of books related to each time period so that teachers can look into the best historical fiction books. The listed themes for each time period will no doubt help teachers past historical knowledge onto students in a fun, entertaining way.
ReplyDeleteTo Ampulos,
ReplyDeleteYour post shared a lot of things I agree with, most importantly that we can use historical fiction books to ignite students' interest in history, and help them develop a better understanding of different time periods. Although history instruction is still very important, I think that if students like to read, they are more likely to have a deep learning of the material if they experience it in book form rather than trying to memorize details.
-Laura
I really enjoyed reading this chapter. I read Sara Plain and Tall the first time for one of our reading logs, and really enjoyed reading about the time period. This chapter also had a very useful chart to use. I have really enjoyed the different the different informational charts. The section on themes was very interesting, I was not aware there were some many different themes in historical literature.
ReplyDeleteAlison said that she realizes that historical fiction presents the readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. I think that Alison will start liking historical fiction more now.
ReplyDelete