K-8 students

Thoughts on the knowledge, capacities and commitments required of K-8 students (as outlined in the GLCEs) to use the technology successfully for authentic purposes:

--Students must be able to/have knowledge of basic computer use, proper computer care, responsibility, trustworthy when working independently with computers.

--Students will need step by step guidance to set up the blog, as it requires an email address and complex instructions about creating a password.

--Students will need basic reading and writing skills to read, write and edit their blogs over a period of time

--I would recommend blogging for students ~3rd grade and up. For those students in K-2nd I would recommend first beginning by typing journal entries free hand on the computer before beginning the process of writing in a blog. This would allow them to begin thinking about freely writing their thoughts down on paper. They can then work towards the goal of posting perhaps on a class blog site one entry at a time, which again would take time and patience to accomplish.

--Students that do not gradually work towards the common goal of creating pieces of writing others can share, may find this technology a bit overwhelming, resulting in lack of interest or success.

Knowledge, Capacities and Commitments

Examples of the knowledge, capacities and commitments you needed to develop in order to use the new technology to create your product:

1. The basic knowledge of using a computer/internet.
2. Frequent access to computer and internet source.
3. Research where, how, and when to set up a blog account.
4. First explore the functions of a blog before I began blogging.
5. Commitment of time spent each week working on and perfecting blog and posts.
6. Commintment and desire to research and explore a new technology along with a new literacy.
7. Basic knowledge of where to go to do researching/find information about desired searches.
8. Organizational skills of how to accomplish goals, see results, and meet requirements on time and in an orderly fashion.

Cultrual Literacy Resource website

While looking for cultural literacy websites, I came across this multicultural review which I felt pertained to cultural literacy.


Lu, Mei-Yu. Multicultural Children's Literature in the Elementary Classroom. ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading English and Communication Bloomington IN. 1998.


While searching for professional reviews I came across a critical review in the Eric Digest reviewing multicultural children's literature in the elementary classroom. I became intrigued because much of what the article was talking about had to do with the importance and criteria that needs to be found within books to be labeled multicultural. I found that these criteria strongly related to the books I chose to review. One of my favorite quotes is "Jenkins and Austin (1987) suggest that cultural understanding can be reached in many ways, such as by making friends with people from different cultures." This was strongly seen as a similar characteristic throughout many African American literature reviewed. The review also spoke about these multicultural pieces of literature "taking individuals or a group of people whose stories take place in a specific historical and physical setting". Again I learned that there truly was meaning behind why each of these reviewed books seemed to take place in the past. This was later revealed to serve as a significant stereotype decreaser.

Finally, one of my other favorite quote was as follows, "Exposure to quality multicultural literature also helps children appreciate the idiosyncrasies of other ethnic groups, eliminate cultural ethnocentrism, and develop multiple perspectives." I agree with this statement and see it to be something very important when deciding to have multicultural literature in a classroom environment.


The link to this and other alike reviews is http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-2/literature.htm. I found that this is a positive and informational critical review of multicultural literature.

Cultural LIteracy Book Review 3

McKissack, Patricia C., Pinkney, Jerry. Goin’ Someplace Special. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2001.

The Monarch Award:Illinois' K-3 Children's Choice Award. 2007 Nominee

Goin’ Someplace Special is the story of Tricia Ann’s travels through a day in the life of a young colored girl during a segregation period. She is on her way to someplace special alone for the first time where she discovers the “White’s only” signs. She is confused and saddened but finally reaches her final destination of the public library where the sign reads “All are welcome”.

McKissack and Pinkney focus their readers on the segregations of the Jim Crow signs of the past. They allow one young girls journey to tell the story of which places are off limits to those of color. This book allows readers to get a glimpse of what life was like for a young, impressionable, African American girl. Multiple signs are pointed out throughout the book and all the while Mama Frances’ voice is in the background telling Tricia Ann she is someone special and she belongs to somebody. The text is written using old southern language when switching characters, and the kind characters are represented in a caring light. The illustrations aide readers in discovering the trials and hardships people of color had to deal with in the past. People of color are clearly defined as well as the areas within which they are expected to abide by. This is a great illustration of what can be learned from the past about segregation and how far we have come as a society since the past. Children can gain a cultural sense of what others before them had to go through to experience the freedom we now carry. This is a great portrayal of multicultural literature and should be considered a viable resource for personal and classroom libraries.

Cultural Literacy Book review 2

Woodson, Jacqueline. The Other Side. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2001.

The Other Side is the story of two little girls separated by a wooden fence running between their yards. Both mothers warned each girl not to cross the fence, saying it was not safe on the other side. Throughout the summer Clover and Annie Paul observed each others lives and eventually became friends, sitting on the fence together, never crossing it. As Clover observes others reactions to this new found friendship, she learns about the multicultural world around her and the changes that are to come.

Woodson spends a fair amount of time emphasizing the idea of the other side of the fence through her text. She never bluntly states what is on the other side that makes it unsafe, but the strong emphasis is there for readers to make their own assumptions. I believe that through the illustrations of two young girls facing one another on opposite sides of the fence, Woodson is able to imply that even these young girls can see past color differences, and make friends when needed. This book is a great example for seeing what is and was to come in the future. As Woodson states best on the last page in reference to the fence “Someday somebody’s going to come along and knock this old fence down”. That is exactly the positive attitude that should be instilled in our youth, therefore this book is highly recommended.

Cultural Literacy book review

Polacco, Patricia. PINK and SAY. New York: Philomel Books, 1994.

PINK and SAY is the story of Sheldon Curtis (Say) and Pinkus Aylee (Pink) who both fought together for the Union somewhere in Georgia during the Civil War Period. The story of these two boys journey through the war has been passed from great-grandfather to grandmother, to son, and finally to the author-artist herself, Patricia Polacco. The two boys lost their Union troops so they found themselves taking rest at Moe Moe Bay’s, Pink’s mother’s home, to recuperate before regaining their search for their lost Union troops. Their stay was cut short as the Confederate troops rode in killing Moe Moe Bay and imprisoning the two boys in Andersonville. The end of the story recaps the true environment of a prison during the war period along with summing up the long lived life of Say after the war and the early death of Pink shortly after entering the prison. The story of the interracial friendship lives on through the tellings of those who shared Sheldon Curtis’ life, never forgetting Pinkus Aylee.

Polacco puts forth great effort in giving the text authentic African American dialect that can be seen during this time period in Georgia. The story creates a great portrayal of interracial relationships between soldiers of this time period. The idea of two relationships forming from two people going through similar battles is displayed clearly, and readers are able to gain a sense of belonging together among different racial backgrounds. The illustrations aide the relationships in portraying powerful depictions of Pink and Say grabbing hands as they are pulled apart. She does a fabulous job of representing the relationships that were to come in the future and gives her readers hope of interracial lasting relationships. I would recommend this book not only to African American families but also to many other families looking to broaden their multicultural experiences.

Thinking About Cultural Literacy

When thinking about Cultural Literacy as a way to understand and appreciate the similarities and differences in the customs, values, and beliefs of one’s own culture the cultures of others, I decided to look more closely at a culture that I am quite unfamilar with. I chose to take a closer look at 3 different children's books focused on African American literature. This gave me a better insite to the customs, values and beliefs of that culture, and how they differ from my own. The next couple of posts are going to be the reviews I have written about each, and how it represents a multicultural approach to literacy.