CFD 375B SDSU Selecting a Developmentally Book for Preschoolers Ages 3 to 6 Essay

Learning Outcomes of the Course Project:

Discuss the major developmental characteristics, abilities, issues, and/or concerns of the early childhood years demonstrated in the children’s book in two developmental domains.

Apply the knowledge of early childhood development to selecting appropriate books for children.

Devise ways of caregiver interactions to promote early childhood development supported by paraphrased course knowledge.

Instructions:

Select one book demonstrating early childhood developmental aspects in two of these domains (physical/motor, cognitive, or socioemotional). 

1. Briefly describe the book (title, number of pages, story/information, illustration – how children understand it even though not able to read, font size, language – vocabulary children already know and will learn, and average length of sentences, etc.).

Also state how you think the book is meant for preschoolers demonstrated in the above-mentioned aspects. Provide specific examples from the book if possible.

1. Reference Chapters 9-11 of the course text and paraphrase early childhood development knowledge and relate it to the children’s book content. Address the following guidelines for the two chosen developmental domains. Discuss about one domain at a time.
2. What is the developmental domain to which the book is relevant?
3. What are the early childhood developmental characteristics, abilities, issues, and/or concerns demonstrated in the book?
   1. For each domain, identify at least two aspects of preschoolers’ developmental characteristics/abilities/issues discussed in the textbook that are relevant to the children’s book, e.g., nutrition need, egocentrism, friendship.
   2. Paraphrase substantial textbook information regarding the developmental characteristics/abilities/issues. Then discuss how the characteristics/issues are shown in the children’s book (e.g., in illustration, language, book format, story, etc.). Cite the course knowledge twice or more times for EACH developmental aspect, with good quantity and depth of information, and relate the knowledge to the content of the children’s book. 
   3. To earn a better grade: You are encouraged to consider how the child’s development can be further promoted and/or abilities be enhanced through the use of the book. Discuss how a caregiver can interact with a preschooler, in addition to reading the book, to promote the focused developmental aspects. Paraphrase specific course knowledge from the chapters to support your arguments.
4. Critical Analysis of Equity and Inclusion: address the following questions
   1. Do the characters model views or actions that you would like children to emulate? Give a specific example.
   2. Do the words and images provide opportunities to learn about or partake in someone else’s experience? Give a specific example.
   3. Does the storyline encourage caregiver-child conversations about (people’s/animals’) differences?

When information is borrowed from the textbook, paraphrase it using your own words, avoid using quotations, and cite the text in APA style (Note the page numbers of the textbook information in your citations). Quote only those words that you would definitely not be able to paraphrase!

Cite the children’s book author (and year when applicable) whenever you discuss its content.

The whole paper needs to be formatted in APA Writing Style.

The essay will be 4-5 pages (not including the title and reference pages). Type it using: 12-point Times or Times New Roman font, double-spacing and one-inch margins.

Structure of essay: (No abstract is needed.)

Title page: (includes an image of the children’s book cover here)

Description of book (2/3 – 1 page)

First domain: 1 – 11/3 pages; use a topic sentence with the focused domain and two (or more) developmental characteristics

For each developmental characteristic, paraphrase the course knowledge two times (or more) to support your arguments of book appropriateness.

Second domain: 1 – 11/3 pages; use a topic sentence with the focused domain and two (or more) developmental characteristics

For each developmental characteristic, paraphrase the course knowledge two times (or more) to support your arguments of book appropriateness.

Critical Analysis of Equity and Inclusion: about 1/3 page 

A brief summary (of developmental aspects and major arguments): about 1/3 page