Examining Classroom Books

Management Cognitive Development Lesson 4 Apply Examining Classroom Books Program Tool	WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG ACTIVITY ID: 28546 Name Certifier Date
Your classroom or program’s library should include a variety of books that are interesting and developmentally appropriate to support the cognitive development of the children or youth in your program. High quality books have interesting content, engaging illustrations, relatable characters, and rich language and vocabulary. Review the books in your classroom collection using the characteristics of high-quality books shared below. In the list below, not every book must address all these elements at once, but you should consider whether the collection of books available in your classroom or program space meets these characteristics. Do the books in your collection contain interesting story lines that hold children’s attention? Yes No Do the books have a predictable structure and contain elements of rhythm, rhyme, and repetition? Yes No Do the illustrations in the books capture children’s attention and enhance the text? Yes No Are there elements of interesting print within the illustrations or text (i.e., speech bubbles, bolded letters or words, yard or street signs)? Yes No Do the books in your collection have well-developed characters that the children connect with? Yes No Are a variety of concepts and content represented in the available books? For example, do you see ideas from science, social studies, math, sports, and the arts represented? Yes No Is the content, language, and sentence structure developmentally appropriate? Yes No Do the books use rich and interesting vocabulary? Yes No Are there a variety of themes addressed in the books including emotions, family, friends, animals, divorce, death, deployment, sports, transitions, seasons, etc. Yes No Do the books include features that encourage interaction and participation (i.e., ask the listener questions or include repetitive phrases) Yes No Does the collection include books in languages other than English? Yes No Do the books include characters with a variety of different ages, physical appearances, abilities, backgrounds, occupations, and life experience? Yes No Do you see different types of family structures represented in the books in your collection Yes No Are there books present that teach valuable lessons such as kindness, acceptance, teamwork, problem solving, or conflict resolution. Yes No

Program Tool

WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG

ACTIVITY ID: 28546

Name

Certifier

Date

Your classroom or program’s library should include a variety of books that are interesting and developmentally appropriate to support the cognitive development of the children or youth in your program. High quality books have interesting content, engaging illustrations, relatable characters, and rich language and vocabulary. Review the books in your classroom collection using the characteristics of high-quality books shared below.

In the list below, not every book must address all these elements at once, but you should consider whether the collection of books available in your classroom or program space meets these characteristics.

Do the books in your collection contain interesting story lines that hold children’s attention?
Yes
No
Do the books have a predictable structure and contain elements of rhythm, rhyme, and repetition?
Yes
No
Do the illustrations in the books capture children’s attention and enhance the text?
Yes
No
Are there elements of interesting print within the illustrations or text (i.e., speech bubbles, bolded letters or words, yard or street signs)?
Yes
No
Do the books in your collection have well-developed characters that the children connect with?
Yes
No
Are a variety of concepts and content represented in the available books? For example, do you see ideas from science, social studies, math, sports, and the arts represented?
Yes
No
Is the content, language, and sentence structure developmentally appropriate?
Yes
No
Do the books use rich and interesting vocabulary?
Yes
No
Are there a variety of themes addressed in the books including emotions, family, friends, animals, divorce, death, deployment, sports, transitions, seasons, etc.
Yes
No
Do the books include features that encourage interaction and participation (i.e., ask the listener questions or include repetitive phrases)
Yes
No
Does the collection include books in languages other than English?
Yes
No
Do the books include characters with a variety of different ages, physical appearances, abilities, backgrounds, occupations, and life experience?
Yes
No
Do you see different types of family structures represented in the books in your collection
Yes
No
Are there books present that teach valuable lessons such as kindness, acceptance, teamwork, problem solving, or conflict resolution.
Yes
No