This guest post was provided by CVSD's District Literacy Leader, Jensa Bushey
Librarians and literacy coaches across the Champlain Valley School District partnered to plan an experience for children in grades kindergarten through fourth grade in which a common set of books was read and discussed. To do this, we joined other educators across the world in a project called the Global Read Aloud. For elementary students, the Global Read Aloud featured picture books written by Duncan Tonatiuh and the book Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott.
We picked the Global Read Aloud as a focus point this year because it allowed us the opportunity to live out several parts of the CVSD literacy vision. This includes modeling joyful reading and writing and sharing diverse stories. Children explored the themes of celebrating differences, personal and cultural identity, and perseverance.
Here’s a visual diary of some of the reading, learning, and thinking that the Global Read Aloud brought to our schools.
An enthusiastic group of second grade students activate their prior knowledge before Cara Clopton, Allen Brook School Librarian, reads them The Princess and the Warrior by Duncan Tonatiuh.
Heidi Huestis, Charlotte Central School (CCS) Librarian, discusses what students notice about the cover of the book Separate isNever Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh. In the background, a digital storyboard displays Duncan’s books along with virtual links to read alouds.
Which book will be the ultimate favorite? Each week CCS students voted between two of Duncan Tonatiuh’s books to decide which moved ahead in the bracket! At Charlotte Central the favorite book was Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns.
In the Hinesburg Community School (HCS) Library, second graders engaged in an author study during Hispanic Heritage Month using The Princess and the Warrior and Diego Rivera: His World and Ours. Students paid attention to Duncan Tonatiuh’s illustration style, especially the ornate swirls and curves inspired by pre-Columbian Mixtec art. Students also took two virtual field trips: the first to Popocatépetl (one of the volcanoes from The Princess and the Warrior) using the Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program, and the second to MoMA to see one of Rivera’s paintings.
This is a quick snapshot of of the volcano virtual field trip!
At Williston Central School (WCS), every grade 3-4 teacher was given a copy of Dragons in a Bag to read aloud to their class, and every grade 5-6 English Language Arts (ELA) teacher was given a classroom copy of The Jumbies.
During library time, 3rd & 4th grade students heard eight picture books by author Duncan Tonatiuh during the Global Read Aloud author study. They concluded the author study with a student vote for their favorite, and the most ancient story won: Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns: a Mesoamerican Creation Myth.
CCS Omega students had a wonderful afternoon earlier this week! This visit was a collaboration around the Vermont Reads book March, Book 1, and was made possible by the Clemmons Family Farm with the support of a Schip's Grant.
Social Justice Workshop with Clemmons Family Farm
All seventh and eighth grade students participated in a workshop that touches on social justice include themes like identity, diversity, courage, and helping one another in the face of injustice. This work connects to the earlier field trip this year to CVU and the reading many did this summer of March (and other books). Four artists came in to share their own experiences and skills with the students.
Group 1
Mr. Desmont, Visual artist #1/Painting activity: The students engaged in a painting activity. He added in stories of his childhood in Haiti
Group 2
Miss Hannon, Visual artist #2/Drawing activity: The students did a line-drawing activity.
Group 3
Mr. Dyke, Musician/Musical storytelling activity: Mike brought some musical instruments and told stories of Jamaica and how music was used to combat poverty and achieve education for many young people growing up there
Group 4
Ms. Edsomwan, Poet/Poetry activity: She shared a presentation about her own story and did a poetry activity with the students.
Thanks to Karyn Lunde for the photos in this slideshow and to Heidi Huestis for sharing the details for this post.
After many months of planning and a summer of reading, for some, the first CVSD Common Read culminated in the Celebration Day last Thursday. Over 1300 students, representing all of the district's 4th, 6th, 8th, and 9th graders participated in a day of connecting, collaborating, expanding, and building empathy around the theme of social justice. The day was a great success!
As the students arrived they all went into the gym at CVU to sit by grade. That was the first opportunity for the 4th, 6th, and 8th grade students to mix with peers from other schools. Jeff Evans, CVSD's Director of Learning and Innovation, welcomed everyone and then Libby, a 6th grader from Hinesburg, introduced the keynote speaker. Here's an excerpt from her introduction:
When I first heard about the Common Read I was unsure why we were doing any of this. After reading A Good Kind of Trouble I realized that understanding social justice is important, and that we are all very lucky to have this experience. “Social justice means equal rights, opportunity, and treatment for all.” Reading Preaching to the Chickens, Ghost Boys, A Good Kind of Trouble, and March: Book One allowed us to understand some major social justice issues, both past and present.
When I read A Good Kind Of Trouble I felt that I was in the story. The story was relatable, yet informative at the same time. Lisa Moore Ramée made you realize that Shayla, or better known as Shay, is a normal 12 year old girl, and she makes Shay feel like a girl you have known your whole life. A Good Kind of Trouble shows how a young girl comes to understand the Black Lives Matter movement and why the fight for social justice is so important. Through Shay’s journey I too was able to start understanding these important matters. Through Lisa Moore Ramée writing, I, and so many others, have been able to learn and grow in our understanding of Major issues facing our country.
Lisa Moore Ramée engaged the audience with stories about her own childhood and as a reader. She spoke about the process of writing books and engaging with her readers. And she spoke about how we care for and treat others, alike or different. This quote stood out for a number of students:
“When making new friends, find those with the same values, not necessarily those that look like you.”
After the keynote, students were divided into groups by grade level, but mixed by school, about 10 groups for each grade. There was quite a bit of coordination to get everyone into their group with the adults who would be their guide for the day, but it worked. At this point, about half of the group (650 students!) stayed in the gym to learn about the art project, and the other half went to workshops.
The 4th and 6th grade groups attended workshops facilitated by representatives from the Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte and two groups had the honor of working with the keynote, Lisa Moore Ramée. All of the sessions had a connection to the theme of social justice. As we visited each room, we witnessed singing, storytelling, writing, artistry, and more.
The 8th and 9th grade groups went to the auditorium where the following things took place:
Student Leaders from CVU's Racial Alliance Committee presented on bias, prejudice, and stereotypes; and they worked to promote room for growth, opportunity, and social well-being in the CVSD community by bringing race to participants' awareness.
CVU Librarian Christina Deeley led a session on examining social justice through photographs, focusing on Teaching Tolerance's four-level equity lens of identity, diversity, justice, and action.
CVU Librarian Peter Langella led a text protocol based on an excerpt from Samira Ahmed's Internment, again focusing on identity, diversity, justice, and action.
While this was happening for half of the whole group, the balance were introduced to a massive collaborative art project, led by Shelburne Community School's art teacher, Pete Boardman. Students were paired up, 4th with 8th graders and 6th with 9th graders, and each student designed a feather. Five very large wings were created by the end of the day, comprised of feathers from each student and many of the adults as well. These will become installations in each school's library - signifying that reading books gives us wings.
Because the weather was glorious, all of the groups went outside to eat. Seeing them mixed by school and getting to know one another was fabulous. There were students outside of CVU's cafeteria, on the hill, on the football field and bleachers, and even on the baseball field.
After lunch, everyone switched activities; those who did the art project went to workshops while those who had been in workshops created their feathers. Somehow, all of the students returned to the gym to finish out the day, say goodbye to their group leaders and new friends from the other schools, and board buses back to their home school.
At Charlotte Central School, a new display with reflections from the day is available for all to see. Here are a few photos of that.
We want to thank everyone on the Common Read Committee for helping to make the day a resounding success, as well as workshop facilitators from the Clemmons Family Farm, Lisa Moore Ramée, Pete Boardman, and all of the educators and especially students who were engaged and active participants.
Enjoy this video with some photos from the day in this video.
In the late spring, all students who would be entering 4th, 6th, 8th, and 9th grades in August received a copy of a book at kickoff assemblies in each school. The books varied by grade level, but all focused on a central theme of racial equity. The Vermont Reads book this year is March: Book One, by Andrew Aydin and John Lewis. CVSD expanded upon the theme to include that book and other books for a variety of grade levels.
Now that school is underway we will gather all of those students, along with teachers, for a special culminating day to celebrate, connect, and expand together at CVU on Thursday, September 5.
Highlights of the Day:
Keynote from Lisa Moore Ramée, author of A Good Kind of Trouble
Workshops and a collaborative art project
All students will participate in the collaborative art project at some point in the day
Workshops opportunities for 4th and 6th graders will include: Clemmons Family Farm (poets, storytellers, musicians, singers, culinary artists), and Lisa Moore Ramée will facilitate writing workshops with some 6th graders
Workshops with
CVU's Racial Alliance Committee for 8th and 9th graders to better understand racism and build empathy.
Closing Remarks and photos with the collaborative art project
The purpose of the day is to celebrate the Common Read books students received before the summer break, connect with their peers across the district, and expand on the themes of the books through an author’s keynote speech, workshops, and a collaborative art project. We anticipate a wonderful day to bring together our district around literacy and empathy building.
We are very excited to bring students together in what we hope is the first of many district-wide collaborative events. We will post photos and more afterward.
