Reading buddies promote literacy and friendship |
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Written by CHRISTA BRUBAKER, Special to the Chronicle
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Thursday, 03 April 2008 19:00 |
MANSFIELD—Students in the kindergarten class at Mansfield St. Mary School eagerly await the arrival of their junior high “book buddies” every other week. The junior high students can’t wait for the meeting either.
The students have been partnering for several weeks to read and complete comprehension activities together. The project helps the kindergarten students develop their reading skills, but what the children don’t know is a surprise awaits them when the weeks of meetings come to an end.
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Kindergarten children at Mansfield St. Mary School work with their
junior high “book buddies” on a project that promotes literacy for both
age groups. (Photo courtesy of Masfield St. Mary)
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As the junior high students are spending time getting to know their kindergarten buddies, they are developing storybooks the older students will give to their young friends.
Junior high teacher Dana Walker developed this curriculum unit several years ago, and many students who received books as kindergarteners are now creating books for their buddies.
Mrs. Walker’s purpose for the unit is to help the older students develop their writing skills as they become authors and illustrators of their own books.
Each junior high student begins by developing a list of questions to ask his or her buddy. From the answers, the older student drafts a story, using the buddy as the main character in the book. As the weeks progress, different genres of children’s books are shared including circular stories such as the “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” series by Laura Joffe Numeroff.
The different genres help the older students choose the type of story they will create. To help develop a rapport with each other, the students share a treat during the meeting time, from cookies to pancakes to muffins.
“I like reading books with Baylie,” says kindergartener Lucy Mancha who is paired with eighth-grader Baylie Scheurer.
“She even gave me a book for my birthday. I also like to play and make activities with her,” Lucy adds.
Kindergartener Sage Baith agrees.
“Brandon helped me make a picture for my teacher. He is very serious about our work,” says Sage about his seventh-grade buddy, Brandon Hyatt.
“One thing that has been challenging is keeping him focused,” eighth-grader Haley Hyder says of her buddy Jamie Howard. Eighth-grade student Shabree Rawls agrees.
“It’s challenging to question a kindergartener because they have a short attention span and they want to control the conversation!” Shabree’s book buddy is kindergartener Matthew Savick.
Camron Moree says his biggest challenge has been to choose a topic for his book because “there are so many to choose from.” Camron’s book for his buddy is called, “Trenton’s Triumph to Victory,” in which his buddy, Trenton Wilson, tries to win a championship game in soccer.
Perhaps the biggest challenge will be for the junior high students to give their books away.
“The students put a lot of work into this project and there is a great deal of ownership involved in creating this book. It is very difficult to give that away to their buddies,” says Mrs. Walker.
The books will be given at a unit ending party in May.
Christa Brubaker is a kindergarten teacher at Mansfield St. Mary School.
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Last Updated on Monday, 22 September 2008 09:13 |
