Literacy

This is a great resource to get students excited about learning the topic of that week.  An additional resource for our Daily 5 reading, our ELD Speaking and Listening standards as this allows for great discussions!  There are also online resources to use each week like videos, games, songs etc.

This books will be used to hold rich dicussions about literary elements, plot, characters, and setting. Students fall in love with the characters of these novels and don't want to put them down. Additionally, they will be used for an array of writting activites to support the reading and writing standards in fourth and fifth grade. 

Every middle school student at Sierra Expeditionary Learning School will benefit from a middle school library.  When given the freedom to choose their own books, even the most resistant students become readers! The sixth-grade teacher, Reenie McMains, implemented The Book Whisperer approach to reading in her sixth-grade classroom halfway through this school year.  She has seen a complete change in her students’ attitudes toward reading--and the quality of their work.  She has one student who proclaimed to HATE reading and refused to read who has now read 18 books since the holiday break!  In addition, there has been a major shift in the quality of work and conversations students are having about literature.  Instead of merely summarizing their reading, students have organically started to interpret themes, discuss character development, and analyze author motivation without prompting!  

After experiencing her students’ enthusiasm for reading soar, Reenie shared The Book Whisperer with Katie Santos.  Ms. Santos began using this reading method in her seventh-grade room recently and has seen some students who would barely read one book last semester already read six and seven books this semester!  And, students are asking for more books to share!  They are becoming eager and enthusiastic readers.

The most compelling evidence comes from student feedback. “I like getting recommendations from my friends. I usually like the same kinds of books as Lily and Sophie. I’m more likely to take suggestions from them than an adult.”- Sylvie

I usually hate reading, but I couldn’t put this book down. I have read three books so far!” -Holden

**NEURONS that fire together, wire together***

The Spanish Alphabet Tubs will be used to provide visual and tactile realia to our students on a daily basis. Realia refers to the practice of using real, tangible objects in the classroom to help our students connect with Spanish. It involves visual and tactile experiences for students to expand concepts and vocabulary. In the classroom we will use realia to strengthen students' associations between words for everyday objects and the objects themselves. In our K, 1st grade and RTI classes, students will be able to interact with authentic materials enabling them to interact with the real language and its use. This vocabulary can then be transferred to reading, word work, writing and math. Examples are; to illustrate and teach young learners vocabulary for animals, clothing, fruit, community members, tools, vegetables and much more. Realia is used to provide experiences on which to build and provide students with opportunities to use all the senses in learning. Realia allows the students to see, feel and hear the object being explored. Current brain research tells us that when children listen and read they utilize the left cortex where visual processing occurs. Therefore, children need gestures and visuals to make language clearer.  We also know, stress makes the brain more dependent on visuals not only to hear and process, but also to establish a perception . In general, humans are designed to associated information with symbols. By providing our students with realia on a daily basis, we will be be providing them an opportunity not only to improve learning but also a way to analyze information. The population we serve at KBE is diverse, all learners will benefit from having accessible hands on realia directly associated to increasing their Spanish vocabulary.

The QBall will allow all students to be heard more clearly and effectively. It will help all students as they master our Common Core Speaking and Listening standards. In particular, it will benefit our English Learners who will have the opportunity to practice academic discourse both in ELD and in their classrooms. As the district continues its mission of increasing rigorous academic discourse within the classroom, speaking up in class will become more and more important and inevitable. Students who typically shy away from discussions will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in a fun and interactive way. When reviewing videos of their conversations, EL students will be able to clearly hear their successes and opportunities for growth.

Number of Students: This grant could potentially affect all special education students at Truckee Elementary. Each year the Transitional Kindergarten through 3rd-grade group of special education resource students, is roughly between 20 and 26 students. This grant will fund a library of books to last for many years to come.

Program Objectives: Accelerated Reader is a cloud based daily progress-monitoring tool, appropriate for students regardless of ability, which enables teachers to guide students to appropriate books and hold them accountable for their independent reading access. Through data generated by quizzes presented in a friendly, inviting format, Accelerated Reader helps teachers closely monitor several types of reading practice -including reading aloud, paired reading, and independent reading.

All 4th and 5th grade students will benefit from participating in the Newbery Reader Challenge.   The students can develop a love and passion for reading as they are introduced and inundated with quality literature such as the Newbery Award books.  Literature has a demonstrated effectiveness in the development of youngsters or “tweens” academic, cognitive, and social-emotional growth. Their reading abilities in comprehension can reach maximum potential as they are exposed to higher level or Tier 2 vocabulary words as recognized in the Common Core State Standards. Complexities within the stories challenge the students’ critical thinking, analytical, and reasoning skills at a higher level and thus may influence how students reason and think within the world at large. Additionally, reading quality literature exposes the students to diverse characters and experiences that the average learner may never encounter. The opportunity to experience various backgrounds, struggles, and perspectives lies within each page, providing the students will have numerous chances to grapple with a wide range of emotions the characters experience within a safe setting; therefore, may be able to expand their own emotional growth. This exposure and experience will prepare the learners for real world situations and will give them confidence as they grow into young adults. 

I have been using Newsela in my ELD classroom for the last two years and have found it to be a priceless resource for high interest reading material. I have found it to be particularly effective with my English Learner students because it provides all students with access to the same content, but tailored to their individual reading levels. We are able to discuss current events with high rigor and expectations. This benefit also extends to our other below grade level readers. The articles can be used as supporting evidence in academic discourse and debates. The quizzes can be valuable formative assessments before revisiting articles for close reading. Students are also able to choose articles based on their own interests.  The PRO version allows teachers to hone in on individual students’ needs and see each article a student has chosen to read, the amount of time they took to read it, and how they did on specific quiz questions. These features are not included in the free version. Additionally, I have found Newsela to be a more effective reading tool for our older students as they begin to transition out of our other reading program, Reading A to Z.

To improve reading comprehension, decoding and fluency.  To foster a love of reading.  To gain knowledge while reading non-fiction and ignite imaginations while reading fiction.  While Raz Kids is most commonly used in our K-2 classrooms, students at upper elementary levels who are reading below grade level also benefit from the program.  Raz Kids is a resource that supports our Daily 5 Read to Self and Listen to Reading activities that allow students individualized reading practice in a structured language arts environment.

All students enrolled in English during the school year of 2018-19 will benefit from the Literature Circle project and the grant’s support of the novel sets. Since English courses at Sierra High School are heterogenous, mixed grade level classes, the diverse population of the school site is represented. In addition, the need for credit recovery and acceleration from the student population assures that at least 90% of students’ enrolled in Sierra High are enrolled in an English course.