Project Summary: Our second-grade students are developing critical reading skills and a lifelong love of learning. To support their growth, We are seeking funding to expand our second grade classroom literacy curriculum with engaging, age-appropriate stories that represent diverse cultures, experiences, interests, and reading levels. The stories included in the Junior Great Program are strong, inquiry-based language arts program that refines and extends students’ skills in reading, thinking, and communicating. The program is a model of student-centered learning in which students work with complex ideas and rigorous texts. The program uses well-crafted, multicultural reading selections that are rich in ideas and invite a number of interpretations. Through consistent use of the program students develop their reading and thinking skills by asking questions, formulating and sharing their opinions, and supporting their ideas with evidence from the selections they read.
The requested books/ stories will include beginning chapter books, nonfiction texts, multicultural literature. These resources will provide students with opportunities to practice independent reading, improve comprehension skills, and build vocabulary while fostering a positive reading culture in the classroom.
Need for the Project: Many students rely on classroom read aloud stories as their primary source of reading materials. Access to a wide variety of quality stories helps increase reading engagement, supports differentiated instruction, and encourages students to read both in school and at home.
Reading and Text Engagement
Multiple readings: Students read and reread selections (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama) to notice details.
Active marking: Students use line numbers or sticky notes to track character traits, plot conflicts, or emotional reactions.
Vocabulary work: Students practice spelling, phonics, and tier-2 academic words tied directly to the story.
Discussion and Critical Thinking Question generation: Students write down their own wonderings and questions on sticky notes during read-alouds.
Shared Inquiry discussions: Students talk together in groups, sharing ideas and listening to classmates.
Citing evidence: Students must point to specific lines in the text to back up their personal interpretations.
Writing and Reflection Reader's Journal tasks: Students complete custom brainstorming, writing, and drawing prompts.
Comparative writing: Students connect themes and ideas across different texts.
Essay drafting: Students follow structured guides through brainstorming, organizing, and peer review.
Key Benefits for Students Critical Thinking: Encourages children to ask deep questions and explore complex ideas instead of memorizing basic facts. Reading Comprehension: Builds strong comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency via multiple thoughtful readings of rich texts. Evidence-Based Discussion: Teaches students how to cite specific lines from a story to support their personal claims and views.
The requested funds ($436.54) will be used to purchase a variety of stories that span different genres and interests. The titles that will be purchased with the program will support all 120 students in our second grade team.
Junior Great Books Inspire Series 2, Teacher's Materials, print
$204.95
Junior Great Books Inspire Series 3, Teacher's Materials, print
$204.95
436.54
Junior Great Books Inspire Series 2, Teacher's Materials, print $204.95 Junior Great Books Inspire Series 3, Teacher's Materials, print
