Team Kirkwood’s Literacy Lab brings books to life through reading aloud, enacting, role playing, sampling various culinary delights, and curriculum development. Depending on the particular book or discussion, the curriculum may include vocabulary words, critical thinking questions, and problem solving math questions. For example, vocabulary words such as “ornithologist,” “bondage,” and “activism” are from the book Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford. Critical thinking questions would include “What did Mr. Schomburg mean when he said ‘a book is a garden carried in a pocket?”
Now let’s try a math question. Hint: you’ll need to watch the video from the Better to Best blog post. If Uncle Russell learned the poem Be a Better B in 1947, how many years has he known the poem?
On one occasion in the classroom, we learned that there were only five dictionaries for 22 students to share. Because of this, it was difficult for them to complete vocabulary building activities. So, Team Kirkwood got busy. With the help of Melissa Spradlin, Executive Director at Book’ems, and Dr. Ryan Mire, our family physician and a devoted sponsor, we were able to provide each student with a copy of Merriam-Webster’s Notebook Dictionary.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
