JLC Mini Grant Recipient - Thrasher Elementary
Educator: Wetherly Kennedy
Junior League Mini-Grant: $750
“Integrating Social Studies through Non-Fiction Big Books”
Wetherly Kennedy’s class of first graders loves learning about the world around them. And, thanks to a grant by the Junior League of Chattanooga, they have a new resource for reading about social studies and international cultures: Big Books.
“I wanted to introduce the kids to the world of non-fiction,” says Ms. Kennedy. “And the Big Books series was a great way to do that.” These oversized classroom readers cover topics as diverse as bee keeping and international trade, and they are excellent for whole-class or small group instruction.
But the Thrasher Elementary students are going beyond being passive readers and have written big books of their own. “One of my students is from Ethiopia,” Ms. Kennedy explains. “To learn more about his home culture, the kids conducted research and created big books about Ethiopia.”
And, as it turns out, the big books authored by the students are a favorite of the class. “They are proud to be authors and enjoy sharing what they have learned with others.”