Schools in Jurupa Unified celebrated Read Across America Week with themed activities and, of course, plenty of books. At Pacific Avenue Academy of Music, the theme “Reading is Always a Good Time” encouraged kids to read books from every United States timezone.
“We really took [Read Across America] to heart,” shared Hilliary Salley, principal. “Books that may be about that different region or in that timezone let students know that reading happens anytime, anyplace, anywhere.”
Robbie Moreno, elementary media center clerk, developed the theme and read related books to students visiting the library. “The idea to me is inspiring kids to read not just for school, but for fun and to enjoy it in their free time,” he said.
In a nod to Texas and the central timezone, Mr. Moreno read
The Cowboy by Hildegard Muller. He paired the reading with a STEM activity in which students cut out paper horses then made them race. The horses had curved feet, and when they rocked back and forth, gravity pulled them down an incline.
Mr. Moreno noted that many kids are not aware of their surrounding geography. “Hopefully this week students [learn more] about where they live and where they come from, expanding their knowledge [of] our country.”
At Pedley Elementary, teachers coordinated both traditional Dr. Seuss activities and activities centered around diversity and inclusion. Kimberly Lambert, assistant principal, put together a virtual bookshelf of diverse stories for teachers to share with students throughout the week. “[Reading widely] gives [students] a more well-rounded look at the world around us and what we can connect to,” shared Corrine Ortiz, principal.
For Tracy Grogan, kindergarten teacher, the week was an opportunity to highlight books she has added to her classroom library. “Over the past few years, I reflected on the types of literature I had in my class," Ms. Grogan shared, noting that her books primarily featured animals or did not represent the diversity of her students. “I thought it was about time that I got some books that reflected the makeup of my classroom. So I did a Donors Choose grant and got lots of books that are more reflective of the kids in my class.”
One of the books Ms. Grogan read to students was
What If We Were All The Same!, written by C.M. Harris and illustrated by Eric Everett. The story demonstrates the many great reasons for making friends with those who are different. "I thought it was important to point out to the kids that everybody is different and we need to embrace our differences,” she said.
After the reading, kids made self-portraits with crayons and construction paper, which came in a variety of colors to represent skin tones. Kids were encouraged to pick the paper they felt best represented them. “I want them to just celebrate themselves,” said Ms. Grogan, though she noted that kids often get creative with crayons. “Hopefully I don’t get any purple hair or green teeth.”
While students mostly resisted those urges, there were some purple eyes. Overall, kids were happy to celebrate literacy and proud to make art inspired by themselves and their creativity.
