My classroom is full of fifth graders who are eager to learn and succeed. Even though all these students are the same age, their skills and needs greatly differ. I teach in Utah, a state that is known to have high numbers of students in each classroom. Not only do I have high numbers in my class, but I also have a diverse group of learners.
I have students who function well below grade level in reading and math; I also have students who work well above grade level.
I have students who have a passion for learning, and some who are disconnected from academics. My students come from culturally diverse backgrounds; many students are English Language Learners. To compound challenges, many students are economically disadvantaged.
My Project
I want to use the books in our picture book March Madness. Sometimes it is hard to talk about social emotional needs with fifth graders; they are too cool and so not interested. It amazes me how much they are willing to talk about the social emotional needs and growth of characters in the books we read together. This is a time when we need to help kids talk about and identify their feeling and needs.
These books will be used in our March Madness Classroom Book a Day bracket.
The books will be shared with the class and experience tells me great conversation will take place with my community of learners. These books all have social emotional themes and are bound to help us look within ourselves and beyond ourselves. We will use a bracket type system to determine the winner of March Madness; our favorite book of the Sweet Sixteen!
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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