Subject Areas Involved:

This will be a multi-disciplinary project, as students will read fiction and non-fiction books from all subject areas and disciplines and this project will also be shared and started in classrooms throughout the district and the community.

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Description of Project:

My project is called Graffiti Books and it will ask students to annotate high-interest books in order to create a discussion and social experience around reading.

 

The idea for this project came about because I start each class period with 15-20 minutes of independent reading book time where my students select a high-interest book that they enjoy reading.   If a book doesn’t capture their attention within the first few class periods, they switch books until a book is found that they like.  The independent reading time at the start of class is an absolute and it happens every single day, and my students quickly fall into the routine and begin to look forward to reading for pleasure once they find a book that hooks them..  Students are expected to read one book a grading period, but most find that they quickly finish that book and then start the next one, often reading five or more books a semester.  While my students do projects with these books, most of the work is independent with little to no discussion with class books. The process of reading these books is a very solitary one.

 

We also read class novels, short stories, poems and nonfiction pieces together, where we are able to practice critical reading, have discussions and work together to investigate and learn about a text.  We have lengthy conversations about this reading out loud and go into great detail with them.

 

That’s where Graffiti Books come in. This project will make the process of reading their Independent Reading books discussion based too, turning it into a social experience as my students “discuss” what they read within the pages of their book.  These books will be written in multiple times and then retired as books to write in, but still offer the opportunity for  students to read a text that is full of comments from past readers.  It is through these conversations that students can teacher each other about the book and the world around them.

 

Graffiti Books asks my students to write in their books, something they are not used to.  In fact, they are encouraged to share their views, react, and even draw all over the pages. I want them to create a written conversation while reading that the next reader will also take part in.  The idea is that a student will write all over the book, the next reader will continue the conversation by reacting to what the first reader wrote and adding their own thoughts and information.  The book will be read by multiple readers creating a collection of thoughts, views, and ideas in a book that can then also be read by others so they are all participating in a written conversation.  They will create an oral history of their reading of the book.

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Description of What I Hoped to Accomplish With the Project:

I want to create a library of high-interest books (books that when given to reluctant readers, they almost without fail capture the reader’s attention) that'll be designated Graffiti Books. Students will be given a colored and write their name at the start of the book, and the color will allow other readers to know who made specific comments. Students will read the book with a pen in hand and comment throughout the text. While I'll create bookmarks offering suggestions about what to write about in the book, the possibilities are endless. Students can comment on what they like, don’t like, spots that anger or confuse them, pose questions, or add illustrations. Students will be inspired to markup a clean book, add to the conversations of others, and read these books to see what other’s thoughts are too.  

 

This is a way to give a voice to those students who are often quiet or reserved during class conversations. It provides time for the reader to reflect on the novel and then provide their thoughts, which some students may not be able to do well during in-class discussions. This will allow students who are often silent to let their views be heard.

 

I’ll read these books too, so I can include my own comments. I’ll model how to do it, but also, it'll provide the chance to view these books through my students' eyes. I'll work collaboratively with the Media Specialist to offer these books to all students through the school library. I’ll invite staff members to select and mark-up a graffiti book (and hopefully add graffiti books to their classrooms) and send a letter to the community for community member involvement. My plan is to make reading and the conversations around it a district-wide opportunity.

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How Does This Project Promote Deep Learning:

This project will engage students as it asks them to be active learners through the annotating of texts. It'll encourage students to be independent readers and foster self-directed learning as they select books and create conversations throughout the pages. They’ll reply to others' comments and add to an ongoing dialogue in their book. It’s meaningful and relevant because they'll share personal thoughts and reflections, react to text, and connect to the words. It'll be multi-disciplinary as students read texts from different subject areas and annotate books that'll be read by students in different grade levels, subjects, teachers and community members.

 

Critical reading is one of the most important skills in the classroom. A child needs to be able to read a text, develop opinions, and respond in an intelligent, composed way. This project allows those skills to develop using high-interest books. Students will become independent learners by formulating their own thoughts, reactions and views about a book while calling on their complex knowledge of English Language Arts. Each time a book is read, unique information and thoughts will be added, creating an ongoing dialogue within the pages. Readers will gain new insights, views, and ways of reading a book. 

 

The ability to analyze a text and look at it critically is one that becomes stronger through the actual practice of annotating. A student who is writing in his/her book will think more deeply about what they are reading. They’ll develop opinions and look for sentences and passages that inspire them. The more a student annotates, the more the skills involved in that annotation become natural. This practice will transfer to more high-level critical thinkers when they look at other pieces in all subject areas. Students will develop higher-level thinking in all disciplines because the practice of reacting to a text has become second nature. 

 

Students will be able to collaborate with other readers during monthly meet-ups. Students will create a Graffiti Wall outside the library where they'll write their favorite quotes, draw characterd, etc. It'll be a transformative and evolving work of art that celebrates reading.

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How Does the Project Align with Ohio State Standards:

The project aligns with most of the ELA Literacy Ohio Common Core standards for grades 9-10.  Because students are annotating in the text, they will be doing a deep analysis of most of the elements addressed in the Ohio CC standards such as the analysis of theme, character, central ideas, motivations, conflicts,vocabulary, and comprehension.  Student will be asked to think critically about a book, analyze it and develop and share their own opinions and views.  It’s a highly motivated way to dig deep into the Ohio ELA standards, while asking students to take ownership over their own reading.

 

It aligns with the following Ohio Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.10

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Letters of Recommendation from our principal (Todd Porcello) and superintendent (Jack Thompson).

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