Building Literacy and Community

During the fall two of our literacy units are “everyone belongs” and “around the world”. Students read books that embody the values of building community, sharing, helping, and including others, and other books depicting different cultures practices from around the world. Then they spend time making self-portraits to show how they are all different and are all part of one group.

Fourth and fifth grade girls read about women who have made a difference in our world, and practiced sharing their opinions and points of view of the different characters in the books.

Third graders at EnCompass did a teach-back of the energizing P.O.W.E.R song for the first graders. During the presentation, a first grader asked, “But why are we learning this?” Some of the third graders were unsure of how to respond, but third grader Zaida responded by saying, “Because we’re Girls Inc. and this song helps us be smart, bold, and strong.”

The girls are having so much fun that it is often hard to leave. Second grader Arianna recently said, “I’m not ready to leave…Dad can you come back and pick me at 6pm please?”