Read how these Indiana schools are examples of best practices in action as they promote learning in their classrooms.
Learn how schools across Indiana are using books, manipulatives and activities to promote family fun while learning at home. Crawfordsville Community School Corporation’s Meredith Nicholson School found a way to extend the school day into the home. The Family Literacy Backpack Project focuses on learning as families read together. "Anytime parents and students participate in reading activities together, it reinforces the school partnerships and life-long learning skills," explains Charlotte Gambrel, Nicholson’s media specialist. For the past 8 years, she has overseen the preparation and check-out process of over 40 Family Literacy Backpacks which include books, manipulatives and activities.
Many schools across Indiana have developed Family Literacy Backpack Projects after attending Family Literacy Backpack workshops at the Buddy Teaching and Learning Center in Indianapolis. The workshops offer ideas on gathering backpacks, books, videos/DVDs, computer games, and manipulatives and organizing them into thematic groups. A starter Family Literacy Backpack is developed at the workshop with word processing templates and Internet resources. Workshop participants create "bookmarks" with activities using the computer or Internet for follow up by the families after completing the included reading. Muncie Community Schools’ West View Elementary 2nd grade teacher Taryn Fine convinced Muncie Sanitary District to donate cloth bags to use as backpacks for their project. She gathered books from her classroom library, Scholastic’s warehouse sale, garage sales, and department stores to include along with 1-2 manipulatives, such as a stuffed animal, video/DVD, music CD, or computer game, in their backpack bags. Along with the activity "bookmarks," a booklet is included which explains the theme for the Family Literacy Backpack, addressed Indiana Learning Standards and a list of items included in the Family Literacy Backpack for easy return. "It takes time to put together but it has been worth it. The feedback from families has been great," notes Fine.
The list of possible themes for the Family Literacy Backpacks is endless. At New Community Elementary School in Lafayette, 2nd/3rd grade teacher Nicole Hardy has compiled 24 Family Literacy Backpacks with themes such as "Chocolate," "Inventions," "Creepy-Crawly Creatures," "Travel," "Health and The Human Body." Other schools have developed themes focused around ESL, science, special needs and middle school literature for specific groups to check out. Hardy’s students check out a Family Literacy Backpack for up to 2 weeks. When it is returned, the contents are checked in, and it is exchanged for a new one. "I sense a love of reading and a real sense of involvement these Family Literacy Backpacks have given the families," shares Hardy. "Parents report that their kids are finally excited about reading."
This article appeared in the ETC...and More! volume 2, number 8 newsletter and is published by the Buddy
Project
(Corporation for Educational Technology), in
collaboration with the Hoosier
Educational Computer
Coordinators (HECC),
Indiana Computer Educators (ICE),
the Indiana Department of Education, and Promoting Achievement through Technology and INstruction for all Students (PATINS).
Visit our BTLC Partner Web Site!
The Buddy Teaching and Learning Center site, www.btlc.org, is the place to find and register for quality professional development and technology training opportunities offered by the team of Buddy facilitators who are all experienced Indiana teachers and administrators.
Lauren, a student at Nicholson Elementary, shares a book with her mom from the Family Literacy Backpack she brought home.
Lauren’s family enjoys one of the activities included in Nicholson Elementary’s "Penguin Family Literacy Backpack."
