Building Interconnectedness and Empathy Through Literature

This grant funds a social justice “kit” for every classroom as part of a schoolwide social justice curriculum that uses anti-bias literature to guide conversations among students and staff about inequity, diversity, identity, and discrimination. The kit includes one children’s book per month throughout the school year that explores a different social justice concept as well as corresponding discussion questions and activities. The grant also will fund a quarterly book club experience for all staff. Additionally, each month the school will celebrate the program by highlighting that month’s book in the Weekly Recap, along with student reflections. The overall curriculum goal is twofold: (1) for students to expand social awareness in a comfortable, safe space and understand their role in helping to dismantle social injustices and inequities in our own community; and (2) for teachers to gain new perspectives and an anti-bias lens through which to view and apply to their teaching and learning practices.

Grantees: Matthew Porricelli, Lorraine Magee, Jackie Scotto