Incorporating Opportunities for Diverse Literature into the Early Elementary Classroom

The research shows that student engagement is positively impacted by literature that contains mirrors to their own lives and experiences. This is a set of lessons that are created to be incorporated into the school’s literacy curriculum for 1st and 2nd grade. Through reading and discussing various books, these lessons strive to add places for multicultural students to see their lives mirrored back to them as well as to give all students a chance to see another way of life by looking through a window into someone else’s world. The lesson plans focus on creating space for students to engage with the books through both discussion with their teacher and classmates and personal reflection through drawing and writing. By using critical literacy strategies throughout the discussions and lesson reflections, students are able to engage with multicultural literature in a positive and uplifting way that promotes growth and empathy towards the lived experiences of others