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Indian Hill students show literacy project that pairs 7th and 2nd graders
Summary
Students described a cross-grade project-based learning unit in which 7th graders coauthored stories with 2nd graders; teachers and the superintendent said the work aligns with district standards and builds leadership and literacy skills.
Students and teachers described a collaborative project that paired 7th-grade English students with 2nd graders to coauthor and illustrate stories. Assistant principal Alex Friess introduced the project as a direct result of the district’s strategic plan and instruction that prioritizes project-based learning; teacher Paula Farenkamp and student representatives explained how the unit mapped to grade-level standards.
"One of my favorite parts was taking the characters the 2nd graders created and turning those characters into an actual story," said Adelaide Donnelly, a 7th-grade student, describing how the 7th graders applied sentence structure and figurative language to the collaborative work. Teachers noted the unit included plot diagrams, coauthoring responsibilities and a final literacy night where families saw the students' books.
Superintendent Dr. Melissa Stewart and board members praised the unit as an example of return on investment from years of staff professional development and strategic planning. Dr. Stewart told the board the presentations showed "the maturity and professionalism" of students and credited teacher leadership for scaling project-based learning across grades.
The board did not vote on instructional policy; trustees said they will continue to highlight exemplary classroom models as committee reports and future meetings.
