This session focuses on building a strong, joyful reading culture in elementary classrooms through simple, high-impact literacy experiences that go beyond traditional reading logs and worksheets. Participants will explore practical, classroom-ready strategies that increase student engagement and ownership in reading and writing, including book talks, reading challenges, student response journals, audio storytelling, book tastings, and student-created media such as podcasts and nonfiction projects.
This session focuses on building a strong, joyful reading culture in elementary classrooms through simple, high-impact literacy experiences that go beyond traditional reading logs and worksheets. Participants will explore practical, classroom-ready strategies that increase student engagement and ownership in reading and writing, including book talks, reading challenges, student response journals, audio storytelling, book tastings, and student-created media such as podcasts and nonfiction projects.
This session explores engaging ways to teach nonfiction by using mentor texts and creative nonfiction formats that move beyond traditional research reports. Participants will discover how different types of nonfiction—such as narrative nonfiction, graphic nonfiction, “Who Would Win?” style texts, and question-based informational writing—can inspire student reading, writing, and inquiry. The session will highlight practical classroom projects where students create their own nonfiction books, comics, podcasts, and research-based writing using accessible, low-prep strategies. Teachers will leave with ready-to-use ideas and mentor text pairings that make nonfiction more engaging, authentic, and student-driven across all grade levels.
This session explores engaging ways to teach nonfiction by using mentor texts and creative nonfiction formats that move beyond traditional research reports. Participants will discover how different types of nonfiction—such as narrative nonfiction, graphic nonfiction, “Who Would Win?” style texts, and question-based informational writing—can inspire student reading, writing, and inquiry. The session will highlight practical classroom projects where students create their own nonfiction books, comics, podcasts, and research-based writing using accessible, low-prep strategies. Teachers will leave with ready-to-use ideas and mentor text pairings that make nonfiction more engaging, authentic, and student-driven across all grade levels.
