…changing the world, one reader at a time.
After a semester of fun, eye-opening, and challenging work, the Leveling the Playing Field in Charlottesville Quest finally got to deliver the first of their Little Free Libraries to the Virginia Discovery Museum this week. We have been so lucky to work with the Virginia Discovery Museum, whose team has been warm, welcoming, and enthusiastic […]
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Design Thinking: Empathize ➡️ Define ➡️ Ideate ➡️ Prototype ➡️ Test ➡️ Share And the final step… CELEBRATE!!! 🎉🙌🎉 4th graders installed their 3D printed Braille signs into their permanent homes in the nonfiction section of the library today. Students used the design thinking process to create this accessible signage in hopes to make our […]
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The “Leveling the Playing Field” Quest, led by eighth grade student Jack Dozier ’23, has been a force in the Learning Village this trimester. Designed to answer one main question, How Can We Level the Playing Field for Children in Charlottesville?, Dozier and his Quest-mates decided to spend their class time raising money for Bennett’s […]
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What is hacking? Every year, as the final chapter to our Foiling Fake News unit, we pull back the curtain and dive into the HTML code behind a news website. Looking behind the scenes and manipulating headlines and photos using code checks to important boxes – first, it gives us valuable practice and experience with […]
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Each year I push 4th grade students to use the design thinking process to create a lasting and meaningful contribution to their library. In past years, we’ve used graphic design to create new signage that’s more accessible to young readers, and interviewed kindergarteners to create systems to help them find the books that they […]
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From the first pencil sketch design to drilling today’s final screw, this Leveling the Playing Field Quest team has had little Charlottesville readers and Bennett’s Village on their minds and in their hearts. With help from Mr. Browning, our sketches and plans became real pieces and we worked together to assemble them. Our Little […]
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What is an inclusive playground, and why does it matter? Our Quest has been working to understand and break down barriers that children in Charlottesville face that keep them from being able to read and play. Last month, we were lucky enough to meet Kara with Bennett’s Village, who taught us so much about Bennett, […]
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When a student says, “I brought a book from home that’s very special to me – can we share it with the class?” You drop everything and read! Runaway Words is the story of 6 year old Addi and her quest to understand her nonverbal older brother, Charlie. Charlie used to talk, but a few […]
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Not all children in Charlottesville have the same opportunities, and they ALL deserve the chance to read and play. We’ll be spending the trimester building Little Free Libraries, working with Bennett’s Village to help make an all-abilities playground a reality, and scheming up other ways to make Charlottesville a safe, welcoming, and fun place for […]
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I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011, by Lauren Tarshis I gave this book five strs because the main characters are a boy named Marcus and his father. They lived in Pompeii in the year 99 AD whenMount Vesuvius erupted. It covered the city in ashes. Marcus and his father are slaves. Marcus goes to clean […]
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