Grace Lin inspires thinking about books as Windows and Mirrors

The students and I have been preparing for the visit from Grace Lin. Each grade has had a different set of lessons leading up to her visit (more on that in another blog post). The first week, the fourth graders and I shared an excerpt from When the Sea Turned to Silver. The students shared their connections, predictions, and ideas. The next week, the fourth graders watched the Tedx Talk by Grace Lin.

We paired this experience by breaking down and thinking about what Grace Lin shared after being recognized as a Champion of Change for Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling. Grace believes, "Books erase bias, they make the uncommon everyday, and the mundane exotic. A book makes all cultures universal." (Grace Lin Press Kit)

I asked the students to share their connections to what Grace Lin was saying. Here's some of their thinking:

During browsing and borrowing the students shared books that would be mirrors -- books that would reflect their own unique experience. It was a pretty amazing to read what they wrote. I will use this knowledge as I build out the collection.

This week the students used TeachingBooks.net to learn about Grace Lin on their own. They could read, listen, or watch at their own pace. I loved how my library looked and sounded. These students were completely engaged.