The Books in Action Program increases children’s social and emotional competencies and literacy skills through an integrated and enriched curriculum.
Children in the program are immersed in books. Teachers follow lesson plans and use multi-modal and interactive teaching methods to teach the core competencies of literacy and social-emotional development.
Activities reinforce the books’ literacy value, and social and moral themes. Three books are chosen for each month’s theme. Eight themes are covered each year, and children participate in a monthly presentation by Clear Stage Theatre Group, challenging them to act out the primary book and to incorporate themes in their social interactions.
Parents are encouraged to participate through workshops, home visits, book gifts and reading contracts.
The program is currently operating in four preschool classrooms and four kindergarten classrooms, serving children ages of 3 to 6 years of age, at Burton, Pleasant Ridge, Chase, Hays and Washington Park elementary schools.
The “Books in Action” curriculum was developed by Cincinnati Public Schools Department of Early Childhood Education through a grant received by CPS and its partner, INNOVATIONS of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
All components are well documented as effective, particularly with children from diverse contexts. Program impact and integrity is evaluated by INNOVATIONS via pre-, post- and follow-up testing using a control/treatment group design.
The curriculum and program are funded by an initiative called Bridges For Success from United Way of Greater Cincinnati.
The program has many benefits to the community. It promotes positive teaching, empowers children, is sensitive to diversity in culture and learning, involves parents and community, creates school-community partnerships, and is adaptable and replicable.
The attached files are Excel documents containing preschool (P) and kindergarten (K) lesson plans for each book.
After opening a file, click on a tab at the bottom of the screen to view the lesson plan. The tab titles are abbreviated.
SeptemberThe tabs are labeled as months to correspond to the above titles.