Activity
First Chapter Fridays
Read aloud a chapter of a book your students are interested in to build community around stories and storytelling.
At a Glance
Language
English — USSubject
- Advisory
- Civics & Citizenship
- English & Language Arts
- History
- Social Studies
Grade
6–12- Culture & Identity
- Equity & Inclusion
Overview
About This Activity
This routine, in which teachers read a chapter from a high-interest text out loud each Friday, fosters empathy, perspective-taking, and active listening, as well as builds community around stories and storytelling. When teachers read aloud to students, it can increase students’ comprehension and reduce anxiety, but teachers don’t always make the time to do so after elementary school.
Procedure
Steps for Implementation
Variations
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Compass Points
Students get an opportunity to give feedback about the class and communicate their needs and worries.
Exit Cards
Students share how they are feeling, what their needs are, and what goals they’d like to set in an exit card.
Our Names and Our Place in the World
Students consider what parts of our identities we choose for ourselves and what parts are chosen for us, as well as the impact our names can have on our identities.
Dual Identities
Students examine the tensions that can arise when we must navigate multiple, and sometimes conflicting, identities.
Becoming Ourselves
Students read a personal narrative and reflect on the relationship between storytelling and identity development.
Making Meaning of Community
Students explore the idea of “community” in order to identify its key aspects and deeper meaning.
Emoji Emotions
Students practice sharing what they are feeling while building empathy for their classmates.
Picture This
Students engage with an intriguing image that lacks context or a title, drawing on their close viewing and analysis skills.
Three Good Things
Students practice gratitude by naming and recording three good things that have happened that day.
Slow Down with The Slowdown
Students use poetry as a spark for reflection and discussion about what’s happening in their lives and the world.
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Facing History & Ourselves is designed for educators who want to help students explore identity, think critically, grow emotionally, act ethically, and participate in civic life. It’s hard work, so we’ve developed some go-to professional learning opportunities to help you along the way.
Exploring ELA Text Selection with Julia Torres
On-Demand
Virtual
Listen to #DisruptTexts founder Julia Torres about taking a critical lens to text selection in ELA classrooms.
Working for Justice, Equity and Civic Agency in Our Schools: A Conversation with Clint Smith
On-Demand
Virtual
Issues of equity and education have long existed in our country and continue to manifest today. How can writing and the power of one's voice help us respond to these disparities? Listen to writer and educator, Dr. Clint Smith, where we hear his poetry and reflections on working for justice, equity, and civic agency in our schools.
Centering Student Voices to Build Community and Agency
On-Demand
Virtual
Explore approaches to centering student voice, building authentic relationships and cultivating community with Molly Josephs, the creator of This Teenage Life, a youth-driven, story-sharing podcast that started as a school club.
Using the strategies from Facing History is almost like an awakening.
—
Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif
