Family Bookworks

In partnership with a local book center, students created books recording family stories and traditions. Artists trained the teachers in bookmaking, allowing them to guide their students through the process. Each student wrote a personal narrative. The families then joined their children at the book center, where they constructed and decorated the books together. The books were displayed publicly at a local department store. The second graders also read their books to the kindergarten students, and hosted an event where the stories were read for all of the families. At the end of the school year, students were given the option of donating their books to the second grade library.

This project also had a number of related activities: Families were invited to the school to participate in a folklore event with a local storyteller. At the event, the families wrote and designed books of their favorite folktales from their cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and shared their work at the end of the day. A paper artist also worked with students to help them create and design their own symbol of peace using handmade paper. The symbols were then assembled into a beautiful hanging mosaic at a peace prize festival and the school's peace site dedication.