Literature Fair

Each student from Grade 4 through Grade 12 read books individually, or as a class, and devised creative ways to display what they learned. From a movie theater to a museum, some students acted out plays – like Grade 4 presenting The Nightingale ­- while others presented materials that were important to their story – like Grade 5, who put together visual posters and objects from Bridge to Terabithia. Secondary students presented their books individually.  Grade 10 student, Talia Xia, shared “I love how this years’ Literature Fair was so organized, we had everything well planned out! It’s a very fun event and even more exciting because Primary students are participating with video presentations and creative museums. This Literature Fair is also our grade for the final semester, so we all know how important it is.”

All grades took turns visiting and listening to student presentations. Teachers worked together with their students to reflect on the different themes, essential questions, storylines, and plot points from a variety of books. GSN’s Literature Fair was an opportunity for children to share adventures, mysteries, and thrillers with their friends. Grade 6 student, Ayra said, “It was fun to explain the book I read to others who hadn’t read it and I hope many people will enjoy the book as well!” The diversity among pieces of writing was also intriguing, as Grade 7 student Caleb pointed out: “All the stories are very interesting and all unique. Nothing is the same so there is always something new to learn.”

Georgia School encourages students to immerse themselves in reading and to build the habit of reading into their daily academic life. The cultural knowledge and personal experiences of others, as expressed in books, enhance a child’s understanding of the world while expanding their academic potential. Through reading, students increase their vocabulary, as they are constantly exposed to new words and usage contexts. This influences their writing abilities and allows for more complex discussions in class, helping every Lion to become an Effective Communicator, one of GSN’s expected Learner Outcomes.

Georgia School’s Literature Fair showcased all of the above advantages of reading across the Primary, Middle and High School grades.  As English Language Arts and Literature Teacher Mrs. Darcie Flansburg explains, “our Literature Fair allowed students to deeply explore a book from multiple perspectives and produce creative writing that paid tribute to the style and genre of the books they read. Everyone worked so hard and demonstrated their reading comprehension and writing skills at each grade level. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body, and our GSN students are endurance racers.”