VCMS Literacy Projects

VCMS Literacy Projects: Exploring Identity, Perspective, and Social Issues

valley charter middle school independent reading

Please see culminating projects below from 7th and 8th grade reading classes, where students engaged in a unit focused on critical literacy. Students selected texts that provided "mirrors and windows" into the experience of main characters navigating difficult social issues. In the final presentations, students shared summaries of the text, analyzed the texts for social issues, reflected on how the texts offered "windows" into other worlds and also "mirrored" issues in their own lives, and identified and analyzed a media connection. Congratulations to VCMS 7th and 8th graders!

Featured 7th Grade Project

Student: Manny
Text: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Focus: Manny’s project offers a thoughtful exploration of racial stereotyping and code-switching through the character of Jin Wang. He analyzes how Jin changes his behavior to fit in with peers and examines the emotional toll of racism, including a moment when Jin is accused of being a “dog eater” because of his Chinese heritage. Manny also connects these themes to personal experience, reflecting on the long-lasting impact of microaggressions.

Featured 8th Grade Project

valley charter middle school 8th grade featured writing project

Student: Andres
Text: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Focus: Andres reflects on how The Crossover breaks stereotypes often found in media about Black families. He highlights the depiction of a well-off, supportive, and academically successful family, contrasting it with negative portrayals in popular culture. Andres also analyzes how the main character, Filthy, uses code switching depending on who he's speaking with and how the book serves as a “window” into experiences different from his own. His project balances personal reflection with literary analysis and includes a thoughtful rating of the book’s emotional impact.