The second grade students at Academies @ GBDS are focusing on reading nonfiction, which is a critical skill. The children have learned about the text features that are unique when reading nonfiction. After learning terms such as a table of contents, glossary, captions, photographs, index and bold print, the students were ready to show what they learned. “It is important to make learning exciting and interesting. My students are active and engaged while completing hands-on projects. You could see and feel the energy in the classroom, says Deborah Horowitz. For this activity, students wore surgical masks, gloves and caps. They used age-appropriate magazines to look for examples of nonfiction text features. They performed “surgery” by cutting apart the magazines and making their own booklet of these text features. The students were full of excitement as they became doctors. They were working cooperatively and trying to find many examples to show their understanding of the terms.

To learn about Academies @ GBDS and future events for students and parents, contact Lina Shuster at 201-337-1111 ext 208 or visit www.ssnj.org�