Running head: YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL

Young Adult Lit Grant Proposal

Jasmine Fernandez

Arizona State University

 2
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
Abstract

The environment of Eduprize Gilbert is small and equipped with various types of

technology, yet students do not have much exposure to cultural diversity. A cultural diversity

project-based learning unit using YA Lit is strong recommended for reaching students. Jasmine

Fernandez, a first-year teacher at Eduprize, is determined to get students thinking about the

connections they can form based on others’ experiences. Her idea for a cultural diversity unit

will broaden students’ horizons and encourage them to reach out to their communities and

enhance their sense of empathy. The goal of this project is to raise student interest and

achievement in reading, as well as to inspire meaningful innovation in the context of culture

while hitting the CCRS/ISTE standards. Activities include discussions, journals, research,

presentations, etc. They will be assessed via checklists, rubrics, and more. Eduprize district and

staff will provide the necessary support for the project. The project will be sustained by recycling

resources throughout the school (i.e. library, classes in other content areas) and leaving a

community impact. A budget table is outlined below, paying special attention to technology and

student choice. An inquiry lesson plan covering an early portion of the unit is included, as well.
 3
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
School Environment Narrative

Classroom Layout

I work in the high school division (Grades 8-12) of the Eduprize School in Gilbert,

Arizona, as an ELA teacher for eighth grade, tenth grade regular, and tenth grade honors. I have

18 students in my tenth grade honors class, 16 students in my tenth grade regular class, 22

students in my first eighth grade class, and 18 students in my second eighth grade class.

Although I switch between two classrooms throughout the day, the classroom layouts are

identical. It is as follows:

Desks. Students have individual desks with chairs attached. The arrangement of the

desks depends on the day’s activities, but most often, they are either arranged in assessment

formation (rows) or group/daily formation (four desks pushed together to form tables).

Technology. Like all other classrooms at Eduprize, mine has a Smart Board, whiteboard,

doc camera, and projector equipped in the front of the room. I also share a cart of 23

chromebooks with two other ELA classes, and it moves around throughout the day. Most of the

curriculum is online. However, there is a class set of textbooks covering the same material in a

box located near the boards; in case chromebooks are not available for my class to use, we can

use these textbooks to view the necessary readings. As for other books, I have a bookshelf along

the wall filled with books of various genres to encourage student interest in independent reading.

Supplies/Additional Technology. Cabinets line the wall to the right of my desk. They

are well-stocked with lined paper, markers, dry erase markers, pencils, sticky notes, assorted

colored pens, tape, and staples. There is never a supply shortage of this sort, but many teachers,

like myself, tend to spend our own money to increase inventory. Many parents in the community

donate such materials at the beginning of the year, as well, in response to the wish lists we
 4
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
always send out.

School

Demographics. As a whole, Eduprize currently has 1,717 students. Socioeconomically

speaking, this community is middle- to upper-class, but predominantly middle class. 52% of

students are female, and 48% are male. Furthermore, 5% are Asian, 16% are Hispanic, 2% are

African American, 73% are Caucasian, and 4% are Mixed/Multiracial. 8% of students are

eligible for free and reduced lunch (Graphiq, n.d.).

Academic Information. Eduprize is the only A+ Certified Charter School in the Valley

as of 2016. It is an A-rated school certified through Advanced Ed and IB World School. On top

of its academic excellence, Eduprize has received a great number of science and technology

grants and innovation awards over the years.

Technology. As previously mentioned, all classrooms at Eduprize are equipped with a

Smart Board (or some equivalent), whiteboard, doc camera, and projector. The amount of

supplies/additional technology (i.e. office supplies) is fairly uniform throughout all classrooms,

with minor differences depending on the content area. For example, math classrooms are

stocked with content-specific materials like compasses, graphing calculators, protractors,

polygon nets, etc. Chromebooks are essential to education in all content areas at Eduprize, and

multiple carts of 20 or so of them are always moving throughout the building. Aside from

chromebooks, the high school also has a Liberty Lab, which contains 60 desktops. However,

this lab has several faults; many of the desktops have broken screens and/or missing mice.

District

There are currently two schools in Eduprize’s school district: Eduprize Gilbert and

Eduprize Queen Creek. As previously stated, the Eduprize schools are the only A+ Certified
 5
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
Charters in the Valley as of 2016 and possess Advanced Ed and IB World School certifications,

as well. The vision of Eduprize schools is:

The EDUPRIZE mission is to provide educational excellence to our community of

learners through the use of project-based, multiple modality instruction, and a strong

differentiated curriculum. Students will exceed grade level standards and grow to be the

global citizens in an academically rigorous environment where both leadership and

collaboration are stressed. Students will acquire depth of knowledge and problem-solving

skills through our interdisciplinary, thematic approach to applied learning. Students will

excel in the Arts, and expand their minds through the use of innovative technologies and

our science-based instruction. Through our Socratic method and 100% engagement,

students will become effective communicators and leaders empowered to establish a

sense of community, service to others, and a love of learning. (Eduprize Schools, n.d.)

Eduprize’s number one priority is always the child, and it has over 20 years of commitment to

excellence and success under its belt (Eduprize Schools, n.d.). One of its major goals is to

become the best IB World School around. Both schools are recognized for their use of

differentiated instruction and thematic, project-based instruction; they are also recognized for

their positive reteaching/“second chance” reputation.

Community

According to Fast Forward, Inc. (n.d.-a), the average household income in Gilbert,

Arizona, is about $81,485. The cost of living in Gilbert is 111.70 compared to the U.S. average

of 100 on the cost of living index, which indicates that is more expensive to live in Gilbert (Fast

Forward, Inc., n.d.-b).

Evaluation of Current Support

 6
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
Technology is a critical component to instruction at Eduprize and is an established part of

school culture. To illustrate, teachers refuse to dismiss students until they properly return

chromebooks to their cart and plug them in for future use, thus expressing how valued this

technology actually is. Standard classroom technology is in overall good condition even with

daily use. However, the Liberty Lab is in great need of refinement; the purpose of the lab is

defeated by its numerous deficiencies. The desktops are not touch screen, so missing mice cause

great inconvenience. Desktops with broken screens are just as useless. The lab is not used

frequently due to the presence of chromebooks, yet the insufficient number of chromebooks

poses a concern. The student-machine ratio is 2-3 students per machine. As previously stated, a

major portion of the curriculum at Eduprize is online. For ELA, student access to various

websites and online classrooms (i.e. Quill, StudySync, Google Classrooms) is a must. Because

there are not enough chromebooks for every student at a time, several students end up missing

out on opportunities to do work in class. While I do have StudySync textbooks in my classroom,

they are only good for StudySync assignments. It is not possible for students to do any of their

other assignments for me without chromebooks or some other device without internet access,

which is quite problematic.

Analysis: Need for New Resources

Eduprize is a school well-known for giving reteaching opportunities/“second chances.” It

is a school that is especially helpful for children who feel that public school moves “too fast.”

The students are bright and enthusiastic but need much support academically as a whole. The

online curricula are rigorous, and technology infusion is an inherent part of the school’s identity,

but there is simply not enough technology to go around, ironically. To better the classroom

environment and support student learning, I have come to the conclusion after talking with other
 7
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
teachers and staff that the most significant need right now is more chromebooks. Having enough

chromebooks for everyone would likely correct negative classroom behaviors that are often

shown during work time; as there is a 2-3 students per machine ratio in place, not every

individual can have a chromebook at the same time realistically, which leads to a number of

students complaining— a valid complaint, seeing that almost everything they need is online

only— that they are unable to do work and not being productive. If every student were able to

access a chromebook during class, there would surely be more active participation/engagement

and a better work ethic all around. More chromebooks would allow me as a teacher to more

effectively teach my lessons and keep my class on task. Because I share the limited number of

chromebooks with other classes, my students cannot always have access to technology, which in

turn stifles my ability to create more interactive, meaningful lessons.

Introduction of Possible Requests and Connection to Student Learning

More chromebooks at the bare minimum would be most beneficial in promoting the

concept of “100% active participation/engagement 100% of the time.” It would be especially

ideal for me to have my own class set. However, as an ELA teacher, I do feel that more

investment in books, particularly YA Lit, would be worthwhile. In analyzing my students’

assignments, I noticed that their fundamentals— spelling, grammar, reading, and understanding

of effective writing— are still severely lacking. After asking around, I learned that most students

do not enjoy reading or writing. I feel that this may be the case because they have not been

exposed to the right type of literature yet, or perhaps they have never gotten the chance to write

about the right topics. Therefore, I feel that introducing YA Lit books to them would be most

beneficial; the characters and situations would be things they would be able to relate to more

easily, and with more interest in reading comes improvement in reading skills, which would help
 8
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
bolster achievement test scores. Furthermore, since there is a lack of significant cultural diversity

at Eduprize, students would be able to gain some cultural awareness from this genre.

One project that I would like to propose is for students to create community outreach

projects inspired by realistic YA Lit books. Students would be able to choose from a selection of

books in this genre, each focusing on youths of different ethnicities/backgrounds, and after

reading those books, they would get to explore major themes in various ways (i.e. presentations,

research, discussions). I would have them discuss in depth the commonalities between the

different books and research topics/subtopics of real concern and interest in groups, such as teen

poverty, at-risk youths, incarceration, bad family situations, etc. Students would be able to

strengthen their literacy, communication, and technology/research skills, but their sense of

empathy, awareness, and community all while designing projects meant to reflect the knowledge

and inspiration they would gain from their findings (e.g. writer’s workshop, pen pals, library

collaboration program, documentary/PSAs, etc.). In some sort of final multimedia presentation

at the end of the unit, students would present on their experience during the entire process and

how their current project is being implemented.

Applicant Bio

Jasmine Fernandez is a first-year teacher at Eduprize but has taught at schools like

Highland High School and Arizona State University for the past five years. She earned her

Bachelor’s degree for Secondary Education (English) and minored in Japanese; she is currently

pursing her Master’s Degree in TESOL. Jasmine strongly believes that relevant, engaging

instruction can help any student grow effectively and especially values cultural diversity.

Project Narrative

Learning Goals and Objectives & Project Based Learning

 9
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
Goals & Objectives

For this long-term project, students will each select one YA Lit book from a selection that

includes realistic stories and culturally diverse characters, themes, etc. After reading their

individual books and identifying issues, themes, and other ideas that resonated with them/come

across as important, they will form small groups, discuss the similarities and differences between

the experiences of young adults across various cultures, and develop a research topic with

appropriate subtopics. They will write their project proposal and begin to do necessary research

and design with technology; the end goal is making a product that can reach the community and

is meaningful, relevant, and related to the ideas in their books (e.g. writer's’ workshop, library

collaboration program). This will culminate in a final project as some type of multimedia

presentation (i.e. video, PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.).

 SWBAT interpret the context, style, themes, events, and other ideas in a YA Lit book of

their choice in order to increase their understanding of diverse lifestyles and culture.

 SWBAT connect their own personal experiences, mindsets, and lifestyles to those of the

characters in their YA Lit books in order to increase their sense of empathy.

 SWBAT discuss their YA Lit books in order to identify common themes in young

adulthood that transcend race, gender, socioeconomic, and other cultural barriers.

 SWBAT conduct research on issues of significance/interest that came up in their YA Lit

books in order to explore the realities of young adults in diverse cultures and

communities.

 SWBAT design projects centered round multicultural/diverse YA Lit collaboratively in

order to inform others in their school, community, etc. about the various experiences of

young adults.
 10
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
 SWBAT create multicultural/diverse YA Lit-related projects/programs to promote

literacy for young adults in order to foster real-world relationships and convey how

literacy/communication gives way to education and a sense of community.

Essential Questions

 How does gaining insight into the lives of characters close in age to you inform your

understanding of yourself and other young adults around you?

 Why is it important to build empathy and cultural awareness?

 How do the experiences of young adults differ across various cultures? What are some

similarities/differences?

 Why is it important to introduce young adults to literature that they can connect to on a

personal level?

 What roles do literacy/communication serve in shaping a community?

Standards (AZCCRS and ISTE)

AZCCRS

 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations)

develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or

develop the theme. (9‐10.RL.3)

 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective

technique, well‐chosen details, and well‐structured event sequences.

a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation,

establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or

characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.

b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple
 11
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to

create a coherent whole.

d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid

picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.

e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed,

or resolved over the course of the narrative. (9‐10.W.3)

 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are

appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade‐specific expectations for writing types

are defined in standards 1–3 above. (9‐10.W.4)

a. Produce clear and coherent functional writing (e.g., formal letters, experiments,

notes/messages, labels, timelines, graphs/tables, procedures, invitations, envelopes, maps,

captions, diagrams) in which the development and organization are appropriate to the

task, purpose, and audience. (AZ. 9‐10.W.4)

 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including

a self‐generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when

appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of

the subject under investigation. (9‐10.W.7)

 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one‐on‐ one, in

groups, and teacher‐led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues,

building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

a. Come to discussions prepared having read and researched material under study;

explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research
 12
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well‐ reasoned exchange of ideas.

b. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision‐making (e.g.,

informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, and presentation of alternate views), clear

goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.

c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current

discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the

discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.

d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and

disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding

and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented. (9‐10.SL.1)

 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically

such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development,

substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task. (9‐10.SL.4)

 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive

elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence

and to add interest. (9‐10.SL.5)

ISTE-S

Empowered Learner

 1a) Students articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging

technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning

outcomes.

 1b) Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that

support the learning process.

 13
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
 1c) Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice

and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

 1d) Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate

the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer

their knowledge to explore emerging technologies.

Knowledge Constructor

 3a) Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other

resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

 3b) Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information,

media, data or other resources.

 3c) Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and

methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or

conclusions.

 3d) Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems,

developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions.

Creative Communicator

 6a) Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired

objectives of their creation or communication.

 6b) Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources

into new creations.

 6d) Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their

intended audiences.

Global Collaborator
 14
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
 7b) Students use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers, experts

or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints.

 7c) Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and

responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.

 7d) Students explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to work

with others to investigate solutions.

Need for the Project

A project focusing on examining culturally diverse experiences is needed because the

world is a naturally multicultural setting, so students need to understand how to empathize with

others and develop some awareness about other cultures. Be it in school, in the workplace, out in

the community, or in a different place in the world altogether, there will be a time when my

students will have to guide, depend on, work with, or simply engage in discourse with others

who might not be like them; positive relationships tend to involve empathy and thoughtfulness,

so it is important to learn how to see from other perspectives. Literacy and communication also

play a huge role not only in education, but in supporting the development of these relationships.

Being able to read, write, and speak in a mature, respectful manner is critical regardless of

discipline or culture, so a project that calls for such action is helpful in fostering those skills.

This project is necessary for my students because they are not exposed to much cultural

diversity at Eduprize. My colleagues have expressed their frustration in trying to introduce

traditional culturally informative texts (i.e. plays, epistolary novels, biographies) in the past.

Many students cannot connect with the way culture is presented in these works simply because it

is not relevant to them. The school demographic is fairly homogenous, and their literacy scores

are low as a whole. By implementing this project, students will be able to have more choice in
 15
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
their reading, for one thing; more interest will help build their motivation to explore their texts in

depth, which will help in increasing their literacy. Furthermore, because the characters in YA Lit

will be closer in age level to them, students will have a better chance at connecting with them

and their experiences. YA Lit with multicultural aspects will help students gain some insight into

the cultures they might not see around school or even in their community, and its engaging

readability will be more coherent and aligned with their current literacy levels. This project will

help students realize that young adults, regardless of culture, tend to share many similar

experiences and issues in their real lives, and the research they will find will help them piece

together how diverse peoples and their accompanying experiences come together to form

communities all around the globe.

Project Impact

Students will be impacted by this project in the present and future in various ways. Many

of my students have expressed that they do not like to read and never read because they find

everything boring. The YA Lit genre is popular for a reason, and I feel that it can expose them to

a whole new world of literature that they never knew about, which will in turn increase their love

for reading and make them stronger readers as a whole. Through their research, students will

gain an understanding of historical and contemporary issues in relation to culture surrounding the

topic they choose to investigate. Such knowledge will be useful in shaping their understanding of

current events, common tendencies and assumptions, and more. This project will also help

students learn early on how to put together compelling presentations and problem solve in an

innovative manner. However, the impacts do not stop at the present— all of the skills students

employ and develop over the course of this project will help them be more successful in the

future. The reading, writing, and speaking aspects involved in this project will foster greater
 16
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
literacy/communication skills that they can take with them in their postsecondary lives. Learning

how to do research and present findings in an eloquent, engaging way will assist them

tremendously in college, the workplace, etc., as well. Students should understand how everyone

is linked by common experiences and how much of an impact they can make just by starting in

their schools and communities; the newfound confidence, empathy, and awareness will help

them in becoming considerate, innovative, world-changing adults in the future.

This project will impact my practice as a teacher by allowing me to inspire students as a

facilitator and motivator rather than just a lecturer. Eduprize promotes itself as a project based

learning school, but I feel that it is not project based learning just to tell students that they can do

one project several ways— true project based learning can reach the community, and I want to

make that a reality at my school with a topic I am passionate about. I encourage individualization

and pursuits that are relevant and meaningful, and I believe that by using YA Lit, I can expand

students’ horizons and motivate them to not only read more and do research, but to apply their

findings in a way that can build and emphasize the importance of cultural awareness, empathy,

and a love for literature in their fairly homogenous community.

This project will connect students with their community by enabling them to branch out

and communicate the significance of empathy and acceptance of cultural diversity in multiple

contexts. For example, they might work with local libraries to set up a program in which they

can celebrate diversity by reading multicultural texts to children in their community. Some of the

stronger, more creative writers might establish a writer’s workshop for community youths in

which they teach their own students how to write stories about themselves that stay true to their

identity and culture. Another way this project might connect students with their community

could be on a more political level. Politics as of late have left America more obviously divided,
 17
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
so students who exhibit great leadership and voice might give speeches at Town Hall about how

everyone, regardless of the way they look or what they are or what they believe in, is linked by

the same human experiences.

Activities

Throughout this project, students will engage in various activities meant to expand their

understanding of the cross-cultural commonalities in young adults. For example, I will have

students create a list in their small groups— I will be mindful to group them in a way that

ensures that multiple races are being looked at— that identify significant themes/issues

expressed in their YA Lit books after they finish them. I will facilitate as they work; while

waiting for students to finalize their lists, I will also write the names of the different books read

and distinguish them by culture. As a whole class, students will go to the whiteboard and write

the themes/issues of their books under each title. As we start to make connections about the

shared experiences of young adults across different cultures, I will have students lead the

discussion, guiding them with questions that pertain to identification, relevance, personal

connection, etc. in order to tie in with learning goals and outcomes.

Other activities I will use to reinforce the idea of shared experiences will involve writer’s

workshops. For the first one, students will write their own autobiographies/stories about

themselves that stay true to their identity and culture. Although there is not much cultural

diversity in my classroom, I feel that students will benefit greatly from learning that maybe they

are not as different from each other as they thought. For the second one, I will have students

assume the identity of the protagonist of their YA Lit book and have them write/perform a poem

or speech that reflects the character’s defining features. For both activities, I will set deadlines

for portions of the writing to be done and provide feedback/facilitate. This activity is tied to the
 18
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
learning goals and outcomes in the way that it explores the realities of diverse young adults and

promotes the sharing of experiences/relationship building through literary/communicative

methods. It also serves to help students connect themselves with their characters and examine the

similarities/differences between their identities, as well.

Assessments

Formative Assessment

Journals. Students will write weekly journals in response to certain prompts, which will

address everything from literary analyses of their YA Lit books and recap of the week’s

highlights to research progress and project check-ins. They will demonstrate mastery by typing

and submitting their answers to each prompt in full by the specified deadline, with written

responses being evaluated based on length (¾ of a page or more), word count (at least 300

words), and the six traits writing rubric.

Research Papers. Students will conduct research in their small groups upon developing

a teacher-approved main topic; each student will address a certain subtopic related to young

adulthood and cultural diversity. Students will demonstrate mastery by electronically submitting

individual research papers that will be evaluated based on correct use of APA format,

implementation of research evidence (at least 5 sources), length (4 pages or more), and the six

traits writing rubric by the specified deadline

Mini Presentations. Students will broaden their understanding of how to develop

multimedia presentations by creating one short sample product each week using a technology

tool I demonstrate during that time period. They will demonstrate mastery by electronically

submitting presentations that will be evaluated based on length (at least 5 slides/5-minute

audio/etc.), the six traits writing rubric, and a visual presentation rubric by the specified deadline.
 19
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
Summative Assessment

Final Presentations. Students will prepare a group multimedia presentation on their

research-based projects to present in front of the class at the end of the YA unit. Students will

demonstrate mastery by collaboratively preparing a presentation to be evaluated on length (20-25

minutes), division of labor (i.e. “Did everyone participate an equal amount?”), the six traits

writing rubric, a visual presentation rubric, and an oral presentation, as well as alignment to the

Speaking and Listening Standards 9‐10.SL.4-5, by the specified deadline.

Tools

To measure learning goals and outcomes, I will provide students with some tools

throughout the unit.

Checklist Discussions. Checklists will be handed out at the beginning of week and will

address what tasks should be done and/or what skills should be mastered by the end of each

week. At the end of the week, students will be allowed to meet in their project groups and

discuss their progress/productivity, questions, concerns, etc. based on what they wrote for their

individual checklists.

Rubrics. Rubrics will be handed out for each multimedia and research portion of the

project design period. Presentation rubrics will cover visual and oral (if applicable) aspects,

while writing/formatting rubrics will cover written research aspects.

Weekly Journals. At the end of each weekly journal, students may include reflections

(i.e. what they have learned/are still confused about/want to learn, notes to the teacher) to

communicate how well they are meeting their learning goals.

Technology Support
 20
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
Technology for this project will be supported on both the district and school levels. The

school district will purchase my recommended selection of multicultural YA Lit books in

addition to more chromebooks plus their necessary supplements, which includes charging

stations, surge protectors, warranty, and so on.

Upon acquiring these materials, the school librarians will assist with adding the new YA

Lit books to the library database and prepare barcodes and space for them in the library. The IT

team will tend to the new chromebooks by installing the necessary upgrades, settings, and

applications (i.e. antivirus program, education software(s)) and registering them in the school

technology database. It will also ensure that my classroom is properly equipped with the proper

number of surge protectors and charging stations.

Sustaining the Project After the Proposal Period

I plan to continue the project after the first year it is implemented by sharing my

resources with other disciplines/areas around the school. Seeing as the library at Eduprize is

lacking in popularity and has a rather limited selection of books, I think it best to move the YA

Lit books there full-time after this project-based learning unit. More books aimed at a younger,

more diverse demographic are likely to better capture student interest and motivate them to read

more; thus, reading more will likely help increase reading scores on achievement tests, and using

the library will help students foster a sense of accountability and awareness.

I can lend my chromebooks to other teachers across the disciplines. The curriculum at

Eduprize has a significant online component, and there are often chromebook shortages, so

adding my chromebooks to classrooms in need would increase students’ ability to stay focused

and work diligently.

Innovation
 21
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
Students at Eduprize do not get much exposure to other cultures considering the

demographic of their small community. True project-based learning opportunities are limited

mainly to the STEM classes, so the ELA curriculum is often viewed as being old-fashioned and

mundane. Therefore, my project will innovate my students and my classroom by introducing the

opportunity to explore different cultures in a way that is engaging and empathy-evoking through

YA Lit; students will not only gain insight into the realistic situations of diverse young adults,

but they will find connections between their stories and research as to broaden their

understanding of the human experience. Through this project, students will come to impact their

communities and beyond in a number of ways all while celebrating young adulthood, building

empathy, and improving literacy and communication skills. It will make students think

creatively and become more concerned/interested in the conditions of young adults in places

beyond themselves and their small communities.

Budget Table & Narrative

Project Expenditures

The costs of this project are comprised of YA Lit books, technology, and other

supplements. I have picked out six YA Lit books, each focusing on youths of different

ethnicities/backgrounds, to provide a varied reading selection for students. Technology

integration will be necessary to create presentations and conduct research and project design, so I

am requesting new chromebooks, along with other important accompaniments like charging

stations, warranty, a printer, set-up service, etc. I have outlined the costs and materials in the

following budget table; all cost information was retrieved from Amazon.

Budget Table
 22
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL

Item # of $/Item Total Shipping Total Tax for Grand

Items Cost for & Before Entire Total
Item Handling Tax Order
for Entire
Order

SquareTrade 3-year 2 $4.22 $8.44 $5.29 $6043.42 $80.62 $6124.04

Office Protection
Plan ($0-$50)

Xerox - Multipurpose 8 $10.99 $87.92

Plus Paper, 24lb, 96
Bright, 8½ x 11” -
Mega Ream

Epson 410XL Black 4 $67.85 $271.40

& Standard Photo
Black and C/M/Y
Color Ink Cartridges,
Combo 5 Pack
(T410XL-BCS)

Epson XP-640 1 $133.28 $133.28

Expression Premium
Wireless Color Photo
Printer with Scanner
& Copier with Epson
410XL Black &
Standard Photo
Black and C/M/Y
Color Ink Cartridges,
Combo 5 Pack

4 Year Asurion Office 1 $15.79 $15.79

Products Protection
Plan ($125-149.99)

Wireless Printer 1 $61.49 $61.49

Setup - 1 to 3
Devices

LocknCharge Carrier 1 $649.00 $649.00

10 Charging Station,
Grey/White -
LNC8200 (New)

LocknCharge Carrier 1 $399.99 $399.99

10 Charging Station,
Grey/White -
LNC8200 (Used)
 23
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL

Aristotle and Dante 4 $10.92 $43.68

Discover the Secrets
of the Universe by
Benjamin Alire
Saenz

Persepolis: The 4 $10.84 $43.46

Story of a Childhood
(Pantheon Graphic
Novels) by Marjane
Satrapi

This Side of Home 4 $8.86 $35.44

by Renee Watson

This One Summer by 4 $11.37 $45.48

Mariko Tamaki

American Born 4 $9.89 $39.56

Chinese by Gene
Luen Yang

The Absolutely True 4 $10.87 $43.48

Diary of a Part-Time
Indian by Sherman
Alexie

2017 Newest 20 $173.00 $3460.00

Premium High
Performance
Samsung 11.6 HD
Chromebook - Intel
Dual-Core Celeron
N3050 Up to
2.16GHz, 2GB
DDR3, 16GB eMMC
Hard Drive,
802.11ac, Bluetooth,
HDMI, HD Webcam,
USB 3.0, Chrome
OS

2 Year SquareTrade 20 $34.99 $699.80

Laptop Accident
Protection Plan
($150-199.99)

Supporting Student Learning

 24
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
These materials will support student learning and enable them to gain a better

understanding for real-world skills and applications by serving as engaging gateways to

knowledge. The YA Lit books will increase student interest in reading with their wealth of

thought-provoking situations and relatable portrayals of young adulthood regardless of

culture. New chromebooks with higher capabilities (plus supplements like chargers) replacing

the old insufficient ones in my classroom will also reduce student frustration when doing

assignments and research. Currently, my faulty class set of chromebooks often makes it difficult

to explore online for long periods of time, but a new upgraded set will make such a process much

easier, which, in turn, will enable students to better develop their real-world skills of gathering

information all while practicing essential technology skills. Application would be presented in

the form of multimodal presentations plus various community outreach projects inspired by the

learnings from online and the YA Lit books.

Inquiry Based Lesson Plan

Teachers: Jasmine Fernandez Subject: 10 Grade ELA

th

Standard:

 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one‐on‐ one, in

groups, and teacher‐led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues,

building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

a. Come to discussions prepared having read and researched material under study;

explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research

on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well‐ reasoned exchange of ideas.

b. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision‐making (e.g.,

informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, and presentation of alternate views), clear
 25
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.

c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current

discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the

discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.

d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and

disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding

and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented. (9‐10.SL.1)

Objective (Explicit):

 SWBAT discuss their YA Lit books in order to identify common themes in young

adulthood that transcend race, gender, socioeconomic, and other cultural barriers.

Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):

 Students will identify at least three major themes for every YA Lit book presented in
their small lit circles, and they will write down five or more points of interest pertaining
to each book presented on.
 Students will explain how various themes in YA Lit are portrayed by collaboratively
creating a visual (i.e. physical/online mind maps, posters, etc.) that includes brief
explanations as to how each story connects to a certain theme.
 Students will use the insight gained from their YA Lit books and discussions to complete
an open-ended, four-question quiz.
Sub-objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex):

 SWBAT interpret the context, style, themes, events, and other ideas in a YA Lit book of

their choice in order to increase their understanding of diverse lifestyles and culture.

 SWBAT connect their own personal experiences, mindsets, and lifestyles to those of the

characters in their YA Lit books in order to increase their sense of empathy.

Key vocabulary: Materials/Technology Resources to be

used:
 Theme - a central idea in a piece of writing or
other work of art  YA Montage Video
 Empathy - the ability to understand and share  YA Lit Books
the feelings of another  Literature Circle Handouts
 Culture - the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a  Technology (laptops/tablets)
 26
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
particular society, group, place, or time  Paper
 Identity - condition or character as to who a  Writing Utensils
person or what a thing is; the qualities, beliefs,  Prezi on Theme Guidelines
etc., that distinguish or identify a person or  Projector
thing  Whiteboard
 Literature Circle – a small group of students
who are gathered together to discuss
literature in depth
Engage (Make content and learning relevant to real life and connect to student interest)

 I will play a short montage video that pertains to young adulthood; it will cover some of
the various highlights and hardships of young adulthood and be made up of video clips
on real young adults and those in movies, TV shows, etc. The video will engage students
by not only drawing on pop culture, but by giving them insight into how other people
their age view the world and live their lives. After watching the video, I will ask students
to talk with their tablemates for no more than three minutes about: a) some of the
highlights/hardships expressed in the video (i.e. bullying, depression, friendships,
accomplishments), and b) how they can identify with some of what they have seen. I will
then segue into the day’s lesson by introducing the objectives and assignment. Students
should have their YA Lit books finished upon coming to class this day.

Explore Teacher Will: Student Will:

 Provide guides/hints as to what  Examine the projected
kinds of themes in YA Lit words/images and interpret the
students can explore via Prezi. meaning of each in connection
 Present three words to their YA Lit books and
(setting, relationships, young adulthood, in general.
gender) and three pictures  Collaborate and discuss with
(people of different skin peers in literature circles on
colors (race), a museum themes in YA Lit books.
(history/culture), and a  Identify at least three
school (education/school major themes per book.
life)).  Take notes on points of
 Inform students to interest. Write down at
interpret the words/images least five.
however they feel is
appropriate.
 Ask students to share what they
think each word/image means in
connection to YA Lit and young
adulthood, in general. Give
feedback on responses.
 Divide students into groups to do
literature circles.
 Instruct students to
 27
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
identify at least three
major themes per book and
write at least five points of
interest in their notes.
 Facilitate.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation

Students who struggle with note-taking by hand will be allowed to use dictation
applications on their technological devices for assistance.

Explain Teacher Will: Student Will:

 Have groups create a visual of
their choice with the technology
available to them that reflects
findings on common important
themes concerning young
adulthood.
 Facilitate.
 Have each group present
when finished.
 Define key vocabulary and allow
students to discuss meanings.
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation
 In groups, create a visual of
their choice with the
technology available to them
that reflects findings on
common important themes
concerning young adulthood.
 Present visual to class.
 Take notes on key vocabulary
and discuss meanings.

Task cards will be provided to groups that have students who tend to dominate group work,
as well as those who do not participate at all, so that all students will have an
understanding of what they are accountable for during their work time.

Elaborate Teacher Will: Student Will:

 Facilitate discussion.  Make connections to the real-
 Ask: As young adults, how do you world about the common
shape your identity? How do you themes in young adulthood that
view culture? transcend race, gender,
 Ask: Do you feel that differences socioeconomic, and other
in others’ race, gender, cultural barriers.
socioeconomic status, etc. play a
big role in determining how much
you can empathize with someone
else?
 Ask: What kinds of experiences
are universal?
 These questions will be
written on the board.
 28
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation

Complementary Co-Teaching - One teacher facilitates discussion while the other can take
notes and create diagrams that relate to the discussion topics using technology (i.e. laptop
and projector).

Differentiation - Students who struggle with discussion may use Google Docs to type their
responses. They must write at least one paragraph when responding to each discussion
question on the board. Some evidence from the whole-class verbal discussion should be
cited in each response to demonstrate the student’s ability to listen to and consider other
points of view (i.e. agreeing/disagreeing with a point brought up by a classmate/teacher,
elaborating on/interpreting an idea mentioned). The doc with student responses must be
shared with the teacher by the end of the class period.

Evaluate
Students will take a quiz that corresponds to the YA Lit book they read. There will be four open-
ended questions:
1. In what ways has reading (insert title here) changed your mindset about young
adulthood?
2. How might (insert title here) teach others about respecting diversity?
3. Why is it important to build empathy and cultural awareness?
4. How does gaining insight into the lives of characters close in age to you inform your
understanding of yourself and other young adults around you?
 29
YOUNG ADULT LIT GRANT PROPOSAL
References

Eduprize Schools. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Retrieved September 13, 2017,

from Eduprize Schools website: https://www.eduprizeschools.net/faq-2/

Fast Forward, Inc. (n.d.). Gilbert, Arizona Economy. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from

Sperling's Best Places website: http://www.bestplaces.net/economy/city/arizona/gilbert

Fast Forward, Inc. (n.d.). Gilbert (zip 85233), Arizona Cost of Living. Retrieved September 13,

2017, from Sperling's Best Places website:

http://www.bestplaces.net/economy/city/arizona/gilbert

Graphiq. (n.d.). Eduprize School Gilbert in Gilbert, AZ. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from

StartClass website: http://public-schools.startclass.com/l/141268/Eduprize-School-Gilbert