Washington Book of the Month Spurs Activity

Keeping the school day fresh and exciting is always a goal at Washington Primary School where faculty and staff members routinely go the extra mile to keep students motivated.

Inspired by the Principal’s Book of the Month for May, “Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao” by author Kat Zhand, first grade teacher Allison Levitt’s students created their own “perfect” bao buns.

During the activity, students had the opportunity to delve deeper into the story’s cultural aspects, culinary traditions and themes of perseverance. The youngsters actively participated in discussions, collaborated on putting the steps of the recipe in the correct sequence and even had a chance to create their own bao buns with homemade play dough.

“The enthusiasm and engagement from the students was truly remarkable and it was a joy to see them connect with the book on such a meaningful level,” Ms. Levitt said.

“The purpose of the Principal’s Book of the Month is to spark imagination and celebrate the beautiful cultures that make Washington wonderful,” Principal Dr. Michelle Richards said.

“Reading is a crucial ability that everyone should possess to be successful in life,” according to INC magazine. “Aside from the obvious benefits of reading for pleasure daily, there are many more reasons to make it a habit to read: cultural exposure, linguistic growth, and intellectual stimulation.”

INC goes on to explain that:

Knowledge is built via reading, so it may help you do better on tests that measure your ability to apply what you’ve learned. Reading is an essential aspect of our educational system and helps students acquire abilities that will serve them well on exams in the future.

Reading helps with:

• Acquiring a strong vocabulary

• Learning new vocabulary

• Grasping the meaning of unfamiliar words

• Correctly answering questions by using one’s knowledge in a given environment.

• Conserving history and anecdotes

• Through reading literature from throughout the globe, one may get an appreciation for the history, values, and customs of other cultures.