Why We Use Children’s Literature

At DSC, we believe that in order to motivate children to read and write, you have to give them books that capture their imagination. But before they can be captivated, children need to understand what's being said. Realizing these basic truths, our program developers create language arts curriculum that gives elementary-school children the two things they need most — books that entice them to read and strategies for understanding them.

“The Standards require that students engage with appropriately complex literary and informational works; such complexity is best found in whole texts rather than passages from texts.”  Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy Appendix B 

How We Are Different

Children’s books are deeply interwoven into every lesson, either in a read-aloud or as part of individual student work.  Multiple and varied authors’ voices bring the full range of human experience and knowledge into the classroom through rich, diverse fiction and nonfiction. Children’s literature expands the walls of the school and the impact of the curriculum. It’s not just that we bring real books into the classroom —it’s what we do with those books that makes the difference. 

Engaged teachers facilitate the exchange of student ideas in DSC classrooms and these conversations spark curiosity, community, and a desire to participate in the learning process that reaps benefits far beyond the immediate goals of learning to read and to write. Combining quality curriculum and great literature enriches the educational experience for all students and teachers.