DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) — Students at Carver 9th Grade Academy will take their reading beyond the classroom Friday with an interactive learning experience based on the novel Bud, Not Buddy.
According to Dothan City Schools, students in Christina Peoples’ and Briana Wesley’s special education classes are currently reading the award-winning novel. The story follows a young boy named Bud Caldwell as he travels through Michigan during the Great Depression while searching for his family.
On Friday, Oct. 2, Peoples and Wesley will transform their classrooms into an experience inspired by the book and its setting. School officials said the activity is designed to help students connect literature with history, culture and real-world experiences.
Earlier this school year, the students participated in a similar activity after reading A Long Walk to Water, which is set in Sudan. Students sampled traditional Sudanese food and explored parts of Sudanese culture represented in the book.
“Our goal is to help students see that reading is more than just words on a page,” Wesley said. “When we can create experiences that connect them to the characters, history, and culture they’re learning about, it gives them a deeper understanding and connection to what they’ve read.”
