Growing Up
A curated collection of 8 books exploring growing up, each with discussion questions, activities, and printable lesson plans.
Targeted Learning Goal
Students will explore the challenges and triumphs of growing up, building confidence and self-awareness along the way.
Standards Connections
- ELA: RL.K-7.3
- ELA: RL.K-7.6
- ELA: SL.K-7.1
- SEL
Books in This Unit
8 titles — each with a full lesson plan.
Confidence & Self-Expression
Stella Diaz Has Something to Say
by Angela Dominguez
4 learning goals · 45 minutes
Transformation & Growth
Papilio
by Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chou Musser
4 learning goals · 45 minutes
Confidence & Resilience
Shake It Off!
by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
4 learning goals · 30 minutes
Self-Expression & Empowerment
A Voice Like Yours
by Frank Murphy and April Groman
3 learning goals · 45 minutes
Confidence & Self-Worth
Make Way for Butterfly
by Ross Burach
3 learning goals · 35 minutes
Patience & Growth
The Very Impatient Caterpillar
by Ross Burach
3 learning goals · 40 minutes
Self-Worth & Body Positivity
BIG
by Vashti Harrison
3 learning goals · 45 minutes
Growth & Mindfulness
See Marcus Grow
by Marcus Bridgewater
4 learning goals · 40–45 minutes
Pacing Tools in This Unit
2 tools from the Pace-Write-Read handbook.
Point of View
Who is telling the story, who is narrating it — create options that will make a huge difference. Memorable choices have included death itself, so how do you decide? The narrator you choose quietly rewrites every scene.
Details
Serve double duty and point to what a reader must not miss and help to build out your story in extraordinary ways. One well-chosen detail does the work of a paragraph of explanation.