Increasing Access to Grade-level Texts With Graphic Books

As you begin to implement research-based literacy instruction in your classroom, you may be in search of additional texts to accompany each lesson. Intended to provide opportunities for practice, high-interest texts accompany each lesson to keep your students engaged in the reading process. If you are still searching for a solution, we’d like to demonstrate how the graphic books within Raz-Plus can help! Offering visually appealing books that make the text come to life, the graphic books available within Raz-Plus will help you increase reading volume and, in turn, increase student motivation to read.

Closing The Achievement Gap

It is no secret that many students are, unfortunately, a part of the statistics that form what is known as the achievement gap. This perceived gap refers to the plethora of students that are not currently reading on-grade level. To help them catch up, graphic books allow them to access grade-level content in a range of nonfiction topics in a more accessible way. What’s more, each graphic book is connected to a Reading A-Z text, allowing it to be read as an individual resource or as a related text. Graphic books can be used to scaffold the content in their related text.

Enhancing Vocabulary Skills With Raz-Plus

Outside of providing practice to reinforce key literacy skills, selecting the right texts will allow students to acquire a plethora of content area knowledge. To allow this to take place, it is important that educators select texts pertaining to high-interest topics that expose students to new, exciting concepts and vocabulary. Using the graphic books available within Raz-Plus, students are exposed to a variety of nonfiction topics such as Amelia Earhart’s journey across the Atlantic, the emergence of The Boston Tea Party, the fascinating story of Jane Goodall and her study of chimpanzees in the wild, and more! As students approach new topics such as these, they will easily acquire a more expansive vocabulary, as each book is brief yet descriptive and challenging. As reading comprehension and vocabulary strengthen, students will be able to approach new texts of increasing complexity and achieve higher academic heights.

Amelia Earhart Across the Atlantic

Level: Q

Amelia Earhart broke records and fought against limitations all her life. In 1932, she braved a risky flight to become the first woman pilot to fly solo (or alone) across the Atlantic Ocean. This Graphic Book vividly presents her monumental journey and the challenges she faced during the flight. Use the Graphic Book with Amelia Earhart: A Legend in Flight at Level Q.

The Boston Tea Party

Level: X, Z1, and Z2

Tensions were high in the American colonies in 1773. Struggling to pay for a recent war with France, Great Britain levied a series of taxes on goods needed by the colonists, while ignoring their calls for representation in government. After a public outcry caused the British parliament to repeal most of the taxes, King George III decided to keep the tax on tea while granting a monopoly on the tea trade to the East India Company. The move caused outrage among colonial leaders in Boston, including Samuel Adams and John Hancock (a prominent tea smuggler), who had a plan to defy the British and whip up support for the small but growing independence movement. Use this Graphic Book with Seeds of Revolution at levels X, Z1, and Z2.

Jane and the Chimpanzees

Level: I, L, and O

Young Jane Goodall has come to the Gombe forest to study chimpanzees, but she can only observe them from a distance. Through patient dedication, she is able to make significant discoveries that challenge what scientists think they know about these amazing animals. Told through Jane's journals, students will be fascinated by Jane's work. Use this Graphic Book with Jane Goodall at Levels I, L, and O.

Increasing Reading Volume With Ease

No matter how thorough instruction may be, it can be easy to lose the attention of your students. If you are finding this to be a problem in your classroom, you are not alone! To remedy this, classrooms around the world have used the graphic books available in Raz-Plus. Providing comic-style texts and images, these graphic books provide quick, engaging content for students to consume that are of high interest. Upon engaging with this content, students will feel more motivated to increase their reading volume, making keeping their attention a breeze and reading seem more fun for struggling readers!

Becoming Stronger Readers With Raz-Plus

The graphic books within Raz-Plus truly allow students to follow their interests and take an active role in literacy education. When paired with the high-quality, standards-based instructional materials available within Raz-Plus, students are set up for ultimate success. If you are looking for a wide variety of texts that are sure to captivate your students attention while making learning feel more like fun, we recommend Raz-Plus!