High-Interest Literacy Sets and Classroom Novel Replacement for 4th Grade

Moderation state
funded
Grant Applicant
Jenny Harrington
Grant Co-applicants
Becky Wright, Kassidy Commendatore
School Site
Glenshire Elementary
Grant Category
Literacy
Grant Date
2026-06-09T12:00:00
Description

The goal of this project is to increase reading engagement, comprehension, and access to high-quality literature for 4th grade students by providing high-interest books for guided reading groups and replacing worn whole-class novels used in our curriculum.

Fourth grade students benefit greatly from having access to books that match their reading level while still feeling age-appropriate and engaging. Many students—particularly reluctant readers—struggle when texts are either too difficult or not interesting to them. Providing a variety of engaging books allows teachers to differentiate instruction and support all learners.

This grant will provide classroom sets of high-interest guided reading books from the Step Into Reading Step 5: Ready for Chapters series. These books support students transitioning from early readers into short chapter books and are ideal for small-group instruction.

Requested titles include:

  • Trail of Tears
  • Moonwalk: The First Trip to the Moon
  • Baseball’s Best: Five True Stories
  • Basketball’s Greatest Players
  • Baseball’s Greatest Hitters
  • Jackie Robinson and the Story of All-Black Baseball
  • To the Top!: Climbing the World's Highest Mountain
  • Dinosaur Hunters
  • T. Rex: Hunter or Scavenger?
  • True-Life Treasure Hunts
  • Maximum Triceratops

Sets of 15 copies of each title will allow the entire 4th grade team to share and use these texts during guided reading instruction.

In addition, this grant will replace worn classroom copies of two core novels used in the 4th grade curriculum:

  • Island of the Blue Dolphins
  • By the Great Horn Spoon!

Our current classroom copies are many years old and heavily worn, with missing pages and damaged bindings. Replacing these books will ensure that every student has access to a complete and readable text during instruction.

Benefits of Program

Providing engaging, accessible books helps build a strong foundation for reading success. High-interest texts motivate students to read more frequently and with greater confidence, particularly for students who struggle with reading.

These books will allow teachers to better differentiate instruction during guided reading groups by offering texts that match students’ reading levels and interests. Topics such as dinosaurs, space exploration, sports history, and historical figures are highly engaging and help motivate reluctant readers.

Replacing our classroom novel sets will also allow students to fully participate in whole-class reading units that integrate reading comprehension, writing, discussion, and historical connections. Having complete and readable novels ensures that students can follow along during instruction and engage meaningfully in reading activities.

Overall, this program will support literacy development, increase student engagement, and help build positive reading habits in 4th grade students.

Success of Program

Anticipated Outcomes and Measurement

Success of this program will be measured through increased student engagement in reading activities and improved participation during guided reading groups and novel studies.

Teachers will monitor success through:

  • Increased participation during reading discussions and partner reading
  • Student comprehension responses and written reflections about texts
  • Observed improvements in reading fluency during guided reading groups
  • Increased confidence and willingness to read among reluctant readers

Students will demonstrate understanding through reading discussions, written responses, comprehension questions, and collaborative activities connected to the texts.

Implementation

The books will be used during daily literacy instruction across the 4th grade classrooms.

Teachers will incorporate the Step Into Reading titles into guided reading groups and small-group instruction to support differentiated learning. Because the books will be purchased in sets of 15, they can easily be shared across the grade level and used with multiple reading groups throughout the year.

The new classroom novel sets will be used during whole-class reading units that focus on comprehension, vocabulary, writing responses, and historical connections.

Books will be organized and shared among the 4th grade teaching team to maximize their use across classrooms.

Can you share this grant with your grade level or subject team?

These materials will be shared across the entire 4th grade team. The guided reading sets are specifically requested in quantities that allow teachers to share them across classrooms and use them with multiple student groups.

All 4th grade teachers will have access to the books, allowing the grant to support approximately 90 students each year.

Sustainability
This grant supports the purchase of durable classroom books rather than consumable materials. Because the books will be used carefully and stored within the 4th grade team, they will remain part of the classroom library for many years.

These materials will continue to benefit future classes of students well beyond the initial year of purchase. Each year, the books will support approximately 90 fourth grade students.

If additional books need to be replaced in the future due to normal wear, funding may come from school site funds, classroom library budgets, or future literacy grants.
Amount Funded
$3014.00
Individual Budget Items(s)
$2600 - Island of the Blue Dolphins (90 copies) and Great Horn Spoon Books (90 copies), 15 copies each of the Step up to Reading Level 5
Shipping
$120.00
Taxes
$200.00
Other funding sources

At this time, there are limited alternative funding sources available for purchasing class sets of novels and guided reading materials. Classroom and grade-level budgets are typically used for basic instructional supplies and do not allow for the purchase of large quantities of books.

If this grant is not fully funded, the 4th grade team will explore additional options such as school site funds, the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and future literacy or education grants. 

However, these sources are often limited and inconsistent. This grant would provide the most reliable way to ensure that all 4th grade students have access to engaging guided reading materials and complete classroom novel sets.

 

File Uploads
4th Grade Grant Proposal.pdf (94.77 KB)