Picture book project teaches literacy, virtues

Kingston Primary School students have produced 22 books as part of an integrated literacy and arts program.

Art teacher Annie Williams developed the Virtues Book Program, which is similar to a Statewide program run by Therapy Focus, to combine the specialist areas of education with the school’s focus on literacy.

Each class at the school wrote a story based on a virtue and then students illustrated a page each during art class.

‘‘This is a way of getting all of the kids involved and enthusiastic because they all have their picture in the book and they all had a hand in creating the text and then marrying it up with the pictures,’’ Mrs Williams said.

‘‘In art class we decided how to best illustrate the story and get the message across by looking at the things book illustrators would do.

‘‘It’s very exciting for them to see that their work has purpose.’’

Year 4 student TaylahMiles and her classmates developed the book The Lost Puppy, about the virtue of responsibility. It tells the story of a boy who finds a puppy and chooses to look after it.

‘‘My favourite thing about making the book was that everyone got to join in and help as well and add their ideas into it in making the story,’’ Taylah said.

Other virtues included in the program were honesty, compassion, understanding and generosity.

The books are now on display in the school’s library and have formed part of the students’ library lessons.