Morenci Area Schools is proud to celebrate Mrs. Curtis’ third-grade class for recently becoming published authors through Student Treasures Publishing.
The project began when Mrs. Curtis discovered information about the publishing opportunity in her mailbox. After researching the program, she believed her students were ready for the challenge.
“I wanted to give them something meaningful and rigorous,” said Mrs. Curtis. “I had high expectations for the outcome, and they absolutely rose to meet them.”
The class began by reviewing a sample book from the publishing company. Together, they analyzed the student writing, noticing complete sentences, neat handwriting, and full-page illustrations. After narrowing 9 student suggestions to 2 finalists, the class voted on their book topic. “Animal Facts” was the winning choice.
Each student selected a unique animal to research. Working in small groups, students developed rough drafts, researched three interesting facts using A-Z Animals on their Chromebooks, and carefully crafted topic and closing sentences. Mrs. Curtis guided students through multiple drafts, modeling the writing process using components of the “Write Steps” curriculum to provide visual supports and structure.
Students revised their work for sentence structure, grammar, and clarity before completing a final draft. They also practiced drawing detailed animal illustrations, making thoughtful decisions about background space and color choices to meet art standards. Final drafts were carefully traced in Sharpie to ensure clarity in the printed publication.
The project took approximately six weeks to complete during the busy fall months of October through December. Mrs. Curtis even adjusted the publishing deadline twice, not because of a lack of effort, but to ensure the final product met the class’s high standards.
As the writing process progressed, student excitement grew. Many eagerly approached Mrs. Curtis to proudly announce, “I’m finished!”
Beyond creating a book, the project reinforced multiple academic standards. Students strengthened writing skills, practiced the research process using credible sources, refined grammar and sentence structure, and applied artistic techniques, integrating reading, writing, research, and art into one authentic learning experience.
When the published books arrived at the end of January, the class celebrated in a special way. Mrs. Fink, elementary principal, visited the classroom and was the first to read the newly published book aloud to the students as they gathered together on the carpet.
“This was the first class I’ve published a book with,” said Mrs. Curtis. “I’m so grateful to share this special experience with them. They showed resilience, determination, and pride in their work from start to finish.”
At Morenci Area Schools, experiences like this reflect the district’s commitment to graduating students with strong academics, character, and career awareness, truly unleashing their potential.