Crafting Connections: ELA and Library Collaboration Brings Literary Elements to Life

Seventh grade students recently participated in a dynamic literacy lesson as part of their Creative Writing elective—one of several innovative courses designed by teachers to foster curiosity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Led by Ms. Narine, English Language Arts teacher, in collaboration with Ms. Boggs-Elliott, the school’s Information Specialist, the lesson focused on identifying hooks, grounding, and transitions in literature—key elements that help shape a reader’s experience and understanding of a text.

Students rotated through interactive stations, each featuring a curated selection of books. These texts showcased a variety of writing styles and techniques, offering rich examples for exploration. At each station, students selected a book and worked to identify:

• The Hook – What grabs the reader’s attention?
• The Grounding – How does the author establish context or setting?
• The Transition – What bridges ideas or scenes smoothly?

Ms. Narine introduced and reinforced these literary concepts, guiding students in how to recognize and analyze them. The station-based format encouraged movement, collaboration, and deeper engagement with the texts.

“It was exciting to see students interact with literature in such a thoughtful and creative way,” said Ms. Boggs-Elliott. “They weren’t just reading—they were exploring how authors craft their stories.”

The lesson was designed to ignite students’ creativity and inspire their own writing. By examining how professional authors use literary techniques, students gained inspiration and insight into how they might apply similar strategies in their own creative work.

This thoughtful collaboration between Ms. Narine and Ms. Boggs-Elliott not only helped students better understand how stories are structured but also encouraged them to become more confident and creative writers.