Go to website for
more info: www.bslp.org
The Goal of the Black Stallion Literacy
Project is to use the magic of live horses and books by Walter
Farley, to spark the imagination of first grade students so they
will want to learn to read, and to motivate fourth grade students so
they will come to learn the enjoyment of reading.
"Imagination can help you reach into the
heavens to grasp an idea,
bring it down to earth, and make it
work"
Walter
Farley
Little
Black goes to school,
BSLP
First Touch
Little Black, A Pony, a first grade book written by
famous author Walter Farley literally came to life for First &
Second graders at St. Mary's Academy School Thursday, March 1st. The characters from the
book, a little black pony and a big
red horse miraculously appeared when the
children called out for Little Black. The students then had a
chance to meet the horses and give them lots of attention. Then each child
was presented a hardcover copy of the book to keep as there own,
following their time spent with the
horses. It was amazing to see them sit down and immediately
start reading as fast as they could.
That is the goal of the
Black Stallion Literacy Project! Touching the
horse
gives them a real connection to the story
and during the following four weeks
they will read and
learn more about the book, the author, and horses. In four weeks time they
will be rewarded with a field
trip, the Second Touch, to
spend a morning with several horses. During this trip each student
rotates between learning centers and will
read to one of the horses reinforcing the pride in their
accomplishments. At the conclusion of the
morning's activities, they will receive a second
book written by Walter Farley, Little
Black Goes to the Circus.
The horses
and BSLP Horse Handlers are members of Star of Texas
Arabian Horse Club,
(Virginia
Cherry, Alice Dickenson and Michaell Vahalik). STAR
is sponsoring this project in Bee County. Many
thanks to Katie Simonson BSLP School Coordinator and volunteers from
SMACS 4-H Club.
We would also
like to thank Principal Ted Simonson, and staff members of
St. Mary’s Academy
School for there enthusiasm  and total support for
this project
Anyone wanting to learn more about this wonderful literacy
project can
contact Cathy Christiansen, BSLP Coordinator for Texas,
870-692-1562 email
strcastl@seark.net or go to
www.bslp.org.
Local contact Virginia Cherry
361-358-2320
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