Annabelle and her colorful friends, the CoGlo Amigos, are the beloved stars of a vibrant children’s book series created by South Carolina author Rhonda Atkins Leonard. Thanks to three consecutive Innovation Grants from the S.C. Department of Education, these stories were brought to life through engaging animations aligned with the state’s Early Learning Standards and the Profile of the Ready Kindergartner. Engaging lesson plans, which accompany the books and animations, are ready for the classroom and designed to inspire young learners. These carefully crafted resources ensure that the content is appropriate for children’s developmental stages. By catering to diverse learning styles, this early learning program empowers educators to foster a love of learning in young children.
Meet the CoGLo Amigos—a bright and playful crew on a mission to inspire young minds! Through fun-filled adventures, this lovable cast helps children discover important life lessons, explore big ideas, and build the skills they need to thrive. Whether in books, videos, or classroom activities, the CoGLo Amigos make learning an exciting journey.
In 2022, students participated in a pilot study where they took pre- and post-assessments to measure growth in three essential learning areas: ordering, retelling, and counting. Ordering, a skill featured on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA), was chosen for its abstract nature and year-long applicability. Retelling was selected to build foundational literacy skills by helping students recall and sequence the events of a story. Counting was included due to its critical role in supporting early math development and preparing students for future concepts, such as addition. The data collected from this pilot study continues to provide valuable insight into instructional practices and early learning progress.
Overall, students overwhelmingly either maintained or improved between the pre- and post-assessments in all three areas – ordering (99.2%), retelling (99.8%), and counting (98.6%). Specifically, the percentage of students who showed measurable improvement from pre- to post-assessment was the most encouraging – ordering (53%), retelling (56%), and counting (41%).
In statistics, McNemar’s Test is a statistical test used on paired nominal data. The McNemar Test is used to determine if the proportions of categories in two related groups significantly differ from each other. In each of the three assessments administered in the Annabelle pilot study, it was concluded that there was a significant difference after the treatment, which was defined as the lessons conducted using the accompanying Annabelle book.
Before launching the pilot program, Leonard and her team hosted a professional development session with teachers, one of whom described the lessons as “engaging and interactive.” Teachers were surveyed before and after the program, offering valuable insights that helped shape the experience. Each lesson also included at-home activities designed to involve families in the learning process. Parents responded enthusiastically, with one sharing that the activities were beneficial “to parents who have never led their child through a book.” Several noted how excited their children were to share the stories with their siblings. Both teacher and parent feedback played a vital role in the program’s success, reinforcing its impact in both the classroom and at home.
