Lesson Plan
Vibe Village
In this Book-n-Build adventure, students don’t just read about Jazmyne’s world, they use her story as a starting point to think about their own. Inspired by award-winning children’s author and social worker Tom Tracy’s Jazmyne’s Big Emotions, students explore the people and places that help make everyday challenges a little easier, from family and friends to teachers, neighbors, coaches, libraries, community spaces, and more. Then they bring those connections to life by designing and building a playful 3D model of their own “Vibe Village” with 3DuxDesign materials. Along the way, students read, reflect, imagine, build, problem-solve, and share, connecting literacy, geometry, 3D modeling, communication, and life skills in an experience centered on belonging, connection, and the idea that every person’s village can look a little different.
Grades: 3-5 Duration: 1 Class Period Subjects: Math, Literacy, Life Skills Materials: GoBox Classroom
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Share your students' completed project - we will proudly feature it on the 3DuxDesign Global Student Showcase and plant a tree in their honor. This connection turns classroom learning into real-world impact, helping students see that their ideas and actions matter. By sharing their work, students experience what it feels like to contribute to something bigger than themselves - building confidence, environmental awareness, and a sense of empowerment that extends beyond the classroom.
Learn More About the Author
Tom Tracy
Tom is a multiple award-winning children's book author, including a 2026 Anthem Awards Nominee and a 2025 Grand Prize Finalist in the Eric Hoffer Book Awards. He has been featured by the Philadelphia CBS news affiliate, and in print by SJ Magazine, the South Jersey Local, Bold Journey, and Gay Parent Magazine. He is also a frequent guest of podcasts, reaching international audiences.
Professionally, Tom is a NJ licensed clinical social worker who spent much of his thirty-year career working with youth and families, specifically addressing the mental health needs of young people. It is through this experience that he also came to appreciate the value of personal storytelling. Sharing one’s lived experiences creates a sense of connection and hope – and everyone has a story that is valuable to someone else. When Tom began writing children’s books, he knew it would be important to represent the voices of the children and families with whom he had worked in his stories.
Tom draws inspiration from his books from his years as a social worker and from his own family’s experience; he is a father of two transracially adopted daughters. Tom is an advocate of diverse family representation in children’s books, with his own books advancing representation of LGBTQ+ family visibility. One of the joys of being an author for Tom is seeing children light up when they connect with a book. Whether he is presenting at a school assembly, facilitating for a youth organization or non-profit, or tabling as a vendor as a community event, Tom is always delightfully engaging, creating a safe and fun space that makes children eager and excited to share their own story.
For more information about Tom’s work or to inquiry about booking him, please contact him at:
tomtracybooks@gmail.com
