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Ms. Stefl from Chicago, IL is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Ms. Stefl's classroom raised $7,687

SOS Save Our School with the School-Wide Reading Initiative!

My students need 500 copies of "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest Gaines.

Ms. Stefl Ace Amandla Charter School

Chicago, IL Grades 9-12

We need our kids to read more and want to grab their interest and attention with a school-wide reading initiative! I have been teaching at an inner city charter high school in Chicago going on 5 years now. We have only been in existence for 6 years so we are somewhat new, but have definitely grown leaps and bounds. Our focus is architecture, construction, and engineering. I will be teaching American Lit to juniors this year, but have taught all levels with the exception of seniors.

Because we are a charter school, we do not receive the same funding as the other public schools. We've [the English dept] also began looking at data such as test scores and reading levels and know that we as teachers need to do something to end these negative trends. However, the initial idea actually grew out of a discussion with a student who expressed his desire that everybody in the school should "read a really good book"; one that they could relate to and talk to each other about because if they had a voice in picking a book, they might want to read it more.

So now we are in need of supplying the book, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, for EVERY student at our school [500 to be exact]. The English dept. has a desire to see more connectivity between different levels of students and across content areas through reading. This summer, the entire English dept. will be attending a curriculum and learning community workshop where as a team we will all work on unit plans that incorporate this one book. However, the unit plan will vary depending on grade level and writing skills of that group. One thing that will remain consistent is the focus of reading strategies. During that unit, all classes will learn to incorporate certain reading strategies into understanding the book. These are universal strategies that can be applied across all content areas. During this unit, we will also be putting our first grammar and writing diagnostic results into play. Students will have been tested just before we implement this unit. After we finish the unit, we will test students again using the same measurements and judge how much movement they've made on the targeted areas.

We hear this time and time again..."I hate reading!" However, with this school-wide reading initiative and your generous help, our hope is that students will feel invested as this was the book they voted for, they will actually read it and begin to appreciate reading more, we will begin a positive trend in our classrooms right from the get-go in September, and finally we will see an increase in those test scores to make everyone happy! Thank you in advance for reading this proposal and considering to fund this project!

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

500 students impacted 79 donors

Project tagged as

Chicago, IL
Grades 9-12
Literacy
Charter School
Books
Nearly all students from low‑income households

Ms. Stefl Ace Amandla Charter School Grades 9-12

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Chicago, IL View local requests

Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

500 students impacted 79donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total

A Lesson Before Dying • AKJ Books $11.29 500 $5,645.00

Materials cost			$5,645.00
Vendor shipping charges			$564.50
Sales tax			$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee			$84.68
Fulfillment labor & materials			$9.00
Total project cost			$6,303.18
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			$1,383.62
Total project goal			$7,686.80
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal			$7,686.80
68 Donors			-$3,821.45
Donations toward project cost			-$3,151.59
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$669.86
match offer			-$3,843.40
Match offer toward project cost			-$3,151.59
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$691.81
Excluded support for DonorsChoose			-$21.95
Still needed View calculation Hide calculation			$0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Stefl and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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Help teachers & students in your hometown this season! Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

This teacher needs your help!

SOS Save Our School with the School-Wide Reading Initiative!

Project tagged as

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Boost your odds

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

How we calculate what's needed

Project Activity

Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.