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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Dion-Simon from Milwaukee, WI is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Ms. Dion-Simon's classroom raised $595

My Thesaurus Is More Outdated Than Brontosaurus

My students need 16 current children's dictionaries and 16 current children's thesauruses.

Classroom photo
Ms. Dion-Simon Humboldt Park K-8 School
Milwaukee, WI Grades PreK-2

When you feel / the presence of a poem / waiting to spring / to sting / within you,/ bewitch it /into words / and sing it out. You will hear this excerpt of "Finding a Poem" by Karla Kuskin read chorally in our classroom during the second semester. I teach second grade in an urban public K-8 school in Wisconsin. Our school is rich both in diversity and in a robust sense of community. I currently teach 31 students, 14 of whom are English Language Learners from at least four different ethnic backgrounds.

As you read those words of poet Karla Kuskin, you may have been struck by the image of "bewitching" inspiration into words. This poet reminds me of how I can fall in love with words, and with their beauty, magic and power. Though I try each day to nurture my students' love of words - both the reading and the writing of them - I know that I am not serving the children as well as I might in one important way. I want my students to learn that a dictionary is one of many empowering tools for a reader/writer...except that our own class dictionaries are over twenty years old, and thoroughly inadequate. And our thesauruses? Let us just say, may they rest in peace.

What we truly need is a set of 16 current children's dictionaries, as well as 16 current children's thesauruses. My students have a weekly dictionary skills literacy center during the reading block. Imagine how proud they would be if they looked up a vocabulary word from their children's news magazine - and found it in the dictionary! Imagine their delight upon learning, as writers, that there are more colorful ways of describing characters beyond "mad", "sad" or "glad".

With your generosity,31 second graders will be able to wield adequate tools in the process of becoming successful readers and writers - people who can both grasp a poem, and bewitch one into words.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

31 students impacted 14 donors
Ms. Dion-Simon Humboldt Park K-8 School Grades PreK-2

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Milwaukee, WI 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

31 students impacted 14donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Merriam-Webster Children's Dictionary DK Publishing • Barnes and Noble $15.83 16 $253.28
The American Heritage Children's Thesaurus Paul Hellweg Professor • Barnes and Noble $13.64 16 $218.24

Materials cost

$471.52

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$7.07

Fulfillment labor & materials

$9.00

Total project cost

$487.59

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$107.03

Total project goal

$594.62

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $594.62

11 Donors

-$594.62

Donations toward project cost

-$487.59

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$107.03

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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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. Dion-Simon and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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