I teach reading, English, math, science, and social studies to twenty remarkable second graders. They come to school with smiles on their faces and proclaim that they are ready to learn even though our school is faced with the challenges of poverty, poor parental support, and behavioral issues.
Most of my students live in low income households where there is little to no money designated for children’s literature. A print-rich environment, therefore, is a luxury that although they deserve, they all too often do not have. The lack of exposure to high-quality text affects students in many ways. Limited background knowledge is a direct effect of not having enough encounters with text. Problems are confounded when these students also bring limited experiences to the classroom. They often feel burdened as they try to read and make sense of new text.
My project proposal is entitled, “A Neat Nonfiction Nook” and seeks to provide high quality nonfiction literature that will not only enrich students’ ability to read, but also will entice them and engulf them in the pure joy of reading. My goal is to share a deep and meaningful love of reading with my students. And while the fiction genre is invaluable, nonfiction informs children about the vast world around them and sparks new interest in other areas such as science and social studies. I want to provide students with a wide variety of engaging age-appropriate reading materials, free of stereotypes and full of facts, that will allow students to expand their background knowledge and increase the meaningful connection they have with text.
Using our “Neat Nonfiction Nook”, which will be set up in a corner of the classroom, students will be able to take a trip to anywhere in the world, be a part of any civilization, be surrounded by intriguing animals, and lose themselves in the magic and mystery of our world. The proposed “Neat Nonfiction Nook” would contain nonfiction texts about animals, habitats, communities, people, and economics. It would also contain a bookshelf that would be easily accessible to all students that would house our nonfiction treasures. My second grade students don’t just want to be enveloped by high quality literature, they desperately need it! I hope you will consider funding this proposal because every student deserves the opportunity to develop and foster a true love for learning!
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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 Mrs. Word and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.