This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
I run a cooperative, literacy rich, student centered classroom where we build reading and writing skills through book publishing, read alouds, book talks, literacy centers, and technology. My goal is to raise all my student’s reading levels by at least one level, if not two grade levels, in a year.
“I can’t wait to read that book!”
“Can I borrow that book when you are done?”
“I brought a book to show the class.
Can I share it?”
My students LOVE books, but they do not have access to stories on their reading level. Many students do not have a bookshelf at home and their families can not transport them to the public library. They treasure the one book that they are allowed to check out from the school library every week.
As a first year teacher, I started my year by building a small, comfortable library with books inherited from the previous teacher or found at local yard sales. Most of the books in my classroom library are dated and the books my students bring from home are often far above or below their reading level. I want to create an engaging, developmentally appropriate classroom library. Working in education, before becoming a classroom teacher, I have seen the power of a classroom library in building readers.
My Project
I need books. I need classic books by Dr. Seuss, funny books like Fly Guy, books that reflect my student’s lives like Nikki and Deja, and series books like Galaxy Zach. I need books for my students reading at the 5th grade level, my emergent readers, and everyone in between. I need books to use as mentor texts in writing workshop, read aloud picture books to build metacognition, and chapter books for all my students to read independently. In short, I imagine a library where students are never bored by the selection or at a loss to find books on their reading level.
Books will build literacy, assisting my students in all of the subject areas. A library bursting with books will keep my students fired up about reading. My struggling readers will be motivated to improve their reading so they can access some of the texts. My early chapter book readers will have appropriate texts for their age and reading level.
My students have been writing persuasive letters (and many of them chose to write to ask for a classroom library).
Please listen to what they have to say about having an awesome classroom library:
Dear Donor,
Please give us new books. We love to read. We need more books so we can grow our brains big and strong. We need more books so we can know more and be ready for college. We love books and we will read every day all the time - at school, at home, at lunch, at recess, even in the bathtub.
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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. Nelson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.