My students need engaging, young adult nonfiction texts. Far too often, history teachers rely on just the textbook, and this does little to excite reluctant readers. Some of the titles being requested are Cold War, Malcolm X, Written in Bone, and The Great Fire.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Beaton's classroom raised $717
This project is fully funded
My Students
Hearing the phrase "Take out your textbooks from a high school history teacher makes most students want to throw up. "Just like yesterday, you're going to read from Chapter Ten and answer the questions at the end of the section." No wonder students find history dull and boring.
My students are a group of developing readers from a small sub-rural high school in Michigan.
They want to explore history in a truly authentic way, and with their new-found love of reading, they understand that this kind of exploration is possible through BOOKS!
My Project
The books on this list form an emerging genre for young adult readers: nonfiction picture-books. Blending photos, personal narratives, and historical facts, this genre completely engages students' desire for new learning. Most of the titles have appeared on the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, which honors the best nonfiction books published for young adults (ages 12-18).
My students need engaging, young adult nonfiction texts. Far too often, history teachers rely on just the textbook, and this does little to excite reluctant readers. Some of the titles being requested are Cold War, Malcolm X, Written in Bone, and The Great Fire.
After teaching high school English for a number years, I was excited (and nervous) about the opportunity to blend English with US History in designing a new Humanities curriculum.
Knowing that I wanted to shift from the traditional textbook approach, I added a limited number of YA nonfiction, picture-books to my classroom library. To my surprise, my students were fighting over the few titles I had, frequently chatting about and checking out these non-textbook history books.
Half of 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
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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. Beaton and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
