ZING! ZAP! KA-BOOM! Help me wake up our young readers with action, adventure and intrigue. The students in my classroom nearly salivate over the few graphic novels that I have provided in our classroom library. These 30 requested books may very well capture even the most reluctant reader.
I have a classroom of second and third grade students.
Our school is in a low-income, hard working neighborhood, with nearly 70% of our kids qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite the tight times, my students are caring, compassionate and generous. This year, I have 30 students. It is a tight squeeze with growing minds and growing bodies, but we are making it work. The kids have even taken ownership over some of the classroom procedures, routines and transitions and do these things with little input from me. It is inspiring to see them take pride in a functional classroom.
My Project
One complaint I often hear from my students is that they have read all of the books in our classroom library. While this is nearly impossible to fathom, it is true that a child may have read every book that they are interested in, or able to decode. I have my students for two years, so refreshing the library has been key to refreshing interest. My solution this year has been to make a "New Book Wish List" in the classroom. While I have explained to my students that the process of obtaining the new books would be intermittent, excitement grew almost immediately. As the list grew and I began to take notice of the requests, it became clear that there was a deep hunger for something besides the typical story books or chapter books. Nearly 75% of the books listed were graphic novels.
You can help feed this hunger!
I have selected each of these 30 graphic novels carefully. I have chosen various genres, subject matter, and reading levels. Picture the scene: an 8 year-old, hunched over glossy pages full of captivating words and entrancing illustrations. Hear the giggle or the gasp. Hear the plaintive cry when the teacher requests that books be put away for the day. Hear the child in line, discussing what just happened, or predicting what may happen next...Imagine!
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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 Mr. Christy and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.