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 teach 6th grade English Language Arts (ELA) at a school of roughly 320 students split across grades 5-8. Our mission is to prepare all students to be on a college pathway and become leaders in their community. We are a Title 1 school with 80% free and reduced lunch, and over 90% students of color.
The theme of our 6th grade ELA curriculum is "heroes;" I need your help teaching my students how to be heroes for each other!
They are a curious, close-knit group of friends that want to take care of each other, but need some help in learning how to do this.
My Project
One of the benefits of being in such a small school is the camaraderie that is built in each grade. The students all know each other, and they stay together for 4 years, so they're able to form close friendships. Middle school is a tricky time, and we are working on how to navigate social issues as they arise in our grade and school community.
I would like to do a novel study of "Wonder" by RJ Palacio, where I will ask students to think critically about the culture they want to build and create, with a focus on always "choosing kind."
Using this novel, we will talk about the bystander effect, the difference between being nice to each other and being kind, and how their choices have long-lasting impacts on each other.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Wattier and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.