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
The students at my school are an energetic and hardworking group of children. They enjoy coming to school, but school funding cuts over the years have impacted what schools can provide to individual classrooms.
I teach second grade in an urban neighborhood where all the students at school are eligible for free breakfast and free lunch.
Some students live below the poverty line and their families struggle to provide them with basic necessities needed to be successful in school. Despite these obstacles, our school has hard-working students, as well as teachers and staff, who strive to make our school a welcoming and inviting place. In addition, our school is one of the top-performing schools in the city.
My Project
My students love to read and get excited when I bring in library books. But, of course, library books have to be returned. My students love books written by award-winning author Patricia Polacco. While I have some of her books, I would love to be able to permanently add more of her books to the classroom library. My students really connect to Polacco's personal memories of visiting grandparents, annoying siblings, feeling different, and struggles in school. These themes keep my students reading as many of her books as they can. In fact, one parent told me after I read one of Polacco's books in the classroom, her son requested they go to the library to find more of her books.
I would love for my students to have access to more of Patricia Polacco's books and use them for an author study.
This will give my students access to more of her books and encourage their love of reading. The books will also be used to study specific story elements such as well-developed characters, interesting plots, and strong themes. I also plan on using these books as a starting point for students writing their own family memory stories and creating their own books.
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 Mrs. Shaw and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
