Living on an island in the Pacific that is diverse is not the less limiting. Our students need to hear stories about other cultures. Both Bud Not Buddy and the collection of short stories: Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories will allow our students to understand this diversity.
Our students live on an island in the Pacific Ocean.
We are a K-5 school with most students receiving free and reduce lunch. Though some of our children are financially challenge, they strive to do their best academically. Our school embraces a belief that all students can learn and achieve. We encourage our students to use technology to enhance their education. One of our goals is to create life-long learners who contribute to the local and global community. Our students for the past six years have passed the state assessment.
Now, our school has adopted the National Common Core Curriculum, we are securing literature that have been identified as exemplars. In order for our students to understand the cultural diversity of the mainland United States, we are reading books that demonstrate that diversity.
With each new standard, our goal is to prepare our students to meet and achieve that standard.
My Project
Bud, Not Buddy is the story of an eleven year old African-American boy in the midst of the Great Depression. Orphaned at six, Buddy is a survivor of orphanages and foster homes. One of Bud's prized possessions is a suitcase filled with pamphlets advertising a Big Band. Bud strikes out on his own to find his connection to the Big Band and his heritage.
In Zlateh, the Goat and Other Stories is a 1986 book of short stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer. The stories were translated from Yiddish by Singer. Not only a Newberry Award runner-up book, by illustrated by Maurice Sendak, the book is rich in Polish and Jewish history. Since our students read Number the Stars, a book about the holocaust in Denmark, the short stories will provide a rich backdrop to the Jewish culture.
When we read novels in our classroom (10 a year), the students settle in for the best moments of the day.
They are quiet and attentive. Since the teacher reads aloud, students can listen and read along. There is a leveling of ability. Students fall in love with the characters and stories we read. It seems that we move over to allow the characters to take a place in our lives. "I love reading Ms. S." is a declaration that can be heard, as we end our reading time.
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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 Ms. Sturtevant and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.