My students need non-fiction animal books, Mo Willems books, and early chapter books so that I can match their unique reading interests to books available for them to read.
My students come from a blue-collar coastal town in rural Maine. They are exuberant, smart, and very interested in the world around them. Although many of them live in homes with financial challenges, they courageously view themselves as capable learners, ready to tackle the world.
I believe my first graders have unlimited potential.
They just need our help and guidance so that they are able to realize their promise as future teachers, engineers, doctors, and scientists. It is up to me as one of their first teachers to provide the foundation they need to prepare them for the career of their choice.
My Project
Can you picture seventeen 6 year-olds curled up or sprawled out in their first-grade classroom library reading books they chose? Right now this scene is imaginary, but after my students receive the books in this project, the scene will become reality.
I asked my first graders to each name several of their favorite books, and then I ordered them for this project.
Research shows that students who are invested and engaged in their learning make stronger academic gains. One way to boost the engagement of my first graders is to offer them several of the books that they chose as their favorites to read in school.
Going through the process of choosing books taught them that it is important to be thoughtful when selecting reading materials. After they receive their books, they will have learned that both their teacher and complete strangers respect their choices, and want to help them learn to read.
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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. Henrikson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.