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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Dawes from Philadelphia, PA is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Ms. Dawes's classroom raised $402

Cool Comics for Comprehension!

My students need 32 graphic novels and comic books at different reading levels to support their reading comprehension skills.

Ms. Dawes Universal Institute Charter School

Philadelphia, PA Grades 3-5

My Students

Have you ever heard of the fourth-grade slump? The fourth-grade slump is a reported drop in literacy development that occurs at the critical transition from 'learning to read' to 'reading to learn' when a child is between the ages of eight and ten. Help us get over that bump!

My fourth graders attend a charter school in Pennsylvania and come from all over the city.

They are charismatic, energetic and eager to learn. We don't have a huge classroom library but are working on building one! Sadly, 70% of my students do not yet read at a fourth-grade level.

My Project

With a donation of comics and graphic novels at different reading levels I will be conducting a research study about the effectiveness of using comics and graphic novels in the classroom to promote reading comprehension in struggling readers. I believe that a big part of the achievement gap that exists within urban education is related to reading comprehension skills, or lack thereof. Fourth-grade is a crucial time in a child's reading development, because the focus moves from reading to read, to reading to learn something and make sense of the text. In addition, the graphic format of comics and graphic novels provides a multi sensory experience for hesitant and struggling readers. As a result of the project, I hope that my students can grow at least 1.5 years in their reading comprehension levels by the time they reach fifth grade. Which would bringing us a little bit closer to narrowing the achievement gap!

The Cool Comics for Comprehension Project requests comics and graphic novels at different reading levels in order to promote reading comprehension levels in struggling readers.

With this project I hope that each child will experience at least 1.5 years of reading growth, bringing them to, or even above a fourth grade comprehension level! Making sense of a text is hard work! Help me help my students get over the bump of the fourth-grade slump!

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

24 students impacted 19 donors

Project tagged as

Philadelphia, PA
Grades 3-5
Literacy
Charter School
Books
Nearly all students from low‑income households

Ms. Dawes Universal Institute Charter School Grades 3-5

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Philadelphia, PA View local requests

Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

24 students impacted 19donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total

Stinky Eleanor Davis, Eleanor Davis (Artist) • Barnes and Noble $4.26 1 $4.26

Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians Jarrett J. Krosoczka • Barnes and Noble $5.97 1 $5.97

Nancy Drew Boxed Set: Graphic Novels Volumes 1-4 Stefan Petrucha, Sho Murase (Illustrator), Vaughn Ross (Illustrator), Based On Work by Carolyn Keene, Carolyn Keene • Barnes and Noble $20.48 1 $20.48

Nancy Drew Boxed Set: Vol. #9 - 12 (Nancy Drew Graphic Novels Series) Stefan Petrucha, Sho Murase (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $24.32 1 $24.32

Hardy Boys Boxed Set, Volumes 5 - 8 (Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers Graphic Series) Scott Lobdell, Daniel Rendon (Illustrator), Sidney Lima (Illustrator), Paulo Henrique (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $20.48 1 $20.48

Hardy Boys Boxed Set: Vol. #13 - 16 Scott Lobdell, Paulo Henrique (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $20.48 1 $20.48

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set Jeff Kinney • Barnes and Noble $31.00 1 $31.00

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute Jarrett J. Krosoczka • Barnes and Noble $5.97 1 $5.97

Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta Jarrett J. Krosoczka • Barnes and Noble $5.12 1 $5.12

Following the Trail of Marco Polo (Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novels Series #4) Geronimo Stilton • Barnes and Noble $8.54 1 $8.54

The Discovery of America (Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novel Series #1) Geronimo Stilton, Maurizio Onnis, Lorenzo de Pretto (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $8.54 1 $8.54

The Secret of the Sphinx (Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novel Series #2) Geronimo Stilton, Gianluigi Fungo • Barnes and Noble $8.54 1 $8.54

The Coliseum Con (Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novel Series #3) Geronimo Stilton • Barnes and Noble $8.54 1 $8.54

Magic Pickle Scott Morse, Jose Garibaldi (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $8.54 1 $8.54

Magic Pickle and the Garden of Evil Scott Morse • Barnes and Noble $5.12 1 $5.12

Magic Pickle and the Planet of the Grapes Scott Morse • Barnes and Noble $5.12 1 $5.12

Magic Pickle And The Creature From The Black Legume Scott Morse • Barnes and Noble $5.12 1 $5.12

Adventures of Tintin: (Adventures of Tintin Series: Three-In-One #2), Vol. 2 Herge, Herg&#xe9, Michael Turner (Translator), Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper (Translator) • Barnes and Noble $12.98 1 $12.98

Adventures of Tintin: (Adventures of Tintin Series: Three-In-One #1), Vol. 1 Herge, Herg&#xe9, Michael Turner (Translator), Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper (Translator) • Barnes and Noble $12.98 1 $12.98

Rapunzel's Revenge Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, Nathan Hale (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $10.25 1 $10.25

Rumpelstiltskin: The Graphic Novel Stone Arch Books, Erik Valdez y Alanis (Illustrator), Retold by Martin Powell • Barnes and Noble $4.22 1 $4.22

Beauty and the Beast: The Graphic Novel Stone Arch Books Staff, Luke Feldman (Illustrator), Retold by Michael Dahl • Barnes and Noble $4.22 1 $4.22

Cinderella: The Graphic Novel Stone Arch Books Staff, Jeffrey Stewart Timmins (Illustrator), Retold by Beth Bracken, Retold by Beth Brezenoff • Barnes and Noble $4.22 1 $4.22

Hansel and Gretel: The Graphic Novel Stone Arch Books, Sean Dietrich (Illustrator), Retold by Donald B. Lemke • Barnes and Noble $4.22 1 $4.22

Red Riding Hood: The Graphic Novel Stone Arch Books, Victor Rivas (Illustrator), Retold by Martin Powell • Barnes and Noble $4.22 1 $4.22

The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick, Brian Selznick (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $17.09 1 $17.09

Over My Dead Body (43 Old Cemetery Road Series) Kate Klise, M. Sarah Klise (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $10.26 1 $10.26

Phonics Comics: Spooky Sara - Level 3 Melanie Marks, Victoria Ball (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $3.41 1 $3.41

Phonics Comics: Super Sam - Level 3 Melanie Marks, Daryll Collins (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $3.41 1 $3.41

Phonics Comics: Twisted Tales II, Level 3 (Phonics Comics Series), Vol. 7 Bobbi Weiss, David Weiss • Barnes and Noble $3.41 1 $3.41

Phonics Comics: Twisted Tales - Level 3 Kitty Richards, Fernando Juarez (Illustrator) • Barnes and Noble $3.41 1 $3.41

Story of Batman Scott Peterson, Rick Burchett (Illustrator), Created by Bob Kane • Barnes and Noble $3.41 1 $3.41

Materials cost			$297.85
Vendor shipping charges			FREE
Sales tax			$17.87
3rd party payment processing fee			$4.47
Fulfillment labor & materials			$9.00
Total project cost			$329.19
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			$72.26
Total project goal			$401.45
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal			$401.45
17 Donors			-$401.45
Donations toward project cost			-$329.19
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$72.26
Still needed View calculation Hide calculation			$0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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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. Dawes and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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Help teachers & students in your hometown this season! Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

This teacher needs your help!

Cool Comics for Comprehension!

My Students

My Project

Project tagged as

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Boost your odds

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

How we calculate what's needed

Project Activity

Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.