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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Smelser from Indianapolis, IN is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Smelser is requesting
Fully Funded

Ms. Smelser's classroom raised $395

Diverse Books for Classroom Book A Day

Help me give my students a diverse collection of books to provide the mirror to see themselves in during our read-alouds.

This project expired on July 4, 2021.

Classroom photo
Ms. Smelser profile photo
Ms. Smelser Mary Evelyn Castle Elementary School
Indianapolis, IN Grades 3-5

My Students

Our school envisions fostering cultural understanding, appreciating differences, and finding strength in diversity. My students are happy and confident third graders who love school. They are part of our school's gifted and talented program, and they aim to succeed and grow as learners each and every day. I encourage them to work both independently and cooperatively on rigorous, authentic and engaging tasks.

We develop global citizens and prepare students to live in a global, multicultural society.

We aim to develop internationally-minded students who recognize their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, thus helping to create a better and more peaceful world.

My Project

Reading is the best part of our day. My students love reading when they get to read books they have chosen independently. They also love our read-aloud time when I choose a chapter book and read it out loud, and we have rich classroom discussions. We also use many texts throughout reading and writing time as mentor texts. I share a great piece of writing and then reference it time and time again, and students try to emulate the author in their own writing. These picture books have been carefully selected to reflect the diverse makeup of my classroom. I want my students to see themselves in the books, as well as be exposed to other perspectives.

My third graders need to hear quality picture books each and every day, especially ones that reflect their unique identity.

They need to be able to find the themes of books on a consistent basis, as well as hear the fluent reading of a short text. They need this shared experience to develop strategies to grow as well-rounded, open-minded human beings.

These books will become the building blocks for my Classroom Book a Day program, based on a program started by Donalyn Miller and brought into the classroom by Jillian Heise. We will take 5-10 minutes every day to read a quality picture book, focus on the theme of the book and share this reading experience. Our goal is to read 180 picture books over the next school year, both traditional favorites and new, soon-to-be loved books.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Nearly all students from low‑income households

30 students impacted 19 donors
Ms. Smelser Mary Evelyn Castle Elementary School Grades 3-5

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Indianapolis, IN 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

30 students impacted 19donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
When We Are Kind / Nihá’ádaahwiinít’íigo (English and Navaho Edition) • Amazon Business $18.95 1 $18.95
She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm • Amazon Business $18.37 1 $18.37
Standing on Her Shoulders • Amazon Business $17.99 1 $17.99
Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles (Who Did It First?) • Amazon Business $17.00 1 $17.00
My Three Best Friends and Me, Zulay • Amazon Business $16.99 1 $16.99
The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story • Amazon Business $16.99 1 $16.99
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos (1) • Amazon Business $16.45 1 $16.45
Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon • Amazon Business $16.19 1 $16.19
The Paper Kingdom • Amazon Business $15.96 1 $15.96
Ohana Means Family • Amazon Business $15.20 1 $15.20
Binny's Diwali • Amazon Business $15.16 1 $15.16
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat • Amazon Business $14.99 1 $14.99
Rolling Thunder • Amazon Business $14.76 1 $14.76
A Girl Like You • Amazon Business $14.69 1 $14.69
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners • Amazon Business $14.39 1 $14.39
My Hair is a Garden • Amazon Business $14.19 1 $14.19
What Is Given from the Heart • Amazon Business $10.99 1 $10.99
Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood • Amazon Business $10.89 1 $10.89
Packs: Strength in Numbers • Amazon Business $8.49 1 $8.49
Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art • Amazon Business $7.95 1 $7.95

Materials cost

$296.59

Vendor shipping charges

 $3.99

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$4.45

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$335.03

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$59.12

Total project goal

$394.15

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $394.15

18 Donors

-$194.98

Donations toward project cost

-$168.64

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$26.34

match offer

-$195.75

Match offer toward project cost

-$166.39

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$29.36

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$3.42

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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Project Activity

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. Smelser and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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