Emphasizing Empathy: Bringing Awareness Through Literacy
Help me give my students books to explore the journeys of refugees, migrants, and immigrants, and learn about the trials and tribulations they face along the way.
The students at our school come from many different countries and cultures. Out of my 180 students, there are 12 different home languages spoken between the students and their families. Many of the students are English Language Learners, with school being the only place that English is spoken. Additionally, a multitude of my students have moved to the United States with their families, for a huge range of reasons. They have come from countries where they were in dangerous situations, where there were no opportunities, and some where they were not able to get an education. About 50% of the student population at the school is designated as coming from a low socioeconomic household.
I want to help these students connect to literature and the stories that we read in the classroom as well as help motivate the students to continue to strive to learn to read and write.
Only 44% of the students are meeting state English Language Arts grade level standards. This can be influenced by many factors, but by connecting to students’ lives, students will be more engaged in the learning process.
My Project
By bringing these books and stories to my classroom, I hope to educate and connect with the students about the challenges refugees and immigrants face. These stories may be similar to things that they themselves or their families have experienced, or maybe to a friend’s experience. Learning about others is the first step to developing empathy, something we need more of throughout all aspects of our lives. It is difficult to develop empathy with a complete lack of understanding of what other people have experienced. In creating a positive classroom environment of acceptance and promoting empathy, the students will have a place to voice concerns and receive support. It will also help the students whose families have not had these experiences to relate to other students and people they will meet throughout their lives.
The students will hopefully connect with the stories in some way, which can also be a motivating factor in student achievement.
Many of the students do not connect to the traditional, school provided literature because it does not seem relatable to their lives. Their experiences have been so different than the lives presented in the stories that they are not motivated to read, which affects not only their reading development, but their writing development as well.
Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey (English and Arabic Edition)
• Amazon Business
$18.54
1
$18.54
Four Feet, Two Sandals
• Amazon Business
$18.00
1
$18.00
Teacup
• Amazon Business
$17.09
1
$17.09
The Day War Came
• Amazon Business
$16.99
1
$16.99
Fish for Jimmy: Inspired by One Family's Experience in a Japanese American Internment Camp
• Amazon Business
$16.95
1
$16.95
Flowers for Sarajevo
• Amazon Business
$15.82
1
$15.82
The Dress and the Girl
• Amazon Business
$15.71
1
$15.71
Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books) (Coretta Scott King Honor - Illustrator Honor Title)
• Amazon Business
$15.16
1
$15.16
La Frontera / The Border: El viaje con papá/ My Journey With Papa (Spanish and English Edition)
• Amazon Business
$15.15
1
$15.15
Mama's Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation
• Amazon Business
$14.99
1
$14.99
Marwan's Journey
• Amazon Business
$14.88
1
$14.88
Where Will I Live?
• Amazon Business
$14.86
1
$14.86
Tomorrow
• Amazon Business
$13.68
1
$13.68
A Piece of Home
• Amazon Business
$13.59
1
$13.59
The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees
• Amazon Business
$13.37
1
$13.37
Two White Rabbits
• Amazon Business
$13.26
1
$13.26
Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees
• Amazon Business
$12.95
1
$12.95
Dreamers
• Amazon Business
$12.91
1
$12.91
Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey
• Amazon Business
$12.59
1
$12.59
The Journey
• Amazon Business
$12.56
1
$12.56
The Treasure Box
• Amazon Business
$12.31
1
$12.31
Me And My Fear
• Amazon Business
$12.29
1
$12.29
Spectacularly Beautiful: A Refugee's Story
• Amazon Business
$11.72
1
$11.72
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale (Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children's Book Award (Awards))
• Amazon Business
$11.45
1
$11.45
A Different Pond
• Amazon Business
$11.16
1
$11.16
My Night in the Planetarium
• Amazon Business
$10.60
1
$10.60
Oskar and the Eight Blessings
• Amazon Business
$9.94
1
$9.94
My Two Blankets
• Amazon Business
$9.69
1
$9.69
A Refugee's Journey from Syria (Leaving My Homeland)
• Amazon Business
$8.57
1
$8.57
Home of the Brave
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
The Red Pencil
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
The Name Jar
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
Grandfather's Journey
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
Gleam and Glow
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story
• Amazon Business
$5.49
1
$5.49
Materials cost
$450.21
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$41.19
3rd party payment processing fee
$6.75
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$528.15
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$93.20
Total project goal
$621.35
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$621.35
13 Donors
-$396.26
Donations toward project cost
-$344.32
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$51.94
match offer
-$216.27
Match offer toward project cost
-$183.83
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
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. Guizamano and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.