This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
*The following proposal was generously funded in September of 2006. My students became so attached to their new dictionaries that at the end of the school year, I gave each student their own copy to keep and take with them to the eighth grade. Therefore, I am re-submitting the same proposal so that I will be able to share this experience with my new seventh-graders this year.
-------------------------------------------------
I am a seventh-grade English Language Arts teacher at I.S. 190, a middle school in a struggling neighborhood of the South Bronx. As part of the ELA curriculum, I include many lessons dealing with vocabulary within the units that I teach. New words to learn may come from a story that students are preparing to read (unfamiliar words from The Giver), or from a topic that they are preparing to study (poetic terminology). It is necessary for students to engage in vocabulary work, as it gives them an opportunity to preview the elements of future lessons. This type of activity also supports students as they understand and acquire new words to add to their general bank of knowledge.
When introducing new vocabulary, I often list the words on chart paper and have my students locate these words in the dictionary; students are also required to record the definitions in their notebook and create an original sentence using each word in its proper context. My students must have access to dictionaries in order to complete this exercise. Over the years, my classroom supply has dwindled, due to the wear-and-tear of constant use. I am in need of a new set of dictionaries. Thirty copies will allow each student his/her own copy. A new set will allow me to continue to teach and offer new learning experiences for my students. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this proposal!
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
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 Ms. Williams and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
