My students need an easel in our class meeting area. The easel will be used for shared reading and shared writing, two important components in our language arts program.
My first graders are just beginning to learn to read. Some have had good modeling and understand the processes of writing. Others do not know where to begin when trying to read or write! Our meeting area has no place for storing literacy materials, and lacks a sturdy easel for reading and writing.
My 25 students are darling students who come from a variety of backgrounds.
Our school is in California, and our class was put together just days before school started due to sudden overcrowding. I have two students who are just beginning to learn English. One student recently immigrated from Israel, the other from Taiwan. My students take great pride in our classroom and school. They are eager to learn and participate enthusiastically in literacy activities.
My Project
Last year I taught in a school where I had an easel just like this and it changed my teaching! Shared reading and shared writing became easier to do and more effective. When students are gathered on the floor, close to the easel, it is easier to keep them engaged. They are so focused on the lesson on the easel or the poem in the pocket chart, that they do not get distracted. Each morning, our class will choose a work of literature or poetry to read together. Students will take turns using pointers to track each word, and lead the class in reading together. During shared writing, I will attach sentence strips to the easel with magnets, and together, the students and I will compose sentences, while stretching out each word and practicing phonics skills. We will write those sentences letter by letter! During other parts of the day, the easel will help focus students on writing workshop lessons, math lessons with magnetic materials, list- and chart-making, and storage of literacy tools.
Having this easel will make a huge difference for my students because we will be able to proceed with innovative literacy and math activities.
Being a California school, we have had budgets slashed... and since my class was added just before school started, there were few supplies or resources for me to use. This easel will be used multiple times every single day by my entire class!
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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. Franke and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.