My students are a diverse group of individuals ranging from grades 9-12 who live in a low socioeconomic community. As teenagers, they struggle to find materials and activities on their own that pique their unique interests, foster a love of reading, and which nurture different ideas or ways to learn. They are also often without access to these resources at home or elsewhere in the community. Our school library serves to instruct students on how to independently locate engaging reading material to meet their individual needs and provide them with opportunities for varied learning experiences. However, due to limited space, funds, and resources, students don't always have the means to delve into our entire library collection or complete interactive tasks and activities.
At this stage in their education and development, it is vitally important to build and improve students' life, literacy, and critical thinking skills.
iPads can offer our students a way to work on all three! With resources that will help them cultivate independence, encourage a love of books and reading, and stimulate their young minds, students will not only be able to use these abilities in the library, but in their day-to-day lives as well.
My Project
Though our student enrollment is high, our school library is relatively small and can only accommodate about 10% of our student body at a time. It is composed of several bookshelves, tables for work and study, and a computer lab. If the lab section of the library is reserved for a class conducting research or completing projects, students who are trying to locate a book independently are unable to search the online card catalog on one of the lab computers. While perusing the shelves often yields a decent selection, students don't have the ability to explore their interests and locate hidden treasures by using the online card catalog. The online card catalog offers results based on searches by keywords, titles, authors, subjects, and series names and is ideal for honing in on a good book. With the use of designated stations and tools to access this helpful resource, students will be able to freely examine all of the reading material the library has to offer.
This iPad technology will not only promote self-sufficiency and resourcefulness, but can also be used to facilitate an interactive discovery process.
Students could use the iPads to scan QR codes that reveal both fiction and nonfiction book trailers, author information, film adaptations, and more. In addition, these devices could be used in a Makerspace capacity with students conducting activities that promote inquiry and invention such as coding and creating stop animation movies, games, music, stories, etc. It's potential to allow students to utilize the library more effectively and extensively in a multitude of ways is incredibly priceless.
Ultimately, we hope that with the aide of these devices, students will become life-long learners, readers, and makers!
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. Taylor and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
