The cost of 40 copies of the following books: Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery, Milkweed, Tears of a Tiger, Bronx Masquerade, The Revealers, and She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall is $1711, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
There are so many things for middle school students to do other than read, but there is no doubt that reading outside of classroom assignments improves students' academic performance. In fact, the amount of independent reading students do is the number one indicator for academic success. Middle school is a time when peer relationships become very important and having the opportunity to talk about books with friends in a non-graded atmosphere really increases interest in reading for pleasure. A school-wide book club that is attended by both students and teachers is a great way to get students talking about books, and reading more of them.
I am the school librarian at a suburban middle school with 540 students of mixed economic backgrounds. The F.R.E.D. (Friends Reading, Eating, and Discussing) Book Club involves up to 70 students and 15 teachers at each meeting. Last year, almost 300 students participated in at least one meeting. All a student has to do to participate is read the selected book. They don't have to commit to come to every meeting and the after school and lunch-time meetings are well attended. Many of our teachers read the books, too, and they serve as mentors and facilitators at the F.R.E.D. meetings.
The cost of providing multiple copies of good books is high. Even with discounts from our suppliers, we can expect to pay over $5.00 per book. With a need for at least 40 copies to circulate among the students and staff, each club meeting requires $200 just to provide the books for the school. Food items, decorations, and door prizes add to the excitement of a meeting, but also to the cost.
A school-wide book club can increase students' interest in independent reading. I would like to have monthly meetings so that as many students as possible will have several opportunities during a school year to participate, but that means that traditional funding methods such as book fairs will not cover the expenses of the program. I carefully select the books for the F.R.E.D. meetings to appeal to a variety of students, especially boys. (If I can get the boys reading in middle school, the girls will come along!) The book selections for this request include the biography of one of the students who was killed at Columbine High School, teen poetry, contemporary fiction, and multicultural fiction.
The funds supplied through the Donors Choose program would expand our F.R.E.D. meetings far beyond what I have been able to accomplish within my means. Would you like to help me provide this motivating experience to all of our students?
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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. German and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.