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Ms. Scheirman from Fort Collins CO is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

From Animals to Authors

My students need nonfiction animal books to help them discover facts about animals and then use those facts to become authors when writing their own nonfiction books.

  • $1,072 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

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.

My Students

As the media specialist at a Title I neighborhood school, I teach our school population of 450+ students. We have an ELL population of 25% which includes several newcomers to our country, along with a free and reduced lunch population of 65%. Our goal is to make a difference one child at a time. With the diversity of backgrounds, including students whose lives have been impacted by trauma, and the different levels of English language learners, my goal is to work with the classroom teachers to support each student.

Our team focuses on the growth mindset vs the fixed mindset so that our students are eager to learn and to tackle the reading and writing challenges of first grade.

My team includes the three classroom teachers and 70+ first graders. We build reading, writing, math and technology skills to help each child achieve and succeed.

My Project

“Nonfiction, nonfiction,

It’s all true,

It’s all about facts!”

This chant is used to introduce my students to the nonfiction genre. First graders love learning about animals through literature and technology. They not only need to know the traits included in a nonfiction book, they must also write their own nonfiction book based on an animal. In collaboration with the classroom teachers, we use kid-friendly websites and animal non-fiction books to complete a graphic organizer to utilize as they write the chapters and illustrate their own nonfiction books. During media class, I work with the students to help them complete parts of their graphic organizers. Having these books in the classrooms allows students to read and gain knowledge of their animal before writing.

First graders feel empowered when reading authentic nonfiction books at their ability level. My project includes a list of animal books that cover mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish. The books include various facts and nonfiction traits that model good writing. The three copies of each book will allow each first-grade teacher to have a set of books for her classroom. When students have their own copy of the books about their chosen animal in their book basket, they have the opportunity to read them in guided reading groups, during Read-to-Self and Read-to-Someone, and with their 5th grade buddies. Having background knowledge from the animal books and being able to identify the nonfiction book traits of photographs, captions, labels, bold text, maps, close-ups, table of contents, index, and glossary, will encourage them to use these traits in their own nonfiction writing. With these books and a growth mindset, first graders will successfully go from animals to authors.

Ms. Scheirman
Grades PreK-2

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Mandrill: Amazing Fun Facts and Pictures about Mandrill for Kids • Amazon Business $9.99 3 $29.97
Amazing Animals: Tortoises • Amazon Business $8.99 3 $26.97
Hippopotamuses (Amazing Animals) • Amazon Business $8.76 3 $26.28
Gorillas (Animals I See at the Zoo) • Amazon Business $8.15 3 $24.45
Seedlings: Wild Horses • Amazon Business $7.99 3 $23.97
The Story of the Okapi (Fabulous Animals) • Amazon Business $7.99 3 $23.97
Colorful Peacocks (Pull Ahead Books) • Amazon Business $7.95 3 $23.85
Amazing Animals: Iguanas • AKJ Education $6.56 3 $19.68
Frilled Lizards • AKJ Education $6.56 3 $19.68
Clownfish • AKJ Education $6.02 3 $18.06
Kangaroos • AKJ Education $6.02 3 $18.06
African Wild Dogs (Elementary Explorers) • Amazon Business $5.99 3 $17.97
Aye-Ayes (Elementary Explorers) • Amazon Business $5.99 3 $17.97
Aardvarks (Elementary Explorers) • Amazon Business $5.99 3 $17.97
Gila Monsters • AKJ Education $5.95 3 $17.85
Grizzly Bears • AKJ Education $5.95 3 $17.85
Crocodiles • AKJ Education $5.95 3 $17.85
Seedlings: Flamingos • AKJ Education $5.83 3 $17.49
Zebras • AKJ Education $5.83 3 $17.49
Seedlings: Geckos • AKJ Education $5.83 3 $17.49
Soaring Bald Eagles • AKJ Education $5.80 3 $17.40
Poison Dart Frogs Up Close • AKJ Education $5.80 3 $17.40
American Black Bears • AKJ Education $5.32 3 $15.96
Rhinoceroses • AKJ Education $5.32 3 $15.96
Camels • AKJ Education $5.32 3 $15.96
Toads • AKJ Education $5.32 3 $15.96
Seal (A Day in the Life: Sea Animals) • Amazon Business $5.15 3 $15.45
Pythons • AKJ Education $5.10 3 $15.30
Salamanders • AKJ Education $5.10 3 $15.30
Explore My World Snow Leopards • Amazon Business $4.99 3 $14.97
Lemur • AKJ Education $4.96 3 $14.88
National Geographic Readers: Polar Bears • AKJ Education $4.49 3 $13.47
National Geographic Readers: Alligators and Crocodiles • AKJ Education $4.49 3 $13.47
National Geographic Readers: Snakes! • AKJ Education $4.49 3 $13.47
Curious About Orangutans (Smithsonian) • Amazon Business $3.99 3 $11.97
Chameleons (Elementary Explorers) • Amazon Business $3.67 3 $11.01
National Geographic Readers: Elephants • AKJ Education $3.64 3 $10.92
National Geographic Kids Readers: Real Dragons (L1/Co-reader) • AKJ Education $3.64 3 $10.92
National Geographic Readers: Frogs! • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
National Geographic Readers: Frogs! • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
National Geographic Readers: Bats • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
National Geographic Readers: Lions • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
National Geographic Readers: Penguins! • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
National Geographic Readers: Dolphins • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
National Geographic Readers: Wolves • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
National Geographic Readers: Tigers • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
National Geographic Readers: Red Pandas • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
Turtles • AKJ Education $3.59 3 $10.77
American Alligators • AKJ Education $5.32 2 $10.64
National Geographic Readers: Cheetahs • Amazon Business $3.19 3 $9.57
National Geographic Readers: Giraffes • AKJ Education $2.91 3 $8.73
Cobras • AKJ Education $1.75 3 $5.25

Materials cost

$816.53

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $52.26

3rd party payment processing fee

$12.25

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$911.04

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$160.77

Total project goal

$1,071.81

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,071.81

2 Donors

-$548.40

Donations toward project cost

-$466.14

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$82.26

match offer

-$523.41

Match offer toward project cost

-$444.90

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$78.51

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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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 Ms. Scheirman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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