The students in our ELA class are sweet, kind, and dedicated learners who comprise many of the most challenged populations. Among our grade appropriate learners, we have a mixture of students who are transient, struggle with learning and behavior challenges, and suffer from anxiety and developmental disorders. It is so heartwarming to see that they still have the desire to learn and grow. When teaching any middle school population, keeping interest in the content we deliver is vital, and having high interest materials can often "make-or-break" our students progress with reading and writing.
Our students are so appreciative of the fact that we try to provide high-interest reading selections, when the challenge of trying to find them on their own can be a real struggle for them!
Many of our books are now no longer of interest as they are close to thirty years old, not too mention that they are torn and tattered from years of close to 140 kids a year reading and absorbing material from them. It will be a real treat to provide them new high-interest materials.
My Project
Harry Potter will provide the high-interest reading material that my students are eager to absorb! In addition to hooking kids on reading with this interesting story, we will use the major themes throughout the book regarding racism and prejudice as a way to teach children how to love one another and accept differences. We will also research and explore England's traditions, the different types of owls, and exactly what centaurs are in literature.
Harry's experiences will provide valuable lessons to readers: it will encourage them to question the world around them, it will show them that education can be a foundation to build resourcefulness, and that failure doesn't mean giving up.
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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. Basinski and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.