My students need a 24" TOUCH SCREEN all-in-one computer, from which they can view the library catalog, the school web page AND the video book reviews, filmed by and for their peers.
FULLY FUNDED! Dr. Pearson's classroom raised $2,080
This project is fully funded
Celebrating 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
Please help our school library! It is at a K-8 Center. It caters to about 900 kids. We offer fantastic books and online services... but, just like a well-stocked store, if we don't ADVERTISE our wares, nothing is going to move off the shelves...
That's where a touchscreen computer comes in.
Think of your last trip to a museum. What was everybody clustered around? The interactive exhibits, correct? I'd like a touchscreen computer to SELL the library to our students, plus the parents who come here every day before and after classes. I'm itching to tell you more about what will be on the computer, but first, a little info about our school. You already know that it is a K-8 Center, and that we have around 900 kids. We are located in South Florida. Approximately 85% of our students, according to the government, come from 'low-income households'. That's because their parents tend to be immigrants with low-paying jobs in the local tourism industry. They are too busy trying to get along in their new country to invest time or money in the school PTA. That's important! The difference between a struggling school and an affluent school is a strong PTA. We don't have that advantage - which is why Donors Choose is such a godsend to us.
My Project
Now... let's return to that touchscreen computer. How will we use it?. I'm going to have my 8th graders film students from any other grade as they give one-minute book reviews. These can be uploaded to a site like schooltube.com, where schools can post their own videos. Then, I put links to the videos on the school's web page. Kids will access the videos by touching photographs of the reviewers! This is more than just a cute idea. It makes a lot of sense: the tendency is for kids to check out books from popular series, and to neglect other books. We have some great reads on the shelves that just don't get selected. These video book reviews should help kids make the most of our collection. Secondly, we will highlight the school website, which features great online encyclopedia, the library catalog, children's news sites, and a guide to museums and libraries in town. What I really want to sell to kids (and parents!) are the encyclopedia, as more and more of our non-fiction section is online.
Imagine that you are running a store.
The shelves are packed with great merchandise, but it is not displayed or advertised...doesn't make sense, does it? It is really sad how many great books in our library go neglected. I think the video book reviews are a fantastic way to whet our kids' appetites for these titles. I have a feeling that they will work particularly well with our middle schoolers. So let's SELL the library! LET'S ADVERTISE!
Half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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 Dr. Pearson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
