My students need nonfiction books on a wide range of reading levels to start the school year off on the right foot and to keep them growing as readers.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Mendez's classroom raised $570
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
Do you remember the day you started first grade? You probably walked into school with the words of family and friends echoing in your mind, "This year, you'll learn to read!" Now imagine how you would have felt upon entering the classroom, looking around and seeing almost no books waiting for you.
I teach in the South Bronx.
90% of my students receive free lunch. Most come from working class families, where Moms and Dads are working long hours and several generations may be crammed into very, very small apartments. In many cases, the classroom environment is the only place where my students have access to books. These kids love to read and can't seem to get enough of learning new facts about their world.
The majority of my students this upcoming school year were with me last year in kindergarten. Throughout the year they, their parents, and I all worked hard to build the foundations of literacy...to teach them sight words, early phonics skills, and comprehension strategies. Having been granted the opportunity to loop with my class to first grade, I can't wait to pick up where we left off and help these wonderful kids make the leap from emergent to well-developed readers.
My Project
There is, however, one major obstacle standing in our way. The classroom my students and I will inherit this fall is almost completely devoid of books. The teacher who occupied that space this year had to independently acquire all her own materials, and is quite understandably taking them with her for the use of her new class. This leaves me and my students with a serious problem. How can I help them strengthen their reading skills without quality books available on their reading levels?
In order to build a sound foundation for reading, kids need to spend 20-40 minutes a day independently engaged with appropriately leveled texts that give them the opportunity to practice skills and strategies acquired during shared and guided reading. Additionally, the Common Core Standards place a heavy emphasis on childrens' ability to read and comprehend nonfiction texts. As a result, I am seeking funding for a 120 book set of nonfiction texts which span all 1st grade reading levels.
My students absolutely love to read.
Each week when they choose new books for their individual reading baggies the looks on their faces remind me of Christmas morning. Please help me provide them with the range of books they will need to be enspired and challenged all year long!
More than three‑quarters 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
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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. Mendez and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
