This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
It's a fact of life, children of a certain age, especially boys, are fascinated by anything that can be labeled gross. Publishers have taken advantage of this interest to create educational series packed full of information, but presented in an irreverent, gross-out format. Students eat them up.
I am the librarian in an elementary school.
Most of my students are struggling readers. Our neighborhood is plagued by violence and poverty; students cannot walk to the nearby public library. This is the fourth year our school library has been open. The students have been extremely pleased to have a library; parents and teachers are supportive as well. The entire school is focused on improving reading ability. The library contributes to this effort by providing material that students want to read. Studies show that students who are able to self-select their reading material make the most reading gains.
My Project
One genre that students like is disgusting science. The few disgusting books we have are held together with tape, glue, and hope, because they are so widely circulated. Students pour over the books together in the lunchroom and during classroom free reading time; they read their favorite passages out loud to each other over and over. Students constantly ask me if I have any more of this type of book. The titles I am requesting would be enthusiastically received. Because children have a "collect them all" mentality, once a reader reads one of these, he or she will return for all the others. The science in these particular books is excellent, so readers absorb a lot of knowledge when they select these titles. Students are fascinated by plants, animals, and urban water treatment, when these topics are presented as disgusting science.
The "disgusting" books I have requested will appeal to readers from 3rd to 8th grade.
Fluency and comprehension will improve as the books are used. An appetite for science will also be nurtured, leading readers to explore other books on the same topics. Your gift will inspire children to persevere with both reading and science, subjects vital for their futures. In the present time, they will have a wonderful experience being grossed out by disgusting science.
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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. Barton and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.