It's TIME For Kids to Have Fun Reading Non-Fiction!
My students need a year-long subscription to TIME For Kids, a classroom magazine that motivates young readers, while strengthening early non-fiction literacy skills.
I aim to help students develop into lifelong learners, reading for a variety of purposes. Most students can't wait to read a fiction story such as The Giving Tree. They flip page after page in anticipation of what will happen next. Unfortunately, far fewer children will even open a non-fiction book.
I teach an energetic and incredibly diverse population of first graders in Chicago.
This diversity includes socioeconomic status, ethnicity, family structures, and academic abilities. Fifty percent of our students receive free or reduced price lunch. Our school is a small, close-knit community, which has worked diligently over the past seven years to transform the education our students receive. Our mission is to "nurture creative minds and caring hearts that contribute significantly to their communities, through: rich and rigorous academic experiences that are tailored to individual needs, divergent thinking and artistic expression, work in collaborative teams, and supportive partnerships."
My Project
Many beginning readers won't voluntarily read non-fiction text due to lack of interest, confidence or background knowledge. My goal is to use TIME For Kids to help my students approach non-fiction text with the same excitement as they would a Dr. Seuss story!
TIME For Kids is a great resource for first grade learners. Each issue is filled with highly-engaging topics and pictures, written at a level that is accessible to beginning readers. The magazines help give students the knowledge and confidence to attack non-fiction text at an early age. TIME For Kids is a great teaching and learning resource as it integrates student learning across a multitude of content areas.
The magazines will be used in a variety of ways in and out of the classroom. In class, we will use the magazines for shared, independent, and buddy reading, class discussions, written responses, and group projects. Out of the classroom, students will use the magazines for nightly reading, family projects, and enrichment.
By incorporating TIME For Kids into my weekly instruction, I believe students will be motivated to independently read a greater variety of text.
I foresee that they will experience increased confidence and background knowledge when presented with all types of text, but especially the non-fiction genre. With this enhanced motivation and confidence, I hope my first graders will continue on a path of life-long learning through reading!
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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. Kirshner and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.