My classroom is a bright cheerful place where students are eagerly engaged in life long learning. Each day when we sing our way through morning meeting time "I'm looking at you and what do I see....a happy face looking back at me" I'm reminded of how fortunate I am to be with these little ones.
My students are as diverse as could be in this close knit, rural farming community.
This school year marks the opening of a newly formed (not a new building) elementary school, culled from re-districting the existing schools. Choosing to move to this new school was a wonderful decision, as the staff has boundless energy and engagement! However, the per pupil expenditure in this town hovers near the bottom of districts in Massachusetts and approximately half of the school population meets the income requirements to receive free lunch. This means that creativity is required to keep my classroom the exciting, well supplied learning environment that it is.
My Project
First Graders normally share the common trait of loving to learn as long as it is at their own level. In order to love reading, students need texts on their own level and a wide variety of formats and texts to meet each reader.
The book bags I am requesting will keep leveled readers for each student neat and organized.
The remainder of the items on my list are listening center audio books. It has been several years since I've had a working listening center. This year, I bought one for my classroom! Now I need audio books to stock the listening center library. Listening to audio books will be a featured choice for students each day, along with guided reading groups, independent reading, partner reading and word work. These literacy choices will engage each student at their own level and further develop a love of reading.
Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty.
It should be offered to them as a precious gift. (Kate DiCamillo) Please help me to provide a precious gift to my students!
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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. Mason and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.