My students need opportunities to explore and engage with the natural world around them through a partnership with the Audubon Society.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Begin's classroom raised $4,096
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
Exploring on wild nature walks, binoculars in hand, and investigating the ecology of wild animals is not always possible for students in urban areas. Thanks to our partnership with the Audubon Society, this can happen for our second graders. Since our school was founded, our students have participated in an annual bird study that teaches important research, reading, writing, and environmental awareness skills in an interactive, and truly memorable way.
To fully prepare students for the 21st century, we need to provide them with opportunities to develop collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity skills.
Partnerships with community-based organizations teach students important skills within relevant contexts. These partnerships are expensive and as a school that does not qualify for Title I funding (despite more than 50% of our students being eligible for free or reduced lunch), they can be difficult to maintain. We have to rely on grant funding to make it possible.
Our second-grade classes are vibrant and diverse. One classroom is a self-contained special education class. Another is an integrated co-teaching class. Our third classroom is also comprised of students performing across a wide range of levels.
My Project
Students are participating in the For the Birds! program through the Audubon Society. Each student learns about local birds, habitat preservation, social studies, geography, and research writing skills.
Each program culminates with a field trip to a local park or preserve and/or a habitat project designed to help birds.
Our students benefit from this opportunity to act as real-life scientists and researchers. Student engagement is increased through the hands-on approach and the opportunity to build content knowledge over a series of sessions. This leads to deeper transfer of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. It also provides students with opportunities to engage in STEM learning. Each year, students integrate their new knowledge of birds and their habitats into their non-fiction report books. These books are a touchstone piece of the second-grade experience and have been a part of our history for the past twelve years.
More than 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
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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. Begin and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
