At the end of the quarter, I would like to say that my Honors English I class is a rather special group of students. They are driven and focused. They are learning to advocate for themselves and often ask many questions, so many, in fact, that I am sometimes unable to answer all of them during class time, which is very encouraging. They enjoy discussing literature and current issues. Additionally, they love to try new things, including different writing strategies. Lastly, they are truly freshmen, coming to their English I course with the excitement of middle school students and the motivation and dedication of high school students to preparing for both the rest of their high school career and their time in university.
These students are a joy to teach.
They see their education as something that they should fully participate in, rather than simply muddle through. My students have worked hard throughout the semester to be open-minded, to always use evidence in analysis and in arguments, to consider other viewpoints and to always see feedback as a necessary part of improving ourselves. I am continually impressed by what these students can do and am looking forward to what’s next!
My Project
Students today need a radically different exposure to literature. They need to feel that what they spend their time reading is engaging, but more so that it is important. Congressman and Civil Rights activist John Lewis’s novel will meet both of those needs. March: Book Three is the final installation in a memoir graphic novel series. In the first books of the series, Congressman Lewis focuses on the lunch counter sit-ins and the freedom riders. All books are exemplary, but through Book Three, Congressman Lewis tells the extraordinary story of voting rights and Selma. While students learn about this movement in school, I often find that few students know any of the important people in this movement beyond Dr. King and Rosa Parks. This novel will teach children about the key figures in the movement as well as the struggles they went through to make life better for so many.
As a graphic novel, this text is a less traditional format that will capture the interest of reluctant readers.
The March series is one the most frequently checked out books in my class library, and I have often found that students thoroughly enjoy graphic novels like Persepolis and Maus. Additionally, this text is meant for young adults and is highly acclaimed, having won many awards, including the Printz Award and the Coretta Scott King Author Award. March: Book Three has also won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, making it the first graphic novel to win a National Book Award.
By donating to this project, you will enable students to become more educated about the Civil Rights Movement through an engaging medium that will inspire students to have a deeper enjoyment of both history and literature. As Art Spiegelman once said, “Comics are a gateway drug to literacy.”
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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. Chambers Lazio and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.