You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

See this teacher's page

This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Russell from Olathe, KS is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Russell is requesting

Mirror and Window Books

Help me give my students books through which they can see themselves, and learn about others.

FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Russell's classroom raised $767

This project is fully funded

My Project

My students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures, and also experience a wide range of socioeconomic situations at home. This diversity is amazing, and something that makes my school unique and special. However, although my students have the luxury of sharing a classroom with students who may be different from them, our children's literature is not nearly as diverse.

My students need books that are both "mirrors" and "windows," meaning that they need books that they can see themselves in, and also books that help them see the humanity in those that are different from them, too.

Unfortunately, many of the stories in our classrooms and libraries do not reflect the diverse group that reads them. Specifically, black and brown students are underrepresented. Stories about Native people, and stories representing cultures found all around the world are far and few between. Stories with various family structures, neurodivergence, and many other types of "different" are lacking on our shelves. This does not serve any of our students well because many of them are not affirmed by seeing themselves in what they read at school. Further, students who are well represented in literature are not being exposed to other stories and different cultures. They don't have a "window" to look through, helping them learn about others.

My project is not going to fix this problem entirely, but it will help to address the issue. By specifically choosing to read books that depict and are written by underrepresented people and communities, my students will be more apt to see themselves in, and empathize with their stories. Please help me provide "windows" and "mirrors" for my amazing students.

Ms. Russell Countryside Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Olathe, KS View local requests

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

20 students impacted 4donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Russell is requesting.

See our finances

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

You can start a project with the same resources being requested here!

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
10 Book Bundle - Lee & Low Anti-Racism Collection (Grades PreK-2 Book Set) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $100.00 1 $100.00
Anti-Racist Art Activities for Kids: 30+ Creative Projects that Celebrate Diversity and Inspire Change • Amazon Business $20.66 1 $20.66
Remember (hardcover) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $20.00 1 $20.00
Who Am I? (Own Voices, Own Stories) • Amazon Business $18.99 1 $18.99
Two New Years • Amazon Business $18.60 1 $18.60
Islandborn (hardcover) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
The 1619 Project: Born on the Water (hardcover) • MahoganyBooks $17.09 1 $17.09
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (hardcover) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $17.00 1 $17.00
Berry Song (Caldecott Honor Book) • Amazon Business $16.99 1 $16.99
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History (hardcover) • MahoganyBooks $16.19 1 $16.19
Stand Up!: 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change • Amazon Business $15.99 1 $15.99
Too Much!: An Overwhelming Day • Amazon Business $15.98 1 $15.98
Ho'onani: Hula Warrior • Amazon Business $15.82 1 $15.82
Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman • Amazon Business $15.29 1 $15.29
Everybody Has a Body • Amazon Business $14.59 1 $14.59
A Crown for Corina • Amazon Business $14.40 1 $14.40
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag (hardcover) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $14.00 1 $14.00
Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story • Amazon Business $13.99 1 $13.99
My Two Border Towns • Amazon Business $13.69 1 $13.69
Punky Aloha • Amazon Business $13.49 1 $13.49
Ramen for Everyone • Amazon Business $13.39 1 $13.39
Watercress • Amazon Business $12.99 1 $12.99
Birdsong • Amazon Business $12.79 1 $12.79
Cinderelliot: A Scrumptious Fairytale • Amazon Business $12.39 1 $12.39
Powwow Day • Amazon Business $11.99 1 $11.99
Skin Like Mine (paperback) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $11.00 1 $11.00
Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors (paperback) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $11.00 1 $11.00
Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth • Amazon Business $10.57 1 $10.57
Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls Rights (paperback) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $10.00 1 $10.00
Voices in the Park • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
The Perfect Sushi • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Call Me Max (Max and Friends Book 1) • Amazon Business $8.95 1 $8.95
India (Blastoff! Readers: Exploring Countries) (Exploring Countries: Blastoff! Readers, Level 5) • Amazon Business $7.99 1 $7.99
Max on the Farm (Max and Friends, 3) • Amazon Business $7.75 1 $7.75

Materials cost

$561.55

Vendor shipping charges

 $12.00

Sales tax

 $39.59

3rd party payment processing fee

$8.42

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$651.56

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$114.98

Total project goal

$766.54

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $766.54

3 Donors

-$382.98

Donations toward project cost

-$326.03

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$56.95

match offer

-$382.98

Match offer toward project cost

-$325.53

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$57.45

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$0.58

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

View complete list Show less

Give the most requested basic supplies

See teacher requests

Give back to your community

Find opportunities to impact local needs by exploring a map of classroom projects near you.

See local area

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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. Russell and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"KS","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":1,"name":"Early Education"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/mirror-and-window-books/7932855/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":20,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Russell","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"1158923606","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"photosPublished":false,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"Olathe","teachersOnPage":[2400313],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":true,"proposalId":7932855,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":1,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":54093,"schoolName":"Countryside Elementary School","authorIds":{"2400313":{"owner":"Ms. Russell","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[7932855],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2400313_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x0,y94&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692746060938","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":20430991,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":{"completingDonationAmount":228,"proposalURL":"project/baby-chicks-plants-and-supplies-oh-my/9636255/","matchingFund":{"matchingKey":"26Olathe","matchImpactMultiple":2.0,"donorSalutation":"Olathe Public Schools Foundation","multipleForDisplay":"2X","ownerRegion":null,"name":"Olathe Public Schools Foundation","type":"AUTO_DONATION_MATCH","amount":0.00},"proposalTitle":"Baby Chicks, Plants, and Supplies, Oh My!","proposalId":9636255},"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":[],"teacherId":2400313,"schoolCounty":"Johnson","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"KS","name":"Kansas"}}