Our school is in an older building with many leaks. The damp encourages mold, which creeps across the ceiling and walls of our classroom and has drawn the attention of my students. My students want to learn more about mold with a collection of mold-related books.
I would like to use my students' curiosity about mold to inspire them to read multiple texts on a topic.
My urban middle school students, ages 11 to 15, begin the year reading years below grade level. Many are English Language Learners; most have struggled in school for years. We spend several years together in a mixed-grade Language Arts classroom, building reading and vocabulary skills as we explore new topics together.
Because my classroom includes new and developing readers, we need texts with a wide range of Lexiles. Picture books and leveled readers can be important for helping my students progress to grade level reading. Science themes, from fire ants to carnivorous plants, have been especially successful at getting my reluctant readers hooked on reading.
My Project
This appealing collection of 44 books about microscopes and mold will be read by my students as part of a unit in which they investigate fungi using a dissecting microscope. Multiple copies of two titles will allow us to spend time reading together to develop key vocabulary. The collection includes very easy nonfiction and short chapter books; every student in the class will be a full participant in this shared exploration of mold.
Mold can be a significant health risk; this book collection will provide my students with important knowledge which may impact their health for years to come.
Please consider donating to this project to help my students learn important science concepts and vocabulary as they build their reading skills!
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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. Livingstone and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
