A typical day working in my classroom looks like students engaged in meaningful learning, using many outdated resources. We spend lots of time reading and discussing books. Students are engaged in meaningful discussions around the books they are reading. My students want to participate in book club.
My students are mostly 6th graders, many of whom love to read but don't have the access to books.
We have many great books in our classroom but they are eager to work together. My students work great cooperatively. Our school encourages students to participate in cooperative learning groups. My students have learned how to appropriately work in a group and they have grown so much in the last couple of years. Most of my students come from low income families without many opportunities to use technology. My students are very proficient with the school computers and most have used a tablet of some sort at the primary grade levels, but as they get older the resources available seem to be dwindling.
My Project
One of the activities that my students will use the Amazon Fire tablets for are literature circles. I would load chapter books onto the Fire's and they would be able to go through the book in small cooperative groups. Students will be able to hold group book club discussions and answer text based questions.
Having the Amazon Fire's would motivate my students to get excited about reading. At 12 years old many of my students need a little extra encouragement to read. If I was to get these Amazon Fires, multiple groups would be able to use the tablets at different points in the day. I would be able to load books at their levels, thus being able to differentiate by students ability and interest. They would read together and would complete group work, projects, and web based activities using this tool. Students will be able to research materials and use this tool for informational writing pieces.
I recently read somewhere that mobile devices and tablets have given teachers and students more capability in the palm of their hand, than the astronauts took to the moon more than 40 years ago.
This would make a significant difference in the way I am able to deliver reading instruction in my classroom. I have many books but not enough of each book for students to all read the book at the same time. Funding this project would make this dream a reality for 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 Mrs. Mirrione and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.