First graders LOVE to read! But they also love to socialize! Finding authentic ways to support Partner Reading can be a real challenge.
I have the best job ever!
I get to spend the school day with approximately 20 energetic and fun first grade students. Our elementary school is an urban Title 1 school where the vast majority of students receive Free or Reduced Lunch. What we lack in resources, we make up for in fun! My class's favorite memories from first grade include reading with a partner, addition, subtraction, and sight word games, singing, freeze dance, science experiments, and a variety of different art projects. I think it is so cool that their favorite memories include so much learning! That is probably the greatest thing about first graders - - - They LOVE to LEARN!!! I get to tap into their natural desire to learn and they in turn fuel my love of teaching.
My Project
Research shows that Partner Reading is an effective way to support fluency for students who are learning to read. Moreover it is fun to read with a partner! Mary Ann Hoberman has written a fantastic series of books called You Read to Me, I'll Read to You that allow students to read in pairs with opportunities to both read to and listen to each other. Each book includes ten to fifteen different stories with color-coded parts making it easy for students to know when it is their turn to read. The stories themselves are about all kinds of things that appeal to first grade readers: animals, birthdays, friendship, goblins, nursery rhymes, and fairy tales. The illustrations provide humor and necessary support for beginning readers.
By supporting this project, you will be not only be providing two copies of each book in the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series - - - - enough books for ten pairs (twenty students) to partner read simultaneously, but you will also ultimately help to develop a lifetime love of reading for a classroom of beginning readers!
Nearly all 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
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 Mrs. Mueller and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
