Teaching 4th grade in the community where I grew up really is my dream come true! Oftentimes I feel guilty for liking my job so much, but I am truly having a wonderful first year of teaching. Starting from scratch is pretty difficult for a new teacher, but I have been successful in helping my students learn to enjoy school and learning, and I'm very proud of this accomplishment. Much of this is due to the fact that I work diligently trying to keep my lessons hands-on and fun as much as possible; however, this becomes very expensive when my school cannot purchase the majority of the supplies and resources that I need. I need your help!
Many of my students live in low-income families and have no or very few books at home, so I am planning on completing our final 6 weeks of school with various novels instead of a basal reader. Many of my students have never read what they refer to as "real books." This means that they've never read a novel. I read "Stone Fox" to the class at the beginning of the year, and they absolutely loved it. I really feel that my plan of using novels, literature circles, and other novel-related lessons will make a difference in how my students view reading.
I want to provide each student with a copy of "Because of Winn-Dixie." I believe that many of my students will be able to relate to the main character, Opal. We have lots of discussions in class about story characters. Several of my students have mentioned the movie "Because of Winn-Dixie," but none have read the book. By reading the book, playing the game (which is included in this proposal), and completing the activities from the activity guide, I know that I can encourage my students to begin reading because they want to--not because it's their homework! Also, the audio CD will help students who are absent to catch up on reading, and my lower readers will benefit from the CD. At the end of the unit I plan to have a "pet day" at school in which students and families are encouraged to bring their pet to school. This will encourage families to be involved in their child's education. I plan to do this each year, so the investment in the "Winn-Dixie" materials will last for years to come.
Your help will make a difference in the lives of my students as well as my ability as a teacher. I purchase so many things for my classroom, but this is something that is more than I can afford right now. You can make it possible for my 4th graders to have a positive experience with their first "real book." Reading is so important--I can remember hating reading until my 6th grade teacher gave me the book "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. Very reluctantly I began the book, and I was surprised to fall in love with reading! I wound up reading "Little Women" countless times. It was the first novel I ever received for Christmas. You see, my teacher really changed my life. I want to instill a love of reading to my students, too.
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. Bencic and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
