My students need chart paper to record students' responses, cooperative learning activities, to post lesson objectives, and to post key vocabulary terms.
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
Long are the days when schools would provide teachers with chart paper for their students. Teachers are given $77.00 that is supposed to last the whole year for their students needs. In spite of this lack of financial support, students are expected to pass rigorous standardized tests.
I teach Social Studies to five fifth grade classes in the inner city of one of the five New York City boroughs.
My students come from a predominantly low socioeconomic background. Nevertheless, my students are the most hard working, motivated, and inquisitive students you can have. They really keep me on my toes. They love working in group and it for this reason that I go many group activities. Often, chart paper is used for group work. For example: when students learned about the Civil War, students were divided into groups and each group was given a envelope with the task, images, primary documents, response template, markers, pens, pencils, colorful cardstock, etc. As a group, they had to create a museum exhibit that represented the role of Drummer Boys in the Civil War.
My Project
The chart paper is not only used for group work activities, but is also used by for writing the focus question of the lesson, important vocabulary, notes, and questions to be answered. I depend on chart paper to write, because when I enter a fifth grade classroom, I do not have the option to write on the board. Teachers usually have something written on the board that they do not want erased. Additionally, having the focus question, vocabulary, notes and/or questions eliminates wasting time and allows me to direct the students straight into the lesson.
Now with the Common Core Standards officially being implemented in New York City, it is more important than ever that teachers have all the necessary materials to teach students with the most rigor and efficiency as possible. Charts are often used for graphic organizers as part of scaffolding in helping students understand topics and/or people. Students refer to these graphic organizers when preparing for exams or doing writing tasks.
Chart paper is a basic supply that I need as part of my pedagogy.
Displaying and using these charts in each of the classrooms that I teach would add to the print rich environment. Additionally, my students would be able to refer back to skills and/or information that they have already learned and apply those chart to current tasks. This chart allow my students to become independent learners and resourceful when completing assignments.
More than three‑quarters 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
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