This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
Imagine how you would feel if you suddenly had to move to a different country, one in which everyone speaks a language you barely know. Now imagine that you have moved there before you even learned to read or write. Many of my students are in this situation every day.
My students come to this country for a variety of reasons and from many different places, but all of them share a desire to succeed.
They struggle to understand what their teachers are saying and attempt to learn from materials written for native English speakers. They speak Arabic, Bosnian, French, Spanish, Kunama, Lao, Farsi, Nepali, Vietnamese, and Pashto (among others) fluently but cannot read the textbooks because they are written in English. As their ESOL and Sheltered ELA teacher, I do what I can to inspire them to persevere, despite the frustration of being unable to read or express themselves the way they can in their native language or languages.
My Project
Every year, my sixth grade students read Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. They always LOVE this book, but it can be challenging for them because they do not understand all of the vocabulary and English grammar. They struggle through it because it is an amazing and exciting story about a boy who does not fit in and discovers that he is actually a descendant of the Greek god Poseidon and that he is destined to save the world from Zeus's wrath.
This year, we have permission to use the graphic novel instead of the regular book and I am jumping on that chance for my students.
The graphic novel of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief will be MUCH more accessible for them and they will not have to struggle so much just to understand the words on the page. We can spend more time discussing Percy's progress on the Hero's Journey instead of just making sure everyone has basic comprehension of the story. Our discussions can be deeper and more interesting. We'll be able to really analyze the story instead of getting bogged down with basic plot points.
Having a class set of this book will ensure all of us are on the same page!
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. Wallace and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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