Our 5th-grade class is very diverse. We come from a variety of social, economic, religious, and racial backgrounds. We speak different languages and perform on a variety of different academic ability levels. We all come to school each day with a wide range of gifts, talents, interests, issues, hopes, and fears.
Despite these differences, there are so many more ways we are alike and connected.
None of us have been in classrooms since March. We have learned remotely since then and are adjusting to a new "normal." We are uncertain about what this school year will look like, but we know we will not be using and sharing materials as we would have during lessons on a typical school day in years past. We are all, however, excited to get back to learning and we cannot wait to share what we know. We are still curious, will ask a lot of questions, and will celebrate when we are successful at learning new things. Most importantly, we will work hard while appreciating everyone's unique voice and talents to support our varying needs in order to succeed. We know our teamwork is what will make our dreams work!
My Project
My classes always love reading, but our shared library and materials may not be an option this coming school year. Since students may need personal, and possibly digital, copies of texts, Scholastic's Storyworks Magazine is the perfect solution for students to learn about a wide variety of literary genres. This magazine is filled with high-interest fiction (reader's theater, poetry) and nonfiction pieces (news articles, biographies, opinion pieces). By using Storyworks Magazine in whole-group, independent, and virtual reading settings, students will be sure to show growth in their vocabulary, use of comprehension strategies, and with broader social connections.
Making connections with a text is important and necessary for greater understanding.
Doing so hooks children to want to read more! Storyworks will do just this by enabling students to find links to other texts that correlate with settings, characters, or problems faced in other stories they have read. Students always seem to want to read more when they make critical connections to real-life people, places, and issues that they may have experienced themselves, or seen going on in the world around them. Exposure through good stories helps them to process and understand broader ideas like the various cultures of their peers, their socioemotional growth, and the bigger events happening beyond our school walls.
The variety of texts presented in this magazine will also become reflected in their writing since we will rely on these passages as mentor texts to help students grow as writers. They will be inspired by and discover a new style of writing they like when they are exposed through this literary resource. A work from this magazine can help students develop their own writing style and voice. Storyworks print and digital magazines are one of the best resources we can provide our readers with this coming school year.
More than half 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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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. Anderson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
