You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

See this teacher's page

This teacher needs your help!

Ms. DiMatteo from Wilmington, DE is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. DiMatteo is requesting
Fully Funded

Ms. DiMatteo's classroom raised $234

We Read in Black, Now Let's See Black

My students need books with strong black representation. Books that reflect their beautiful self.

This project expired on December 10, 2018.

Classroom photo
Ms. DiMatteo profile photo
Ms. DiMatteo Thomas A Edison Charter School
Wilmington, DE Grades 3-5

My Students

My third grade classroom is filled with curiosity, love, and craziness! All 22 students are special in their own unique way, with varying interests and skills that they bring to our classroom community. We are classified as a Title 1 school with more than 95% of our school receiving free or reduced lunch. We are located in inner city Wilmington, rated as having the highest rate of kids being shot in all of America. The challenges many face at home shape each student differently and sometimes school is considered their safe haven. A place away from the chaos that is their life. While each student may not be able to bring in all their school supplies, they do bring in a curious mind that is ready to learn and grow. Many of them are greatly inspired by those who look and have similar backgrounds to them.

Many students in my classroom get tired of reading the same type of books with the same race of characters.

My Project

While I always tried to keep my eye out on books with black representation, they are not always as easy to come by. In fact, The NY Times shared a story in 2013 stating, "Of 3,200 children’s books published in 2013, just 93 were about black people, according to a study by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin." Not only do I get frustrated, but so do the students. While they are appreciative of the collection I have provided, it simply is not enough. Many students reread my bin of black history books because they are fascinated and inspired of the stories told. For this project I explored Amazon and was pleased to find a nice selection! I chose both black history books and books with black characters who are around the same age as my students.

They need to see a reflection of themselves in the books they read.

The books I added range in reading level and styles, from picture books to chapter books. We review and practice how to care for our classroom books at the beginning of the year and continue to remind each other throughout the year. I am proud to say all the new books I introduced last October still look brand new! I cannot wait to see their faces when they find a large collection of books with characters they can more easily identify with.

I am hoping by adding a more relatable collection of books, my students love for reading will grow even more.

Equity Focus

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

22 students impacted 5 donors
Ms. DiMatteo Thomas A Edison Charter School Grades 3-5

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Wilmington, DE View local requests

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

22 students impacted 5donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. DiMatteo is requesting.

See our finances

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

You can start a project with the same resources being requested here!

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History (Vashti Harrison) • Amazon Business $12.90 1 $12.90
June Peters, You Will Change The World One Day • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
Look What Brown Can Do! • Amazon Business $8.99 1 $8.99
If You Were a Kid During the Civil Rights Movement • Amazon Business $7.85 1 $7.85
President of the Whole Fifth Grade (President Series) • Amazon Business $6.80 1 $6.80
Twintuition: Double Dare • Amazon Business $6.71 1 $6.71
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Episode 1: The Quest for Screen Time (Volume 1) • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Episode 2: The Ladek Invasion (Volume 2) • Amazon Business $5.99 1 $5.99
Quarterback Rush (Sports Illustrated Kids Graphic Novels) • Amazon Business $5.95 1 $5.95
STAT #4: Schooled (STAT: Standing Tall and Talented) • Amazon Business $5.69 1 $5.69
Trivia Queen, Third Grade Supreme (Ruby and the Booker Boys #2) • Amazon Business $5.39 1 $5.39
Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up • Amazon Business $5.34 1 $5.34
Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Terrible Terrel • Amazon Business $4.99 1 $4.99
Sugar Plum Ballerinas #3: Perfectly Prima • Amazon Business $4.99 1 $4.99
STAT #5: Most Valuable (STAT: Standing Tall and Talented) • Amazon Business $4.79 1 $4.79
STAT: Standing Tall and Talented #2: Double Team • Amazon Business $4.79 1 $4.79
Miami Gets It Straight (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)) • Amazon Business $4.78 1 $4.78
Twintuition: Double Vision • Amazon Business $4.55 1 $4.55
Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix-Up • Amazon Business $4.54 1 $4.54
STAT: Standing Tall and Talented #1: Home Court • Amazon Business $4.54 1 $4.54
STAT #3: Slam Dunk: Standing Tall and Talented • Amazon Business $4.54 1 $4.54
Toeshoe Trouble (Sugar Plum Ballerinas, Book 2) • Amazon Business $4.53 1 $4.53
Twintuition: Double Trouble • Amazon Business $4.40 1 $4.40
Keena Ford and the Field Trip Mix-Up • Amazon Business $4.34 1 $4.34
Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest Episode 3: Muffin Wars (Volume 3) • Amazon Business $4.28 1 $4.28
Rock Star #1 (Jada Jones) • Amazon Business $4.00 1 $4.00
Class Act #2 (Jada Jones) • Amazon Business $4.00 1 $4.00
Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Sugar Plums to the Rescue! • Amazon Business $3.99 1 $3.99
Sugar Plum Ballerinas #1: Plum Fantastic • Amazon Business $3.40 1 $3.40
Miami Jackson Sees It Through (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)) • Amazon Business $3.26 1 $3.26

Materials cost

$166.30

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$2.49

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$198.79

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$35.08

Total project goal

$233.87

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $233.87

5 Donors

-$216.22

Donations toward project cost

-$198.79

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$17.43

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$17.65

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

View complete list Show less

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

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 Ms. DiMatteo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":false,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"DE","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":2,"name":"Elementary School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/we-read-in-black-now-lets-see-black/3490695/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":22,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. DiMatteo","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"1051042847","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"photosPublished":false,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"Wilmington","teachersOnPage":[5273195],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":false,"proposalId":3490695,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"schoolId":70853,"schoolName":"Thomas A Edison Charter School","authorIds":{"5273195":{"owner":"Ms. DiMatteo","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[3490695],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5273195_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1526555565280","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":21159703,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":[],"teacherId":5273195,"schoolCounty":"New Castle","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"DE","name":"Delaware"}}