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.
Access is everything! It is with this in mind that learning centers have been established in my classrooms to provide an opportunity for students to access information at their level, both in terms of interest and academic ability. My 4th and 5th grade students are working tirelessly to obtain the skills that they need to succeed in life and have come to realize the power of language. While the school rests in a community deemed "high-need", it is the lack of appreciation for and commitment to education that makes our task such a challenging one in this venue. School, for many of our students, is the ONLY place where critical thought and the possibilities of the future are explored, expressed and encouraged.
Due to budget limitations, we are forced to make concessions about which material supplies are most pertinent, squeezing many traditional materials (i.e. dictionaries and thesauruses) out of consideration. A major component of our school day is focused on literacy through a "balanced literacy" approach to instruction. While worksheets hammering grammar and mechanics, parts of speech, etc are not present in our classrooms, we can not deny the importance of mastering these skills. Learning centers is the means by which we attempt to address these foundational skills. We have a student makeup with an extraordinary interest in creative writing but many of their word palettes are limited, stifling their ability to take their interest to the next level academically. Many students often ask "can I borrow a thesaurus so that I can add some new words to my story!"
The request of a thesaurus is, seemingly, a simple one in an institution committed to educating children. However, it is the fulfillment of this small request that can transform our writers from interested in writing to writing as a profession; excited about language to masters of it. This can be made possible by providing dictionary and thesaurus resources for students to access during direct instructional time and beyond. While the bulk of our word study exposure will take place during our word study block and independent work time, students will benefit from the world of words that exists in these resources, in addition to studying the various components of word study that directly affect reading fluency and comprehension.
Fulfilling this request will not only provide access to resources that are staples in academic communities, but will also better prepare our students to accomplish their goals for this school year and beyond. This request was born out of a need expressed by students and your assistance can help us meet their needs. Thank you in advance for your consideration and commitment to providing an optimal education to all children.
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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 Mr. Morris and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.