Isaac Newton Middle School - Math & Science in New York, New York on DonorsChoose

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Several panels contain visual references that my students didn't understand - for example a panel of the character being buried in a flag-draped coffin. Several robust discussions were held trying to figure out what the meant and represented. It did not occur to me that students didn't understand the symbolism and the real honor being depicted. But it served as an incredible set of lessons. \r\n\r\nThank you again for helping to fund this project.","fullyFundedDate":1756088724852,"projectUrl":"project/rewriting-literacy-representation-and-i/9607557/","projectTitle":"Rewriting Literacy: Representation and Inclusion Through Graphic Novels","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Leslie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9908102_orig.png?crop=315,315,x30,y41&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754919554782","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9908102"},{"teacherId":9908102,"projectId":9514616,"letterContent":"Your donations to this project helped make a direct and substantive impact on my students' learning. Reluctantly adjusting to the return of academic expectations, students were immediately drawn to the \"Graphic Novel Cart\" display (see pics). They immediately began exploring. \r\n\r\nI thought maybe a few students might recognize a title, an author, a series. In the first few weeks I realized almost every student had read at least one author, one series, one novel. Conversations flowed, discussions ensued. Having students so excited from the outset generates valuable momentum that continues today. \r\n\r\nThere's an immediate camaraderie amongst students and instant learning buy in. My students are personally motivated and vested in the work we're doing. A few students' enthusiasm about Raina Telgemeier proved contagious - the best possible peer pressure! Not long after a student suggested they \"all read 'Drama' and write an essay on it.\" What?!? Independently volunteering to do MORE work??? You got it! The book has been assigned with an outline for a thematic essay. \r\n\r\nA most sincere thank you on behalf of my students and myself for helping to fund this project.","fullyFundedDate":1755703476809,"projectUrl":"project/read-it-write-it-say-it-20/9514616/","projectTitle":"Read It, Write It, Say It 2.0","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Leslie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9908102_orig.png?crop=315,315,x30,y41&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754919554782","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9908102"},{"teacherId":9908102,"projectId":9080756,"letterContent":"For speech interventions to have an impact SLPs need to win over their students to get full participation and engagement. I make sure sessions are fun as well as functional, especially in the beginning when self-conscious students are reluctant to engage with a new therapist. \r\n\r\nMy students are sharp, funny, opinionated, and have no qualms about letting me know when they don't like something! Of the materials funded by your support, Clue, Blurt, and Hangman were the instant favorites and are the most requested. Others, like Dixit, was introduced and is only now gaining traction as we review story elements in preparation for ELA exams. After much debate, we finally cracked open Azul and after some initial hesitation, we've finally got a monster game that's carried over week to week.\r\n \r\nUpwards has slowly been accepted into rotation, once I modified the game to support struggling spellers. Using the game to address phonological and phonemic awareness,I set up the board with a target word that can be modified by changing only one vowel or consonant letter. Students get only 1 letter, and the rest of the tiles are up for grabs. They must play they're own letter first, and if the change doesn't make a legitimate word, they can select from the free tiles to make corrections. \r\n\r\nThe first time we played each student had a vowel: A, O, I, and E and the target was BAT. Slowly we've been able to move through different vowel families and recently began vowel combinations and consonant blends - two are the sound groups most of my students struggle to comprehend. In fairness, it IS kinda crazy B+L combine to make a single sound - the \"bull\" sound one 7th grader calls it!\r\n\r\nI now have several groups who regularly request to play, a big improvement considering my students will do anything to avoid having to spell words without the support of auto-correct and predictive text.\r\n\r\nBy far the MOST favorite item in my project was something I didn't think anyone but a small set of students would enjoy. The SLIME! 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About this school

Isaac Newton Middle School - Math & Science is an urban public school in New York, New York that is part of New York City Dept Of Ed. It serves 256 students in grades 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 16.0:1. Its teachers have had 38 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades 6 - 8

256 Students

16 Teachers

260 Pleasant Ave

New York, NY 10029 View local requests

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Isaac Newton Middle School - Math & Science Teachers on DonorsChoose

Mr. Clarke

Mrs. Goldstein-Mirowitz

Ms. Leslie

Ms. Natalia

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Isaac Newton Middle School - Math & Science Demographics

95%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

94%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Isaac Newton Middle School - Math & Science Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 24, 2025

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