Mrs. Beaton's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 12

• Historians Unite! Historians Write!

  Funded May 5, 2015

  Thank you so much for your support!

  When I distributed the notebooks at the start of the term, students were so grateful to have supplies given to them, especially those of which struggle to make ends meet.

  My students have been using their notebooks to write in-depth academic arguments, debating the finer points of the sinking of the USS Maine during the Spanish-American War, the current refugee crisis in Syria, and the impact of the Treaty of Versailles. Students are on their way towards writing the kind of analysis that will help them be successful in AP US History, college, and careers.

  Thanks again!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

• US History Students Dig Deep into WW2

  Funded Sep 15, 2015

  My goodness! The impact you've made has been great. We are only six weeks in to the new school year, and students are taking such ownership of their learning.

  My history students have been using their notebooks to build the habit of self-quizzing through the Cornell Notes they've set up in their notebooks. With their first essay test last Friday, I had multiple students express how confident they felt going in to the essay after having taken such thorough notes. Already, I can see their recall and elaboration skills improving.

  Thank you for your generosity! It really does make a difference every single day.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

• Heroes & Villians: The Men of US History

  Funded Dec 13, 2014

  My gosh! I am blown away by your incredible generosity in making this project reality. The texts I have asked for will pique students' curiosity both this year and in years to come; I envision someday having one of the best classroom libraries in the country (seriously!) because I know that the kids of our town deserve it and could benefit from it.

  Every time I tell my students that we've received a classroom donation, I can see the look in their eyes that gratitude is teeming from within them. They are so in awe that there really ARE adults out there who want to support them in the way that you are doing.

  Thank you for being an integral part of the magic that happens in our classroom. Without generosity like yours, my room wouldn't be a fraction of the place it is for kids.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

• The Dilemma of Only Having Book One

  Funded Dec 31, 2014

  There is something awesome about giving kids access to a wide variety of books. Whether my students come from text-poor homes or, in the rare case, homes overflowing with books, one thing is certain: thanks to you, they spend a hour a day in at least one book-rich, reading-is-essential environment.

  Your donation of the next-books-in-the-series has already created a buzz in and outside of my classroom. I've watched students pick up the books, reading the backs, deciding if they're up for the challenge of reading them. I've had juniors and seniors return to my class on the rumor that they can continue their favorite trilogy.

  Thanks to your donation, there will no longer be a cliff's edge when it comes to checking out book series from my classroom library; I'll be able to keep that book flow going!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

• Unicorns, Zombies, and Other Fantastic Creatures

  Funded Nov 21, 2014

  I wish you could both be in my classroom to see my students' faces when I carried in that massive stack of Sci-Fi and Fantasy books. I kid you not -- they were blown away. "Oooh, man! I read the first one in that series. I never thought there'd be a whole trilogy!" "I saw that movie! I want that book!" "Me! Me! Can I please be first one the waiting list for that one!" These were some typical responses.

  So from my happy readers and me, a big, huge thank you! Because of you, I have more kids than ever who are on the cusp of becoming people with authentic reading lives. You are impacting lives in our town!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

• Challenging The Bias In "Chick Lit"

  Funded Nov 6, 2014

  I am so privileged to know that a bundle of high-interest books are now making their way around my classroom, where they will no doubt quickly pass into the hands of eager readers. I look forward to seeing the books you've donated transform over the years from their brand new, sparkling selves into well-worn, well-loved, well-read volumes that all great books become.

  You have given not just a box of books -- you have given possibility. Every year, I see teens transform from check-out learners to learners with lots of books checked-out from my library. That transformation will now be thanks, in part, to you and your generosity.

  I am a teacher who loves her students, and, as such, I thank you so very much for investing in people I care about.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

• Sometimes They Up And Walk Away

  Funded Apr 1, 2014

  Adolescent literacy guru and high school teacher Kelly Gallagher once said, "The bad news is, every year, I lose a lot of books. The good news is, every year, I lose a lot books." Unfortunately (and fortunately) this statement rings true to our classroom library as well. That is why I am so thankful for your kindness in donating to this project.

  It's hard to write a request from generous souls, like yourself, for books that have disappeared from our classroom, but I know that you understand that these books have found a good home. In a high-poverty district, like Cedar Springs, we recognize that far too many children go home to print-poor households where there are few, if any, books to read. That's why I cannot feel too dejected when we don't receive every book back at the end of the school year. Those books have found their way into the hearts and homes of my students.

  Thank you for helping return some of those special titles to our classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

• And the Winner Is...

  Funded Dec 16, 2013

  When I book-talked these new, award-winning titles, my classroom erupted like an Academy Awards ceremony. Students were cheering when they found out that our classroom library was now graced with popular titles like Chopsticks, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Before I could even shelve the books, kids were shouting out requests to be added to their waiting lists.

  With a hefty goal of each sophomore reading twenty-five novels during this school year, my students are gladly taking on the challenge as the include these new books among their to-read piles. Students are expanding outside their comfort genre and reaching for titles of greater complexity, all of which will help them grow as academic and recreational readers.

  Finally, adding new titles to our classroom library is like an invitation for students to search for something new. This means that while some of these new, hot-reads are checked out, students are exploring books that may have sat quietly on our shelves for a few weeks but carry similar themes or authors as the books in this Donors Choose project.

  Thank you so much for your support! I hope it's obvious the excitement and energy your gift has brought us.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

• An Opportunity for "Moore"

  Funded Aug 26, 2013

  Thank you so much for your generous donations, and I wanted to extend my students thanks as well.

  We just finished reading The Other Wes Moore, and they were so touched by the author's story. Unfortunately, many of my students can connect to these same struggles, like loss of a parent, difficulty in school, drug use, and crime. The author's honesty and grit made sharing their own stories that much easier. It also made the relevance of his message resonate even more.

  As my students read this book, they connected the ideas to Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers: The Story of Success. We were fortunate to participate in a live web chat with Gladwell two weeks ago. The students were really geeked about it. Once again, the author chat made their engagement with this book even deeper. When success has been so illusive to them at a young age, these concrete examples have made their goals not seem so far away.

  To reiterate my students, your generosity means so much. Beyond providing them with the chance to read this book, you've revealed what it means to have character and an open heart.

  Thank you. Thank you.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton

  This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 7 other donors.

• A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

  Funded Jan 8, 2013

  The power of books is amazing! Your donation has impacted our classroom in such an amazing way. Students that were once reluctant and somewhat defiant in terms of choosing nonfiction texts are now hungry for the genre.

  This openness to reading and exploring new genres has allowed students to deepen their understanding about aspects of history and current events that they never even knew they had an interest. Students regularly approach me during silent reading to share bits of history that they had "somehow missed" in past social studies classes. It truly is amazing what can happen when students have access to high-quality books.

  Thank you so much.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Beaton