Do you remember what it was like the first time you read a book that you couldn't put down? This year for the first time ever, many of my 8th grade students discovered the joy of reading for pleasure -- and I want to keep their hunger for literature going!
My 100 students attend a school where 83% of their peers receive free or reduced lunch.
Our school is a Title I school, but it is a safe place for our kids to come every day to learn, take risks and grow. We are a brand new school -- 2009-10 was our first school year -- and we're lacking in class novel sets that other schools have had years to collect.
My Project
On average my students are reading 3 to 4 grade levels behind. When school started in August, many of my students told me that they don't like to read or that "reading is boring." By selecting highly engaging texts like "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers, "Night" by Elie Wiesel and "Bronx Masquerade" by Nikki Grimes, my kids have learned that reading can actually be fun. It's been amazing to watch my reluctant readers be engaged with a text, cheer for library day and ask to borrow my classroom library books over the weekend. We've been working very hard to be ready for our North Carolina End of Grade exams. In the month after the EOG and before the end of school, I want to continue building my kids' love of books by reading "The Hunger Games." Stephen King called the book "addictive" and it was one of The New York Times "Notable Children's Book of 2008." I hope that by reading "The Hunger Games" my students will be hooked on the series -- and reading -- before they leave for the summer.
Although as a teacher my performance is measured by how well my students achieve on the EOG exam, I believe my role in the classroom goes beyond a standardized test.
I believe that the point of a formal education is to prepare our students to be life-long learners both in and out of the classroom. I want to light a spark in my students and show them the joy of reading a book you can't put down. I know "The Hunger Games" will do exactly this for my brilliant and curious 8th grade students!
Nearly all 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
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. Watler and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.