Past projects 6
Realistic Fiction for Real Life Learning
Funded Aug 12, 2019I have been teaching middle school English Language Arts for four years now and it has been four of the best years of teaching. I have loved watching my student read, write, and analyze so many different pieces of literature.
After having time to reflect this past summer, I realized that my students were capable of reading, writing, analyzing, and communicating more than I thought was possible before. I also knew that I needed thought-provoking, exciting, and new/relevant literature to get my students doing the kind of work I thought possible.
These realistic fiction novels achieved that and more. My students were reading more than they ever have before. Even more so, because we had such a large variety of novels within the same genre, students were talking, sharing their reading, writing, and books, and producing work above what I had ever seen from my middle school students in previous years.
These books were used to teach so many literature and writing standards, but even more so it taught my students how to truly be a community of readers that shared their reading and writing with each other every single day.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cahill
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and 6 other donors.Enriching Shakespeare in Middle School with Companion Graphic Novels
Funded Dec 5, 2018I can't thank you all enough for the profound impact you have had on my classroom.
My first year of teaching I really struggled to come up with effective and rigorous reading instruction that also fostered a love of reading. At the beginning of my middle school ELA career, I was determined to change that. I discovered that I could teach literature with class novel studies and was immediately inspired and motivated to take my seventh and eighth graders to a whole new level of reading. My students and I had access to few class set novels and that first novel study was amazing. They produced exemplary work, and more than anything, they loved reading time.
This was such a great start, but I realized I didn't have access to any more class sets of on, or above, grade level texts. I also really wanted them to have really engaging and relevant novels that connected to their lives, but also challenged them as readers. I have really been working hard to get more fun Shakespeare texts, specifically for my 8th graders so they are able to read complex texts, but in a more engaging and accessible way.
When those books arrived, it was one of the best sights in the world, to see how excited my eighth graders were for boxes of books. As a teacher, it is so inspiring to see them love reading, and to also see them be a community of readers. I wish you could hear their conversations (sometimes outside of our reading block time) about the books we read together. Their favorite time of day is reading and so much of this is because of your generosity.
Thank you again for what you have done for my students and I. You haven't just changed my reading instruction, but you have changed my whole outlook on teaching.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cahill
Powerful Books To Build a Community of Lifelong Readers
Funded Dec 3, 2016I can't thank you all enough for the profound impact you have had on my classroom.
My first year of teaching I really struggled to come up with effective and rigorous reading instruction that also fostered a love of reading. At the beginning of this year, I was determined to change that. I discovered that I could teach literature with class novel studies and was immediately inspired and motivated to take my seventh and eighth graders to a whole new level of reading. My students and I had access to few class set novels and that first novel study was amazing. They produced exemplary work, and more than anything, they loved reading time.
This was such a great start, but I realized I didn't have access to any more class sets of on, or above, grade level texts. I also really wanted them to have really engaging and relevant novels that connected to their lives, but also challenged them as readers. I have really been working hard to get more non-fiction in the hands of my students. I set up my project, and I still can't believe that I now have beautiful class sets of "Booked" and "The Finest Hours"
When those books arrived, it was one of the best sights in the world, to see how excited my seventh and eighth graders were for boxes of books. As a teacher, it is so inspiring to see them love reading, and to also see them be a community of readers. I wish you could hear their conversations (sometimes outside of our reading block time) about the books we read together. Their favorite time of day is reading and so much of this is because of your generosity.
Thank you again for what you have done for my students and I. You haven't just changed my reading instruction, but you have changed my whole outlook on teaching.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cahill
Science Supplies For 6th Grade Science
Funded Feb 20, 2016I can't thank you all enough for the profound impact you have had on my classroom.
I teach 6th grade in an elementary school and we are always kind of in the middle of elementary and middle school. My students are in an elementary school but we are still expected to teach middle school curriculum and prepare them for middle school. I am the ELA teacher, but needed to teach science and we basically had nothing to do science with. We were actually using measuring cups and bowls I had brought from home! I can't tell how it has changed my instruction and my students' excitement for learning in science. We are actually doing "middle school" science and able to complete complex labs and lab write-ups. Not only is our science time more engaging, but we are also able to prepare the sixth graders for the middle school science classes they will be taking next year.
When our supplies arrived, I kept the box shut at first, and students couldn't stop asking if we had finally received our "middle school" science supplies. One student even stayed afters school to get a peak. In one of our pictures, you can see my students' excitement at just having the supplies, let alone using them. We have used them for our exploration of mixtures and solutions, changes in matter, density, and so much more. I know I will get use out of these supplies for years to come as they have been life-changing this year.
Thank you again for what you have done for my students and I. You haven't just changed my science instruction, but you have changed my whole outlook on teaching.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cahill
Successful Sixth Grade with Legit Literature Learning
Funded Sep 27, 2015I can't thank you all enough for the profound impact you have had on my classroom.
My first year of teaching I really struggled to come up with effective and rigorous reading instruction that also fostered a love of reading. At the beginning of this year, I was determined to change that. I discovered that I could teach literature with class novel studies and was immediately inspired and motivated to take my fifth and sixth graders to a whole new level of reading. My students and I had access to few class set novels and that first novel study was amazing. They produced exemplary work, and more than anything, they loved reading time.
This was such a great start, but I realized I didn't have access to any more class sets of on, or above, grade level texts. I felt like I was back to square one with my reading instruction. But then my teaching partner told me about Donors Choose. I set up my project, and I still can't believe that I now have beautiful class set of "The Crossover" and "A Long Walk to Water."
When those books arrived, it was one of the best sights in the world, to see how excited my fifth and sixth graders were for boxes of books. As a teacher, it is so inspiring to see them love reading, and to also see them be a community of readers. I wish you could hear their conversations (sometimes outside of our reading block time) about the books we read together. Their favorite time of day is reading and so much of this is because of your generosity.
We just finished "A Long Walk to Water," right before winter break, and we are starting, "The Crossover" first thing back from break. I am literally giddy to start our second book.
Thank you again for what you have done for my students and I. You haven't just changed my reading instruction, but you have changed my whole outlook on teaching.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cahill
Powerful Books To Build a Community of Lifelong Readers
Funded Jan 27, 2015I can't thank you all enough for the profound impact you have had on my classroom.
I am only a second year teacher at a school with no reading curriculum. My first year of teaching I really struggled to come up with effective and rigorous reading instruction that also fostered a love of reading. At the beginning of this year, I was determined to change that. I discovered that I could teach literature with class novel studies and was immediately inspired and motivated to take my fifth graders to a whole new level of reading. My students and I had access to one class set of fifth grade novels and that first novel study was amazing. They produced exemplary work, and more than anything, they loved reading time.
This was such a great start, but I realized I didn't have access to any more class sets of on, or above, grade level texts. I felt like I was back to square one with my reading instruction. But then my teaching partner told me about Donors Choose. I set up my project, and I still can't believe that I now have beautiful class set of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and "Al Capone Does My Shirts."
When those books arrived, it was one of the best sights in the world, to see how excited my fifth graders were for boxes of books. As a teacher, it is so inspiring to see them love reading, and to also see them be a community of readers. I wish you could hear their conversations (sometimes outside of our reading block time) about the books we read together. Their favorite time of day is reading and so much of this is because of your generosity.
We are in the middle of reading "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," (my favorite book ever... and now a favorite among my fifth graders) and we can't wait to start "Al Capone Does My Shirts" to finish the school year.
Thank you again for what you have done for my students and I. You haven't just changed my reading instruction, but you have changed my whole outlook on teaching.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cahill