Past projects 27
High Interest Novels in High School
Funded Nov 30, 2021Thank you for helping me provide my students with high interest novels. When the books arrived, my students were very excited to unpack the boxes to see what they were getting. The girls were especially excited for The Good Girls Guide to Murder series. The novel They Both Die at the End was checked out right away as well.
Getting high school students excited about books isn't always easy, but having brand new books always helps. Without your help, I wouldn't be able to provide an updated classroom library for my students. Thank you again for your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.Back to School Basics
Funded Aug 21, 2021Thank you for the classroom supplies. They are already helping our class run more smoothly. The light filters went up immediately, and they are amazing. The room has a soft glow now instead of the intense fluorescent lights. We are all enjoying them.
The computer mouse is available for check out during class and has already been used by a special education student who was having difficulty copying and pasting using the track pad on his Chromebook. We're about to start our first extended writing unit, so it will probably be checked out daily now. With our writing unit, we will also be using the color pencils. Students will use them to mark up their drafts during the revision process.
On Monday, I just finished hanging the new paper on the bulletin board. It looks great. We just need student work to display on top.
Thank you again for supporting my classroom. It means so much to me.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective and 2 other donors.Diverse Books for Diverse Students
Funded May 5, 2021Last year, we were virtual most of the year, and students did very little independent reading or reading for pleasure. Even when we returned to the building, most of my classes remained online. This gave me some time to reflect on my classroom library and identify missing voices. I had a goal to create a diverse library where all students could find characters they could relate to. Thanks to this project, that was made possible.
Now, all of my classes are back in person. Students are choosing their own novels for silent reading time, and they are excited about the new additions to the library. American Street and The Fire Keeper's Daughter are the most popular titles so far. I'm so happy to see students excited about books again.
Thank you for contributing to this project. Every student deserves to see themselves in a book.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 5 other donors.High Interest Books for High School
Funded Feb 28, 2020It's been hard to keep up with newly released books the last few years, and my classroom library was dated. It needed to be rejuvenated with new, high-interest novels. Books can be expensive, which also made it challenging to keep up.
Despite the challenges, I felt like my students deserved access to new, popular novels. I am so thankful that you helped me supply them with the books they actually want to read. This grant covered novels written in verse, graphic novels, and high interest novels. There is something for everyone, and my students were so excited to check them out.
Thank you again for supporting my classroom and putting books into my students' hands. My students and I appreciate your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
Reading Romeo and Juliet
Funded Mar 2, 2020The books arrived, and we started using them right away. We only had a partial class set, so some students were reading from photocopies that weren't as clear. The students who had been using the photocopies are so happy to have new books. The first day we used them, they couldn't stop talking about the color pictures.
Romeo and Juliet can be very challenging, so these graphic novels are fantastic. The pictures help students comprehend the complicated plot and character relationships. They also enjoy the story more.
Thank you for supporting my classroom. My students and I are so grateful and eager to read.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
This classroom project was brought to life by A group of anonymous donors and 3 other donors."Speak" Up for Novels
Funded Aug 16, 2019Thank you for the opportunity to teach an engaging novel my students will enjoy. In the past, novel options have been limited to what was in storage in the English office. All novel copies are old, and students no longer relate to much of the content. Because of this, it can be such a challenge to keep students reading and engaged.
These brand new copies of Speak will be a game changer. Students are already excited to read it, and I believe they will relate well to the main character Melinda. When students are engaged, comprehension and writing skills improve. They also build a love of literature. My heart just melts when I see students enjoying a book.
Without your donations, this novel unit would not have been possible. I can't thank you enough!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 9 other donors.Relevant Read for an Argument Essay
Funded Nov 28, 2018Our boxes of books arrived yesterday, and students spent this morning unpacking them and flipping through them. They aren't used to brand new novels, so they were very excited. One boy kept calling, "Ms. Daly! Ms. Daly, did read the back cover?" Another group was discussing how nice the covers felt, and some girls were saying they couldn't wait to read it. I have quite a few reluctant readers, so I'm thrilled that they are excited about this book.
Next semester, we will read the novel together as a class. The book contains some controversial issues, so we will address and practice how to respond to ideas students don't agree with. We will also focus on characterization, symbols, and theme. If time allows, we also will also use the novel for an argument essay about banning books.
Thank you for helping make this all possible. We wouldn't be able to do this novel unit without you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous donor and 5 other donors.Multimedia: Bringing Books to Life
Funded Mar 9, 2016All the materials have arrived, and many of them are already in use. My English 9 students started reading To Kill a Mockingbird over a week ago using the audio book. The audio book is holding their attention and helping them comprehend the southern jargon used by the narrator. Even on chapter seven, they are falling in love with the main character and can't wait to see what happens next. I have also been using the novel unit to add supplemental activities to the reading.
By the end of this week, my English 11 students will start reading Of Mice and Men. Many students in my English 11 classes are struggling readers, and the audio book will be paramount in students' comprehension. I will be using the anticipation guide from the Of Mice and Men novel unit tomorrow in class as we prepare for the novel. Students are getting excited to put their textbooks aside and start a novel. They're also very excited that we get to watch the movie after finishing the novel.
Thank you for helping me make these novel units successful. It isn't always easy to get students to read or become excited about reading, but having supplemental activities and multimedia resources makes it a lot easier! I appreciate your support, and I know my students do too!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
Divergent: A Novel Study Focused on Cultural Identity
Funded Aug 24, 2014My students unpacked the boxes of books today, and their excitement was evident. I was asked multiple times, "We actually get to read these?!" I had told my students about the books before they arrived, but I excitement multiplied once they were finally in students' hands.
I'm excited to start reading with my students, and I'm so thankful that we have books to read that actually interest them! It can be really challenging to find books that interest struggling readers, so this opportunity is fantastic!
Thank you for helping make this possible. We wouldn't be reading without your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 6 other donors.Studying Shakespeare
Funded Aug 28, 2013I'm excited to say that the box of Romeo and Juliet graphic novels just arrived! The students were thrilled that I let them open the box, and they seemed excited to look over them. Getting 14-year-olds excited about books is quite the feat, but you've helped do that!
Romeo and Juliet is a hard text to read for students struggling with comprehension. I feel the pictures in these graphic novels will help students to follow the plot lines and will keep them engaged. These books will have a huge impact on student success for our Romeo and Juliet unit.
Thank you so much for your donations. Without them, it would have have been possible to get these books.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Daly
This classroom project was brought to life by Kia Motors America and 3 other donors.