Past projects 8
Empowering Writers in Technicolor
Funded Oct 15, 2017Your gift has been been fully deployed in my classroom since November, and it's already making a difference. You funded the project just in time to support my students in a short story project. First we read several model stories with a keen focus on characterization. Students wrote several short analyses on how authors develop great characters; each analysis had required components (cite evidence, analyze evidence, make a claim about the character...), and each component was assigned a certain color. Students received color coded tool banks that helped them develop each component through guiding questions and sentence stems. They then had to self evaluate by color-coding each component in their response. Student who needed extra support received more structured guidance aligned to our color-coding system. I could create and print these supports on the spot and based on their individual needs thanks to the printer toner you provided. Students even received feedback in color so they knew exactly to which component of their writing their revisions should be focused.
Next, students had to write their own short stories. I developed a series of lessons around narrative techniques like dialogue, flashbacks, characterization and symbolism. Each technique was assigned a different color, and we practiced identifying them in great model texts (using the highlighters you paid for) and discussing what makes them work. Students then revised their stories, adding these techniques. They were able to show me that they deployed the techniques simply by color coding. This made it so easy for me to pinpoint where they used the techniques and give them focused and specific feedback that would best help them grow as writers. After students submitted final drafts, we put their stories with great examples of each component on display; of course, the stories were organized by technique in appropriately colored folders.
Now, as students explore the world of non fiction and research, they will be embarking on a research project. Again, each required component is color-coded meaning they can evaluate their own research papers by highlighting the requirements before submitting their drafts; it also means that I can identify the components more efficiently and give them more directed feedback.
Thank you again for believing in my my class and in my students. Your gift will impact my students this year and in years to come.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Swanson
The Power of The Writing Process in The Palms of Their Hands
Funded Oct 20, 2015Thanks, in part, to your generous donation, my classes have had several months of rich writing and reflection experiences.
We already had a color-coding system designed to identify different writing techniques my students need to be able to demonstrate. For nonfiction writing, for example, students highlight proper citations of evidence in one color, interpretation and analysis of evidence in another color; in narrative and poetry writing, there are colors designated to different literary devices like figurative language, vivid details, and clever verb use. When the printer arrived, we quickly set it up, and I started creating hand-outs that used the already established color-coding system. With the color printer, I was able to create elegant tools that showed students how and when to use different techniques and provided examples in context.
The first project for which we used the printer was our annual Freedom Fighters project. Students researched and eventually met and interviewed someone involved in some form of social justice work. Students then wrote a profile on that person. The profile had to be rigorous because it would eventually be published in a book and used on a museum exhibit at Oregon Historic Society. I was able to use the printer to provide differentiated, color-coded support to help my students create incredible products in a way that I was never able to do before; the printer was also the tool my students used to demonstrate that they met the demands of the assignment, creating an unprecedented level of accountability. Students had to color-code examples from a list of techniques before submitting their work. With this added layer (made possible by the printer), students could quickly self-identify gaps in their techniques and make revisions before I ever saw their work. I also have to admit, the color-coding expedited the feedback process so much that I was able to assign more drafts than ever before, yielding a much higher quality in their final products.
We used the printer in a similar fashion on our recent poetry portfolio. Again, my room is plastered with color-coded posters featuring required techniques in famous poetry, songs and in student work. Students could easily cross reference their hand-outs with the posters creating greater autonomy in the writing process. And again, I will be able to identify that students met the requirements quickly and focus my time on providing deeper feedback.
This printer means more specific, individualized support; more elegant, user friendly tools; more student accountability and independence; and more time for more substantive feedback. And because the printer is of such a high quality, it also means that it will be around for student use for years to come. Thank you one and all for believing in my students and my classroom!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Swanson
Crashing the Ceiling with the Classics!
Funded Dec 12, 2011"Mr. S, I had no idea books could be so good!"
"This book has definitely made me a better writer!"
"Which book can I read next?"
STUDENT: I'm so sleepy. I was up really late last night.
ME: Facebook?
STUDENT: Nope, Hemingway.
All of these comments were inspired by the books that you helped provide for my class. Having access to some of the greatest works of modern times has helped my students own their talents and understand how reading can open doors to a richer life.
The conversations that I have had with some of my students about these books have been some of the most gratifying of my career: The implications of a Brave New World in current political issues, the meaning of loyalty in Of Mice and Men. These books have the ability to break open a ninth grader's preconceived notions of the world, and I am so proud to be able to provide this opportunity for my students.
Another bonus of this project has been that many of my students who are more reluctant readers have been able to observe the joy students are getting from these challenging texts and are asking to explore the books themselves. I proudly recommend the books that made me fall in love with literature and happily support them as they challenge themselves with To Kill a Mockingbird or The Old Man and the Sea.
Your gift is truly appreciated. I will be drawing from this collection for years to come and will always have you to thank. ”
With gratitude,
Mr. Swanson
Feed Our Hunger to Read!
Funded Sep 29, 2011In the next couple of weeks we will be finishing up our Hunger Games unit. I can't stress how much of a difference your contribution is making in my classroom. The highly engaging text was a wonderful gateway into a more sophisticated discussion of literature for my ninth graders. Sure, it is a work of young adult literature, but we were able to do so much more with it. Our discussions of theme will provide a wonderful segue into our poetry and Shakespeare units; writing in a variety of sentences is far more engaging when you're doing it from the point of view of one of The Hunger Game's dynamic characters, and I'm especially excited for our Socratic Seminar in which we analyze the book's criticism of modern entertainment and reality television. Did I mention that I teach ninth graders? It is thanks to this book and your generosity that my students are being exposed to this level of discourse. Thank you again for your continued support! ”
With gratitude,
Mr. Swanson
Help Feed Our Insatiable Hunger for Books
Funded Mar 24, 2011Thank you all so much for your support. The school year is ending on a very positive note, and it is largely thanks to you all. In the last few months of school, my students had access to so many great books. The best part is that most of the books were parts of a series, so once they got hooked, they kept coming back for more and asking me where they can get their hands on the next sequel over the summer!
As my students explored the wonderful world of books, your donations fulfilled my ulterior motives. Because they were spending more time reading at home and in free time, my students were able to reach higher and higher levels of success in my class. They were less daunted by Shakespearean English as we read Othello and broached the challenging themes of Of Mice and Men with greater confidence. Students started to realize that books are an investment and that you sometimes have to be patient for them to pay off. The result? My students who started this year reading below grade level increased their reading level an average of TWO YEARS! All of my students increased their mastery of reading analysis and interpretation skills by an average of 30%! For the first time, I had two students increase their mastery by OVER 50%! That is incredible! Thank you all for helping me help my students make this happen. ”
With gratitude,
Mr. Swanson
This Is So Much Bigger Than A Book Club.
Funded Feb 22, 2011You guys are my classes' biggest fans and supporters! Thank you, yet again, for your amazing donation. The Book Buddies book club was a huge success. Over spring break, 15 students read The Maze Runner. I loved trading texts with them, discussing every suspenseful cliff hanger and plot twist in the novel. Last Tuesday, we got together to talk about the book. We traded theories, analyzed characters and played a game based on events from the book. It was a blast! Now, I love teaching books on an academic level, but the books that you provided allowed me to encourage literacy in a different way. Book Buddies is everything about making reading a fun event that students choose to do in their free time and has nothing to do with worksheets, tests, or projects. I know that several of my students have already taken it upon themselves to check-out the sequel, and other students have asked for recommendations for similar books. The important thing being that the inertia created by the book was strong enough to inspire students to explore new books.
Another great side-effect of the event is the great relationships I sparked or built with so many students. Students could have signed up for one of dozens of books, each sponsored by a different teacher. Some students signed up for The Maze Runner because they knew me and my taste in books. Other students did not know me, and they signed up because the book looked cool. Either way, I have now established or built upon relationships with these students based on literature. I now have a platform from which to support these students and get them excited about more books. And, I could not have done it without you. Thank you both so much! ”
With gratitude,
Mr. Swanson
Igniting a "Hunger" for Further Education.
Funded Oct 4, 2010I am so excited to share all of the developments in my class since we started reading The Hunger Games in November. Most importantly, the kids LOVED the book (please read it if you have not yet had the chance). It did not take long for even my most reluctant readers to get completely absorbed in the action, drama and emotional weight of the novel. As we read, we delved into great discussions about theme and character and analyzed Collins's writing style. Students started to develop more sophisticated composition skills as they learned to create complex and compound sentences using the text as a guide. The unit culminated in the excited creation of a Hunger Games scrapbook in which students had to interpret different aspects of a character through various lenses.
Another great side effect of reading the book was the phenomena it created in our school. Students started passing the book around amongst each other, reading and discussing the sequels, and arguing over their favorite characters. Not even Twilight took hold of our school's culture this profoundly. Today, it is almost a shared cultural experience amongst our students and teachers! Like sports and music, The Hunger Games has become a great unifier amongst our family.
As a teacher, one of the most exciting results of my students' exposure to The Hunger Games and the other great books you helped bring to our library is the solid evidence of their growth! Use and circulation of my classroom library has increased significantly, and more students are more dedicated to our reading goals. Most impressively, my classes have increased their mastery of reading and writing skills by 20-30% since we started the book! These gains are absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for your support. My class and I cannot begin to express our gratitude.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Swanson
Reading Our Way to Success!
Funded Nov 25, 2009Let me start by expressing my profound appreciation for your generosity. I find it both encouraging and inspiring that you share a vision for my students' success. I believe that your actions communicate a very strong message to my students that goes beyond your charity. The message is that there is an entire community of people who recognize the importance of strengthening one's literacy through regular reading.
All of my students have taken assessments that show them their reading level. Each student is aware of the grade level that they are reading on and has set a goal for where they would like to be by the end of the year. On average, my tenth graders are reading on about a sixth or seventh grade level. Naturally, learning this is very frustrating for students. For many of them, their initial reaction is to give up or to lower their expectations. However, through strategic conferencing and team building, I am able to help invest my students into creating ambitious and feasible goals for growth. In the conferences, we identify the importance of reading books that are just above their reading level. Habitual reading is not a part of many of my students' lives, so, as you can imagine, reading on a regular basis becomes an overwhelming and often a scary experience. The amazing variety of subjects and difficulty levels in the books you have provided for my students is exactly what they need to get invested and feel successful in their goals.
As I mentioned in my project proposal, my school is amongst the last of a dying bread of schools that attempts to bring a substantive education to all students in its community without any entrance requirements. We welcome all students. The result is that many students who come to our school have not had great deals of success in middle school or simply were not provided with the quality of education that they deserve. As a staff, we looked at all of the obstacles standing in the way of our students and agreed that literacy needed to be our number one focus. Through literacy we can help students catch up to where they need to be on graduation day. Your contribution puts my class at the forefront of this initiative. Indeed, the success of the literacy push in my class will, in many ways, help us determine how the movement will look in the rest of the school. I cannot wait to see how the focus on literacy benefits my students and eventually my school as a whole. Thank you so much for being a part of this great enterprise. ”
With gratitude,
Mr. Swanson