Past projects 2
Book Bins for Binge Reading Series Books
Funded Dec 19, 2017Imagine a 5th grade classroom. Maybe you think of rows of students quietly and attentively listening to the teacher who is at the front of the room droning on about science or social studies. Or maybe you conjured up an image of 24 out of control ten year-olds, talking to one another, throwing pencils, and passing notes. I can assure you that neither of these two scenes depicts what you will see in my classroom. In room 12 at Loma Vista Immersion Academy you will find readers, critical thinkers, and scholars who are not afraid to ask questions. The new books that you have donated to our classroom means that reading has come alive for our students. Reading in our room takes many forms and involves a combination of interrelated skills. For one student in particular, reading the books that you donated has made the difference for her reading comprehension and academic achievement in 5th grade.
To begin, reading in 5th grade is multifaceted. For example, reading activities include teacher read alouds. One of the books purchased with your donation was The sign of the Beaver, a story of a young white settler left alone by his father in the forest of Massachusetts in the early 1700s. He learned to survive only with the help of a native American boy his same age. It was through this book that my students got a first hand look into history, envisioning what it might have been like to walk in their shoes.
Although we regularly conduct small groups for guided reading, book clubs and independent reading are what get students really excited and into reading. The students truly get to choose what they would like to read. In a book club, we need to have at least four copies of a book in order there to be one for each student in the club, which your donations allowed me to purchase. Students have been much more motivated to read books that they know they will be able to talk about with their peers. They are reading much more critically so that they will have more interesting information, connections, and questions to bring to their book clubs at the end of the week.
Independent reading can be the most exciting or most difficult part of our reading curriculum, depending on the student's reading level and motivation. Your donations allowed me to purchase books that are high interest and at the right reading level to improve the students' reading ability. If a student finds a books series that they can latch onto, they devour one book and then know exactly which book to pick up next. The number of words that they read explodes exponentially. As they read more, their comprehension improves and their vocabulary grows and grows. As they read what they love, they build the foundation of literacy that will serve as the base for all of the knowledge they will acquire through middle school, high school, and beyond. Your contribution not only provided them access to new and exciting books, but also will impact the rest of their education. Thank you.
In conclusion, your donation has brought characters from history to life through teacher read aloud and sparked a fire of interest in students to continue reading in book clubs and on their own. You have made a difference in this classroom that will last for many years to come.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Galdamez
Bridging the Achievement Gap by Binge Reading Book Series
Funded Oct 2, 2017Our Binge Reading Series Books project was funded in less than one week! Our school, students and I are so lucky to have your support. Our school library is also starting to organize books into series so our students will have even more opportunities to dive into their favorite stories. Stay posted for pictures of our students with the new books to see the impact you have made!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Galdamez