Past projects 2
Diverse Texts For Eager Learners!
Funded Nov 27, 2017One of the biggest struggles for readers in high-needs schools is finding texts with characters who are as unique, special, and as diverse as they are. Among many things, we teach students strategies to tackle new vocabulary, pick apart tricky multi-syllabic words, and self-monitor for understanding. We ask them to empathize with the various problems characters in texts face and push them to see deeper morals or lessons authors seek to teach us. We teach all of these things to foster in students a love for reading. And while we as adults might find books exciting, heart-wrenching, whimsical, and/or frightening, we can't expect our readers to develop a passion for reading if they aren't able to relate to their texts in the first place.
To become thoughtful and critical thinkers, students need access to a variety of texts across multiple genres. Students need exposure to content matter that goes beyond that which they're familiar with, and deepens the understanding of material they thought they knew well. Funding from this project has allowed me to purchase texts that represent a wealth of different categories. Students love reading and studying Ezra Jack Keats' unique artistic style in "The Snowy Day", which came as part of the "Caldecott Nominee" book package I was able to purchase using donated funds. My Spanish-speaking students' faces light up as they partner-read "Maria Tenia Una Llamita," a book written in both English and Spanish, which came with the "Pura Belpre Award" book package I was able to purchase. Our class has discussed systemic racism in our country and learned about peaceful protest against inequity and injustice with support from "Martin's Big Words," a text I bought using donated funds as part of the "Coretta Scott King Award" book package. We discussed our dreams and used oil pastels to illustrate our own flying-selves after reading Faith Ringold's "Tar Beach," purchased as part of the "Coretta Scott King Award" package. All of these wonderful read-alouds are housed safely in our brand-new, easy-to-access book shelf (which sees plenty of use throughout the day) for any and all to access.
Thanks to your donation, 20 second-grade students have new opportunities to find themselves and their interest in big, new, beautiful books. Many have already shared they exciting information they have learned or discovered a new interest in an exciting new topic. Many have been pushed to think differently about topics they thought they knew or have shifted their thinking to accommodate new knowledge. Most importantly, students are eager to read, learn, and grow their love for reading. Thank you for your support.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stack
This classroom project was brought to life by Anonymous Donor and 16 other donors.Bring the News to Grade 2!
Funded Jan 11, 2018Thanks to your support, the readers in my classroom will be able to apply the skills they are learning for reading non-fiction texts in their very own monthly news magazine. They will learn to gather information by noticing non-fiction text features such as headlines, captions, and diagrams, all while consuming important information about the world around them and beyond. Thank you for supporting our students!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stack