Seedfolks

Funded Oct 30, 2009

What a gift you have given to my students and me! The book Seedfolks added much more to my class than I imagined it would. I was so excited as my students and I read this book. It was simply amazing to watch them learn together and share their thoughts about the book with each other.

As we began reading the book and the story started to unfold, my students' interest rapidly increased! Some students did not want to stop reading. Others who were a little shy about reading aloud, read anyway. Together we had great discussions, laughed and learned a little about each other. For several of my students there was an instant connection to some of the book's characters because they were from the same country as those characters. All of them related to the urban setting which made this book so much easier and interesting for them to read.

While reading the book, we talked about gardening and some gardening techniques that we found in the book. We discussed the similarities between having a garden in the vacant lot and having a small urban garden inside or outside their home. They came to the realization that they, too, could have an impact on the people around them by creating their own garden. And so they did. Each student designed an indoor or outdoor garden and presented the design as a part of their culminating project. We invited other students and staff to come to the "gallery crawl" to see what my students had learned about plants including a brief overview of the book Seedfolks. They received very nice reviews from peers as well as teachers.

The seed you planted by purchasing these books has already germinated. A few of my students still talk to me about their indoor gardens and how their plants are growing. One particular student is extremely proud of his plant and how it has grown; he is ready to transplant to a larger container! He was one of the students who was a little shy about reading, but really enjoyed the book. My colleague, whose class helped with the garden design, is ready to do this again next year!

Thank you so much for your generous contribution to my students' education. ”

With gratitude,

Ms. Lloyd