Past projects 19
Alan Gratz Is Where It's At!
Funded May 6, 2022My students read Refugee by Alan Gratz and fell in love with his writing style. He took us on a journey through different points in history where we were witnesses peeking in through a window to watch historical events unfold.
This project gave us the chance to read more of Alan Gratz's work, such as, Allies and Ground Zero. We read the titles from this project in small groups called literature circles.
Ultimately, some students asked to read the books from the other lit. circle groups because his work is so compelling. We are still using his books in my classroom with new students and they are also finding his writing to be irresistible.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 12 other donors.Winning With Award-Winning Books
Funded Apr 7, 2022This project really helped my students to appreciate the different ways authors teach us lessons through their writing. We focused on theme when we read Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward and her approach to issues like poverty, hunger, family, and safety. We looked at the point of view for each narrator and asked ourselves what lessons are we to learn from this character?
Sometimes I read aloud to my students, other times, they wanted to take the book to continue reading on their own, and sometimes we listened to the audiobook to get the full effect of the different points of view.
Students are always allowed to check out books from our classroom library, and I noticed students discussing the different medals on book covers and observed them look up what medals were given for and overheard them talking about why certain books received awards. Students even started commenting on books without awards and saying which awards they thought those books should have. This project definitely impacted my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose community & an Anonymous Partner and 11 other donors.Black History Is American History
Funded Feb 9, 2022My students spend a lot of time engaged in a variety meaningful text learning about black history in America. They read about people they had never heard of and made connection to people they were familiar with, too.
Students created timelines of commonly known historical events and then read books and researched to find more information, only to discover more people and events than they had knowledge of before.
Most students had no knowledge of Schomburg and his massive book collection which became an actual library. My athletes really loved reading about Misty Copeland and Simone Biles and it really his home for them how young people can also make history.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
This classroom project was brought to life by Black History Month Partners and 9 other donors.No More Dead Poets!
Funded Feb 23, 2022My students and I are truly grateful for your generosity towards helping our "No More Dead Poets" project become fully funded.
My students were able to read and explore poetry written by living poets and reach out to them through email and social media.
My students felt a strong connection to the poets and really felt as if they were the target audience for poets like Clint Smith and Jason Reynolds. Students were also able to delve into the art of spoken word poetry with Sarah Kay.
As a class we all wrote poetry and shared our writing both in class and in a poetry slam where my students came out to support one another.
We are so very thankful for your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
Snack Attack!
Funded Aug 24, 2022Having snacks available for my students to enjoy as needed, no questions asked, with no strings attached, made an incredible difference in what we were able to accomplish as a class. My students were so appreciative! They knew if they needed a snack that they could stop by my classroom even if they were not in my class at the moment.
When my students first saw the boxes of snacks come in, they thought I had won the lottery and went shopping just for them, and in a way, thanks to your generosity, we did hit the lottery. Being hungry is not cool, and it is almost impossible to be productive when you can only think about food. Needless to say, my students were thrilled when they saw the boxes and boxes of snacks come in.
We are currently all out of snacks and my students have been asking me when are we going to be able to order more. I will be coming back here soon to ask for your help to provide snacks for my students. We thank you sincerely for you kindness and generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
Picture This!
Funded Dec 1, 2021My students were so excited to unpack these books and see all of the different options they now had. For those who find it difficult to read novels, these new graphic novels made them realize that books with pictures can be captivating.
Thanks to our new rolling cart, my students got straight to work putting the new books away and organizing our classroom library. They especially loved the new bookmarks so that they could always save their place in their books, in order to easily pick up where they left off each class period.
Thank you all so much for your help.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 7 other donors.Hand Me a Book!
Funded Oct 21, 2021With these books, I was hoping to reach those students who are still hesitant to start reading more. From graphic novels to books on sports, there was a wide variety of books for each student to choose from. These books allowed my students to keep trying new books until they found one that was perfect for them. Stories surrounding kids playing basketball were a class favorite. Monster: A Graphic Novel showed one student that books with pictures are not just for young children. There were historical fiction books that my students also enjoyed. We could not have gotten all of these books so quickly without your help, thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 5 other donors.Organize Our World!
Funded Sep 23, 2021We as educators know that organization and procedures are key to keeping a classroom running smoothly. Each student having their own binder and pen helps with decreasing contact with other students, which is important for safety reasons. The binders are also a great way to keep track of all of our work, ensuring nothing gets lost or damaged. The students were so excited when they saw the book cart; they wanted to help set it up and learn where to place the new books. With the Easel Pads, I was able to create several anchor charts to outline our daily schedule, in addition to outlining the traditional literary elements. Now that we are organized and focused, our learning can begin!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and one other donor.Women Hold Up Half the Sky
Funded Sep 22, 2021Women are an often underrepresented group in literature. I want to be sure my students have every opportunity to view works created by and featuring women. I am confident that these books will provide a variety of topics and genres to interest all students. It is important in my classroom to not separate students into reading groups based on gender, but rather on their own special interests. Therefore, if a student prefers fantasy they can enjoy The Children of Blood and Bone, while those who prefer poetry can read The Poet X. I am so thankful for your assistance with these books.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis
Take A Look, See Yourself in a Book!
Funded Aug 27, 2021My goal with these books was to provide my students with materials that reflect and represent them. It is so important for young black and brown students to see themselves in books, especially fiction. In my classroom, reading is an immersive experience. With books like Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, my students can picture themselves as a hero in a fantasy novel, perhaps for the first time.
Students have asked where I got these books from. Many have commented about never having books with characters like them. I have spent years curating a classroom library that represents those who use it. I am grateful to be able to share these books with them thanks to your generous donations.
Some students have wanted to learn more about the authors of each of the books, saying "they must be from where we're from, they talk like us". It is so wonderful to see students realize that there are people like them who are successful.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Willis