Past projects 13
Exploring Why People Leave Their Countries Through Great Literature
Funded Nov 22, 2024What a thrill it was to see that you had supported my classroom request for books that deal with immigrants moving to new countries. Because my English literature classes are also combined with American History classes, I can teach cross-curricular lessons on why people move locations--sometimes vast relocations--using these books for book clubs.
My students were happy to see new choices for the books, and they delved into reading them for the book clubs with enthusiasm. This set of books has enhanced their learning this year, and everyone appreciates your donations and support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
Solving the Mystery of the Westing Game
Funded Nov 16, 2023Again, thank you for your support for Ellen Raskin's "The Westing Game." The students are enjoying the mystery very much.
The students have been split into groups as Detectives, and they are looking at clues in each chapter (and there are lots of clues!). They are also analyzing each character (and there are lots of characters!), evaluating traits and personality features to see who might be the guilty person. And they are having fun in the process working together to solve the crime, much like the characters in the story are doing.
I am using this with my classes that struggle with reading any book, whether because the task is hard or because they aren't always motivated. This book is a wonderful "push" for all students because the mystery is captivating for nonreaders while being challenging enough by its complexity that they have to focus on details. It's working--and the students don't like it when I stop reading at the end of a chapter!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and one other donor.A Memoir in Verse Can Inspire a Reader
Funded Sep 8, 2023Thank you so much for your generous donations. It makes a difference with the kids when they have current and vibrant new novels to read.
This novel, in particular, has a great impact, because it is a novel in verse. Many kids struggle with fluency when reading. When they have novel written verse, they can focus on smaller concepts that are still written with rich and vital language and apply critical thinking to smaller pieces that allow kids to strengthen their reading.
This novel appeals to so many students, and my classes appreciate your thoughtful donations.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
Genre Variety for Student Selection
Funded Mar 30, 2023Thank you for your generous donation. My students appreciated your contribution to their reading options and opportunities. With these books, students were given choice, an important part of creating a positive reading environment, and texts that were enriching as well as enlightening.
In my classroom, I want kids to voice opinions and express what they like or dislike about the books they are reading. Each time they do so, I gain insight into what kids want to read. The options from your donations were met with much enthusiasm.
For kids to have books in their hands that they want to read is a joy to behold. Thank you so much for being a part of creating that world for them.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and one other donor.Keeping Book Clubs Fresh With Equal Representation
Funded Nov 30, 2022Thank you again for your generous donation. My students this year have been reading a lot, and the more variety in choice and representation they have, the more enriched their experience is, and the more they want to read.
I have students read in book clubs, which allows students to investigate a genre in detail. For example, Flooded and The Canyon's Edge are both novel-in-verse books. In groups, students look at figurative language, central idea, author's purpose, and narrative development. That all sounds pretty heady, but these topics are basic English class subjects. If students are reading what interests them, then they are more likely to enjoy what they are reading, and the more they are engaged in looking at these topics.
All my students like being able to have a decent selection of titles to choose from, and it's great when my resistant readers start saying "I want to read that." This happened when this wonderful package arrived, and I unboxed the books while students were in the room. Students do want to read, and I appreciate your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 3 other donors.Diverse Literary Nonfiction Books Allow Students to See Our World
Funded Aug 10, 2022This set of books was for Literary Nonfiction--so many students get opportunities to read fiction, but not a lot of nonfiction--and these are perfect. Students were chomping at the bit to see what choices they had. Reading these books helped students examine author's purpose, point of view, and bringing an event or a person's experience to life.
What is cool about this particular book club is that students were all reading different books--each student has an individual book of choice. But they all had to read and evaluate their own books from a specific prompt, such as "Analyze how the author uses analogies, illustrations, or comparisons to show connections between ideas, individuals, and/or events. Explain how."
Every book that was selected has been met with enthusiasm. From my basketball-crazed student reading the autobiography of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to my incredibly cerebral student reading about 2 separate races to the South Pole and expounding on their similarities, these books bring much joy to my heart.
Thank you again for your donation and support of my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and one other donor.Diversifying the Book Genres Kids Read
Funded Mar 31, 2022Thank you for your support for this specific graphic novel. The book was a big hit with my students. Graphic novels give students a different way to "read" a story, where they have to use the images instead of just the words in order to interpret meaning. As a result, students learn and practice inference. Looking at images to elicit meaning is as valuable as reading words on a page. In addition, any level reader can easily access the meaning, which puts all students on the same page.
At the end of the year, I used this book in a quick lit circle, and the enthusiastic discussions elicited creative and deeper thinking--both highly valuable for expanding kids' horizons.
Thank you again for helping me obtain a valuable resource for my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
Diversity in Genres Abound in Graphic Novels (#2)
Funded Feb 5, 2022Thank you for your support for these graphic novels. My students loved them and were excited to get to read them. Although reading novels is important, graphic novels give students a different way to "read" a story, by using graphics that have to be interpreted. This helps students learn inference. Reading art is just as valuable as reading words. In addition, all students are easily included because graphic novels are easily accessed by any level reader.
At the end of the year, these books were perfect for a short lit circle; everyone was involved in reading one of these books, and what's more important was the conversations about what they read.
Thank you again for helping me obtain a valuable resource for my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.Diverse selections for student choice and representation in the classroom
Funded Mar 30, 2021Every day, my students have opportunities to read books of their choosing and the time to "get into" the stories. Having different cultures and beliefs from various novels and books enriches each student's perspective.
Last spring, not all students were in the classroom; however, when my school went hybrid, I had 17-19 in-person students for each core class. The excitement on my students' faces when I laid out the books was awesome to see. From a student who was interested in Caminar because the main character's verse was expressive about the conditions in Guatemala, to the Percy Jackson fans wanting to read Paola Santiago & the River of Tears and City of the Plague God to learn about other cultures' myths, to a student from Qatar sharing details from The Turtle of Oman because he was familiar with the region and the kid sitting next to him asking to read it, I couldn't ask for a more wonderful reading experience with these titles.
Reading is such an important part of my daily class, and I appreciate your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron and 4 other donors.Literature Book that Explores Our Differences
Funded Dec 1, 2020One of my favorite things to do is to teach the kids how to do lit circles; allowing them independence with their learning and giving them choice of topic, genre, and diverse representation is key to allowing them to enjoy the task as well. This year, I am coteaching, which means I have a larger class of kids with learning disabilities mixed in with students who are high achievers. Selecting books that cover both learning modalities can be difficult. I selected BlueFish because it's a complex, emotional book about a boy who has hidden a learning disability as well as a tough/sad home life and who will not reach out for help. Many students can relate to that experience, and with how well the book is written, students have a better understanding of a common learning disability. This year, my students have struggled to bond with each other because of distance learning as well as with assignments, and using this book has brought them a lot of common ground and a better understanding of the differences in learning each of them has, for the better. Thank you for helping fund this project--my kids also thank all of you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lowery
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and one other donor.