Past projects 4
Immigration Study With Culturally Relevant Reading
Funded Jun 22, 2023I am very excited that we have started our class discussion of American Street by Ibi Zoboi! The students are engaged in the text in small reading and discussion groups and feel that the story is culturally relevant. One student said, "I actually look forward to talking to my group. I feel what Fabiola is going through."
Because we were not able to get as many copies of the book as I originally requested, I was able to use the funds to further their learning in other ways. I was also able to order some snacks and fidget poppers and then (on my own) purchased an audio version of the book to engage the students further when we read in class. I also purchased a few copies of other stories as parallel texts that we are reading alongside our main text to show multiple perspectives around immigration. Your donation has helped us to engage fully with this important topic! Our school is down the street from a police station that is housing migrants from Venezuela, so the topic is VERY relevant to us.
Finally, I ordered SAT vocabulary cards and an SAT prep guide for our class so that my junior students can prepare for this important task in April. They love the cards and are having fun as well as learning key vocabulary to help further their reading skills.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Mowery
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Characters Should Look Like Me
Funded May 10, 2021I really appreciate that this donated book collection represented my students so well. I knew that the introduction of contemporary and culturally relevant books would spark students to read, but I did not realize that it would result in a waiting list for books!
I began the independent reading project with "speed dating" during one class period:
Directions:
1 minute – Start generally looking through the books in your pod.
2 minutes - Take time to really look through the books at your table. Read the back cover, flip through the book, and see if it relates to you.
3 minutes - Start reading the book. If the book is short stories, poetry, or nonfiction, you can start at any point that interests you. If it is fiction, start with the first chapter. This should be completely silent.
1 minute–If you like your book, mark it on your may be interested or definitely am interested list on the next page. You are still going to explore the other books.
1 minute- Switch pods. Pod 1 moves to Pod 2, etc. Start all over with the books at that pod.
When the students chose their books, they stayed with their book selection until they finished reading the book. As they read every Friday during class and sometimes at home, they wrote journal entries about the characters and surprising events in the books. After they finished a book, they wrote a summary of how they felt reading the book rather than writing about central ideas or themes. We talked about the books as a class and rated them on a star system, which resulted in a long waiting list for 4-star books.
I wanted these books to be read independently for pleasure and to motivate students to explore more genres and writers. Many of the students had not read any texts when they were confined during the pandemic and were reluctant readers but finding plots and writers that were relevant truly engaged my students in ways that will follow them in their next reading adventures.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Mowery
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 7 other donors.Follow Us! #ADayInOurShoes
Funded Nov 10, 2015The camera and strap that we have received have made a difference in the lives of the general education as well as special education students in my broadcast class this year – a difference much greater than I ever expected. Some students recorded everyday activities at school such as gym class or people just moving through the halls. Other students even brought the camera to events such as a sports game to record the live action. Most significantly, one of the students strapped the camera to the back of his wheelchair and recorded his entire 3-mile trip to his mom's office through the sidewalks of the city.
Recording these actions may not seem extraordinary to some people, but my students have had trouble holding a camera in their hands for long periods of time because of disabilities or attention deficits. The strap that focuses the camera in one area and creates a hands-free way of recording video has given some of these students a new way to voice their view of the world.
Interactions with other students have changed as well. "Your camera is cool" or "Wow! How did you get to use that?" can be heard each time one of the students is able to strap the camera on and record the surroundings.
I feel that my students have been successful in altering perspectives on what students with special needs can accomplish and can teach others about communication. We are still working on an overall video that will record all of the different ways that my students move through the world using their unique modes of transportation. We are hoping to have the video ready by the end of the school year so that we can show it after school and have a diverse group discussion about the impact of our work.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Mowery
5, 4, 3, 2, 1...ACTION!
Funded Dec 16, 2014I am so grateful on behalf of my students and myself for this opportunity to go to the Broadcast Museum in our city. I was able to take 10 severe and profound autistic students, 3 visually impaired students, and many other general education students on the same field trip on 2 separate days. We went to lunch together as a group before the field trip, which bonded everyone even further as a group as we had to help each other get seated and get food at the counter. For some of these students, it was the first time they had eaten off campus with general education peers.
When we were at the museum, we toured around with a guide who was very knowledgeable about the field of broadcast. I was proud that my general education students made sure that everyone felt comfortable and even helped the tour guide feel more comfortable talking to visually impaired students in particular. Many students were describing objects to other students in great detail or explaining how they felt about certain exhibits and why they felt this way. The group was very cohesive and engaged with each other and the exhibits.
I appreciate your generosity in allowing us to experience an off-campus exhibit where we could interact more socially with all different types of people. Preparing for the trip ahead of time, and walking there as a group with students helping other students who needed help was also a valuable aspect of our field trip.
Please see the daily broadcast we shot at the museum at:
http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/walter-payton-college-prep-high-school-chicago-il/9b28c3d297”
With gratitude,
Ms. Mowery