Past projects 9
Books and Reading Incentives for Multilingual Learners
Funded Jan 22, 2024I am writing to thank you for supporting the students at my school.
The research shows that independent reading, or allowing students to select their own books and to read at their own pace, builds students' literacy skills, including vocabulary and fluency. Your donations enabled me to purchase books on subjects that students requested (manga, graphic novels, psychology, self-esteem). Students were so excited when I put these new books on the shelves -- and they were immediately checked out.
In addition, students can build their second (or third or fourth) language skills based on the strengths of their first language. Thus, it is incredibly important for our students to continue to read and develop their native language skills. Your donation helped me to purchase high-interest books in Spanish, including novels that have been requested by students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.
This classroom project was brought to life by Someone who cares about New York City and 2 other donors.We Need Diverse and Accessible Books
Funded Dec 4, 2023Thank you again for your continued support of our students. The books in this project are already supporting a wide range of learners at our school.
For the first time at our school, we have students whose native languages are Portuguese and Vietnamese. We had no books in our library in these languages, so students were thrilled when the books arrived and they were able to read in their native languages. This opportunity is especially important because the research shows that students can build their second (or third or fourth) language skills based on the strengths of their first language. Thus, it is incredibly important for our students to continue to read and develop their native language skills.
In addition, we have several students who are still struggling to read in their native language. The books in this project, particularly the early and middle level texts in Spanish, will provide support to students and, because they are engaging texts, will also increase their motivation to read.”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.
This classroom project was brought to life by Townsend Press and 9 other donors.Diverse and Accessible Books for Students and their Families
Funded Oct 30, 2023Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in funding the books for our school. Students (and teachers!) were so excited to see the new books on the shelves – and they arrived just in time for us to celebrate National Picture Book Month for November.
There were a couple of clear favorites among the books: The Proudest Blue and Under My Hijab were immediately checked out by two students, who then proceeded to share the books with their friends during independent reading time. They were all thrilled to see themselves in the books, and asked if I could obtain similar titles for them. Spanish is My Superpower is also extremely popular, and truly affirms our students' multilingual identities. Many students selected Hair Love to read, and then had intense discussions comparing it to the short-film version of the book.
Having accessible and high-interest texts in our library is vital to supporting the development of our students' literacy and language skills. They are much more motivated to read if they can find a book that interests them or that reflects their lived experiences. We are incredibly grateful for your support and care of our students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.
Bringing Shakespeare to Life for English Language Learners
Funded Dec 18, 2016Thank you again for your help in creating an incredible learning opportunity for our students! In late February, two actors from the Classic Stage Company visited our classroom and ran workshops in all of the tenth grade English classes. The students were thrilled to meet professional actors, and to learn about their craft. They enthusiastically participated in the activities, which helped them to better understand the vocabulary, plot, and themes of the play. We practiced acting out scenes, and talked about some of the bigger themes of the play. The actors also gave us tips for watching the play, including focusing on the differences between Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse, and thinking about their different backgrounds and upbringings.
The trip to the theater took place about a month later. The play was amazing! The students were riveted for the entire production: the actors made use of a modern-day stage and props in a way that definitely appealed to the students' interests. The play was set in New Orleans, and the director took full advantage of the culture of the city in the staging of the play. For example, Doctor Pinch's arrival corresponded to an extended bounce-music dance sequence (with the actors dressed in skeleton costumes). I was really pleased that after the play, the students were able to answer the questions posed by chaperones who accompanied us on the trip but who had not read the play. My students were initially intimidated by reading Shakespeare. However, their tremendous effort in making meaning of a difficult text, their exposure to ideas about staging from the professional actors, and their attendance at the performance, all helped my students to become experts on The Comedy of Errors. In doing so, they boosted their confidence to read, speak, write, and listen in English.
"When are we going to see another Shakespeare play?" is a question I have heard numerous times since seeing The Comedy of Errors. It is clear that the experience has had a big impact on their lives. We could not have provided this opportunity to our students without your help.
Thank you again for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.
New Graphic Novels for English Language Learners
Funded Aug 11, 2016We have new books in our classroom library! My students have been anxiously awaiting their arrival, and were so excited to see the new texts!
I use my classroom library to support independent reading, which enhances my students' overall literacy skills. Students can select and sign out books of their choice to read and to review for other students. Two weeks ago, when I invited students to browse the classroom library, students wanted to know if I could obtain more graphic novels. They are, by far, the most popular type of book in my library and provide an accessible way for my students, almost all of whom are English Language Learners, to engage with a story. I promised my students that more were on the way. When I placed the new books on the shelves, students immediately signed them out. In fact, after first period, word spread so quickly that many students came into the classroom before their scheduled class time so that they could look at and sign out the books.
I am very grateful to everyone who contributed the funds to my classroom to enable me to purchase these books. Your contribution makes an incredible difference in the lives of my students, and I very much appreciate your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.
Help Our Students to Learn about Othello!
Funded Nov 29, 2015My students had an amazing trip to see Othello performed at the Classic Stage Company! A few weeks before we saw the play, two teaching artists from the Classic Stage Company visited our students to talk about the play and to run theater workshop activities with them. It was a great opportunity for the students to engage in acting, as well as to practice and discuss individual lines from the play. It was definitely these lines that resonated for the students during the performance.
The play itself was fantastic: the director and the actors worked incredibly hard to create a teen-friendly production. The setting was a modern day high school; much of Othello and Iago's dialogue in Act III took place in the gym and a locker room. There was also an extended dance sequence in Act II (to Beyonce's, "Formation") that really appealed to the students. They were on the edge of their seats for Act V (it was the most talked-about part of the play the next day). Finally, after the play was over, the actors spent some time talking to us about how they staged the fight scenes.
Seeing the performance definitely made a lasting impact on my students. They now associate Shakespeare with drama, comedy, excitement, complex themes, and masterful language -- and they are eager for more. The two most frequently-asked questions after the play were, "When are we going to read another Shakespeare play?" and "When are we going to see another Shakespeare play?" Seeing the play, and working with the actors, definitely made the words come alive for them. We could not have provided this experience to our students without your help.
Thank you again for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.
Help Bring Our "Malala" Class to See "He Named Me Malala"
Funded Sep 11, 2015Thank you so much for providing our students with an amazing opportunity to see the film, "He Named Me Malala." We had a fantastic trip: almost 90 students attended the screening, along with ten teachers and advisers.
The students absolutely loved the movie: they were moved by Malala's story, and the courage that she, and the other members of her family, possess to continue their fight for the right to education in Pakistan. This was especially important to our ninth grade students who attended the movie, as they are our "Malala House." The film definitely inspired them to take their right to education very seriously, and to make the most of educational opportunities. All of our students were intrigued by the parts of the film that show Malala as being a regular, and relatable, teenager, such as her interactions with friends, and her worries about her school work.
One of the best parts of the trip was our return to the school: the students shared their experience with classmates and discussed the movie with them during lunch in the cafeteria. Many students who attended the trip have approached me about finding copies of Malala's autobiography to read, and we are now trying to secure additional copies to keep up with the demand!
We are deeply appreciative of your generosity. Please know that you have succeeded in creating an authentic and meaningful experience for our students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.
Graphic Novels for English Language Learners
Funded May 26, 2015Thank you so much for contributing to our classroom! With the money you donated, I was able to purchase a set of graphic novels for our classroom library. The students at my school are English Language Learners -- and many are struggling readers. This set of high-interest, graphic novels will be used for independent reading. Studies demonstrate that reading independently increases students' reading stamina and comprehension. These books will therefore support our students' reading development, and will help them to access more complex texts in the future.
Thank you for your incredible generosity. We greatly appreciate your assistance in helping our students to enhance their literacy skills.”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.
Make Shakespeare Come Alive for Our ELLs!
Funded Dec 21, 2014I write to thank you again for supporting this project and to provide you with a detailed report on the experience. Simply put, the workshops with the Classic Stage Company and our trip to see their performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream were fantastic learning opportunities for our students.
On February 26, actors Shiva Kalaiselvan and Allan Washington visited each tenth grade English Language Arts class to conduct theater workshops with the students. In one exercise, they asked each student to select a small piece of paper with a line from Oberon's speech, "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows . . ." They instructed students to select one word from the line and to create a corresponding gesture to accompany that word. Standing in a circle, each student took a turn stating the word and demonstrating the gesture, which everyone else in the circle then repeated and imitated. Then, each student in the circle read the complete line, along with the gesture, in turn. This activity greatly helped our students, all of whom are English Language Learners, to understand the vocabulary in the speech – as well as the dramatic importance of the words. (Later, I even heard students repeating the lines from the speech in the hallway between classes!) At the end of each workshop, students were assigned roles and enacted almost the entire play through a series of gestures and movements. Not only did the workshops help our students to understand the language and plot, but they also built excitement for continuing to read the play before seeing the performance.
Two weeks later, on March 11, seven teachers accompanied 62 students to see the Classic Stage Company's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The actors were energetic, acrobatic, and just amazing. They interacted with our students throughout the play, and they made ample use of props, costumes, and music to help enhance their understanding of themes, characterization, and plot. Our students were just enthralled. They were especially happy to see Shiva, playing the role of Titania, and to cheer her on during her encounters with Oberon. After the performance, the actors spent about twenty minutes answering our students' questions about the play and about their work as actors, including how they go about memorizing their lines and how they decide where to move across the stage. Following the question and answer period, the actors helped the students to play a Shakespearean insult game against students from the other two schools in the audience. It was a great bonding moment for our tenth grade class, as they all cheered to support the students from our school who participated in the game (and yes, Bronx Bridges represented, and clearly won the competition).
The next day at school, the students talked about the play nonstop – in class, in the hallways, and at lunch. They absolutely loved the experience. We spent a great deal of time in class talking about staging decisions, and how those decisions influenced the impact of the play. We also talked about what they learned from seeing the play, as opposed to just reading it. Many students had a new appreciation for characters they disliked when reading the play; other students talked about their realizations about the complexity of the nature of love expressed in the play. All in all, it was an incredible learning opportunity for our students – an experience that they are not likely to forget for some time.
I am filled with gratitude for your support of this project. Please know what an enormous difference your help made in the lives of my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. P.