Readers and Writers Workshop

Funded Jun 21, 2017

On the first day of school, students entered my classroom ready to hit the ground running with our Reader's Workshop program. About fifteen students were unable to secure the necessary binders and tab dividers they needed to create reader's notebooks, but with the generous donations from this project, each and every one of them was given what they needed. They were so excited to be on par with their peers when it came time to open these notebooks and begin their work.

My students are in their third year of Reader's Workshop. They are accustomed to keeping a spiral-bound notebook with their "I Wonders" and "Stop and Jots" filling the pages. In order to prepare them for middle school next year, I wanted to equip them with binders that would not only organize their work more efficiently, but also provide them with sections for individual reading experiences, book clubs, goals, focus lessons, and vocabulary practice. With the help of this project, ALL of my students can accomplish this goal.

In addition to preparing each student for success with a Reader's Notebook, I needed to provide clear anchor charts to guide their reading. These anchor charts, written on sticky note chart paper and the easel provided by this project, decorate my room. Students can refer to our signposts and reading norms as needed. As a bonus, I also use this easel during my morning meeting to greet students and provide a sharing opportunity that strengthens our classroom community.

I am so grateful to DonorsChoose.org and all of the generous donors who contributed to my project. We use these materials EVERY DAY, and we could not do our great work without them. Thank you, all, for giving my students the chance to be successful right from day one.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Priestley