Past projects 12
New Books About Old Things
Funded Aug 22, 2018Thanks again for your generous donation to our classroom project! Our historical fiction book clubs are in full swing, and the students are having a great time reading the books. As you'll see in some of the student photos, I introduced the book choices to the students by reading aloud the first 10 pages while shielding the book cover so they would be able to get a good idea for the author's writing style. On the final preview day, they were able to hold the books, flip through them, read the summary on the back, and get a better idea for the books before ranking their top 3 choices.
On the day they were put into their book groups, the excitement was palpable! Almost all of the kids were able to read their first choice books, thanks to your donation. Each week, they meet with their groups to set goals, complete reciprocal teaching roles, write thought-provoking questions, and engage in discussions, both online and in-person.
I particularly love this project because the kids are learning about history and improving their reading comprehension at the same time, while also getting to know their classmates. These book groups help create a culture of reading in the classroom that will echo through the entire year. We all sincerely appreciate your thoughtful donation!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 31 other donors.Books by Popular Request!
Funded Nov 19, 2017Thank you so very much for your generous donation to provide new books for my classroom. This was one of my most popular projects ever - the kids were so excited to see that books that THEY had requested were making their way onto the shelves!
The books that are part of a series in particular have had the most impact on the kids. A number of my students are so excited that they can read the entire "Mr. Terupt" series, and I STILL can't keep the Amulet series on the shelves. Kids who requested the books got first "dibs" but their excitement for the titles spilled over to their classmates. A personal recommendation is a powerful motivator!
As we dive into the final quarter of the year, my students are demonstrating unparalleled enthusiasm for the books they've read. They are writing book recommendations, doing book talks in front of the class, and using their favorite books to write their own versions of graphic novels. Your donation made these activities and enthusiasm possible, so thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
Teaching Acceptance, Tolerance, and Empathy With Books
Funded Aug 22, 2017I can't thank you enough for your help providing these books for my classroom. The students have responded better to this project than any before. When I was previewing the books with my students, their excitement was audible and the books flew off the shelves.
I give my students time to read books of their own choosing in class every Tuesday and Thursday. Often, after reading, they spend time writing in their Reader's Notebooks. The writing produced in response to these books about diversity has been moving. One student wrote about how the characters in "The Pants Project" helped her to understand her friend's family better because her friend also has two moms. Another student wrote that he had only heard the word "transgender" but didn't understand what it really meant until reading "Gracefully Grayson." Witnessing my students come to these realizations by reading books is truly an English teacher's dream.
In a recent survey I administered to my students, over 90% of them said they enjoy reading! This proves that when students are given choice in their reading and provided with books that interest them and help them grow, they will become lifelong readers. Your donation helps make this possible. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and 2 other donors.Ravenous for Graphic Novels!
Funded Feb 11, 2017This project is probably my most wide-reaching and impactful. These graphic novels have been so popular, I couldn't keep them on my shelves - and it's not small feat to keep kids excited about reading in June! I actually had a waiting list for the final books of the Amulet series. I was able to use these high quality graphic novels to bridge the gap between too-easy children's books (for example, Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and more grade-appropriate novels by exposing kids to critical thinking and new genres.
Every year, I give an anonymous end of year survey to my students. This year, in response to the question "What was your favorite activity from this year?" one of my students wrote:
"Silent reading, because after everybody has settled in, it's a nice environment to read in and there's a big selection of your library books to choose from." Having a wide selection of books from which students can choose is absolutely necessary to foster reading, and your generous donation has helped create a new generation of readers.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
Headphones For Hardworking Students
Funded Nov 14, 2016Your donation has made a lasting impact in my classroom! I have been able to teach dozens of lessons that I otherwise wouldn't be able to teach with the use of these headphones. More importantly, these headphones have allowed me to reach ALL of the students in my room.
Last week, the class learned about the characteristics of a hero, knowledge that they later applied to an essay that explained how Perseus and Superman are heroes even though they "existed" in very different historical eras. To learn about heroes, the students participated in station activities. In one station, they read examples of heroes in traditional text; in the other, they used the headphones from your donation to watch a short video and take guided notes about the characteristics of heroes. Because this information was presented in two different formats, it ensured that all students learned using their preferred representation.
This is just one example of the many ways that the headphones are being used in my classroom. Your donation has made my school and my classroom a more welcoming environment and more productive place for learning.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 11 other donors.Avid Readers Need the Latest Titles!
Funded Aug 25, 2016I can't thank you enough for making a donation to fund new books in my classroom. The kids were SO excited when I brought them out! Almost all of the books were checked out the first day and have been passed around and around within classes!
My students read for at least 40 minutes a week inside the classroom and for 2 hours a week as homework. I believe in the power of student choice, so with some guidance, students select their own reading books. Each month, they write me a letter about what they are reading, explaining their thinking and asking for (or giving!) recommendations. These letters are my favorite assignments to "correct" as a teacher: I just love the ongoing dialogue they create.
The books in this project give my students the opportunity to read about lives they never considered before, from fairy tale lands to all-star sports stars. Thank you for supporting their ability to read about what they CHOOSE to read about!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.A Comfy and Creative Classroom
Funded Aug 27, 2015Thank you so much for the wonderful supplies for my classroom! The kids absolutely LOVE the bean bags. So many kids wanted to sit in them when they first arrived that we had to establish a schedule and now they eagerly await their turn. They just love curling up in the "Comfy Corner" with a great book. The clipboards have been an enormous help as well. Students are now free to work wherever they feel comfortable, complete kinesthetic activities like Four Corners reviews, and work while standing in collaborative groups. My current Donor's Choose project is for a class set of headphones so ALL students can learn, whether they learn best with written material or when that information is conveyed with a video. As with the clipboards, the headphones encourage kinesthetic learning as they allow students to participate in movement-centric stations. Thanks again for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
Exciting New Titles for an Exciting New Year
Funded Aug 21, 2015Thank you so very much for your thoughtful and generous donation to my classroom library. The first half of the year was filled with books and with READERS, thanks to your gift. I teach a rigorous and comprehensive independent reading curriculum. To do so requires a LOT of books so that students can choose books that interest them and so that I have a broad library from which to make recommendations. This year, I started doing Book Talks in my classroom where I talk about a few books a week for 2-3 minutes each. These books fly off the shelves! I am constantly amazed at the power that my suggestions have with my students, and the books that you supplied for my classroom make my suggestions relevant and exciting.
Thanks again for everything you do.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
Book Group Supplies!
Funded May 5, 2015Thank you very much for your kind and generous donation to my classroom book groups. I would not have been able to implement this project without your help, and I am extremely grateful.
As a teacher, running book groups was one of the most valuable and rewarding experiences of my career so far. I have spent much of this year thinking about how to make learning increasingly relevant to my students and I learned a solution by reflecting on my own life. I realized that one of the major ways I enjoy the English language is by interacting with other people about books. I discuss books with my husband, I belong to several book clubs, I regularly post on Goodreads and I talk to the people who work at my local book store. I have realized that one of the most lasting and genuine ways to read a book is by sharing the experience with others - and that is precisely what your donation facilitated in my classroom.
It was truly a magical experience to watch a group of middle school students sit with their peers and passionately discuss a book! They had arguments over the most important character. They made predictions about what would happen next. They suggested ideas for alternate endings. But most of all, they learned the value of sharing a treasured novel with a friend.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
Growing Literacy with our Library
Funded Dec 4, 2014Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom. The books that you have provided for my students have made a real and lasting impact.
One of my students, "Katie," began the year in as an English Language Learner in a classroom with other ELLs, but tested high enough in October to be transferred to my mainstream classroom. She is a bright, friendly girl, but she was terrified of reading books in English. When I got this shipment of books, I saw her face light up in front of my bookcases as she saw the "Harry Potter" series. She had seen the movies and had fallen in love with the stories. Now, a few months later, she has almost finished the series. Her reading comprehension has grown in leaps and bounds and she is now able to confidently talk about literature with her peers.
This is just one story of success - there are countless others. My students and I truly appreciate your help.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gregory
This classroom project was brought to life by People's United Community Foundation People's Unit and 5 other donors.