I teach in a school that is 100% immigrants and refugees. Currently, I am teaching 2nd grade. My students come from Somalia, Yemen, Honduras, Thailand, Congo, Vietnam, just to name a few; I don't speak any of these languages, which sounds like it might be difficult, but it always seems to work out.
My students are special to me because everything is new to them and they love everything about America.
My students don't have the background knowledge that American born students have, so I try to create those experiences in my classroom, like having birthday parties and chewing bubble gum and blowing bubbles.
My Project
I work in a school that is 100% immigrants and refugees. While I've been teaching for a while, this setting is new to me and I don't have a lot of culturally appropriate books to meet the needs of my students. I want my students to see themselves reflected in my classroom library so they feel important and loved. When students feel loved, then the learning happens.
I also feel that where students read is just as important as what they read, so that's why I've requested the stools for flexible seating.
In my class, during reading time, students are free to sit wherever they like; at a table, in the rocking chair, on the floor, and now hopefully, stools around the room.
Reading is so important. I'm hoping to use these books as part of my read aloud time. I've committed myself to the #classroombookaday project, so these wonderful books will help with that goal. I will be reading these books to my class and then having rich conversations about their home countries, this gives my students a chance to practice their spoken English.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books) (Coretta Scott King Honor - Illustrator Honor Title)
• Amazon Business
$18.95
1
$18.95
Under My Hijab
• Amazon Business
$18.95
1
$18.95
Four Feet, Two Sandals
• Amazon Business
$18.00
1
$18.00
The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story
• Amazon Business
$17.95
1
$17.95
Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey (English and Arabic Edition)
• Amazon Business
$15.26
1
$15.26
Far from Home: A Story of Loss, Refuge, and Hope
• Amazon Business
$14.99
1
$14.99
Milet Picture Dictionary: English-Somali
• Amazon Business
$14.95
1
$14.95
My Name Is Sangoel
• Amazon Business
$14.30
1
$14.30
Dreamers
• Amazon Business
$14.24
1
$14.24
One Green Apple
• Amazon Business
$14.06
1
$14.06
The Big Umbrella
• Amazon Business
$13.41
1
$13.41
Mama's Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation
• Amazon Business
$13.19
1
$13.19
Where Are You From?
• Amazon Business
$12.77
1
$12.77
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family
• Amazon Business
$12.77
1
$12.77
Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
• Amazon Business
$12.59
1
$12.59
Other Words for Home
• Amazon Business
$12.15
1
$12.15
Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story
• Amazon Business
$12.02
1
$12.02
The Journey
• Amazon Business
$11.61
1
$11.61
Let's Celebrate Ramadan & Eid! (Muslim Festival of Fasting & Sweets) (Maya & Neel's India Adventure Series, Book 4)
• Amazon Business
$9.99
1
$9.99
My First Nepali Things Around Me at Home Picture Book with English Translations: Bilingual Early Learning & Easy Teaching Nepali Books for Kids (Teach & Learn Basic Nepali words for Children)
• Amazon Business
$9.99
1
$9.99
English-Swahili Bilingual Children's Picture Dictionary Book of Colors KamusiYaKitabuCha Rangi Cha Picha Cha Watoto Cha LughaZaidiYaMoja (FreeBilingualBooks.com) (English and Swahili Edition)
• Amazon Business
$9.99
1
$9.99
Toy is from Thailand
• Amazon Business
$9.99
1
$9.99
Festival of Colors
• Amazon Business
$9.98
1
$9.98
Yemen (Countries Around the World)
• Amazon Business
$9.95
1
$9.95
A Refugee's Journey from Myanmar (Leaving My Homeland)
• Amazon Business
$8.95
1
$8.95
A Refugee's Journey from Syria (Leaving My Homeland)
• Amazon Business
$8.95
1
$8.95
A Refugee's Journey from Afghanistan (Leaving My Homeland)
• Amazon Business
$8.95
1
$8.95
A Refugee's Journey from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Leaving My Homeland)
• Amazon Business
$8.95
1
$8.95
A Refugee's Journey from Iraq (Leaving My Homeland)
• Amazon Business
$8.95
1
$8.95
My New Home After Somalia (Leaving My Homeland: After the Journey)
• Amazon Business
$8.95
1
$8.95
A Refugee's Journey from Yemen (Leaving My Homeland)
• Amazon Business
$8.95
1
$8.95
Khadijah goes to School - A story about You...TM
• Amazon Business
$8.74
1
$8.74
Inside Out and Back Again
• Amazon Business
$8.39
1
$8.39
My First Book of Arabic Words (Bilingual Picture Dictionaries) (English and Arabic Edition)
• Amazon Business
$8.10
1
$8.10
Refugees and Migrants (Children in Our World)
• Amazon Business
$8.08
1
$8.08
We All Went On Safari (English and Swahili Edition)
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
My Name Is Yoon
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
Lowji Discovers America
• Amazon Business
$7.99
1
$7.99
I'm New Here
• Amazon Business
$7.59
1
$7.59
The Name Jar
• Amazon Business
$7.37
1
$7.37
The Toddler's Handbook: Bilingual (English / Arabic) (الإنجليزية العربية) Numbers, Colors, Shapes, Sizes, ABC Animals, Opposites, and Sounds, with ... Children's Learning Books (Arabic Edition)
• Amazon Business
$6.95
1
$6.95
Let's Look at Somalia (Let's Look at Countries)
• Amazon Business
$6.95
1
$6.95
A Rainbow of Friends
• Amazon Business
$4.99
1
$4.99
Whoever You Are (Reading Rainbow Books)
• Amazon Business
$3.99
1
$3.99
Materials cost
$539.45
Vendor shipping charges
$14.98
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$8.09
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$592.52
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$104.56
Total project goal
$697.08
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$697.08
1 Donor
-$296.26
Donations toward project cost
-$296.26
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$0.00
match offer
-$348.54
Match offer toward project cost
-$296.26
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Sheehan and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.