Arlenna from Chemicalbilology's Science Blog Page

Edit title

As I teacher I quickly learned that getting students to read out of sheer passion was not an easy task. So far my students have been very reluctant to reading mainly because of the material that is provided. It usually takes students over a month to complete a 150-page book. While I try to engage and motivate students with activities they rarely read ahead on their own. Then, The Hunger Games stepped in and my trouble of getting kids to want to read was over. Then last year I heard the buzz over The Hunger Games and read the books. Instantly I was engaged and wanted to read on, so I knew my students would also want to continue reading. However, the financial impact that buying a classroom set was out of the question.

Once I got the books I had the students read it everyday at the beginning of class, but more and more students asked to borrow the books. Then I realized that I no longer had a classroom set because so many students had checkout copies of the book. Then it became a class reading by period. Each month a new set of students read the book, and each month it was a new adventure. Not just for the students, but also for me. Every time I re-read the book, I found new and enticing ways to present material to the students. As a class we did a variety of activities like, character lists, movie selection and scripts, and we even had a class "selection" and "games".

With the activities students not only learned, but were also encouraged to read more. I had many students that completed the first book and eagerly wanted to read the next book. Many students decided to finish the trilogy on their own and have asked if I could recommend over books similar to The Hunger Games. So, in the end the books was not only a trip into the future, it was a trip into a whole new reading world.

”

With gratitude,

Ms. Brizuela

Thank you for the amazing collection of graphic novels added to our classroom library. As a direct result of the books, students have learned about comparing and contrasting literature adaptations, character traits, inferencing, graphic novel conventions, and book reviews. Most of all, students have taken to graphic novels and are enjoying reading. My most reluctant readers are grabbing for them during independent reading with enthusiasm. Students have written numerous online book reviews using graphic novels and are discussing their merits -- on their own! It has be amazing to note such a dramatic change in attitude towards reading. Graphic novels have impacted a hard to reach group of students who ordinarily would visit the library with a reluctant disdain. Reading time was something to get through, now it is something to which to look forward.

In teaching, we often have many assignments to give, specific lessons to conduct, and skills to teach. Students interests and attitudes are often overlooked in the myriad of tasks to complete. Few materials in my teaching career have made such a dramatic impact in the attitude, the interests and love of reading as graphic novels. Thank you for taking the time and effort to impact my student's love of reading. ”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Lewis

Thank you so much for your donation to our classroom. We are finally able to start our long awaited novel study and poetry exploration. The students are starting their poetry journals much like the one the young boy in the book writes as he explores poetry and writes his own.

The book you helped supply for my students gives them not only a great piece of literature to read but a guide of how to explore and truly become a writer of poetry themselves. I am excited about all of the poetry they will produce as we read the novel!

By the end of this school year they will all have a collection of poetry they have written to share with others. Thank you all so much for your generosity. What an amazing gift you have given my students.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Walters

Thank you so much for funding this microscope project. I had some trouble in the beginning getting the software to work, but now I have it working great.

We just started our fresh water unit. This is the unit I most envisioned using the microscope for. We recently looked at water samples of a wetland, and are going to do service work at the wetland next week. It was so important to be able to show them the microscopic side of the wetland, in order to give them a complete picture of what it is. Next unit we will be looking at ocean water, and the students will be looking at plankton vs. plastic. To help understand how plastic is effecting our water environment. I can't wait to use it next year to look at minerals and volcanic rocks.

I wanted to share some things I really like about this microscope and how it has improved my class. I enjoy the fact that I can project the contents of the slides on the white board and point things out to the students. I like the fact that I can tell if a student is not using the microscope effectively, because it is easier to identify where they are making a mistake. Finally I think it brings an air of excitement to the class when they see the microscope is out, they know something great is coming!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Turnbow

I am extremely grateful for the kindness and generosity that you have shown to my students. My students LOVE the reading games. One of the best features about the materials is that they correspond to a story. Therefore, we can read the story and then complete the activity. The variety of the materials are helpful and used by every student in my classroom. Reading comprehension is a key component that all students must learn and master. I want my students to understand that it is important to know how to read but you must also understand what you have read. Thank you so much for being a blessing to my students and I. I am forever grateful....

Warmest regards,

Ms. Finley”

With gratitude,

Teacher

My students LOVE the books. Love isn't a strong enough word to express the impact that these books have had on my students. Through donorschoose.org I have been able to build a budding library for my classroom. However, I don't think I've ever seen students clamor for books like they have with this recent donation.

Already students immediately go to the library for an art book when they finish their work before others, without explicit instruction to do so. In the past they usually just acted out or slept. Also, I have been able to teach several effective lessons on how to analyze a non-print text by having students pick an image from one of our new books to analyze themselves. Furthermore, I have students who participate in an after-school art club in another room habitually borrowing books to use as examples for their own creations.

I was an artist before I was a teacher. I believe that non-print art is an equally valid way to access the various ideologies in this world. This is especially important for students in my room who can barely read. It gives them an opportunity to discuss ideas without feeling embarrassed because they can't access concepts through text. Furthermore, many of my students have never been to an art museum, although my city has plenty, due to their poverty and the insulation that poverty encourages. These books provide them with a window to a bigger world, and they open that window on a daily basis, without my bidding.

Thank you so very much.”

With gratitude,

Mr. Bass

I want to thank you for your donation to my classroom. The students have started reading the novel and are really enjoying it. I am using it in all of my classes including my inclusion class. This is a humorous book that all of my students can relate to.

This book addresses many of the state standards we teach in my grade level. One of the areas my students struggle in most is vocabulary and this book will help build up each one of my students vocabulary. Also, the book 's interest level matches my students, but is closer to their reading level.

The other teachers on my grade level are excited to use the book after my class is done with it. Thanks so much for your support in helping our students achieve. ”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Walters

Thank you so much for the wordless picture books. You have made a wonderful project come to life. My students are enjoying themselves so much that they forget that they are actually building fluency, comprehension, and expanding their writing skills.

I'm so proud of how they have helped one another with their spelling and writing skills and are pleased that they are creating a very special book of their own. They have had a lot of time to work on their team-work. They have a deeper understanding of how each person in their group is important. Those are such valuable skills that can only be taught with this kind of project.

Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to fund this project and the children would have missed this opportunity. They may not realize that one day they could be future writers, but you have planted the seed to start that dream. For that I am truly grateful.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Wood

Thank you so much for contributing to our learning! Your donations have impacted students' attitude toward reading. They see that reading can be fun and something they can do with friends. In their thank you letters, most indicated that the reader's theater materials are helping them become better readers. They realize by practicing reading, they are better at their roles each time. Students are aware of the importance of expression and pacing. I noticed students are more confident in themselves not only in reading but also in speaking in front of their peers as they perform their acts. This, of course, will help them in public speaking as they get older.

We have recently took a fluency test and ALL students in my reading class have improved their scores. Several students even improved by being able to read another 25 words a minute. This improvement have been made over a course of about one month. Imagine how successful they can be by the end of our school year!

I cannot thank you enough for your generosity. Your donations will continue to impact student success in the future as I cherish the materials and make them last throughout my career as an educator. I have also been sharing my materials with other teachers and they have informed me that their students are also very excited about reading. Thank you for making a difference! ”

With gratitude,

Ms. Yuen