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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Larson from Saint Paul, MN is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Larson is requesting

Learning to Read is a Hard Job: It's Harder Without Books.

My students need fun, engaging books in Spanish, such as "Amigos En La Escuela", "Quiero Ser Doctor", and "Cinco de Mayo",for the classroom that will make them successful readers.

  • $647 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Larson for her next project!

Help Ms. Larson

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Larson for her next project!

My Students

Learning to read is a First Grader's most important job, but how can they be inspired to read without kid-friendly books? Our classroom library is woefully small and many of the "books" are just photocopies. My students crave books that make them curious and build their confidence as readers!

My class of 21 First Graders are hardworking and hungry to learn.

Despite their persistence, they face substantial obstacles: 97% of the students at our school live below the poverty line and all the students in my class are English Language Learners who speak Spanish at home. Many families cannot buy books, and a number of parents are illiterate themselves. Moreover, the majority of the class is reading below grade level, which means that unless students can make significant gains now, they will continue to fall behind. Our class is first learning to read in Spanish and then will transition to learning in English, which allows students to master the skills of reading in the language they know best. Finding books in Spanish, however, is a challenge, making this project essential to providing these students with the resources they need. My students cannot wait; they need every chance they can get to read high interest, developmentally appropriate books--in Spanish.

My Project

My students need fun, engaging books in Spanish, such as Amigos En La Escuela, Quiero Ser Doctor, and Cinco de Mayo,for the classroom that will make them successful readers. This project will transform our classroom library: instead of old books and bland photocopies, my students will be able to dig into new color books that appeal to their interests, including books about animals, the human body, machines, space, food, sports, jobs, humorous stories, and fairy tales. This balance of fiction and non-fiction will ensure that students gain exposure to many types of books and find something they enjoy. With boxes to keep our new books safe, students will be able to easily explore the new texts and become more independent stewards of the reading area. Students can reinforce the skills they are learning in whole group lessons by playing “teacher” and practicing our shared texts with the small pointers. This new library will turn students on to reading and set them on the path to being dedicated lifelong learners.

The students in my class are determined to learn to read, but they cannot do it alone; they need the support that a more diverse and appropriate selection of books would provide.

Students who are not proficient readers by Third Grade have only a very small chance of ever catching up, narrowing their opportunities for the rest of their lives. Your donation to this project will give students an opportunity to develop skills that will see them through school, college, and the rest of their lives.

Ms. Larson Cherokee Heights Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

At this school, more than 50% of students are Black, Latino, and/or Native American, and more than 50% come from low-income households. Learn how your donation to this school supports a more equitable education.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Ms. Larson

Saint Paul, MN View local requests

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

21 students impacted 15donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
RR106 - Student Pointers - Set of 8 • Lakeshore Learning $19.95 1 $19.95
En barco Cassie Mayer • AKJ BOOKS $5.12 1 $5.12
GG963X - Help-Yourself Book Boxes - Set of 6 • Lakeshore Learning $39.95 1 $39.95
JJ934 - Spanish Emergent Readers • Lakeshore Learning $49.95 1 $49.95
C mo van a la escuela los dinosaurios? (How Do Dinosaurs Got to School?) Jane Yolen, Mark Teague (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $5.40 1 $5.40
Los Dinosaurios (Dinosaurs) Editors of Larousse (Mexico) (Editor), Michele Lancina • AKJ BOOKS $1.79 1 $1.79
Que Son Los Seres Vivos? (What Is a Living Thing) Bobbie Kalman • AKJ BOOKS $6.60 1 $6.60
Bajo El Agua (Underwater) Diane James, Sara Lynn • AKJ BOOKS $7.56 1 $7.56
Bajo Las Olas Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini, Alma Flor Ada (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.79 1 $6.79
Por Qu Algunos Animales Viven en Cuevas Valerie J. Weber • AKJ BOOKS $5.98 1 $5.98
Los volcanes de la Tierra Bobbie Kalman • AKJ BOOKS $7.64 1 $7.64
Sumar y Contar Hacia Adelante Richard Leffingwell • AKJ BOOKS $5.37 1 $5.37
Nave espacial (Rookie Readers Spanish Series) Carmen Bredeson, Eida DelRisco (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $14.82 1 $14.82
Caliente y brillante: Un libro sobre el Sol Dana Meachen Rau, Denise Shea (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.79 1 $6.79
Puntos de Luz: Un Libro Sobre Las Estrellas Dana Meachen Rau, Denise Shea (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.79 1 $6.79
Luz de Noche: Un Libro Sobre la Luna Dana Meachen Rau, Denise Shea (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.79 1 $6.79
C rculos Diyan Leake • AKJ BOOKS $5.13 1 $5.13
Volcanes Cassie Mayer • AKJ BOOKS $3.55 1 $3.55
Cargadores Jim Mezzanotte • AKJ BOOKS $6.31 1 $6.31
Orejas Daniel Nunn • AKJ BOOKS $5.12 1 $5.12
Nuestra luna (Our Moon) Debra Lucas • AKJ BOOKS $4.91 1 $4.91
Pezu as, Garras y Mas Diyan Leake • AKJ BOOKS $5.12 1 $5.12
Fantasticos vehiculos para la construccion Kelley MacAulay, Bobbie Kalman • AKJ BOOKS $7.64 1 $7.64
Sol Cassie Mayer • AKJ BOOKS $5.12 1 $5.12
La Gallinita Roja Lucinda McQueen • AKJ BOOKS $4.26 1 $4.26
Tikki Tikki Tembo Arlene Mosel, Blair Lent (Illustrator), Liwayway Alonso (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.83 1 $6.83
Clifford: El dolor de barriga (Tummy Trouble) Bridwell, Jon J. Muth, Josephine Page, Ken Edwards (Illustrator), Adapted by Josephine Page • AKJ BOOKS $3.41 1 $3.41
La Visita de Osito Elsa Holmelund Minarik, Maurice Sendak (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.80 1 $6.80
Ratoncito la roja fresa Audrey Wood, Don Wood (Illustrator), Teresa Mlawler (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.83 1 $6.83
Que Rico! (Eat!) Roberta Grobel Intrater • AKJ BOOKS $3.76 1 $3.76
El Sapo Que No Queria Comer Martha Sastrias, Francisco Nava Bouchain (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $7.11 1 $7.11
Opuestos / Opposites Sandra Boynton, Sandra Boynton (Illustrator), Argentina Palacios Ziegler (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $4.55 1 $4.55
El conejito Knuffle: Un cuento aleccionador Mo Willems, Mo Willems (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.83 1 $6.83
Nico y los Lobos Feroces Valeri Gorbachev, Gorbachev, V Gorbachev, Ariel Almohar (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $3.29 1 $3.29
Mi Dia (My Day) Sindy McKay, Meredith Johnson (Illustrator), Yanitzia James Canetti (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $3.41 1 $3.41
La Cama Grande de Sofia Tina Burke, Tina Burke (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $4.26 1 $4.26
Qu es ese sonido? (What's That Sound?) Mary Lawrence, Lynn Adams (Illustrator), Adapted by Alma B. Ramirez • AKJ BOOKS $5.08 1 $5.08
Buenos Dias, Buenas Noches Michael Grejniec, Grejniec, Alis Alejandro (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $5.93 1 $5.93
Abuelita fue al mercado Stella Blackstone, Christopher Corr (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.37 1 $6.37
Conejito no puede dormir Carol Roth Jurgen Philip Philip Philip Kevin Kevin P Geneen Philip Philip Philip Marie, Valeri Gorbachev Mikhail (Illustrator), Queta Fernandez (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $5.93 1 $5.93
La limonada de Lul Barbara deRubertis, Paige Billin-Frye (Illustrator), Adapted by Alma B. Ramirez • AKJ BOOKS $5.08 1 $5.08
Los Numeros Anne Gutman, Georg Hallensleben (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $8.54 1 $8.54
Gato tiene sue o Satoshi Kitamura • AKJ BOOKS $7.25 1 $7.25
Oso en un cuadrado (Bear in a Square) Stella Blackstone, Debbie Harter (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $5.97 1 $5.97
El d a del beb ! / Baby Day! Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, Annie Garcia Kaplan (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $1.89 1 $1.89
Futbol En Accion (Soccer in Action) Niki Walker, Sarah Dann • AKJ BOOKS $5.93 1 $5.93
Autos de Carrera: Enciendan Sus Motores! Bobbie Kalman, Molly Aloian • AKJ BOOKS $7.64 1 $7.64
Beisbol: Pioneros y Leyendas del Beisbol Latino Jonah Winter • AKJ BOOKS $5.93 1 $5.93
Baloncesto espectacular Bobbie Kalman • AKJ BOOKS $7.64 1 $7.64
Porristas En Accion (Cheerleading in Action), Vol. 6 John Crossingham, Bonna Rouse (Illustrator), Marc Crabtree (Photographer) • AKJ BOOKS $5.93 1 $5.93
Halloween Huguette Kirby, Dominique Chauver (Photographer) • AKJ BOOKS $6.87 1 $6.87
Cinco de Mayo Kate Torpie • AKJ BOOKS $7.64 1 $7.64
El Dia de la independencia Mir Tamim Ansary • AKJ BOOKS $6.83 1 $6.83
Buenas Noches Editors of Larousse (Mexico) (Editor) • AKJ BOOKS $3.75 1 $3.75
Hogares Cassie Mayer • AKJ BOOKS $5.12 1 $5.12
Quiero ser Doctor Dan Liebman, Dan Liebman (Editor) • AKJ BOOKS $5.12 1 $5.12
Quiero ser Enfermero (Quiero Ser Series) Dan Liebman, Daniel Liebman • AKJ BOOKS $5.51 1 $5.51
Amigos En la Escuela Rochelle Bunnett, Matt Brown (Photographer) • AKJ BOOKS $5.08 1 $5.08
Quienquiera que seas Mem Fox, Leslie Staub (Illustrator), Alma Flor Ada (Translator), F. Isabel Campoy (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $5.98 1 $5.98
Modales (Manners) Aliki Brandenberg • AKJ BOOKS $12.98 1 $12.98
El traje de nieve de Tomas Robert N. Munsch, Michael Martchenko, Rigo Aguirre • AKJ BOOKS $5.08 1 $5.08
Pantalones nuevos, no!: Nevel 1 Marcia Leonard, Dorothy Handelman (Photographer) • AKJ BOOKS $5.08 1 $5.08
La noche de los trasgos Alicia Molina, Ana Ochoa (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $6.41 1 $6.41
La Bruja Colorea Ester Madronero • AKJ BOOKS $7.29 1 $7.29
Historias de Princesas y hadas Editors of Larousse (Mexico) • AKJ BOOKS $7.56 1 $7.56
Este No es Mi Sirenita Fiona Watt • AKJ BOOKS $7.59 1 $7.59
Llego la Navidad, David! David Shannon • AKJ BOOKS $5.12 1 $5.12
No, David! David Shannon, Teresa Mlawer (Translator) • AKJ BOOKS $8.12 1 $8.12
Muy bien, Fergus! (Good Boy, Fergus!) David Shannon, David Shannon (Illustrator) • AKJ BOOKS $3.41 1 $3.41

Materials cost

$507.18

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$7.61

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$549.79

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$97.02

Total project goal

$646.81

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $646.81

12 Donors

-$641.52

Donations toward project cost

-$549.79

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$91.73

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$5.29

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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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 Ms. Larson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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