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This teacher needs your help!

Mr. Engelman from Van Nuys, CA is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mr. Engelman is requesting

Whatever Happened to Reading Books?

My students need 8 copies each of 14 books. Reading programs focus on big textbooks with excerpts from novels. My kids need chapter books so they can experience good, old-fashioned reading!

  • $719 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

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Help Mr. Engelman

My Students

Many of my students only experience reading in school. At home, they have computers, tablets and video games. In school, modern language arts programs require kids to read pieces of books printed up in a huge textbook collection. I fear they are missing the experience of cuddling up with a good book.

My school is a suburban school in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

We are a Title One school, and many of our students speak two or three languages. We have a disparate group of kids, with a very wide range of abilities and scholastic levels. Our students come from all walks of life, from all over the city, here in Southern California. Some ride the bus for more than an hour each way, just to come to our unique little school. Ours is a "span" school, which means we need to meet the needs of students from kindergarten all the way to the 12th grade. Our small, diverse population of students adhere to our school's mission, "Never give up on a dream."

My Project

In order to foster a true love of reading, I think it is essential for my students to experience immersing themselves in a good book. That simply does not happen with modern-day language arts programs, which rely on huge textbooks loaded with parts of stories. In my classroom, I set aside certain weeks throughout the year where my students are assigned to reading groups. Each group has 7-8 students who read at similar levels of fluency and comprehension. In addition to reading their books, they get to create their own vocabulary and spelling lists, create puzzles for their peers to complete, write quizzes for each other, and even grade each other's work. The students love these reading groups. I often hear groaning and moaning when I tell them to stop reading because it is time for recess. How many times can a teacher say they have to STOP the kids from reading to go out and play? The kids get so much out of the reading groups, and I want to provide them with more books to read!

By purchasing these books such as The Littles for my students, I can help them experience the richness that great books bring to their imaginations.

We can break open the huge textbooks and read 15 pages pulled from a novel, or they can actually read the whole novel! How many people can say they have fond memories of reading a textbook when they were kids in school? I might argue, not many. Help me to spark a love of reading in my students, and help them to become life-long bibliophiles!

Mr. Engelman Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 School Grades 3-5

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 Mr. Engelman

Van Nuys, CA 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

30 students impacted 17donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Mr. Engelman is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Ivy and Bean (Ivy and Bean Series #1) Annie Barrows, Sophie • AKJ Books $5.39 8 $43.12
Letters from Rifka • AKJ Books $5.10 8 $40.80
Dogs Don''t Tell Jokes Louis Sachar • AKJ Books $5.10 8 $40.80
Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? Michael Avi-Yonah, Derek James ( • AKJ Books $5.10 8 $40.80
James and the Giant Peach • AKJ Books $5.10 8 $40.80
Indian in the Cupboard, The • AKJ Books $5.10 8 $40.80
Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The • AKJ Books $5.10 8 $40.80
Harriet the Spy • AKJ Books $5.10 8 $40.80
Magician''s Nephew • AKJ Books $4.89 8 $39.12
Justin and the Best Biscuits in the Worli • AKJ Books $4.37 8 $34.96
The Big Wave • AKJ Books $4.37 8 $34.96
The Field of the Dogs • AKJ Books $4.37 8 $34.96
Sees Behind Trees • AKJ Books $3.64 8 $29.12
The Littles • AKJ Books $2.91 8 $23.28

Materials cost

$525.12

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $48.05

3rd party payment processing fee

$7.88

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$611.05

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$107.83

Total project goal

$718.88

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $718.88

14 Donors

-$376.24

Donations toward project cost

-$334.80

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$41.44

Matching donations from our partners

-$325.00

Match offers toward project cost

-$276.25

Match offers to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$48.75

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$17.64

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 Mr. Engelman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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