Yesterday, I pointed to a project in my Donors Choose challenge that was running out of time:

Reading Is a Discount Ticket to Anywhere

I require my students to read four books each grading quarter, and often times the books in our High School Library are above the students’ reading levels or are so dated as to be of little interest to my students. As I build a diverse classroom library that will entice students to read, I would like to expand that by providing books from genres that I know are of high interest to my students: realistic fiction and suspense. Diverse selections of young adult fiction will allow my students to gain confidence in their reading skills as they self-select books that are both interesting to them, as well as varying reading ability levels. Offering such a variety of select titles will encourage students to expand their book choices, and ultimately their love for reading.

Reading provides the frameworks for success in every field. Strong readers will ultimately be strong writers, strong in other subject areas, and strong thinkers. Without reading, a child can expect little success in life, as these skills are needed from everything to reading directions to enjoying a novel. Self-selected literature is the way to garner student interest in reading.

Several of you donated, Zhuge, DuWayne, Sarah, Stephen, Rebecca. Contributions big, small, and in between came in. They’ve put us more than halfway there. The total left to fully fund this project is just $213. That is completely reachable.

Won’t you please step over to the project and give even just a little bit to help get these kids their books? Don’t forget that Donors Choose will match you at 100% (on another project of your choosing). I still have some matching funds to contribute as well. Right now, small donations are not so small.

Come on. Let’s finish out the Freethought Blogs Donors Choose campaign with one more success and one more set of happy, well-educated kids.

Update: Thank you! Thanks to Allison, Steve, Cathy, and Josh, this project is now fully funded. I’ve had to give the rest of my matching donation to another project. I chose this one from Challenger School in Glendale, AZ:

Life As We Knew It – Integrating Science and Literature

My students need 40 copies of young adult novels, Life As We Knew It, to support integrating science and literature. In Seventh Grade students learn about space, eclipses, and tides as part of their science standards. I would like to provide them an exciting novel in reading that integrates these ideas as a major part of the plot. I feel this will provide students with an understanding of how information from science can be used to enhance literature. This novel will allow us an excellent opportunity to reinforce science in our reading class.

Your support will help me provide my students with access to an exciting novel. The book illustrates to students how understanding science is used in other areas of life. This novel provides an excellent opportunity for my students to build literacy for high school while reinforcing science standards.

I love projects that make science relevant and that promote cross-disciplinary thinking. Science isn’t a “thing.” It’s a part of our lives and a critical means of understanding our world. This project is also getting close to its deadline, with only nine days left. With my contribution, which is part of your contribution, it will only take another $223 to fully fund this project.

The last project I posted for Donors Choice was funded in one day thanks to my readers. This one is going to be harder. From Brookland High School in Brookland, AR:

Reading Is a Discount Ticket to Anywhere

I require my students to read four books each grading quarter, and often times the books in our High School Library are above the students’ reading levels or are so dated as to be of little interest to my students. As I build a diverse classroom library that will entice students to read, I would like to expand that by providing books from genres that I know are of high interest to my students: realistic fiction and suspense. Diverse selections of young adult fiction will allow my students to gain confidence in their reading skills as they self-select books that are both interesting to them, as well as varying reading ability levels. Offering such a variety of select titles will encourage students to expand their book choices, and ultimately their love for reading.

Reading provides the frameworks for success in every field. Strong readers will ultimately be strong writers, strong in other subject areas, and strong thinkers. Without reading, a child can expect little success in life, as these skills are needed from everything to reading directions to enjoying a novel. Self-selected literature is the way to garner student interest in reading.

This teacher is putting together a library of paperbacks, pulp fiction that her students will enjoy reading and which will introduce them to a wide variety of perspectives. There are only two days left on this challenge and $520 dollars left to go. That won’t be easy, but I think we can do it.

Yes, I said, “we.” I will match 50% of the donations to this project, up to $150 on my part. That won’t get us quite all the way there, but it will get us very close, making it more likely that other people will also donate to this project.

Beyond my 50% match, the Donors Choose team is also matching contributions for the last few days of the challenge. Donate now, and after Saturday, you’ll receive a Donors Choice gift card to assign to another project of your choosing. Between them and me, your donations will be worth two and a half times what you contribute.

So, please, won’t you help out with even a very small donation right now?

We’re coming up on the end of the Donors Choose challenge. Freethought Blogs as a whole is doing very well, even if my particular challenge isn’t very high in the rankings. I’m okay with that. Students helped are students helped, no matter which blogger deserves the credit.

I would like, however, to see one or two more of these projects fully funded. This one is getting close. From South Elementary School in Kennett, MO:

Science Fair Spectacular

We use the quote “Be the change you want to see in the world,” from Mahatma Gandhi and tweak it a little to say “Be the change you want to see in our school.” Science is a subject that is often overlooked to focus on reading and math. I want to bring a focus to science in our school and share the excitement and wonder that science has to offer. After brainstorming with the class, we agreed that we would love to put on a class Science Fair. With the materials purchased, my students will be able to have a plethora of ideas at their fingertips of ideas for Science Fair projects. The trifold boards will allow the students to display their findings of the projects during the Science Fair. The science project books will inspire them and the medals will reward them. Not only will the students learn more about science through this project, but they will also learn about committing to something and following through to the end, which will be helpful throughout all of their lives. It will be life-changing for my students.

Thank you for taking the time to look at our project! Not only will this project help the students learn more about science, it will also give the students life skills that will stay with them always. This is our only means of funding for this project, so please consider a donation today. My kids deserve it! Thank you!

This project is only $107 dollars from being fully funded. At this point, even small donations can push it over the top. Can you click over and get it just a little closer? It won’t take much to add to that number of students reached in the widget.