Books!

"Teacher Ronnie, what is an atom?" "Teacher Ronnie, is a dolphin as big as a classroom?" "Oh. What's a whale? Are there whales and dolphins in Africa?"

These are just a few of the questions my students have asked, sparked by the wonderful books my friends and family have been sending.

My First Book of Wild Animals, donated by Mason

These books are constantly passed between students during library time, and I've often seen a pupil forget the book they'd picked to read when their friend sits down next to them with one of the new books. These students are becoming inspired to keep reading and learning, and I couldn't be more grateful.

On that note, please take a second to sign this petition. It's very expensive to send books here, but unlike some donations to nonprofits, if you're sending books to a Peace Corps Volunteer you know exactly where they're going. This petition would make sending books to a PCV the same price as sending them to someone serving overseas in the military.

https://www.change.org/p/united-states-postal-service-treat-peace-corps-like-military-for-mail-purposes?recruiter=22318015&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

Shoutouts to....

Kenneth Mason, one of my former regulars at Starbucks and truly one of the most kindhearted humans I've ever met, who sent me a wonderful box of school supplies and books! It definitely made my day and my school is so thankful!

Can you imagine trying to visualize how far apart France and Uganda are, without ever having had access to a world map? Knowledge of world geography is extremely difficult to acquire without visual references. My cousin, Cameron Tysor, has helped my pupils out with that by sending a True Book on every continent inhabited by humans!

Hannah Benedix Cowan, my former Duchesne Academy classmate and an engineer herself, is helping to inspire my pupils to become scientists and engineers with the books she sent! The all-encompassing Nat Geo Science Encyclopedia, with beautiful pictures on every page, is the most popular but the books on Astronomy aren't far behind it!

And a connection I made through Tri Delta at University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Amanda Cuddeford, sent books ranging in topic from The Human Body to folktales from different parts of Africa!

Of course, my wonderful parents, who manage to fit books for my school into every single package they send me!

The box that Mason sent for me and my school to enjoy! It has everything from crayons to a magnetic checkerboard and a map of Nebraska, so I can show everyone exactly where I'm from! It was incredibly thoughtful and makes me smile whenever I think about it. Thank you so so so much, Mason!

True Books: North America, donated by Cameron Tysor 

My First Book of Wild Animals, donated by Mason

Children's World Atlas, donated by Mason

Children's World Atlas, donated by Mason

Sticky notes, sent by Mason, put to good use! Together with the science teachers here, I've been going through the science textbooks we have to coordinate them with the Ugandan curriculum, to be used here as references in class.  

How Things Work, donated by Hannah Benedix Cowan

Encyclopedia of Science, donated by Hannah Benedix Cowan

Dive, donated by Nick and Colleen Schinker

True Books: Animals Helping After Disasters, donated by Mason, and How Things Work, donated by Hannah Benedix Cowan 

What's Out There? A Book about Space, donated by Amanda Cuddeford

A Story, A Story, donated by Amanda Cuddeford

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How Things Work, donated by Hannah Benedix Cowan

Encyclopedia of Science, donated by Hannah Benedix Cowan

True Books: Asia, donated by Cameron Tysor

True Books: North America, donated by Cameron Tysor

DK Eyewitness Books: Astronomy, donated by Hannah Benedix Cowan

The Giving Tree, donated by Mason

True Books: Africa, donated by Cameron Tysor

A glimpse into what the classroom looks like during my book box time! There are 115 pupils in this picture, all of whom opted to spend their hour of free time reading! (Sorry for the bad lighting, there isn't electricity in the classrooms, all light is provided by the windows!)