With these funds I will purchase a set of DBQ (Document Based Question) activites.  These activities will help my students to analyze primary sources and compose analytical essays, which is necessary to score well on the AP test in high school.

The DBQ Project (http://www.dbqproject.com/) is a organization whose mission is to "to help teachers help students read with understanding, think straight, and write clearly."  Each lesson contains a variety of documents such as maps, charts, diary entries, and letters that connect to a guiding questions.  The students use the information from the documents to answer the guiding question in the form of an analytical essay.  The DBQ project also provides graphic organizers and outlines to help students construct organized, cohesive essays.  These activities prepare students to excel at these types of essays, which are administered on the AP test in high school.  By beginning in middle school, teachers can help students build the skills they need to excel on the AP exams.

Many of my students have excellent intellectual minds but lack the economic resources that their peers in higher income have to be successful.  It is my hope that our school would be able to provide these resources in order to even the academic playing field and close the achievement gap.

Back Up Plan