Past projects 7
Flexible Seating = Greater Learning
Funded Aug 9, 2022Thank you so much for donating to our classroom's flexible seating project! The seating arrived just before the first day of school. When students entered the room, they were so excited to try out all of the different options.
During the first week, students tried new seats each day to find the ones that work best for them. We still have some traditional seating available for the students who prefer that, however, I have found that my high energy students have so benefitted from these new options that allow movement. They are able to focus and work independently on assignments for a much longer amount of time.
Thank you for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Scovone
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 4 other donors.Breaking Out of the Norm
Funded Nov 24, 2020Thank you so much for your donation to our "Breaking Out of the Norm" Donor's Choose project. The digital resources supplied through BreakoutEDU and Teachers Pay Teachers have been invaluable during virtual learning. The Breakout Rooms from Breakout EDU have become one of my student's favorite activities to engage in. I have seen such a growth in their deductive and logical reasoning skills as well as teamwork. It's one of the few times I can go into breakout rooms on Zoom and see nearly every camera on and students engaged with each other and in the activity. So often I'l jump into a room and it will be silent with all cameras off, but not when we are doing a breakout room!
The growth in their reasoning skills and perseverance became very apparent when we had another fourth grade class join our Zoom to do a Breakout Room. It was their first time and probably the fourth or fifth one for my students. We mixed up the classes into Zoom breakout rooms and my students really seemed to become the leaders in there with pointing out clues and encouraging the other students to keep trying. It was so encouraging to see and I know the other teacher is now interested in starting to implement these in her own class!
We can't wait to use the physical BreakoutEDU materials once we return to the classroom and it's safe to do so! Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Scovone
Brain Breaks With Team Sports
Funded Oct 28, 2019Thank you for your generosity in donating to our class's Donor's Choose project for new recess balls, an inflator, and sidewalk chalk! When the materials started to arrive, the students were thrilled and couldn't wait to try them out at recess time.
At any given recess about a half dozen students can be found playing basketball with our new balls (that we've been able to keep inflated with our big temperature fluctuations!). Another group of students are playing soccer and more are playing four square or other games with the bouncy balls. Many of these students had previously spent recess only interacting with one or two other friends, so these materials have gotten students to expand their social circles.
Throughout the year, especially in the warmer weather, we'll continue to enjoy these materials.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Scovone
Flexible Seating - Does the Brain Good
Funded Nov 2, 2017I want to thank you for your generous donation to our Donor's Choose Flexible Seating project. The new seating options have completely transformed our room both physically and mentally.
Physically, the classroom environment is much more open without being crowded with 24 or more desks. While we still have some desks available for students who choose it, we now have a large amount of open space available for students to utilize for their flexible seating and working cooperatively on projects. This open space creates a much more freeing environment that seems to allow students to think more creatively.
As the resources slowly got delivered to our classroom, students' excitement kept being renewed. It seemed like each day students got a new favorite seating from the beanbags to yoga balls to camp chairs and more. Now that we've had the seating for a while, students have settled into their preferred spots. Student concentration has increased during whole group lessons, as they are able to got their wiggles out on yoga chairs or lean back comfortably in their beanbag. I have also seen students increasing their workload and getting more assignments completed independently in class.
These new resources have been amazing and we would not have been able to get them without you.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Scovone
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 6 other donors.Connections for Comprehension: A Patricia Polacco Study
Funded Jun 5, 2013Thank you so much for making this project a reality. As a result of your generosity, we were able to get over 50 Patricia Polacco books! The students were thrilled to delve into her familiar, relate-able world.
This set of books will be used during a comprehensive unit. Students will have an opportunity to hear dozens of her stories read aloud, which will help expand students' vocabularies and improve their reading fluency. Students will be able to select their own Patricia Polacco books that spark their interest to read in-depth. Students will use these stories to practice making text-to-self connections and learn how to make text-to-text connections that deepen their thinking of the characters and messages of the stories.
Polacco's personal narratives also give students any opportunity to study writer's craft. They will see how she hooks the reader in from the beginning, uses dialogue and inner thoughts to develop the story and characters, and leaves the reader with a satisfying ending. This will help students incorporate these traits into their own writing.
Thank you again for your generosity. Without your help, we never would have gotten these books.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Scovone
Books Alive: Bringing Books to Life with MP3 Players
Funded Sep 26, 2012I want to express my gratitude for your generous donations to our class project. The students are greatly enjoying our new listening center with the mp3 players.
The students are excited to be able to read challenging books that they would otherwise not be able to read independently. Furthermore, by listening to books being read it has helped expand students' vocabulary, improved their fluency and accuracy, and given them greater opportunities to comprehend complex texts.
Our district is in a budget shortfall, like most districts in Michigan. We are only able to purchase the bare essentials. Without donors like you, thousands of classrooms in the United States would go without.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Scovone
Classroom Library Facelift
Funded Mar 29, 2011I want to express my gratitude for your generous donations to our class project. The students are greatly enjoying our new area rug and bookcases.
I have seen a marked increase in the excitement students have for reading and the time they spend engaging in it. The books are much more accessible with our durable bookcases. Furthermore, group time is much more pleasant with the large carpet that has squares for each child to adopt as their own space.
Our district is in a budget shortfall, like most districts in Michigan. We are only able to purchase the bare essentials. Without donors like you, thousands of classrooms in the United States would go without.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Scovone