Past projects 25
Just Right!
Funded Sep 12, 2024Thank you so much for helping to fund my project! Saying "thank you" for your kindness isn't enough, but it's a good place to start.
I know my kids will feel "just right" and safe by being able to chose which could be the right spot to sit and focus on learning.
It's wonderful to know there are people like you willing to help students thrive at school.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
I Am Ready
Funded Jul 30, 2024Expressing gratitude to a person who gives to someone -be it a gift or kindness- means we get to appreciate that person and their goodness all over again. Your support will always remind us of your generosity.
My students will greatly appreciate starting a new year in a new setting knowing where their materials can be found and having a place of their own.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
Look at Me!
Funded Aug 2, 2023Since the arrival of the iPad, my students feel confident about a way to keep a record of their findings such as pictures and/or videos when not in the classroom and even inside the classroom. It has become a "tool" for the students who finish their independent work early.
They know how to look for information about themes they're researching and use it to write information books. Which they are becoming great at, using scientific words such as: mammals, carnivore, hunters, etc. It is easy to carry around the school and find the components on it.
It has improve children's vocabulary and math skills and has helped on boosting their language use and social interaction in my students with cognitive delays.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.I Am Calm!
Funded Jan 12, 2023As soon as I told them and showed them the mats, my students were ready to try them. They couldn't wait for their yoga time, and that's happening every time. Always asking if it's time!
Our yoga class takes place outside our classroom, it's usually 30 min long depending on the weather. We start the class by greeting our surroundings and thanking the land for letting us be present there. Then we practice finding our calm by doing some of our yoga poses (the mouse, tree, frog, spider, etc.) Students act as teachers by taking turns picking their favorite pose and sharing it with the class. Before finishing the class we do the "star" pose" holding it as long as the singing bowl sounds. At the end we thank our bodies and our surroundings for helping us find our calm.
I have seen the big impact that meditation has on my students that I sign up for a professional development on yoga, social-emotional learning, and mindfulness for educators. I am really looking forward for the PD.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
I Am an Artist!
Funded Mar 11, 2022Kindergarteners are full of energy and have a great imagination, they are always looking for opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas. They wanted to show their love and appreciation to the adults in their life. They decorated a picture frame with their picture for their families and made a handprint canvas with a thankfulness poem.
After brainstorming about what to do to show their appreciation, I showed them the materials you help get for them and they couldn't wait to get to work. They were so excited!
We decided to make a tradition to honor and show appreciation for the responsible adults in their lives.
Now they will always have something to remind them of the importance of being appreciative.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
This classroom project was brought to life by Valhalla Foundation and 2 other donors.Comfy and Reading!
Funded Dec 16, 2021Everyday for 30 minutes, my students enjoy reading independently and 10 minutes with a partner. I teach one new strategy for reading and they get to practice it and use the ones they were using already. They look for a spot around the classroom where they can be confortable and they read. I meet with small groups at the same time. Once the timer goes off they find their partner and read together. It is amazing to see how much they have grown as readers!
The day I gave them the pillows they were so happy and excited to use them. They kept asking how did I got them, and were thankful to know about people like you, willing to help students thrive at school. They loved the bright colors and the size, big enough to enjoy reading for a longer time!
We are reading all about information, my students are finding out facts about animals/science they didn't know and using scientific words! Then they work on a science project writing about their findings and sharing them with peers.
My students are very eager writers/readers who want to read and write because they love to do it!
Thank you for helping my kindergarteners be ready for new challenges.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.I Have Books at Home!
Funded Oct 21, 2021Reading helps build important life skills, which start to develop in early childhood.
During our morning reading time, students learn new skills that will help develop their identity as readers and a love of reading. We have been practicing with "Go On Book Adventures: Exploring the Wide World of Books! Where every time they read, they can go on adventure in their books by: looking at pictures, looking for patterns, exploring different kinds of books and handling books carefully by... (teaching about title, left to right, how to hold it, tracking, etc.)
Reader's Workshop takes place everyday for about 60 min. It is divided in: 15 min of a Mini lesson where students get to learn a new skill, 25 min of independent reading (while I work with a small group on reading), 10 min of partner reading and 5 min of sharing. Everyday a group of students get to "shop for books" in our classroom library, they chose books they like and according to their reading level.
Parents shared with me about their reading books at home experience, they are so grateful!. My students are loving reading the books you helped bring home, and I am so thankful for your donation.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 2 other donors.Let's Go
Funded Sep 24, 2021As we are approaching the 100th day of instruction, it is amazing to see how much my students have grown. We started using the whiteboards to practice penmanship (tracing) and directionality, now they are writing words and even sentences! We also use the whiteboards for math, where students show their reasoning and I can see their needs to plan for them. Also in math we are starting introduction to adding and subtracting and with the help of their rek and reks they are understanding and using them as tools to accomplish math tasks.
Having a utility wagon has made the transitions from having instruction inside the classroom to instruction outside easier and faster. I can have the utility wagon ready with all the materials needed for any class we might have outside, which usually is science. They get to have a pillow to sit around a tree and be scientist and/or practice some meditation.
I remember my students amazed faces when using the materials for the first time. We decided on best ways to care for them to make a good use of them, which they are doing wonderfully.
We are planning now on being able make our classroom library more accesible for all and getting books that they read and enjoy!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.Well Organized!
Funded Aug 12, 2021It was wonderful to see at first the classroom looking well organized and ready to welcome the kindergarteners. Once they came in we started writing names on their own book boxes and selecting books to begin their reading journey. They all have a book box filled with books they love to read, which they do everyday for 25 min independently and 10 more with a reading partner. Transitions with the materials are fast and easy for them. When they transition to writing they know where to find the writing tools they need because of the bright colored boxes used for them. Each table has also a colored tray to keep their unfinished work to go back to it easily when needed.
My students were very excited and happy when coming into their classroom to find it ready and bright. They loved the bright and colorful environment, their eyes wide open with surprise to begin their kindergarten journey in a place ready for them. They all feel belonging.
Now, as we get ready to go back to learning after the winter break, we will start our information unit. Knowing their love for animals and the world around them, it will be amazing to share their findings, thoughts, wonderings, and to witnessed how much they have grown already!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and one other donor.I Love Those Books!
Funded Jul 23, 2021Encouraging a child to read everyday is absolutely crucial in developing a solid literacy foundation which will in turn lead to confidence and academic success. Reading is a process of getting meaning from print. Early reading includes the direct teaching of words and sounds. They also need basic knowledge about the written alphabet, sound-symbol relationships, and concepts of print because these are the basis for decoding and reading comprehension skills.
Everyday we have a 60 minute block called "Reader's Workshop", during which 10 minutes are for a mini-lesson (introducing a standard), 35 min for independent reading, 10 min for partner reading and 5 minutes for sharing. There is also time for "shopping for books", kids pick the books they want to read (which is very important).
My students love the new books because they have colorful illustrations, short sentences, words they know, and most importantly because they are new! They love the excitement of opening a new book and discover the story on it.
Thank you for making this project a reality.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cuellar Salazar