Past projects 5
Active Bodies & Minds
Funded Jan 22, 2022Thank you so much for donating to my classroom. My students were elated when we received all of our items. I try to make my classroom calming, engaging, and inclusive. With the help of our new additions, I was able to accomplish this. The Light Sabers as pointers, sound machine, and flexible seating options make our classroom more like a home and a fun place to be. The Qball has helped give my most quietest students a voice in our classroom community.
I will continue to use these items on a daily bases. I know the students are excited every day when we use each item, and that is a win for me.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Harris
This classroom project was brought to life by Utah State Board of Education.Learning Through Engagement!
Funded Nov 16, 2019Thank you so much for donating to my classroom and students. The items I purchased with your donations have been a welcome addition to our learning. When the packages arrived my students were excited and anxious to learn what was inside. At first glance all the items looked random, but each had a unique purpose.
With this donation my class received new and top brand erasers that they have taken good care of and are always wanting to share in order to make them last. Students want protection and often refuse to erase and start over. That is not the case with these erasers, they make the job so much neater and cleaner.
The chime and "yes" button have also added in a positive way to our class. I like using my voice less and getting students' attention with the nice ease of the soft chime sound. Each time students get answer correct they are able to hit the "yes" button and love to hear which version of yes they will get. The large dice, Connect Four game, stickers for incentives, and scary stories help keep students engaged and intrigued and what's coming next.
I love that I can add little things here and there and it increases students motivation and investment to their learning in ways I wouldn't imagine.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Harris
Take A Look, It's In A Book!
Funded Oct 4, 2019When the packages of books first arrived my students were so excited to start reading. For several days had students fill out raffle tickets and select the books they wanted to read first. Students were able to vote as many times as desired. The day of the raffle students were so excited! There was cheering and tears of joy. My students expressed how they couldn't wait to start reading. After students finished reading we placed all the books on the shelves for other students to read the new found literary treasure. Every other Friday we get out our flashlights and our book of choice and ready for 20 minutes. The students groan every time I turn on the lights to signal the end of Flashlight Friday. Due to your generous donation I have been able to bring excitement to my students.
The books that were donated are used mainly for independent reading. However, every month or so I use the books in our class Book Tasting. The Book Tasting gives students an opportunity to explore different genres. Often times students don't enjoy reading because they haven't found a good book that interests them. The Book Tasting allows students time to explore a little of each genre and helps them create a "To Read" list for the future. With this grant I was also able to purchase Bouncy bands to help increase student on task behavior and engagement. Every day ten different students are able to come in and select a chair with a bouncy band. I have noticed a great increase in my students' on task behavior and my students have been self aware and request the bands often. I am looking forward to the future of one day having a class set of Bouncy bands.
My students and I love the new additions to our classroom and can't imagine anything else. From increased positive behavior to having more reading choices to bring excitement back to reading, our class has improved because of your donation.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Harris
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron Fuel Your School.Touch, Build, Think, and Learn With Me!
Funded Feb 6, 2019Thank you for your contribution to my classroom and to my students. With your contribution I was able to purchase several hands on learning materials that I organized into different STEM boxes. Every Friday my students come in and choose one box and take fifteen quiet minutes to explore and create with the materials inside the box. In these fifteen minutes my students use open ended free time to create anything that they like. I do not give them any set instructions other than behavior expectations. Their day is structured enough, I want to give my seven and eight year old time to use their imagination.
When I first introduced my plan to my students they were excited and I had complete buy in. My students look forward to Fridays and are eager to come in and create using what we call STEM boxes. On Fridays we do a lot of testing, from spelling, to math skills, to comprehension. I wanted a way to alleviate stress and give my students time to just be creative. The STEM boxes allowed just that. I mainly use the supplies for this purpose. However, we also use the boxes of materials two other ways. 1. During bad weather days, when my students are unable to go outside, they know they can choose a box and work on their own or with a partner. I have seen my students working and collaborating effectively with the boxes then I have all year. 2. When I have a lesson and want to enhance it in some way visually or kinesthetically, I try and use one of the STEM boxes.
Thank you so much for allowing me to purchase the items like brain flakes, pattern blocks, wooden blocks, and Eye Spy Bingo for my students. By enhancing my classroom routine in this small way, you have helped me make a huge impact on my students. I have seen their imaginations soar, the ability to stay on task last longer, and their willingness to work with others increase, all because of the Stem boxes. Thank you again for your generous contributions.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Harris
Math at Our Fingertips!
Funded Oct 11, 2011My classroom is all a buzz with busy students engaged in many different tasks. You might find a pair of students playing a game of rounding numbers or a small group of students teaching each other how to add up money. My Students are building confidence and independence with their basic math skills. Thank you for providing my students with the necessary math tools to help me accomplish this goal.
I want leaning to be fun and most importantly I want learning to be hands on and accessible to all students. Since I have received all the materials and supplies through your generous donation, I have been able to show students a more concrete way to look at learning. Each day I often hear my students asking, "I finished my assignment, can I play a math game?" It is music to teachers' ears when students want to continue to learn. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Harris