Past projects 15
Let's Get Sharp and Stick to Learning
Funded May 11, 2024We're incredibly grateful for the generous donations that have transformed our classroom! Every item has been a hit, and we're truly enjoying the benefits. That pencil sharpener? A game-changer! I'm not sure who's more thrilled, me or the students—it makes keeping our pencils sharp a breeze. Seriously, it's lightning-fast! Thank you for getting right to the "point" and making our lives easier.
The organizational tools, like the sturdy red folders for word work, have been invaluable. And the desk plates? They've really helped students access their learning materials around the room. Plus, the craft supplies! The envelopes and keychains will be perfect for creating special gifts for our wonderful parents. And of course, the stickers! They're a huge hit as rewards—everyone loves them! Thank you again for your amazing generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 8 other donors.Becoming Strong Individuals
Funded Nov 29, 2023We have really gotten use out of the resources you helped provide our classroom. We appreciate all of the items, and they have all helped make learning even more exciting!
The clipboards and the timer help make group work easier. My students love to partner up. We always used a whiteboard as "our something hard" to write on. Now, we have a clipboard that keeps our worksheets tidy. The timer has helped us keep to a schedule. We have so much to do...this is important.
The magnetic whiteboard makes small group work and student groups fun. It is always fun for a child to write on a whiteboard. During math we have math leaders. The pointers and the BIG whiteboard made the math leaders' job more exciting.
The Colors of the World crayons have allowed us to represent ourselves as the unique individuals we are. There are 24 colors to choose from. Yeah!
Did someone say stickers? We have 1,800 of them... and they are motivating us to do our best! These stickers are so much fun! I have even found a few that I just can't part with...
Thank you for giving to our room. We appreciate your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 8 other donors.Stand Like a Giraffe, Crawl Like a Crab
Funded May 24, 2022Thank you for your generous donation! My students are having a lot of fun at PE! We love the iPad stand! We have named it Coach EZ. It has made the Stinky Feet program at out school very easy to manage. We just grab Coach EZ and walk out the door. The kids love sitting next to "him" in the classroom and being in charge of giving DOJO Points at Silent Reading time.
Our fitness has become so much fun. The activity dice and card decks are an exciting way to change out fitness drills so they are different every day.
All of the items you helped us get are allowing us reach our physical fitness goals. We are building both a healthy mind and body. Getting out and moving has helped us focus in the classroom and make healthier choices.
My students want to create their own fitness cards. They love the different animal movements. They have been very creative and call out some creative moves. They also want to make a deck of "Calming Cards" to help them with focus in the classroom.
We really appreciate your gift to our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
I've Got Skills
Funded Apr 20, 2022Thank you for giving us the opportunity to have such great resources in our classroom! Our reading and math program have improved because we have these wonderful resources. Practice does make perfect. The kids have been working on both their reading and math skills in exciting ways. Opening the package was a big celebration. The amount of materials we received was overwhelming!
Math has become magnificent. My scholars love using the magnetic 1's, 10's, and 100's, tens frames and magnetic 120 chart to practice with place value concepts. The oversized-magnetic money has been fun practice as well. My students love leading math talks to explain concepts with these materials.
Reading is radiant. The reading activities Building Fluency Card Bank, Flip Read Sight-Word Sentences, Splash Reading Games have helped engage children in practicing phonics skills and reading fluency. They love practicing with their classmates.
My students are developing some impressive skills in language arts and math. Thank you for allowing this to happen! They are looking forward to taking videos and sharing the math talks and fluency practice with their parents.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
Let's Move!
Funded Dec 17, 2021Thank you...thank you...thank you! We love the new mats! The warmer weather has made going outside something we look forward to. You should see how much my students enjoy these mats.
The excitement started the day they arrived. They came in HUGE boxes. The kids got to help me unpack each of them. That was exciting all by itself. What a great gift, thank you.
We have used the mats to make PE easier on our bodies. The mats allow us to take the physical education drills to the blacktop. Yes, we work out right on the ground. These mats are a terrific size. They allow us to stretch our bodies out. My class is awesome about getting these VERY large mats out the door! They have learned a lot about teamwork. We get into squad and do a drill. They love it, and I even enjoy teaching PE more, too.
Although, I have not gotten the chance that I have wanted to use the mats for outside learning, the kids are excited about this happening. The weather and all the construction noise happening at the school has prevented us from using the mats in this way. However, in the near future my students will be using these mats to take the learning outside. We will do group work and even science experiments on a comfortable mat. I love that there is one for each of them!
Just to let you know, in the classroom the stack of them are not just taking up space.
They have made themselves useful and have become a couch!
I have not yet mentioned the Teachers Pay Teachers gift card. I have not spent the entire $100. I am looking carefully for some PE plans so we can be well rounded in our fitness. I have purchased some dances that we are looking forward to learning.
Again, Thank you for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 21 other donors.iCreate iArt
Funded Jan 23, 2020I can't thank you enough for your support. We are so excited about getting this project funded. It happened very quick. I have a whole classroom of kids cheering for this opportunity. I am grateful for my school community and the supporters of Donors Choose. Also, my friends and family who contributed. Getting this project funded shows how much people want to help out. We are excited to have the opportunity to use this accessary for our iPads. Again, I can't thank you enough.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
This classroom project was brought to life by Anonymous Arts Supporter and 9 other donors.A Cut Above
Funded Aug 14, 2019I am so excited! I am starting a new school year at a new school. All the materials and tools in A CUT ABOVE will be useful. Decorating...Projects...and fun... OH MY! There are so many creative, learning adventures that await my students and myself! Thank you for your generosity. I could not have done it without your support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.I STEM, You STEM, We All STEM
Funded Aug 23, 2018I am very excited to report to you how grateful my students and I are to you for your generosity in getting our project funded. My students love our new class pet... well, technically DASH and DOT are not pets. They are the robots that we are now able to code because you put them into our hands. I hear my students wanting the challenge of figuring the proper programing out. "No we can do this, it's hard but I want us to get DASH to...explain to me how to do that again." My students are communicating and problem solving together.
The activities that were a part of this project, "I STEM, YOU STEM, WE ALL STEM," has allowed my class to become involved in the creative process. They are asking questions, discovering answers, applying what they have learned, and problem solving. All of these are important skills for the real world thinkers we need in our near future. They are excited and curious. My students are learning how to help each other and figure out how to use their different strengths and work as a group or team. "Let's build this tower. Here, I will help you read the task card."
From following blueprint designs, coding robots, putting together circuits, and building bridges my students are collaborating. All of these new activities are offering opportunities for meaningful collaboration. Students are exchanging ideas and discussing ways to problem-solve. They are learning how to divide up responsibilities, compromise, listen to and encourage each other.
Thank you for this opportunity for learning you have placed in their hands.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 10 other donors.Let It Stand!
Funded Feb 2, 2017The UZBL STANDS were a big hit with my class. My students were excited the minute that I announced posting the project "Let It Stand" on Donor's Choose. They asked about the the project daily. I loved their excitement.
Since some of my students had come from a classroom that had the stands, they would try to replicate them with books and pencil boxes to help them work with the iPad. The box came to the classroom and right away they knew what they were! We literally had to stop everything to use them! They have already had quite a bit of use in our classroom.
Everyday... They help us in day to day learning and in displaying things with pride. We have a 3-1 iPad ratio. My students need to work in groups to use the tablet. The STANDS seem to make it easier for the students to cooperate. From a teacher's point of view, this is pure magic. We have already used them for all subjects.
We appreciate all that you have done to get these stands into our room.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
The Story Begins By READING!
Funded Aug 30, 2016Dear Donors,
Saying thank you for our new classroom treasures does not seem to be enough!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
My students were very excited to get their hands on the new nonfiction books that were brought into our classroom library. It use to be they had to wait until a specific library day to get nonfiction books that fit the level of reading they needed. Many of my kids are participating now in reading the books. They could not wait for them to get out of the packages and into the library. They even helped me code them! They are learning about animals, special events, and people on a daily basis. I am amazed at the interesting facts they tell me about from these books. I hear "DID YOU KNOW?" quite a bit....I do know now!
I have several student in my room that need the extra motivation and fun of games to help them with their reading skills. The four boxes of Magnetic Phonics Word Building Boards and the phonics SMART BOARD games have added an interest to daily skill practice in reading. They are so easy to take and and use with a partner, a parent volunteer, cross age tutors, and even in small groups. They are helping these young readers with their word attack skills. Even the kids that do not necessarily need this extra practice ask to use the games. As a teacher I know that it helps with reading and writing. Let them practice! They have even learned about teamwork and organizing. It seems very important to them to keep their new treasure safe.
And wow! I can't believe how a pillow changes the atmosphere in the room. Our BOOK BOX time has never been so quiet. The kids like to sit back with a book, a pillow, and read.... most of the time when I call "Times UP" they ask for more time... and although we have so much to do. Who is going to say no to a child asking to read for a little longer?
You truly made our school year and have also touched the lives of the future students in my classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Caskey
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 13 other donors.