Past projects 20
Books to Build In-Person Connections
Funded Dec 30, 2021Thank you for your generous donations to my students!
In my new position as English Resource Coordinator, I was given an old computer lab as a classroom. I've slowly transformed it into an inviting space, but it lacked books. A classroom without books just isn't right.
When I received the donated books, I cleared out a shelf and made a lovely book display. Students see it immediately upon walking into the room. It's wonderful to see them excitedly run over and check out the books!
Now that so much of schoolwork is done on the computer, it is especially important to make time and space for physical books. I'm so happy to see my classroom fully transformed through your kind donations. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
Amazing Advanced Readers Need Books
Funded Jan 26, 2011I would like to sincerely thank you for contributing to this project. The five advanced 7th grade girls I meet with weekly have been devouring these books! I was really excited to find they have proved capable of meeting the challenge of some of these texts.
Right now we are reading Animal Farm, and they have had great questions and connections. Before we started that, we finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and they loved it! I am planning on taking them on a field trip to the Tenement Museum so the history of that time period can come alive further. I think these books and experiences are making a difference in their lives, and keeping them on track. Thanks for helping to make it possible.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
Help Struggling Readers
Funded Dec 16, 2010Thank you for helping out my students! The books you provided have made a measurable difference in my classes. Students' excitement about reading was rejuvenated when these new, appealing books arrived.
Books like the Bone series and Dork Diaries are huge hits. Students are still trading those books off, and arguing about who gets it next! We used the book Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff for a group project. It was very successful and the students learned a lot about craft by studying the author's work. Thanks again, it was very kind of you to support my classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
This classroom project was brought to life by Bing and 8 other donors.Magnificent Motivating Materials
Funded Sep 16, 2010Thank you for contributing to my project. After receiving the materials, there were some changes to my teaching schedule, so I had to postpone the project in which I use most of the materials until now. However, I know these materials are going to be just what my class needs at this moment of the year. The students are taking their English language arts state test this week, which is a very stressful time. After they finish, I will get to introduce these awesome materials, and we will get to work on a project that is creative and different. They will love the books they can make, and the wonderful art materials they can use. Thanks again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
Time to Help Kids
Funded Sep 8, 2010Thank you for providing this fun and interesting magazine, Time for Kids, to my students. They really enjoy reading it and have learned a lot from answering questions and doing projects associated with the articles. It is a valuable learning tool.
My students are young, 11-12 years old mostly, and do not have much awareness of current events. Time for Kids is excellent because it explains issues in a way they understand, and connects them to their own lives. We have had great discussions about current events in class, using Time for Kids articles as our inspiration.
I really appreciate your taking the time to support my classroom. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
Fascinating and Empowering Nonfiction Books
Funded Dec 20, 2009Thank you for contributing towards my project! I really appreciate your choice to support my classes. Receiving a class set of Life in Prison books was useful and intriguing to my sixth grade students. Through reading the book together, we discussed important and relevant topics, relating to prison and gang violence, and also the importance of education and role models.
As we were reading, I asked students to write reflections on their thoughts. One student wrote she was surprised she would be allowed to read something about prison in school, and that she didn't think she'd be able to talk about gangs. She questioned if I (as a teacher) was "allowed" to do this. Seeing her surprise made me glad we were reading this book together. These issues are very present in the lives of my preteen students, and they need to talk about them in order to learn how to avoid the negative aspects of their community. This type of discourse, over time, will make an impact on their lives. I thank you for providing the material.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
This classroom project was brought to life by Perry & Donna Golkin Family Foundation and 3 other donors.Art Inspires Students!
Funded Dec 17, 2009Thank you so much for donating to my classroom. I am really disturbed by the way arts are getting shoved to the side during this financial crisis. My students need creative outlets and many are artistically talented. Yet the supplies that I could once expect no longer arrive... that is, until you stepped in, and made my class better.
Your generosity has changed the opportunities that my students receive by making art a part of my English class. Currently the students are hard at work on illustrating their own myths. They used the glitter pens to decorate the book cover for this project. I don't know if I've ever seen the class as focused, and then as proud, as they were using those materials. They work much harder when they can produce projects they are proud of, and your donation made that possible.
In my next unit, poetry, they will have a chance to decorate their own boxes with pictures and words and lines from their favorite poems. As you can see, these materials give me projects to look forward to, that I know the students will love!
Thanks again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
Technology Needed
Funded Dec 16, 2009Thank you for your donation to my class! Having a printer/scanner/copier makes a world of difference in the classroom. It is truly fantastic to have a piece of technology I can rely upon. I know that I can quickly copy or print something without having to encounter the school's multiple broken copiers! This gives me more time to concentrate on helping the students.
My students have benefited because many of them have computers at home, but no printers. This way they can work on projects at home and then send it to me to be printed. It has also given me a chance to save examples of different projects we do by scanning them, so I will always be able to use them with future students.
Many thanks for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
Bring Technology to the Classroom
Funded Mar 27, 2010Thank you so much for contributing to my project. In a time of budget cuts and controversy over teachers, it is a real gift to feel supported in my work. Your help, in giving my class a state-of-the-art laptop, made a real difference to my year and to my students.
The laptop has enabled me to share resources from the Internet more readily, and it has also allowed me to quickly answer the insightful and eccentric questions my students ask daily. I have also used it to display exciting websites about mythology for our current unit. It feels like each week I have the laptop, I find more great ways to make it a part of the work in my classroom. My students are always impressed and proud when I tell them we have it because of the generosity of strangers who care about their learning. Your generosity is truly appreciated.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds
This classroom project was brought to life by JP Morgan Chase Foundation and 4 other donors.Creating Successful Students
Funded Aug 16, 2009Thanks again for contributing to my project. Pens, paper, charts and stickers are simple needs, but not having to worry about them makes a world of difference. My students and their families have been hit hard by the economic downturn, and having supplies to share with them is helpful.
It's also been really wonderful to see the students' reaction to all the great smelly stickers you helped to provide. Some of my students have started taking the stickers they receive off their tests and papers and gathering them all on their notebook cover because they are so proud. The stickers are fun and motivating and I really appreciate the positive effect they have had on my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Edmonds