Past projects 165
A Little Snack Goes a Long Way!
Funded Nov 4, 2022Thank you for providing nutrition and nourishment to my student's bellies! The snacks that you have provided have allowed us to keep our learning momentum up, which has been most helpful when we are in our learning zone! As soon as the snacks arrived, a few of my 2nd and 3rd-grade students helped me to unbox and store them for later use. It's safe to say that you all were the true heroes of the day.
I underestimated the nutritional value of the GoGo Squeeze applesauce packs. Students enjoy them, and it's a quick pick me up. They have become accustomed to pairing it with either cereal or a granola bar, and their breakfast needs have been met. It's much easier to grab a carton of milk from the cafeteria after it has been closed for cleaning, so you have made it much easier for students to grab and go before coming to class.
I realize that Jolly Ranchers could also be used for math lessons when I have my Early Childhood Students in for counting and grouping. Naturally, they are quite tasty, but students enjoy our activities with them even though they have to complete math activities before enjoying them. At my new school, the students are in love with Taki's. While I purposely didn't request too many bags, it's nice to see that they can get the things they want. In the afternoons, I tutor a small group of Kindergarten students for academic enrichment. I already know to have the variety pack of Goldfish ready for them, which lets me know that I may have nailed it in the snack department for these early learners.
Please enjoy a few pictures of us indulging in the snacks that you have funded for us. We truly appreciate every donor who has made any of our projects, past or present, come to life.
Thank you so much for providing much-needed snackable items to my students!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
Help Us Bridge the Gap!
Funded Jan 1, 2023Thank you so much for funding our Bridge the Gap project! Thanks to your donation, students in grades 1-3 can have supporting intervention lessons to assist their reading acquisition. Our school has been engaging and chock full of literacy for the past two months. We simply couldn't have asked for a better resource!
Most, if not all, schools have adopted a new strategy to teach reading. Many teachers have had to shelve strategies and curriculum they once knew in exchange for something different and new. The transition hasn't been easy for all. Still, all teachers have successfully implemented new strategies and have seen the results of student performance on assessments and classroom instruction.
Another reason why this project was so important is that it supports the new research surrounding the Science of Reading. Bridging our learning with literacy is important across grade levels. Now, students are able to continue their learning by having the same authored material. While this is only the beginning, you have successfully assisted our Primary teachers with being equipped to take on a new strategy for reading acquisition with our students. We have also noticed improvements within our diverse learner community, confirming that this has been an equitable resource.
Thank you so very much for thinking of not only our students' needs but our teachers' needs as well!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
A Little Bit of This & That!
Funded Nov 29, 2022Thank you so much for funding our A Little Bit of This and That project! You have accommodated our learning and comfort needs in just one project, and we couldn't be happier.
While I am no stranger to teaching, this is my first year at my current school. My current students have been accustomed to using circle spots for learning in previous grade levels. I wanted to continue using the circle spots and noticed that they prefer them over the dry-erase boards. The requested dry-erase boards were more geared towards my upper elementary students who feel that they have "outgrown" circle spots. If you ask me, they enjoy using them as much as my primary students!
The dry-erase pocket folder rings have been a hit. We use this when highlighting words in worksheets, especially when we do orthography lessons in which students need to learn sounds while moving counters and utilizing fidgets for sounds for learning. These were an added hit when I delivered a professional development to teachers using some of the resources purchased with our Teachers pay Teachers gift card. I put resources together and provided teachers with pocket folder rings so their students could benefit from resources for their lessons.
We recently added a touch of love to our reading nook. My 3rd-grade students wanted to do everything themselves, and I humbly obliged. They have added the pillow inserts to our existing but new pillow cushions. I must admit, it looks nice and cozy. It's never an argument to see who can go to the reading area. With a small group of students, everyone can be accommodated quite nicely. The message behind the pillows is also great and can serve as a nice motivational message for students.
Thank you so much for contributing to the needs of my learners!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 2 other donors.Write On!
Funded Oct 26, 2022Thank you so much for providing writing journals for our upper elementary students. We have implemented a new approach to reading and writing for our students, and thanks to you, 4th and 5th-grade students will each be supplied with a composition book for reading and writing. The journals have great utility for our upper elementary students. They are used for note-taking on important concepts surrounding information and literary text. They are also used for grammar and writing lessons, such as paragraph writing and responses to text passages.
Your funding for this project has provided all three 2nd-grade classrooms with a composition book that will last throughout the school year. Now that we are finished with our Middle of the Year assessments, we can begin preparing for end-of-the-year assessments in April and May. The more prepared we are, the better the outcomes. Now, students will have an ongoing notebook that can be used for studying and referencing important material both in and out of school.
Thank you so much for providing our students with resources to support their growth! This was one less expense for families and teachers, and you have helped our scholars soar!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 3 other donors.Growing My Practice With Reseach
Funded Nov 23, 2022Wow! Thank you so much for funding my request for research materials. I am towards the end of year two of my doctoral journey, with one additional year remaining. With you funding this project, I can now comfortably take the next steps toward writing my methodology and intervention for my dissertation. These are key chapters to the entire dissertation writing process.
This was not necessarily a student-request project, but you felt the need to contribute, and I am very thankful. My current research centers around students with disabilities being able to achieve in inclusion settings. The books that you have provided me with will not only emphasize and encourage humanizing research, such as the book by Bettina Love entitled "We Want to do More than Survive." They also support research I have conducted surrounding DisCrit, a research theory that supports and examines students with disabilities achieving in schools. Instead of having to worry about returning this book to the library on time, I now have my own copy that I can highlight and have with me at all times.
I would not be at this point of completing my doctoral journey if it weren't for the students whom I have interacted with and taught for the past 18 years. Through them, I have been able to advocate for their needs while teaching them self-advocacy when navigating through life. It is still my goal to see that the resources provided for one can be provided for all.
I have included pictures of the very ones I do all of this for, as they are my inspiration. I hope you enjoy snapshots of our classroom, and again, thank you so much for assisting me with the research materials needed for my dissertation.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by Social Change Fund United and State Farm.Flexible Seating and a Light Show for the Win!
Funded Sep 21, 2022Thank you for funding our project to bring flexible seating and a light show to our classroom. The stools were so fun to receive, and I had a bit of help from some of my 1st graders when opening the package. We are simply in love with the latest additions to our classroom space. Our previous flexible seating stools lasted for seven years! They endured two school transitions as well as several episodes of wear and tear. It was time to retire them once the seating portion officially broke and masking tape couldn't even help.
Flexible seating has been working out so very well in my classroom. I have a small group of students, and even though there are only two stools, there is never an argument over who gets to use them. It's for everyone. It has also reinforced sharing, an ongoing skill that will assist students in school and life.
My students who love to wiggle can do just that with the chairs you provided. We use the lights mostly when we are showing a movie, having a celebration, or reading slides on the computer. Some students have requested to have the lights for the reading nook, and I think that will be our next step in a few short weeks. I like the calming aspect this will provide when students are curled up in the nook with a book!
Thank you so much for providing resources for learning for my students. We appreciate your kindness!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.New Students, Same Appetites!
Funded Sep 19, 2022You all are the true MVPs! My students' bellies are full, thanks to your donations. As soon as the snacks arrived, it was all hands on deck with opening the packages!
In my project, I mentioned that this school year is different because I am a special education teacher for multiple grade levels. Previously I was a self-contained teacher, which meant that all my students were with me during the school day. In addition to being a Reading Coach for multiple grade levels, this year, I am a special education teacher for multiple grade levels as well. This means being strategic with snack distribution throughout the day! I couldn't help noticing that my lower-grade students prefer snacks differently from my upper-elementary students. For example, my kinder and 1st graders have no problems with fruit snacks and a lollipop during after-school tutoring. They don't usually waiver with their choices. But my upper elementary students love anything chips and cookies related. I was surprised to see them enjoying the Skinny Pop popcorn, although they were bummed when the cheddar ones were all gone!
We will enter our middle-of-the-year testing window upon our return from winter break. This will be the perfect time for students to get accustomed to the Life Savers and more Jolly Ranchers. This gentle reminder of minimal noise during testing has also been effective during standardized testing. Thanks to you, our kids' bellies are full no matter what time of the day, which supports continued learning. While I cannot gauge the meals at home, I can guarantee they will have items to take home and eat during the school day.
Thank you so much, and happy holidays to you!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by The Peterson Family and 5 other donors.Fidgets and Things!
Funded Nov 29, 2022Thank you so much for funding our Fidgets project! With your assistance, students can engage in self-regulating activities to sustain them through learning. As soon as the fidgets arrived, we began using them in the classroom. In my project, I mentioned that I am in a new role at a new school. This means that I have to allow time to get used to my new students and to be able to provide them with learning specifically tailored to their abilities. Before this school year, I didn't imagine using fidgets in class. I thought they would distract my students, who already had concerns with attending to tasks. However, after attending professional development and being provided with these fidgets, I knew my students needed them too!
I allowed my students to get used to the fidgets before beginning instruction. Afterward, we were able to pair them with instruction. I was pleased that my students could participate in learning and not get distracted simply by moving the fidgets around in their hands. We were also able to use the soccer ball fidgets for math applications which were fun! While we don't use them every day, I love how many students can advocate for their usage of the fidgets when having a difficult time with self-regulation.
I hope you enjoy pictures of my students utilizing their fidgets for the first time and glimpses of our learning. You have to know that they are absolutely in love with these items. Happy holidays to you and have an amazing upcoming year!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 3 other donors.All We Need is Ink!
Funded Sep 20, 2022Thank you so much for bringing so many activities to life in my classroom. We truly needed ink for our classroom printer to bring things to life, and thanks to you, we have been crossing learning goals off our list.
Teaching in a school building with many individuals can create long lines and stubborn copy machines. This is what has happened with some of our printers in the building. It may sometimes overheat due to machine demands or concerns with products such as toner and staples. But having our own classroom sets of ink cartridges will help to eliminate all of those concerns because my group of students is relatively small. This ink has assisted with creating our Science of Reading Alphabet chart, which has assisted students with learning letters and letter sounds. Once this has been accomplished, students have access to laminated vowel and consonant blend sheets with mouth movements to support acquisition. It has been so helpful to have many of these resources in color!
Many of my students require a folder with laminated graphic organizers to support the ongoing skills they learn throughout the year. At times, they require a bit of assistance, which helps eliminate misconceptions in class and provides opportunities for independent learning. Yet another reason why having these ink cartridges have been great! Purchasing ink can be quite pricey. So I appreciate having enough ink in my classroom that will be able to last for the next few months of school.
You have helped us by providing students with extended worksheets, posters, and various learning methods. Thank you so much for funding our classroom ink project!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.I Have You Covered!
Funded Aug 9, 2022Thank you so much for providing me with resources to cover my class and students in the building in case of emergencies. Wherever I teach, I have grown accustomed to having an extra supply of first aid items if they are needed. Due to your generosity, I was able to make this happen at my new school.
I thought it would take a while to begin using the first aid kits. But I was certainly wrong. At times, if the nurse was out to lunch and a student had a minor injury, I could fix them immediately. One of my students realized that the first aid kit has almost every single item in the nurse's suite! Some students even questioned some of the items used for fire emergencies. I told them that, hopefully, we wouldn't need those items.
The browndages are a favorite among all of my students and myself as well. I love the idea of students being able to see a representation of themselves all over, including with something like band-aids. Now, when they need to patch up a minor scrape, we have a great time deciding which shade of the browndage we should use. This is also a time to remind students to appreciate the skin that they are in!
The ice maker has been a hit during meetings with colleagues and parties with students. There are so many programs in our school, and one of my favorites is the mentoring program in which I am a mentor. Sometimes, my mentee and I enjoy a chat and chew in which we have a light snack with juice and discuss everything from education to the latest things of interest. The Kleenex hand towels and tissues have consistent utility as we have entered cold and flu season. Thank you for this resource, as students can be supplied with coverage for sneezes, coughs, and runny noses!
We appreciate you for thinking of our needs! Happy holidays to you!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 6 other donors.