Past projects 165
Making Magic with Morphemes
Funded Sep 6, 2022Thank you so much for funding our Morpheme Magic project! With your assistance, students in upper elementary grades are still able to have missed opportunities in lessons in phonics and phonemic awareness. This will result in stronger reading comprehension scores and better reading acquisition. We couldn't be more excited that this arrived towards the beginning of the year for teachers to begin lesson delivery.
I have noticed that there aren't many programs that teach phonics to upper elementary students. This is a critical component of reading instruction as it is needed to address any weaknesses or skills in reading acquisition for students in previous grades. When you factor in missed opportunities of learning during the pandemic, and having to be taught virtually, some students were unable to attend to lessons due to technology or by being absent.
With the Morpheme Magic kit, upper elementary students can access explicit lessons and materials to address missed opportunities in phonics. The advantage is that the lessons won't appear to be "for babies", as many of my students would say. Rather, the information can be tailored to their grade level with activities and passages that are grade level appropriate.
I am more than positive that having these kits will allow for us to improve practices with reading and reading acquisition at our school. With many elementary schools shifting towards the Science of Reading, these kits will be able to last us for years to come.
Thank you so very much for your assistance with our student and teacher needs!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
Starting Over Again!
Funded Aug 11, 2022Thank you for bringing a much-needed change to my new classroom! After four years of teaching in a previous building, I started a new position in an entirely different building. When I first moved in during the summer, I knew I needed to change the classroom environment, but I had limited time. With you all funding this project so quickly, I didn't have to worry. Thanks to your donation, my classroom is inviting, engaging, and, most of all, bright!
Student safety is of the utmost importance to me while being able to provide high-quality instruction. Some of the furniture had seen better days in the classroom. While the bookshelves were sturdy and the shelves were functional, they had screws and chipped wood throughout the structure. I didn't want any students, colleagues, or myself to get injured accidentally. So, I needed to ask for new shelves and bookcases to hold student workbooks, books, and games to fill our classroom with learning. I can be honest. Due to a lack of proper tools on my end, it took quite a bit of time for me to assemble everything. But once I did, my classroom restoration project was complete!
The Bean Bag Chair and The Sofa Sack have added a layer of comfort to my reading nook area that even I enjoy. When students are finished working during small groups, they can go to the reading nook and curl up to a good book, paired reading, or an activity. If I can deliver instruction to all of my students in small group rotations, I join them at the reading nook to assist with comprehension checks or to have them read to their teacher. Another teacher favorite is the bright Flagship Carpet which highlights the alphabet, a corresponding word and picture for the letter sound, and numbers in sequential order. I can recall setting this carpet up after dismissal so that students could be surprised when they arrived the next day. Mission accomplished! Before we could begin our lesson for the day, they wanted to walk around the carpet and say all the sounds while noticing the pictures.
I am most excited about the brightness and organization of my classroom. Every item from this project has exceeded my expectations in starting over in a new setting. We haven't used the microwave oven yet, but we plan to incorporate it into our Polar Express Movie Day next month. I cannot thank you enough for providing these resources to my new classroom!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 3 other donors.A Little Bit Goes a Long Way!
Funded Dec 30, 2021Thank you so much for funding our "A Little Bit Goes a Long Way" project. This was a right on time project because at the time, the season was shifting from fall to winter. The weather was beginning to change and I noticed that many students weren't ready for the cold. While I was able to provide students with the academic tools needed for learning, I found myself lacking the resources to keep them a bit warmer as well as additional needs to keep their skin moisturized throughout the school day.
This project was less about academics and more about student self-esteem, which is also instrumental in acquiring knowledge. To me, the contents of the packages were the equivalent of college care packages. We experienced a few accidents and my students who didn't have undergarments from home were able to have something to change into for the remainder of the day. I cannot tell you how much of a self-esteem boost this way for some of my kids.
The Aquaphor has made a huge difference for my students who suffer from eczema and dry skin. For one of my students, they had become acclimated to arriving to my classroom a bit early to apply it on their arms and neck. This also helped to get her day started off in the right direction and her parents were also more than thankful. The hats were much needed, although my students may beg to differ. They definitely heard the phrase "Do you have your hat on?" more times than they would have liked. But this eliminated student absences due to colds and flus.
We battled with inconsistent heat in our classroom during the winter. Thanks to you, students were still able to maintain a sense of warmth without having their leaning compromised. Additionally, they are now aware of the meaning of the phrase "A Little Bit Goes a Long Way". Thank you so much for providing us with additional tools for learning.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
Just A Touch of Love!
Funded Aug 10, 2022Thank you so much for assisting me with transitioning to a new school building and preparing my classroom for a new role. When I first entered into my new space, I was so concerned that it wouldn't be ready to receive students. But thanks to you and a few added touches, my students enjoy being in our learning environment!
Many of the items in the classroom were either outdated or were in need of severe repair. To give you an idea, one of the bookshelves had a few screws exposed and was quite wobbly. To me, those items were more hazardous than helpful for learning. With a little bit of patience, I was able to put together the new bookshelves and rolling file cabinet with much success. Now, we have places to store our notebooks, reading books, and dry erase boards. We also don't have to worry about injuring ourselves while accessing these items.
Our brand new colorful carpet not only teaches students shapes and numbers, but is colorful and inviting. As I already anticipated, we have had some minor spills in terms of play-dough and snacks, so the broom and vacuum have already come in handy.
With your help, there is now a place for everything and everything in its place. I appreciate you assisting me with providing just a touch love to my classroom.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 5 other donors.Membership has Its' Privileges!
Funded Nov 30, 2021Thank you so much for providing me with a membership in the Council for Exceptional Children. Initially, I thought that this project would fund a one-year membership with the CEC. However, because I was a returning member, I was able to get a two-year subscription. I cannot thank you enough for this two-year gift! Being a member of the CEC allows me so many opportunities to become a better practitioner and scholar. As an educator, I am able to keep up with trends in special education as well as best practices for students with disabilities, or as I like to say, exceptionalities. As a second year doctoral student, I am able to use scholarly articles found on the site to support my knowledge review of my dissertation.
In addition to the resources mentioned, I am also able to participate in focus groups and conversations with educators from all over the world regarding the best implementation strategies for exceptional learners. Through this practice, I am able to exchange and receive ideas, as well as classroom resources, from educators who share the same goals. I am also able to receive discounted rates for the CEC annual teacher conference which is a big deal considering the costs of travel lately. I hope you enjoy pictures of the beautiful faces that I am fortunate enough to see every day. From creating recipes in the classroom to being able to attend field trips, to learning, we truly have a great time.
Sadly, my program has ended and I have assumed a new role, continuing to work with students with exceptionalities, but at another school. But I want to thank you for helping our last year together be a complete success. Please enjoy the pictures of our moments in and out of the classroom together.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.A Little Bit of This and That!
Funded Jan 23, 2020Thank you so much for providing my class with A Little Bit of This and That! At the time this project was funded, we were in need of a few items to get us through the remainder of the school year. Thanks to your support, we were able to achieve this goal.
The Crayola dough was used on the days when we had choice time, indoor recess, or just to provide my students with a bit of sensory play throughout the day. For my students, being able to utilize the dough allowed them to be able to engage in lessons while soothing and regulating themselves. It was also nice to see that I had several artists in my classroom with their Crayola creations. At first, some of my students wanted to leave their creations out for everyone to see. But that is when I had to explain to them the difference between our kind of clay versus molding clay. I may have opened up another medium of art for them and that is exciting in itself!
The resource that served as the gift that keeps on giving in this project was the Multicultural Crayons. It is truly important for my students to see representations of themselves in literature, art, and especially in their self-portraits. Now, they are able to have more relatable choices when creating their images. I had been holding on to a class set of headphones for several years and was in need of a new set. Thanks to you, we should have a supply of headphones that should last us for the next school year. Maybe even two.
Finally, I appreciated the two pocket folders. Sometimes, a student's book bag is loaded with all kinds of papers. Their desks too. The folders were a big help in keeping things organized. It was also helpful for parents to be able to look for the folders daily in an effort to support parent-teacher communication.
You have given us "A Little Bit of This & That" and we appreciate your generosity. Thank you so much for thinking about the needs of my students!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by Anonymous Arts Supporter and one other donor.We've Found Something That Works!
Funded Jan 9, 2022Thank you so much for bringing an engaging and accessible reading intervention program to my classroom! The benefits of the Heggerty program were amazing for not only my group of learners but for additional teachers to use for their students throughout the building. It was important for me to have my students participate in a program that was designed with them in mind. At times, what may work for some, doesn't always work for others. But I knew that this curriculum was working when I began to see student interest in reading grow...right along with their comprehension scores.
Their growth in reading acquisition was amazing! There were even times in which students were surprised at their own abilities in decoding and knowledge of previously unfamiliar words. From the scripted lessons to the multiple opportunities for students to develop and practice, I can't wait to see what this same program will yield for the current school year. Now that I am in a new role and a new school, I am looking forward to applying the same instruction to my new group of students. I cannot wait to see what happens next!
You have assisted me with driving home the importance of the science of reading and reading acquisition. Our photos include many end-of-the-year celebrations of our success. I thank you immensely for your support of my diverse learners!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
Books a Million!
Funded Mar 2, 2020Thank you so very much for providing us with books for our classroom library. When this project was funded, we had just returned to school for the last three months of the previous school year. This was around the start of the pandemic. To say it took some adjustment was an understatement, but I am happy to say that my students have remained safe while continuing to learn and grow in their academics.
I was in the process of building a new classroom library and the resources from this project are getting me one step closer to completion. I don't know when it happened, but my students are huge fans of Minecraft. My goal in requesting the book was to not only encourage reading but to also provide my students with a library of books that they helped to choose.
I have so many favorites with this project. One of my goals with this project was to provide students with a representation of themselves through literature. Additionally, I wanted to provide them with supplemental reading that paired with their reading curriculum units. Books such as Sulwe provide students with an opportunity to embrace the skin that they are in and titles such as Hair Love provides them with an opportunity to embrace their multiple textures of hair! It is an understatement to say that these books were a hit in my classroom.
Choosing literature that can be applied to student lives is what you have provided with Step into Power. This book provides students with a kid-friendly version of being able to live their best life. This can at times be easier said than done with my students as many of them have adult duties outside of the classroom.
I cannot thank you enough for funding this project for my students!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by A group of anonymous donors and 2 other donors.The Cold Days are Coming!
Funded Nov 30, 2021Thank you so much for providing us with resources during the winter months of the school year. Thanks to you, my students were able to have newer options for indoor recess when they couldn't go outside due to cold temperatures.
Sensory play is still very much alive and well in my 3rd-5th grade classroom. Whenever we have indoor recess or free choice time, my students always migrate toward Play Doh and the Kinetic Sand. At times, they may build things with the items, but they mostly enjoy feeling the textures in between their fingers and hands. To them, it can be very calming and I certainly have no problems with that!
We had entirely too much fun with the resources from this project. Students in my classroom are no strangers to the butterfly project. But the group that I had this past year was so inquisitive and observant with the process. Each day, they would "remind" me to check on the caterpillars, then the chrysalis, and lastly the butterflies. I wish that I was able to send videos of the release but I realize the pictures will have to suffice. A highlight for me was having an opportunity to build the Mandalorian lego set with one of my students. She was new to our class this year and this was a great opportunity for us to build a rapport. Even though we were unable to complete the task, it was a must that I show you her progress. She worked on this all by herself!!
I cannot tell you how much of a jewel the hats were this school year. We experienced quite a bit of cold weather and with me having mostly boys, they needed the protection on their heads. This was most helpful with preventing colds and germs from entering our classroom. The Tie Dye kits were also amazing and right on time! We had Field Day towards the end of the school year. With my students representing 3rd -5th grade, we needed a color that would best represent our class. By making tie dye shirts, we were able to bring a variety of colors together to best represent not only individual personalities, but a collective group!
Sadly, my program has ended at this school and I will be transitioning into a new role in another location. I want to thank you so much for providing my students with activities to engage them during the winter weather from the school year. We had a really good time and appreciate you for helping us with our needs.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and one other donor.All We Need Is Ink
Funded Dec 3, 2021Thank you so much for funding the project that will keep on giving! It is very safe to say that although this project was written with students in mind, I was the one most excited when the package arrived. Roughly one month before this project was written, I had a project funded to provide me with a classroom printer. In only three months, the ink ran out and we were back to competing with a very temperamental printer in our front office. It also meant competing to make copies in the morning. You have once again saved us from having to deal with long lines and grumpy machines at work!
This was an ink only project and I can assure you that the resources provided will have great utility. My class size is small, and I am more than positive that the funded supply will last us until the end of the school year. The best part about this project being funded is that in the event that we have to resort to virtual learning, I can provide my students with an alternative to technology. For my students, in person instruction is very crucial to their continued learning and development. They are not able to navigate technology as well as some of their general education peers and I want them to still be able to achieve. By providing them with supplemental lessons as well as technology opportunities, they will have a learning balance that is suitable to their needs.
Another reason that this project was created was to also address the needs of parents. With many of my students participating in virtual learning last year, they wanted to have additional resources to assist students with learning at home. Sight word printables, writing paper, and math facts were some of the items that were requested. To make things creative, we were able to put together many learning games/printables for students to use independently or with their siblings at home. I hope to be able to continue with these packets during the next semester. Now, more than ever, there is a greater need for students to be provided with material that will produce growth in academic content. Again, thanks to you, I am able to accomplish this task.
We truly appreciate you for funding our much-needed ink project! Please enjoy a few pictures of my students enjoying their day!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Woods
This classroom project was brought to life by Clark Foundation & Marriott Foundation and 2 other donors.