Mrs. Mackle's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 27

• We Need More Drama!

  Funded Nov 29, 2016

  "WHO'S THAT TRIPPING OVER MY BRIDGE?" We read folk tales at the beginning of the year as part of our "Emergent Reader" unit. These books provide students with the language of stories, and help them to identify such story elements as character and plot. We read them again and again, until the students could "read" them on their own.

  When the materials arrived that allowed my students to really bring these stories to life, on a regular basis, they were thrilled! The puppet center quickly became the most popular center to choose during work time. Students engaged in creative play and their language skills improved.

  Thanks to your generosity our students have made great strides in reading and have now begun to read stories on their own.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mackle

  This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 4 other donors.

• Act It Out!

  Funded Nov 11, 2016

  My students loved reading folk tales at the beginning of the year. We read them again and again, until the students could "read" them on their own. We created masks and acted the folk tales out in small groups. When the materials arrived that allowed my students to really bring these stories to life, on a regular basis, they were thrilled! The puppet center quickly became the most popular center to choose during work time. Students engaged in creative play and their language skills improved.

  We read folk tales at the beginning of the year as part of our "Emergent Reader" unit. These books provide students with the language of stories, and help them to identify such story elements as character and plot. Thanks to your generosity our students have made great strides in reading and have now begun to read stories on their own.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mackle

  This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 2 other donors.

• There's An App For That 2

  Funded Sep 16, 2016

  The Amazon Kindle that my students have been using has so many wonderful apps I don't know where to begin! I have set the Kindle up so that students at varying levels of ability can click in one spot and find apps that are appropriate for them. For example, there are several apps that help students that are learning how to identify and form letters. They can trace the letter with their finger on the pad, and the app even enlarges the letter for those that are struggling. There are frequent "rewards" such as cheering and encouraging words, to keep the students engaged and focused. Many students that struggle with small motor skills benefit from this extra practice and I find using the Kindle is very rewarding for students. They can make a mistake all on their own, without the rest of the class watching.

  Another great set of apps helps students to identify letter sounds and to blend sounds together. The app can even record a student as they run their finger under a word, and then the student can listen to what they have read. Every year I have several students that are already reading at the beginning of Kindergarten, and I can provide them with these types of apps that challenge them at their level of ability.

  I have found that my students that struggle the most with behavior will do just about anything to earn time on the Kindle. This type of student needs frequent rewards, and once they earn their time, they also get the chance to take a break from the class and sit calmly. Many of these students are coming from chaotic home lives, and have little exposure to technology. It is so important to provide these kids with some down time during the class day, and the Kindle is a great incentive to listen to the teacher.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mackle

• Growing Great Minds

  Funded Apr 18, 2016

  The listen and learn programs that we received are a wonderful asset to the classroom. During reading time, students can choose this station and receive individualized instruction. The program has a variety of levels which begins with phonemic awareness and builds to letter and sound recognition. Students listen to a CD which provides verbal instructions. Students can then use a write on/wipe off board that directly relates to the activity. This allows me to later check their understanding and monitor their progress. The different activities allow me to provide the proper amount of challenge and support for the individual student.

  The students love to go to this station because the program makes learning fun! The voices and activities on the CD are engaging and the students get a moment to themselves to relax and listen. The students are able to relax because the activities are individualized and done independently, they don't have to worry about getting all the answer correct. I can later view the activity sheets and analyze their mistakes to help make teaching strategy decisions for the following lessons.

  My struggling students really enjoy this activity because it allows them to do work that might be below what the rest of the class is working on, and feel successful that they were able to accomplish the task. They are working next to a partner of similar ability and can gain confidence in their abilities. This station is also attractive to my students working above grade level, as it provides more challenging activities for them, and doesn't allow them to get bored with the instruction.

  Thank you so much for helping to grow great minds!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mackle

• There's an App for That

  Funded May 25, 2016

  The Amazon Kindle that my students have been using has so many wonderful apps I don't know where to begin! I have set the Kindle up so that students at varying levels of ability can click in one spot and find apps that are appropriate for them. For example, there are several apps that help students that are learning how to identify and form letters. They can trace the letter with their finger on the pad, and the app even enlarges the letter for those that are struggling. There are frequent "rewards" such as cheering and encouraging words, to keep the students engaged and focused. Many students that struggle with small motor skills benefit from this extra practice and I find using the Kindle is very rewarding for students. They can make a mistake all on their own, without the rest of the class watching.

  Another great set of apps helps students to identify letter sounds and to blend sounds together. The app can even record a student as they run their finger under a word, and then the student can listen to what they have read. Every year I have several students that are already reading at the beginning of Kindergarten, and I can provide them with these types of apps that challenge them at their level of ability.

  I have found that my students that struggle the most with behavior will do just about anything to earn time on the Kindle. This type of student needs frequent rewards, and once they earn their time, they also get the chance to take a break from the class and sit calmly. Many of these students are coming from chaotic home lives, and have little exposure to technology. It is so important to provide these kids with some down time during the class day, and the Kindle is a great incentive to listen to the teacher.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mackle

• Tactile Teaching Tools

  Funded May 16, 2016

  Thanks to your generosity my students are unlocking their minds and engaging in fun learning experiences! This year we have a friend in our classroom that is non-verbal. He struggles to hold a pencil or to write formally, but is learning his letters thanks to the tactile letters we have been able to provide him with. While the rest of the class is working with dry erase markers, forming their letters on wipe off boards, he is able to practice tracing the sandpaper letters. With your help we are able to provide our friend with the experiences he needs to grow as a reader.

  My students were so excited to open the locking puzzles game. I ordered several different versions which allows students with different abilities to work at different levels. Some students are ready for vowel sounds, while others are reading simple words. All get to play a fun game that provides the appropriate learning challenge for them.

  Finally, the teacher is so excited to have her magnetic letters organized in a manageable way. Prior to receiving this kit, I had to spend a large portion of my planning time going through magnetic letters and organizing them for individual students. Now I can encourage students to organize their own letters and spend much more time focusing on each student's special needs.

  These materials will be enjoyed by the students throughout the school year, and will keep them engaged and excited about learning.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mackle

• Listen Up! We Need a Listening Center!

  Funded Jul 6, 2012

  Thanks to your very generous gift, my students have become fascinated with the animal kingdom and are in the process of completing their first research project! The new listening center has allowed my struggling readers access to the many great books we read in class.

  The new high standards that have been set for our students places a great deal of focus on non-fiction text. Gail Gibbons is one of the best authors of non-fiction texts for children and her books, that you have contributed, have both delighted and informed the students. They have significantly contributed to creating a love of learning in our classroom.

  In these difficult economic times it is so wonderful to know that there are people out there that truly care about our children's futures. Thank you for making a difference!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mackle