Past projects 9
"Writing Up a Storm in First Grade"
Funded Nov 30, 2021We have begun writing our life stories in our very special books purchased by you! The students have been practicing writing small stories for about two months now and have enjoyed using the materials donated to illustrate their books. I cannot begin to tell you about the growth and confidence with which they approach beginning each new story. I have set up a writing center that allows students to search for writing topics and to use a wide range of writing styles to express themselves. The writing center is the most popular place to explore and collaborate with peers. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures at this time because we are still using masks and protective screens due to Covid 19 precautions. I also apologize for my note being late to get to you as I have been sick!
In the month of May, I hope that all of the students' autobiographies will be completed and we will host an author night to share both our stories and celebrate the process of publishing our work! I want to thank each and every one of our generous donors for taking the time and interest to support my students and their awesome work! It means the world to me and to them.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews
This classroom project was brought to life by The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation and 7 other donors.First Grade Cashes in on Financial Literacy!
Funded Nov 25, 2021I am so excited to share with you that we are getting ready to launch the use of all of the items purchased for "Financial Literacy" beginning on April 1st! In our district, we have a two month study of "Financial Literacy" beginning in April and concluding at the end of May. I have already created six learning stations for students to practice identifying money value and coin counting, identifying and using materials to understand savings and spending, setting up and organizing allowances for chores and the earning of weekly income from allowance. We are also set up to use the ATM machine and class money to run our own school store!
The students have witnessed the centers being organized and set up in the classroom and are excited to participate! Of course, the idea of receiving an allowance and the use of the ATM machine is very intriguing to the students. Most students have not had much experience with knowing the value of each coin and how to count coins in groups so using the magnetic money to practice this skill will be invaluable for each student.
We greatly appreciate your generous donations to support this very important unit of study. We will think of you when we begin Financial Literacy Month on April 1, 2022.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews
This classroom project was brought to life by The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation and 4 other donors.Sharing is Caring!
Funded Aug 12, 2021I would like to thank all of you for your most generous donations and support of my first grade students and my project "Sharing is Caring." We have been using the construction paper, pencils, scissors and glue for a myriad of projects since we received the box of supplies. My first grade students absolutely love seeing me take out the construction paper and preparing to use their creative minds and skills to take lessons to the next level. We are using scissors and paper daily to increase the small motor skills of drawing, coloring and cutting. My students had not been in school previous to September since pre-school two years ago. They are hard working and willing to learn but need to practice new skills of cutting, tracing, and drawing which have been lacking in the virtual environment. I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am for my students to have what they need each day in school to master skills from kindergarten and gain proficiency in all skills and areas of the curriculum for first grade. You have added so much variety in learning with the supplies that were sent to us! My first grade class and I would like to thank you for your generosity and kindness.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 6 other donors.Putting All Hands Are On Math Learning!
Funded Aug 12, 2021I would like to thank you all for your most generous donations to my project "Putting All Hands on Math Learning!" This has been an interesting transition after being virtual for 14 months and transitioning back into in-person learning. All of the items purchased were much needed supplies for any year but now that we are back in school, we are using mandated masks, social distancing and partitions for each child to sit behind for Covid protection. There is no sharing of materials. We use the valuable math supplies donated on a daily basis because students must each have their own math supplies. As you can see in my picture, all of the manipulatives, dice, number lines and number charts to 120 are housed in the handmade "First Grade Tool Kits" and I am glad I could provide each student with their own box of essential math tools. This is so important to have these materials since we have found that the students need extra practice in all areas of Math to build missed skills as well as new first grade skills. Having the math tools right at the students' fingertips allows for students to use a variety of materials to work on their math curriculum with all hands on the right tool as needed safely. My class and I are very grateful for all that you provided for them!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 7 other donors.First Grade Connects With Care!
Funded Aug 8, 2021I want to take time today to thank you all for your generous donations to my Donor's Choose Project "First Grade Connects With Care." The impact of your kindness is felt every day in Room 202 where first graders are busy learning and experiencing different ways to learn through the use of the Chromebooks.
Originally, I knew that the briefcases for the students' Chromebooks was going to be a very important way to keep them safe and in excellent condition to and from school. The cases have been an awesome way to transport the computers! Rarely does anyone forget their briefcase at school or at home because they feel so proud carrying such a grown up bag! For that, I am very grateful.
However, I had quite a surprise when I found another very important use for the cases in the classroom. Because it is first grade, we are using both online programs and live lessons for the whole class and for small groups, I have had the students use the cases to store the Chromebooks when not using them during the day. The students handle the care of the computers with such respect and care by putting them in the cases on their chairs! I am thrilled to see the responsibility they take with such pride at a young age!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews
Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
Funded Aug 12, 2021I would like to thank all of my generous donors for their gifts! Thanks to you, I was able to purchase a class set of great quality headphones for all of my first grade students. Previously to this donation, I was relying on earbuds from the dollar store to serve the purpose of independent work on the computers.
Now that all students have Chromebooks and use them multiple times a day across the curriculum, the students needed headphones that can be used for all of the programs they are required to complete without any disturbance to their classmates. I was able to make small "tool kits" as seen in the pictures to store the headphones when not in use. Students can get them out with ease and do not need to share their headphones with any other classmates. In these times of social distancing and following Covid-19 protocols, this set of headphones is greatly appreciated!
i would also like you to know that I definitely see a greater impact on their concentration, productivity and online program scores and achievements! I thank you again for your generous donations and for the impact your gifts have had on my students' learning!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 6 other donors.First Grade Math Wizards!
Funded Jul 30, 2019My students are absolutely mesmerized by the resources received from your generous donations! Many of my students have never had the opportunity to plan and build using a multitude of varied materials. They are in awe of the possibilities each kit provides and their excitement is palpable! It is very rewarding to see how motivated they are to create and build!
Our classroom time is divided into ninety minute blocks. I am thrilled to report that the materials purchased are being used on a daily basis. Students participate in whole class lessons followed by intervention, review and enrichment in class centers. Each day, two groups of students use the gifted materials for planning, problem solving and building. My students are always motivated to complete the circuit of centers. My students are also working as "Math Buddies" using the Problem Solving Journals and Math Skills Activity Centers for number sense and operations.
Your generous donation has opened up a whole new experience for my students to become planners, problem solvers, engineers and mathematicians independently. I appreciate every donor for gifting these learning opportunities to my students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews
This classroom project was brought to life by The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation and 7 other donors.Authors of the Month
Funded Jul 30, 2018The reading adventure has begun in our first grade classroom! The students in my class are currently reading on many different levels. My beginning readers are working to decode beginning words and recognize and read sight words in a variety of printed text examples. The more experienced readers are beginning to read leveled texts with partners for support and on their own as they gain skills and their confidence levels grow. All of my first grade students are learning to listen to books read orally in class and discuss the details of the story with their classmates. We are studying about different authors and the genres they write in. The students are beginning to identify different writing styles and text features that authors use to tell their stories. We are beginning our "Authors of the Month" program where a particular author is highlighted and their books read to the whole class. We have begun to use the books donated to study about Robert Munsch and his hilarious but thought-provoking story characters and events. The students have begun to compare and contrast characters from two different books written by Robert Munsch.
On a daily basis, reading in the first grade classroom consists of whole group instruction to teach phonics, spelling and to introduce the elements of text like characters, setting, story problem and solution. We also work hard to identify the features of the book such as title, author, illustrator, dedication page and publication information. Each day, we meet in small groups for guided reading practice for the particular levels students are reading at. During this time, other students are working independently; immersed in other activities involving literature and reading. Our brains are engaged with books as many times as we can each day!
We have just begun a voluntary book club that will meet twice a month at lunch and recess to further explore and share books. We will also be reading books by one author each month. The students' lists of favorite books and authors is growing daily so this will be a great chance for them to share their love of books on a deeper level! We are excited to share the books that you so generously provided by authors Robert Munsch, Ezra Jack Keats and Peggy Parish! We also have a daily reading program called "We're Buggy Over Books" where all first grade students read for fifteen minutes each night to an adult and record their books on a log. I have provided each student with a book sack and books from my library so that they can have great books in their hands at home as well as in school. We continue this program throughout the year and conclude with an awards assembly to celebrate the learning that has taken place through the wonderful world of reading. Many of my students have already read fifty or more books this year!
Reading opens the door to learning and feeds my students' brains. I try to get as many books into the hands of the students as I can so that they can develop a passion for reading that will make them lifelong readers and learners. Thanks to the fabulous variety of books that have been donated through this project funded by you, my students now have an excellent opportunity to grow and learn through reading. They are well on their way to success; loving every chance to explore new books! Thank you for your passion for reading now shared with my students. Together we are building strong, confident readers one book at a time.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews
Catch the Reading Bug
Funded Jul 28, 2018I cannot begin to tell you how great the impact of our new rug has been in my first grade classroom! My students consider this to be like "home base" in our room. The school day starts and ends here! Lessons in every subject take place on the rug and it is perfect for all of the different groupings of students we use each day in class.
On a daily basis, it is used for morning meeting where students share the news of the day, class lessons where students can work in small groups or as a whole class in every subject and for daily paired reading where students work in buddy groups to read and discuss books. It is the perfect size to help students work together in many different types of settings.
The students are very proud to own the rug and have demonstrated ownership of this special gift in the way they take care of it each day. They remind their friends on a daily basis to keep it clean and not to run and slide on it. In first grade, understanding the responsibility of taking care of belongings is very important. Unfortunately, on the first day of school, there was a water main break and our street was flooded. We spent the first day of school without the rug, sitting on the aged, linoleum floor. When the much anticipated "magic carpet" arrived on the second day of school, the students were thrilled! They cheered and couldn't wait to take their books to the rug for the first time! The way the rug delivery was delayed made a bigger impact on the students than if it had been there when they arrived on the first day of school! The impact of your fabulous gift was truly evident that day and has remained the favorite place to share the joy of learning every day since then.
Thank you so much for the many ways that your support has touched my students. We will continue to share your generous gift every day in first grade as we grow, learn and catch the reading bug!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathews