Mrs. Sansom's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 8

• Bins Make Finding Books Easier

  Funded Feb 21, 2018

  Thank you so much for your donations that helped make our library easier to use for our youngest readers. PreK through 2nd graders have been very enthusiastic about the change in the picture book section of the library. Our teachers are also happy with the change. Because of the new way of shelving books by topic and series, students are able to easily find the books in which they are interested. Books which formerly sat untouched (sometimes for years!) are now being circulated, read and enjoyed. The bins are sturdy and attractive, and really brighten up the picture book section of the library. Changing the picture book section was something I wanted to do for quite some time, but budget constraints kept it from happening. We appreciate your donations that make this happen.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sansom

  This classroom project was brought to life by The First Million Fund and 7 other donors.

• Makerspaces in the Library

  Funded Feb 23, 2017

  Thank you so much for your donations to make our new Maker Spaces activities possible. The Maker Spaces activities have been placed on tables in the library, and students have the opportunity to select the center in which they would like to work. They have studied the origami books, carefully following the directions to make their paper sculptures. They have dug into the boxes of K'Nex and Legos, sometimes following directions, but often using their imaginations to make new creations. They have shown their duct tape creations proudly to me and their teachers. I have seen students using teamwork and problem-solving skills to figure out how to make their creations. Most of all, the students have had fun, probably not know how much they have learned while doing so. The Maker Spaces are definitely a hit in our school library, and we look forward to having many more hours of learning fun in the future.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sansom

• We're Looking For a Hero!

  Funded Dec 3, 2015

  Thank you so much for your donation to our project "We're Looking For a Hero". The new biographies are on the shelf and ready for students to check out and start reading. The biographies cover social studies state criteria, as well as just being fun to read. A lot of our students are interested in learning about real people. The books you bought reflect the diversity of American heroes: from presidents to sport figures, scientists and adventurers, these new books will inspire students, no matter their circumstances and interests. New books are always cause for celebration in our school, and these new books are in demand. The students are eager to read the books, and a waiting list has been generated for quite a few of them!

  Again, I wish to thank each and every one of you for your generosity in helping my student achieve.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sansom

• Touchdown! We Want Sports Books!

  Funded Aug 22, 2014

  Thanks to your donations, we were able to get new books about sports for our library. These books about football, baseball, basketball, and cheerleading have been incredibly popular since the day I put them on the shelves. They rarely make it back to the shelf before another student is asking for them.

  These books, particularly the non fiction titles, have been so well-received by my boys, who have constantly asked for new books to add to our very small collection of sports books.

  The key to getting kids to enjoy reading is to provide them with what interests them, and these books have certainly done that. These books will help students to hone their reading skills, and show them that reading can be a fun and interesting activity”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sansom

  This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 13 other donors.

• More Fiction Please!

  Funded Sep 20, 2013

  Thank you so much for the donation of fiction books for our library. The books are processed, on the "New Book" shelf, and are already in demand by our readers! We are a charter school, and the library budget would not allow for us to have these great new books if it weren't for donors like you. Our "Reading Bingo" program is underway, with nearly half of the student population signed up with the goal of reading 100 books by the end of the school year. To date, nearly 30 students have gone to the second level, and 4 have reached the third level! They are excited and proud when they turn in their Reading Bingo cards and receive the next level card. Nothing can get a child more excited about reading than to provide them with new books on topics they enjoy. And of course, nothing helps a student's reading skills more than reading! Pleasure reading will help boost students reading skills in every aspect of their learning. Thank you again for providing my students with such great books.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sansom

• We Love Series Books!

  Funded Jan 25, 2013

  Thank you so much for the donation of books you gave to our school! Words cannot express how much we needed new novels for our older readers, and how grateful we are for them. The new series books have gotten students much more interested in reading novels (or "chapter books", as our students refer to them). Some students have gotten hooked on books that are pretty advanced reading, such as the "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel". At least five fourth graders are engrossed in that series. Others are happy with the goofiness of "Captain Underpants", the antics of best dog buddies "Down Girl and Sit", or the funny life of Greg Hefley in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid".

  Thanks to Donors Choose, our fiction section is rapidly becoming an exciting portion of the library. Much of our collection is made up of dated and used donated books. Old books have quietly been removed to make room for these new and exciting ones. Thank you so much for making that possible.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sansom

• Graphic Novels Make Reading Fun

  Funded Feb 14, 2013

  I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled our students were to receive all the new graphic novels that you donated! The students are checking them out, putting their names on waiting lists, and sharing them with their friends. I am not exaggerating when I say that they are checked out all the time! Most have never made it to the shelves: students take them from the return bin before I have a chance to check them in! Even our reluctant readers are clamoring to read "Baby Mouse", "Bone", or "Lunch Lady".

  Our third graders are even doing a writing activity of making their own graphic novels, an assignment which would have been more difficult if we had not had the books to use as examples.

  Because of your generous donation, our students have discovered the wonderful world of graphic novels (something you and I probably know better as "comic books"!). Students know that reading is not a chore, but a really fun activity.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sansom

• Our Favorite Books Are Tattered and Torn

  Funded Oct 24, 2012

  Thank you so much for your generous donations to buy replacement books for our library. The books have been cataloged, processed, and are all currently checked out! The students were so excited to have brand new books to read.

  Although new copies of Junie B. Jones, Judy Moody and The Magic Tree House books were appreciated and snapped up quickly, it was the non fiction Magic Tree House Fact Tracker series that has been really in demand! A waiting list has been started for those titles. With these books, students can learn about Abraham Lincoln, ancient Greece, outer space, tornadoes and more. These books present the information in a fun, exciting, and easily accessible way that our students really enjoy.

  These books will be used by our students for many years to come. Thank you for helping us with our learning!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sansom