Ms. Parks' Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 47

• Differentiated Book Clubs

  Funded Oct 25, 2018

  How wonderful to have brand new, high-quality books for book clubs. The students are reading fiction books on their own reading level and are discussing those books with enthusiasm. Great discussions are taking place where students are delving deeply into the themes of these stories. They are exchanging ideas about character motivation and change.

  Students are excited and find joy in reading. They are recommending books to others outside of their group. Some have found authors that they particularly like and are motivated to read other books by that author. These books have made a great addition to our class. Thank you so much.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and one other donor.

• Bouncing While Learning

  Funded Aug 23, 2018

  Fifth grade students have so much energy. They need to move around. I try to make this possible during different parts of the day. Sometimes, though, they just have to bounce their legs and dance under their desks.

  These bouncy bands let everyone do this. No one stands out. They all can use pent up energy on these bands without disturbing the learning of any other student,

  I see that students who left their seat often are now able to stay seated and focused while bouncing their legs.

  This has made a big difference in the amount of time that they are learning.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and one other donor.

• Never Forget

  Funded Aug 22, 2018

  Teaching about the holocaust is a delicate but necessary undertaking. These books are ways to teach about this horrific time. The books concentrate on the many brave men and women who helped others even though it endangered their own lives.

  We use these books as read alouds, shared reading and book clubs. The conversations that follow are poignant and thought provoking.

  We also use them to relate to current problems in our country and in the world.

  These books help them to become better citizens of the world. Thank you.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 2 other donors.

• A Tall Glass Of Water

  Funded Aug 22, 2018

  Well you enabled us to have pure water in the class with our water filter, but we were using way too many paper cups.

  Now each student has a colorful water bottle made of stainless steel, that keeps water cold for over 12 hours.

  I am so lucky to see the joy on my students' faces as we gave them out. They love them. They are used every day.

  Many of my students could never have afforded to buy these.

  Now cold water has become much more attractive than the sugary drinks many had been consuming.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and one other donor.

• A Cool Breeze

  Funded Aug 22, 2018

  You cannot imagine how unbearably hot it can get in a Bronx classroom in September. (Not to mention in May and June.) We were so uncomfortably hot. It was difficult to get anything done.

  Then the packages arrived. We received our own air conditioner and two room fans. The students could barely be contained. To say they were overjoyed would be an understatement.

  We asked the custodian to get them working for us. What a difference it has made. Even now in October we still are using them.

  This has been a game changer. Thank you so much.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and one other donor.

• Let's Wow Them in September

  Funded Aug 14, 2018

  Well, you certainly did wow them. They walked into a room that was bright and cheerful. They were astounded by all the supplies that were now immediately available to them.

  I know these supplies made them feel as if they mattered. They had new erasers, pencil sharpeners, folders, notebooks, paper, and so much more. I have many students who live in shelters and this allowed them to begin school ready to learn.

  I wish you could have seen the smiles on their faces and we opened all of these supplies.

  You are amazing.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

  This classroom project was brought to life by News Corp and 3 other donors.

• Feeling Good, Smelling Good

  Funded May 24, 2018

  There was a resounding cheer when this package arrived. I passed them out as soon as they arrived and they loved the fragrance.

  The students have been hot and sweaty during the excessive heat in September. These were a welcome addition to their cleanliness routines.

  We often talk about the importance of good hygiene. We also discuss the many unhealthy chemicals in our environment, food, and personal items.

  They know these deodorants will help them smell good. Equally important they know there are no harmful chemicals in them.

  My students are becoming aware of taking care of their mind and body. Thank you for making this possible.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

  This classroom project was brought to life by Salesforce.org and one other donor.

• Keepin' Us Clean

  Funded Jun 8, 2018

  We can stay clean and healthy, thanks to you. Until now we never had tissues or paper towels when needed. We would run out by the second week of school. Using a hand sanitizer did not happen. Now we will have tissues, paper towels and hand sanitizer available throughout the year.

  Cleaning our desks, wiping up spills, having them in lieu of napkins has made us become more aware of the importance of cleanliness. The students have become more aware of its importance, both here and at home.

  They are taking ownership of the classroom, keeping it clean. Thank you, once again.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

• Amazing Authors

  Funded Apr 19, 2018

  Thank you so much for providing these incredible books for my students. These books are written by award winning authors. The text is sophisticated and the illustrations are beautiful.

  These books are used as both read-alouds and for independent reading. Their rich text provides for thought provoking discussions and writing.

  Most importantly the students love the story and see the joy in reading. They often applaud and, at times, cry at the end of the story. We have been able to do author studies based on these books.

  These books which have enriched their lives.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

• It's Tech Time

  Funded Mar 27, 2018

  Thank you so much for funding this project. All my students now can use their own headphones while watching educational videos, listening to stories, and playing math games online. They use these headphones daily and love they way feel and how well they work.

  We now can watch videos on our smart board using the blue tooth speaker. Before when watching a video, it was impossible to hear it. Even with the volume turned to maximum students would lose interest because they could not follow what was going on. This has allowed us to use so many online resources that the whole class can enjoy and learn from.

  The iPad was a particular hit with all my students. They take turn using the many apps I have downloaded. This iPad has been particularly helpful to a student who recently joined my class from Africa. There are many resources to help her learn English through games. She loves listening to stories on this iPad and will often use it with a few of her classmates.

  Thank you for providing this technology for my students. It has made a big difference.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Parks

  This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and one other donor.