Past projects 11
Sequels, New Books, and a Fresh Look in the Library!
Funded Sep 18, 2024First of all, thank you so much for supporting libraries. With funding for schools continuing to dwindle nationwide, school library budgets have shrunk to what feels like a bare minimum. Sometimes it feels impossible to provide new books for my students, not to mention the supplies that make a library work.
My students have really loved having the new books, especially the sequels to their favorite series. In addition, the plastic bins have proven to be a hit! Kids have loved making the labels for the bins and our K-2 students have found it much easier to look for their favorite books.
You are a hero for libraries! We thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community & an Anonymous Partner and 7 other donors.New books for a new school year!
Funded Aug 7, 2023Once a month my 5th and 6th graders read with our Kindy and first graders during our library time. They love reading their favorites to the littles! Being able to start the school year with brand new copies of all the Pete the Cat books along with new to our library Pete the Cat titles has been such fun for our Reading Buddy time.
I was also able to purchase a variety of board books for our library. We use these books in our kindergarten Structured Learning Classroom. This gives opportunity for our autistic students to read with 6th grade buddies and helps them learn how to take care of library books.
Our library thrives because of your generous donations! Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
Let's Talk About It!
Funded Aug 10, 2022Our new Social and Emotional Learning books have been a great addition to our library! Our district is currently in the process of implementing Social and Emotion Learning standards for both students and staff. These books support these standards through stories on self-awareness and self-management.
Teaching with literature can bring about opportunity for sharing and create a special bond among students and educators. Many times, students will check out books they've read with their teacher or librarian and share it with their families.
Win-Win! Thank you so much for your contributions.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 3 other donors.Biographies for All!
Funded Jan 22, 2022We are very appreciative of your donations to enhance our biography collection. From Martin Luther King Jr. to Frida Kahlo, my students love to read about real people!
The classroom teachers and I have really noticed how biographies encourage questions and conversation. For some, it sparks their interest in our non-fiction history selections as well as our Historical fiction chapter books.
Our biography section in the library continues to grow! Again, I thank you for being a part of this growth and helping getting books in kids hands.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
Fall Favorites Refresh
Funded Oct 20, 2021Thank you so much for your support of school libraries. The kids were so excited to come back to "in-person" school and "in-person" library and see not only their old favorites on the shelves, but brand new copies of their favorites as well as some new additions! Elephant, Piggy, and Pigeon continue to get checked out daily, only now we never run out!
We've been able to have reading buddies again, although with masks and distancing. Having these favorite titles has been so beneficial for our 5/6 graders when reading with our Kindy and first graders. These are books they remember being read to in the library when they were little both by me, and their own reading buddies! It's such fun to hear them reading Clifford and Pete the Cat, among others!
My actual library budget has not changed much in 9 years, but the public's support continues to amaze me. Because of your generosity, my library is able to provide a diverse and updated collection. On behalf of my students, we thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
Picture book favorites refresh!
Funded Oct 22, 2020What a school year it has been so far! The school, and library, are still physically empty of students but we've continued with our weekly library book distribution both curbside at school on Fridays and Wednesday visits with the library van to the community where a majority of our students live. Only one blizzard to report!
I'm so thankful for the contributions towards this grant. In uncertain times, our students requested the books they know and love. With your generosity, I was able to accommodate so many of these requests! As you can see by the picture of the Mo Willem books, they were so popular, I just left them on the book cart instead of re-shelving between check-outs!
Thank you again from both myself and my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Donor and 4 other donors.Winn Dixie Makes Everyone Smile
Funded May 5, 2020Thank you so much for donating funds towards my project, to get copies of my favorite book, Because of WInn-Dixie, into my students' hands. It's been a journey getting the new school year started and to find a place for school libraries in the current virtual learning environment that is the Anchorage School District right now.
Through the magic of the Clever platform, I was able to develop a curbside check out program. Students fill out a library book(s) request form or send me a message via the Clever app that is connected to their district log-in. On Friday, I pass out requested books to the neighborhood kids. They walk, bike, skateboard, and drive to pick up books. On Wednesday, we take the library van to the trailer park to offer those students the same opportunity. We also pass out the Winn-Dixie books.
I will continue to do everything I can to get books into kids' hands! I'm so thankful for donors like you believing and supporting school libraries and school librarians!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and one other donor.Yoga For All!
Funded Nov 1, 2017Thank you so much for giving my students the opportunity to practice yoga and mindfulness!
Every Friday at lunch/recess 6th graders sign up for one of the 20 mats received through Donor's Choose and we practice yoga together. Depending on the number of participants, so far we've had 6-18 students attend, we transform a portion of the library into a yoga studio. Students help set up and take down our transitional studio as well as clean and put away their mats. After our first session, students asked to stay and eat lunch in the library. Now it has become a part of our Friday routine. After our yoga session, we clean up and eat lunch together.
Even though we've only been having our Yogi Fridays since the beginning of December, I've already witnessed new friendships, increased responsibility, and open communication. When we are cleaning up and eating together, students want to talk about their lives. They listen to each other and engage each other.
I'm hoping to increase my Yogi Fridays to other grade levels and adding additional sessions in the morning before school.
Thank you again for making this opportunity available for my students and I. It has been amazing to be able to share a healthy way to relax and grow through exercise.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
I Want to Learn How to...
Funded Oct 17, 2016Entering my 4th year as an elementary school librarian after teaching 2nd grade for over 10 years, I really wanted to continue to focus on building our non-fiction collection. Of course we want our students to read for fluency, but the real challenge is comprehension. After much thought, I realized what better way to focus on comprehension then "how to" books. I've observed that as young as 1st grade, students have already formed their own likes and dislikes and are able to vocalize what they "want", even when it comes to choosing books.
Being able to provide them with origami, cookbooks, and books on ice fishing, just to name a few, has been really exciting. I can guarantee on any day there is not more than one origami book on the shelf at 3:30 pm. They literally fly off the shelves as soon as they are checked in. With this most recent DonorsChoose grant, we now have 30 books that show how to do origami projects!
When I receive new books I always put as many as possible on display both on the top of the bookshelves as well as the spinner I have near the check out area. Yesterday one of my 6th grade girls found The Girls Guide to Adventure: the Little Guidebook for Smart and Resourceful Girls on display. It was one of the books I received with the DonorsChoose grant and had been on display for just a few days. She showed it to a few of her friends who all wanted to check it out too! Now it's on hold for three more 6th grade girls. I probably won't see this book back on the shelf again until the end of the school year!
Thank you again to the DonorsChoose for providing our school with books our students want to read and can learn from at the same time!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens
Help! Our Library Needs a Non-fiction Upgrade!
Funded Oct 23, 2015Thank you so much for your generous donation. The non-fiction animal books Chevron funded have been a valuable addition to our library. As soon as I introduced the new books to the students, they were immediately checked out. In fact, I have yet to actually put them on the shelves because they are so popular. Instead, they are on a special cart by the library circulation desk for easy access.
Recently, I've been teaching fiction and non-fiction lessons with the Kindergartners and first graders. I've been using our new animal books as an example of non-fiction and pairing them with a picture book that has a main character of the same animal. We compare and contrast the two. When finished, a majority of the students choose a non-fiction animal book for check out! They love reading and learning about animals and enjoy looking at the pictures.
Thank you so much for contributing to our school library. Your donation literally puts books in the hands of my students every day. The gift you have given us will continue to be appreciated by students and staff for years to come.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stephens