Past projects 16
This Classroom is a Mess, Let's Get Organized
Funded Oct 29, 2010Over the last week we have had new supplies trickling into the classroom. It has been a wonderful thing to get storage tubs and transfer all our costumes and decorations into like-sized tubs for better storage. The students are really starting to take a little more pride in the classroom. We have started using the other supplies that have come such as crayons, our response boards and most importantly, our music journals. I love the fact that my students have a booklet now that they can write their responses in and keep it private if they wish. No other student has the opportunity to read anther's journal. They can be honest and really express their feelings about what they are learning and hearing. If anything, the journals are the most beneficial to my students, followed closely by the response boards and markers. They help to keep all of my students engaged. Thank you for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
Bridging the Gap with Music
Funded Sep 29, 2010This year has marked a turning point in my professional development as a music educator. Until recently I focused mainly on teaching my set of standards, trying periodically to align my teaching to what classroom teachers were doing. This year I set my goals upon not only meeting my standards, but working more to enhance what was going on in other rooms. I set my goal as a teacher to involve more math and literacy in my classroom.
The resources I chose for a step in the right direction were sent to me early in the school year thanks to the donors who helped fund this project. I have been able to pull these binders and books down during my planning sessions to get ideas for lessons as well as supplement lessons prepared in the past. Even though the majority of the resources were geared for lower elementary grades, I have been able to adapt ideas for upper grades.
While I cannot take full credit for our students doing well on their tests, I know that because I was able to build more of a bridge between music and their core studies, they have grown. I hear them talk daily of how once we took a song apart and studied the lyrics as a poem, they understand more about poetry. I will never forget the look on the faces of second grade students as we played Music Pizza and created common time pizzas with different symbols and the amazement of their teacher when she started fractions and her students were quick with correct answers. Thank you for the impact you've made in my teaching career.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
Experiencing Composers with Nonfiction
Funded Feb 21, 2011Thank you to everyone who helped make this project a success! I'm a very thankful that others know the importance of knowing who created the music we have to enjoy and listen to daily. Being able to share these biographies with my students will help them make personal connections with composers and musicians, and quite possibly give someone a role model for the rest of their life. Your generosity is astounding and amazing, and I thank you very much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
Getting Our Groove On
Funded Jul 25, 2010Today was a wonderful day for me! As my last class of the day left my classroom, the custodian entered, bringing with her a new set of hand bells that had been delivered! I am so excited about having this resource to use with students as we study music.
I have taught hand bells before with high school aged students and often thought it would be a wonderful experience to share with those who are just beginning to read music. These bells will go right into the hand of eager to learn students tomorrow!
Your generosity has provided my students with a new instrument to learn and create memories with. I can only hope that one day in their future when they hear a specific song, it will take them back to their elementary days and the joy of learning. Thank you for your interest in provide my students with a future!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
There's No Paper at School!
Funded Jan 15, 2011What a nice surprise to wake up today and find this funded! My students and I are very excited to know that we will be able to create the things we need now that we will have the paper to do so. Although we do a lot of hands-on instrument playing and singing, we do need to be able to transfer that learning to paper at times. My students love doing things like creating stories with words where they fill in the name of the music note to finish the story or simply composing their own rhythms. Thank you for making this possible.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
Help! Our Christmas Program Needs Decorations!!
Funded Nov 30, 2010We finished both of our Christmas programs this past Thursday. I've heard from many people that our stage was absolutely spectacular! Its all because you made it possible to put the decorations in the hands of my students.
I met with individual classroom teachers and passed out directions and supplies to make certain items for our stage. Second graders made paper plate holly wreaths using the plates, construction paper and help yourself glue tubes. First grade students made a red and green paper chain with an ABABAB pattern. More second graders made large white snowflakes to adorn the sky of our setting. Most impressively though, our Transitional First students made paper poinsettias with the red paper, jumbo craft sticks, plaster of Paris, collage pots and poms. They turned out very beautiful. We even had enough green paper and craft sticks left to make Christmas tree hats for our kindergarten's performance of The Littlest Christmas Tree.
I think that because we had a beautiful stage in place, our students performed even better and with more pride than before. They were all very proud of how beautiful the stage looked and wanted to do the best they could. As a result, we had two very lovely Christmas programs. Thank you all so very much!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
A Place In the Band For You
Funded Sep 3, 2010I am in complete awe of the change that just once carpet has made in my classroom. Not only does it seem more cheery and comfortable, it has increased my student's attention during instruction! My students come in and go immediately to their color square, eliminating the need of finding a seat or going to the wrong place. Also, the squares are color coordinated with our set of Boom Whacker tubes. This has allowed my students to be able to immediately realize which tube they need to pick up at the door instead of arguing over many. Every student in each of my classes has a place now. Thank you so much for helping me in my classroom!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
Dancing Through the World (With The Stars)
Funded Sep 21, 2010I received the packages today containing the materials for Dancing Through the World! I am so excited to finally get some new ideas and new movement activities to help my students. We are working very hard right now to internalize the feeling of steady beat and having new materials may be the exact thing that my students will need. I have already been searching through videos to find just the right one to start with tomorrow and planning with the Physical Education teacher to have a few cooperative lessons with him to teach some of our new multicultural dances. Many thanks to each of you who helped make this project a success. My students will not only learn new dances and music objectives that the state requires, they are learning important life lessons from you as well. They are learning that being lifelong learners and loving education is important and that they can make a difference, whether they have a lot to contribute to life or a little. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
Snazzy New Tunes for a Snazzy New Year
Funded Aug 15, 2010Today was an exciting day as I checked my teacher mail and found the package from Plank Road Publishing! I received my first issue of Music K-8 Magazine and have already been listening to the CD to decide which new song we will learn first. I want to thank all the donors to this project for helping me get this item. With a severely tight school budget, I have been notified that my other music subscription will not be renewed, so having this item is even more special. Thank you for your help in making my classroom a better place and caring!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris
Our Band Needs Rhythm
Funded Oct 21, 2009On behalf of the students I teach and myself, I want to take the time to thank you for your participation in this activity to provide students with quality rhythm band instruments. Your generosity has touched all of us in ways you cannot imagine. We have been able to incorporate many rhythm activities into our daily learning and now have enough instruments that all students can participate at the same time instead of waiting. It is making their learning time more interactive, which at this point in their lives is a meaningful thing.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Morris