Past projects 4
Diverse Books and SEL Tools for Kinders
Funded Dec 30, 2024Your generosity will make a huge impact on students' literacy starting in their very first year of school. It is so valuable and meaningful for students to see their language and culture reflected in their learning environment. We are so grateful you made that a reality for them. I cannot wait to share their joy with you when our items arrive!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. O'Shea
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 14 other donors.Seating for Engagement
Funded Oct 28, 2016Thank you so much for donating to our classroom! The students have enjoyed choosing new seating and finding the choices that best meet their needs to that day. When students enter the classroom they can choose from a variety of flexible seating choices, which put more power in their hands. They have been so responsible and kind, sharing their seating choices and being flexible when their first choice is not available. Many of my boys can wiggle and move throughout the day, allowing them to release some of their energy!
We are so grateful for your generosity and for seeing the value in this project!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. O'Shea
Movement in Learning
Funded Sep 15, 2016Dearest Donors,
We were so excited to see the packages arrive in our classroom! We opened most materials together. We even did relay teams to blow up our yoga balls. Each student took part in preparing our classroom materials and their excitement was palpable! They worked so well together taking turns in the relay and problem solving challenging pumps. We came together as a classroom community to develop rules around seating choices. Our first rule is to share and to be flexible with our choices.
We have been using the supplies continually for a week and I can see student focus improve when they have the tools, like best-fit seating, available. Student energy is up in the afternoons when we traditionally struggle with and afternoon dip.
You have truly made learning more accessible to many students now that they can be comfortable in the classroom! We are so thankful for your donation.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. O'Shea
High Interest Classroom Library!
Funded Oct 27, 2015Thank you for donating to our High Interest Classroom Library! Using these texts I have been able to teach teamwork with the sports themed books. We have discussed the importance of stamina and perseverance of tasks using these books as well. The students have loved reading about local heroes like Brandon Roy and Damian Lillard in our basketball book. The lower level readers have also been very important in bringing students up to reading at grade level. I have been able to pair higher readers with struggling readers to support new reading skills. This has created a wonderful sense of community! We are all on the reading journey together!
We have about 25 minutes a day dedicated to independent reading. Students have loved reading by themselves, but have also asked to share their reading with a buddy, especially with our new books! I have several boys who are now very excited to read to each other! A few of these boys are new to our school this year and really struggled to make friends. With our larger library they have been able to foster friendships with buddy reading!
Finally, I have a powerful story I want to share about a boy who likes to mostly draw during the day. He rarely reads with the class and does not talk to many students. We had finished a Greek myth unit and in the following days this boy had found a reader's theater about the Hindu god Vishnu. He asked several friends to read the play with him during our reading time. After a week of reading and practicing they put a play on for the whole class! It was so exciting to see this boy, who is usually introverted, initiating and working so well with classmates.
Your contribution had made reading more meaningful to my students. It has created opportunities for them to bond over common books, creating a greater sense of community. Thank you so much for expanding minds and dreams through reading!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. O'Shea