Mrs. Johnson's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 10

• Computer Mice and Measuring's Nice

  Funded Apr 16, 2024

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom. The computer mice have been a game changer. Students are no longer frustrated as they try to drag manipulatives, words or other items as they complete activities and assessments in our class. The mice have made our classroom technology times less frustrating.

  Thank you also for the tape measures. We do many experiments that require measuring. In years past, students have had to line rulers up end to end and then add to find measurements. It led to many inaccuracies as they collected data. The tape measures have made collecting data during science easier and more accurate leading to easy to see patterns and classroom scientific discoveries.

  You have made a big difference in the lives of my many students. Thank you so very much.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

• Classroom Basics

  Funded Oct 26, 2022

  Thank you for your contribution to our classroom. My school has limited money available for supplies. It is difficult to get colored paper. As a result almost everything used in my classroom is on white paper. My students and I get tired of everything being so bland. It also difficult to help students find specific papers when everything is the same color. The colored paper has helped liven up my classroom. As we have looked at text structures, I can tell students a specific color of paper to find for reference. I am able to make reading and math games that are colorful and inviting.

  My class is also appreciative of the white boards, markers and erasers you provided us. Our old whiteboards were SO old! They were chipped, cracked and scratched to the point that students would try to work their math problems around all the problem areas. As you can imagine, that made learning difficult. These new whiteboard supplies have been so helpful. The students use them daily in their learning. Thank you so much for helping supply our classroom. We appreciate your generosity.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

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

• Wobbles and Art

  Funded May 5, 2022

  Thank you so much for the art supplies, wobble cushions and butterflies. They have been a much needed and appreciated donation to my classroom.

  The art supplies have been very well received by my students. They love the options the watercolor colored pencils give them to soften lines in their art. I love that the students are getting exposure to a new medium that isn't as messy as watercolor paint.

  The butterflies haven't been used yet but I have big plans to use them in our energy unit. Students will learn that the more I twist the rubber band the more energy I am giving to my butterfly. They will learn how that energy is transferred as we try to make them fly.

  The wobble cushions are my favorite donation. They have provided the opportunity for students who are wiggly to sit in a regular chair and still move. Wobbles are helping me adapt my classroom for the ever growing movement needs of my students. I have less behavior problems and don't have students constantly up and about because they can't sit any longer.

  Thank you for supporting the education and my classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and one other donor.

• Science Supplies for Successful Labs

  Funded Jan 21, 2022

  Your generous contribution has helped the students at my school experience science on a whole new level. We used the slinkies, tuning forks and rubber duckies to help students understand how energy travels through waves and explore the properties of waves. The thermometers helped us collect data about how color and heat energy are connected. We used the circuits and microbit to help us understand how circuits work and how they can be used to gain 21st century skills. Thank you so much for providing the materials that made it possible for me to give these students hands-on learning experiences.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Utah State Board of Education.

• Seating for Success

  Funded May 10, 2021

  My students were so excited when the Big Joe bean bags and lap desks arrived. They were thrilled to have some more seating options for learning. The impact from these bean bags has been far reaching.

  I had a parent contact me thanking me for having choices in seating. Her daughter has always struggled to want to come to school because it is so difficult for her. The child now gets out of bed excited to come to school and have the opportunity to sit in a bean bag.

  The bean bags have been great for reading. Students like to get comfortable when they are doing silent reading in class. I have seen an increase in stamina because the students aren't having to adjust their position as much. My room is quieter and more productive.

  I have also been able to use them as an incentive. Students can't use the alternative seating if they can't make good choices. The bean bags have been a great incentive for students who have difficulty following our class rules.

  Thank you for your generous donation. You have made a difference for my students.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 4 other donors.

• Learning to be Stewards of our Wetlands

  Funded Apr 29, 2019

  Your contribution has made such a difference to my science instruction. We were able to take the magiscopes and containers to a local wetlands area. The students were able to look at insects through the microscopes. They were amazed by how many eyes an insect has and the small hairs that they couldn't see with the naked eye. Then the students were able to look at some macro-invertebrates that we found in the water. The students were amazed that there were organisms in the water that they had never known existed.

  We were able to take this new knowledge and connect it to the food web. The students learned the importance of all animals big and small to our wetlands. We talked about the impact of unhealthy water to these macro-invertebrates and how that affects all animal life in our wetlands.

  We were then able to take this knowledge and study brine shrimp from The Great Salt Lake. They were able to see how oolitic sand is different from regular sand on a microscopic level. The use of magiscopes made these students feel like real scientists. They cannot wait for me to get these materials out again.

  Thank you so much for helping me make this hands-on learning possible.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Johnson Ohana Foundation and 4 other donors.

• Sit, Stand, or Move to Learn

  Funded Oct 24, 2018

  Thank you for providing standing desks, stools, balls, bouncy bands and the many sensory items for my classroom. I am so grateful for your generous contribution. Nearly one third of the students in our class have been diagnosed with disorders that affect their ability to focus. These learning aids directly help these students succeed.

  One of my students struggles with being overstimulated in the classroom. His regular outbursts made both teaching and learning difficult for me and the other students. He now uses the weighted lap blanket when he begins to feel upset, which has eliminated his outbursts and enabled him to complete more work.

  Other students have found that using the standing desks while working on difficult assignments helps them reduce pent-up energy and successfully complete their work. Students from other classes also love using these learning aids when they are in our class. The atmosphere in our class has changed. Learning has become easier because the students are calmer and happier. We use our learning aids every day and your generous contribution is truly making a difference in the success of these students who struggle in so many facets of their lives.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron Fuel Your School.

• Storyworks to Improve Literacy

  Funded Oct 23, 2017

  Thank you for helping my students become more literate! We truly enjoy our subscription to StoryWorks magazine. The articles are a real asset to me as a teacher. Studies suggest that students are more successful at reading comprehension if they have a greater understanding of the world at large. Many of my students have never been outside our state and have very little experience in the world beyond their small corner of it. This magazine carries articles about current events around the world, giving my students an opportunity to see the experiences of people outside our community. My students have learned about events ranging from natural disasters in the United States to war-torn Syria. Each issue also presents a topic to debate. This has been a great tool as I help students explore other perspectives and opinions.

  StoryWorks also includes articles about significant events and people from history. My students were tremendously impacted by the story of Sylvia Mendez, an 8-year-old who fought to desegregate California. They were amazed that someone like them -- a kid -- can make a difference in the world.

  My students' favorite part of StoryWorks is the drama article in each issue. They love to rehearse their parts and perform for their peers. This has become an effective means for helping my struggling readers. These students want to have main parts and are therefore motivated to practice reading parts that are significantly above their abilities. These students put great effort into their reading accuracy and fluency in order to perform their parts well.

  Your contribution has inspired my students and made them excited to learn, stretch themselves and explore other perspectives. Thank you for making this possible!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

• Technology to Help Every Student Succeed

  Funded Oct 13, 2016

  The iPads I received through your generous donation have been such a blessing in my classroom. More than half of my students started out this year below grade level in all subject areas. It is very difficult to spend enough time with each student and meet their needs. I realized that with this group being so low we had to make every minute count. Often times, while I am helping a student, others who need help will do nothing while they wait. The iPads have helped me to make sure these students are getting practice on core skills while they wait.

  I have been able to acquire apps that help the students learn important skills like memorizing their multiplication facts or work on sight words. I have even found an app that works with our school's reading program. This has made the iPads even more effective because they provide activities that directly integrate skills we are learning, using the same vocabulary. The students also use the iPads as they conduct research on a variety of topics. Information is so accessible for these students now.

  The students are excited to use the iPads. The students are not embarrassed about the extra help they get from the iPads. This technology is viewed, by the students, as a reward for working hard. Unlike stigmas that can come from being pulled out for extra help, students feel positive about the help they get from the iPads and it's on their exact level of need. I have seen growth in these students. They are doing better in reading and math. Your contribution has made this growth possible. Thank you for your willingness to help us!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson

• Listen to Reading Project

  Funded Oct 13, 2015

  Dear Donor,

  Thank you so much for your donation to our classroom. The iPads and headphones have been an immense blessing to our students.

  Initially, I wanted the iPads because so many of my students tested below grade level in reading. Reading fluency was a large factor in their low reading scores. I knew that the best way to increase their fluency was through increased exposure to fluently read text. The iPads have made listening to fluently read text possible for all the students, and the mid-year reading assessment showed a substantial increase in the students' reading fluency.

  The iPads have also provided other unforeseen benefits. For instance, at the beginning of the year, there were several students who still struggled with rhyming words. Due to increased exposure to nursery rhymes and other rhyming text on the iPads, all of my students are now proficient at rhyme. Students have also been able to regularly practice writing and reading sight words, which has improved reading fluency and reading comprehension in our class.

  We are so grateful for the iPads. They have significantly impacted our class progress. Thank you very much for your contribution.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Johnson