Past projects 11
Spanish Classroom Library
Funded Dec 2, 2024Thank you so very much for helping us add more Spanish books to our classroom library! Many of my books are donated by families or acquired at thrift stores, and Spanish books are generally a lot harder to find, unless you have the funds to buy them new. Our rather meager selection of Spanish books is so rich and full now, with lots of high interest options, both fiction and nonfiction, at a variety of reading levels.
This goes such a long ways toward helping make our classroom library more inclusive of students whose first language is Spanish! It is an amazing resource for students who are more confident and capable at reading in Spanish, so that they can balance the more simple, lower level texts that they're learning to read in English with books that are more exciting and at their grade level in their home language. It's also a really rich opportunity for students whose families might speak Spanish, although the children may not have much experience with reading in Spanish. Being both bilingual and biliterate is an invaluable skill! Thank you for this gift!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Foundation and 4 other donors.Off to a Good Start!
Funded Sep 19, 2024These supplies have been so essential for starting this school year off on the right foot!
Some supplies were basics that help make everyday activities easier. For example, I love the erasers that students use with their whiteboards during math. It is also amazing to have a class set of clipboards, for students to quickly grab whenever they need one. Another item that makes my life so much easier are the magnetic hooks, so students can hang their headphone bags from their desks. This eliminates headphones getting shoved into desks and broken AND means we don't have to waste time having students get their headphones from a central storage spot. Win win!
Other supplies really help support particular students with their learning needs. For example, the noise blocking headphones are great for helping kids avoid distractions during independent work time. The squishy balls and spiral ponytail holders are amazing fidgets to help kids focus. Last, the highlighter reading strips have really helped a few struggling readers in my class.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
This classroom project was brought to life by The Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 3 other donors.Listen Up, Focus In
Funded Oct 11, 2023Thank you for helping provide headphones for my students! We use computers throughout the day for a variety of work and it makes a big difference for students to be able to have quality headphones that allow them to fully access all of our online tools. Students watch videos that I've shared with them to explore extension activities, listen to books read aloud to them, hear lessons for math and reading assignments right at their level, and so much more!
Of course, some students always bring their own pair of headphones, but there are so many whose families can't afford that extra expense. They're used to using simple ear buds from the Dollar Store or the loaners that the school has available, but these often are poor quality and break quickly. Over the ear headphones that are comfortable can really help students hear better, focus more, and enjoy their learning. Kids are always so excited when they realize that they can have their own pair of great headphones in my classroom!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community & an Anonymous Partner and 5 other donors.Fully Focused Fourth Graders!
Funded Nov 29, 2022Thank you so much for helping support our class! Your donation allowed us to purchase these durable plastic privacy screens, which should last for years to come. They have been extremely helpful in allowing some students to block out distractions and focus on their independent work.
I especially love that we have enough available now that any student who would like one can simply grab one. That way it doesn't have to be some special accomodation for certain students, but simply a normalized option that is there for any student who needs help focusing that day.
These have been very popular for our silent reading time at the end of the day, when students really want to be able to focus on their books, but often struggle with distractions. Some students grab 2 or 3 and build a tiny house around themselves!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and one other donor.Classroom Supply Basics
Funded Oct 30, 2022Thank you so much for your generosity! It means so much to me as a teacher on a tight budget, of course. It also means the world to my students! I always talk to them about how people in our community who have never met them or been in our school believe in them and want them to succeed so much that they donate money to make our classroom amazing. That's a pretty huge concept for them!
These supplies have been so, so helpful. Sometimes it's the small things that make all the difference! For example, we had a lot of sticky notes that we had gotten donated to the school, but they were so low quality that when I had the kids stick them to their books as notes or up on the wall to show their learning, they would just fall off! Having the name brand, "super sticky" Post It notes has been SO much better! And having things like better adult scissors and hooks to hang hall passes on just make my life that much easier. The kids also love the fidget tools and the giant sand time to help them calm down and refocus when they're having a rough day. Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
Can You Hear Me Now?
Funded Oct 17, 2022Thank you so much for donating to this project! My students were so excited to have fully functioning headphones that they can use now! Daily use in a classroom can be rough on these kinds of devices, and most of my headphones were only working on one side! So this is a huge improvement! And this style of headphone helps kids ignore sounds around them, so they can really focus on the individualized lessons that they are trying to access on the computer during work time! Kids use these on a daily basis to hear lessons for both math and reading on a program called i-Ready. We are excited to have high quality tools to help them do that. I appreciate your support of my students' learning! Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
This classroom project was brought to life by The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation and one other donor.Comfortable Learners = Better Engagement!
Funded Sep 20, 2022I wish you could have heard the excited chatter as students walked in and saw their new carpet spots! It makes the time when we are gathered together on the carpet, such as during read alouds or math talks, much more comfortable for these young learners and their growing bodies. They also really love that it gives them a defined "space" that is theirs, which provides more certainty and security as they share a common area with peers.
Our other supplies, the cushions, have been wonderful for students who need a separate/alternative learning spot when the rest of the class is working at their desks during independent time. They make these spots feel like exciting options, rather than some sort of separation or punishment, which they are not meant to be. Kids who struggled to focus at their table groups have been much more engaged in their new spots around the room.
One of my top rules and discussion points when we first got the mat was around not poking our lovely new mat with pencils. Our class has been very careful to follow this- and quick to report (with great shock and distress) whenever they do see a hole in the mat! I talk a lot of the importance of caring for our shared space and materials, both for the enjoyment of everyone in our class this year and for future classes. This is a lesson I'll refer to throughout the year and connect to the importance of caring for our shared spaces and resources in the wider world.
Thank you again for your support of our classroom! Our whole class is very appreciative of your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 8 other donors.Help Us Focus!
Funded Sep 28, 2019Thank you so much for helping make this project a reality! They kids cheered in excitement when we opened the boxes up. They were even more amazed to learn that people they've never met helped buy this stuff for them, just because they believe in them and want them to do great in school!
We now have enough wobble cushions in the class for every student who wants to use one. They all have open access to the noise-blocking headphones whenever they need to use them. And students who miss the free breakfast or didn't get enough at lunch know they can ask for a quick snack from me if they need it.
Kids are using these tools to help them focus and learn, even on the tough days. I have definitely seen just how much effect these simple things have had on students in my class. We can't thank you enough for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
This classroom project was brought to life by District Partnership Program and 9 other donors.Math Supplies: It All Adds Up!
Funded Dec 3, 2019Thank you so, so much for helping fund my project! This has been a looong week and it really fills my heart with joy to see other people invested (literally) in the success of these wonderful kiddos! These supplies will really help improve my math instruction and I can't wait to see how excited the students are to put them to good use! Happy Holidays to all of you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and 5 other donors.Get Your Wiggles Out!
Funded Dec 3, 2017Thank you so much for supporting this project and providing my students with these very useful resources for flexible seating! The students were so curious and excited when the boxes arrived! We had a very meaningful class conversation about who might get to use the new materials, based on the various needs and learning styles that different kids have. I have found that this concept- that some people need more/different support and may, therefore, get something that other students don't get- is something most children understand and accept very easily.
So far, the most useful tools seem to be the stability cushions. I slowly distributed these over several weeks to students that clearly needed help focusing during their independent work time. Students started by using them at their chairs, but then asked if they could use it when the class comes to the carpet as well. I have found these cushions incredibly helpful for those students in both settings. The wobble stools are available to all students when they come to the "teacher table" and work with me in a small group. Students really enjoy them and understand that they are both a learning tool and a privilege that needs to be used properly. The yoga balls are used at several "work stations" that I have located around the edges of the classroom for students who need a spot to help them focus during work time. These allow them to move and get some energy out while working on their laptops, reading a book, or working on math.
Thank you again for your generosity! These various tools have really helped particular students focus their attention on their school work during critical learning time. The kids love to use them and really appreciate having these options in our classroom!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Walker