Past projects 5
Functional Organization
Funded Dec 31, 2024Thank you so much for supporting my classroom and students. These items have helped to organize the classroom as well as help to make it appear appealing and welcoming.
My students love that they have more options for fidgets and they love the increased flexible seating. We have already started using the whiteboards for class discussions and participation. This has improved their level of engagement and attention and reduced behaviors in whole group work.
Students know where to go to get materials for the day using the various bins and rolling cart. It is helpful for them to have art materials sorted by color and reduces the need to search for what they want to use.
I am loving the rolling laptop cart! I can move easily from room to room with extra items for my students. It also gives me my own space within someone else's classroom which is helpful when there are changes to furniture or seating arrangements.”
With gratitude,
Ms. OB
This classroom project was brought to life by Allison and Austin McChord and 4 other donors.Learning and Loving
Funded Aug 12, 2021Thank you for funding this project! These materials are a huge part of our classroom.
Students journal at least once a week and it really helps them to focus and gather their thoughts. They know that their journals are their own and that there are no right or wrong answers when it comes to writing their thoughts. They have been able to be self-reflective about their school and personal lives.
The stacking rocks blocks and haystax game (along with other materials I purchased) are great for kids when they just need a structured break. The kids LOVED these when I first took them out. Some of my most fidgety kids can remain focused on trying to make the tallest tower possible with the blocks.
Students are also liking the learning materials like the work books and the mindfulness dice. They like that we have resources that are allowing them to practice difficult skills without having to spend extended periods of time on one task.
Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. OB
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 12 other donors.Clean and Comfy
Funded Aug 21, 2021Thank you for your donations to this project! The materials are definitely helping us to be clean and comfy.
We started the year with some HVAC troubles, so we were super grateful to have another fan and a dehumidifier. Kids were playing rock, paper, scissors to get a seat with the best breeze!
My students and I also use the cleaning materials all the time. I always have students volunteering to sweep, swiffer, or wipe down desks. We are extra happy to have the broom when kids come in from gym class or mask breaks with dirty shoes.
Their absolute favorite things from this project though are the yoga balls and stadium cushions. The kids love to have flexible seating, especially when they can be on the floor. They take stadium cushions all over the room and it really helps them to focus.
Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. OB
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 12 other donors.Classroom Environment
Funded Jul 15, 2021My students love their classroom! They have described it as fun, cool, and homey! Everything is organized. The shelving unit in the back isn't ugly anymore and it's also functional. We use it to store books on the top shelves and sensory and fidget objects in the bins such as stress balls, putty, and stacking blocks. Students use these to take brain breaks and regulate themselves so they can refocus on school work. Students also know where to find work materials like paper, markers, and scissors in the drawer cart. We like it because we can move the whole cart or individual bins around the room.
When I told students that people from all over donated money so that they could have a beautiful room, they were surprised. They were excited to know that people cared. Thank you so much for allowing my students and I to have such a great space to work in.”
With gratitude,
Ms. OB
If You Give a Teacher a Wishlist...
Funded Oct 9, 2016Thank you so much for your generosity. You made it possible for necessary materials to be in our classroom so we can create amazing projects and learning. We use all the materials purchased every day!
The first thing my students do when they come in for the day is to wipe or wash their hands before breakfast. Since we've been having some sink troubles, the baby wipes that were purchased are a HUGE need because we eat meals in our room and so the students can use markers, paints, and glue. They are used after messy paint crafts (see the beautiful apple picture) because there isn't time to get to the bathroom before a big mess happens. And as an added bonus, using baby wipes every day has not only cut down germs, but it has even helped my kids learn to use napkins effectively and to dry their hands with paper towels.
Shortly after breakfast, we sit for our morning meeting which includes working with our new pocket calendar. The magnets purchased secure our chart to the chalkboard. Students who previously had little understanding of the weather or the concept of days of the week are beginning to say and point to the weather outside as well as the pictures on the chart. We also use the calendar for counting, number identification, and for planning for changes such as an upcoming day off. It's the perfect size for everyone to see and made of sturdy cardstock so that some of our less than gentle hands can use it.
The materials that get used constantly in our classroom are the Velcro and the icons made with the laminator. Having the laminator to use in the room and to bring home to do work after hours saves so much time. I do not need to wait multiple days to have something laminated in the office. I can make activities, visual supports, and choice boards any time.
Students with autism thrive on repetition, so almost everything in our room has a visual support made of laminated cardstock with Velcro on the back. This is very important because materials made this way can be reused over and over again. Our door has a board on it with destinations such as the nurse, playground, bus, and gym. When we leave the room, we tell the student where we are going and they choose the appropriate picture from the board. Our schedule (see picture) is laminated and attached to the whiteboard with magnetic tape. When there is a change, we can use a whiteboard marker to cross out an activity, or we can put a different icon with a magnet over it to show that something else will happen in its place.
The students communicate primarily with short phrases and pictures or icons. The orange choice board picture shows one particular student what his options are for completing his work. He can easily take this board with him throughout the room, choose a picture, and hand it to any adult to tell them what he would like to do. This is how most of the students in the room communicate.
Much of the work they do is picture matching or sorting. The picture of the 5 senses sorting is a great example of work my students do. They can not only match the icons to the chart, but they can match them to their own body parts, or a teachers' body parts to show what we use to experience a sense. This is similar to the letter binder I was able to make. Students can take the pictures and match them in the binder as well as finding and item in the room that is the same or starts with the same letter.
These are only a few examples of the wonderful things we can accomplish in our room thanks to your donations. I plan to continue to create lessons and reusable materials that my students can learn with all year. Thank you again so much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. OB