Past projects 9
Mellow Readers
Funded Nov 22, 2019I can't thank you enough for the classroom supplies. They arrived the day we came back to school from Thanksgiving break. What great timing! It can be so hard to get motivated after a week-long break, but my students were excited to read the new books and try out the comfortable seating. They loved all the new titles.
Thanks to previous projects and donors, I had some alternative seating for my students, but not enough for everyone. Now, because of your generosity, there is a special seat for each student! They all worked so well in their flexible seating.
Thank you so much for making them feel special and giving them an opportunity for success!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 3 other donors.Feeding Your Mind and Body
Funded Oct 13, 2018My students were so excited when the packages arrived. Some of my students stayed after to unpack the boxes and stock the refrigerator with Gatorade. I let these students pick a reward from your donations. I think they enjoyed the work experience of unpacking and seeing a project to completion as much as the tangible reward they received. I have had many students, ones that I did not even anticipate, asking for cookies or gatorades. I have told them to get a note from their teacher telling me how they have earned it so they can pick something out. This project is already rippling out and motivating students, in less than a week. Thank you so much for supporting all the students in my school. Please know that your love is reaching them in a real way!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis
This classroom project was brought to life by Neukom Family Foundation and 3 other donors.We Need to Read
Funded Oct 29, 2018Thank you for the books for my classroom. My students were so excited to open the boxes.
They put library pockets in the back of the books so that they can check them out from the classroom library.
Our classroom library is so much more appealing and the students love it. They helped pick out the books they wanted at the beginning of the year. These are books they want to read! They are excited to read which is great to see because it is sometimes difficult for them. You provided books of interest to them and at their reading level.
They love to check out the books. Many students will bring their books back quickly so they can check out another one. Reading is so important to their development, and I am so grateful to you for providing this opportunity for my students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 6 other donors.That's Ancient History!
Funded Oct 25, 2018My students struggle with reading. Some have learning disabilities and some are English Language Learners. Having the same copy of quality books helps them follow along and gain reading skills. We are able to work together and read aloud grade-level texts and do grade level work. The material is developmentally appropriate and addresses grade-level learning standards.
I have one student, in particular, who has developed a love of reading with the historical fiction books you provided. This student would not even participate in reading activities before. Now that we have read this one book together, he is seeking out other historical fiction books. He is independently reading!!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and one other donor.Weight For Me
Funded Mar 27, 2018This was a different kind of project because special educators got together outside of school to make the blankets for our students. Some teachers decided lap pads would suit their students' needs better so they made smaller blankets. We so much enjoyed our time together outside of the classroom. We completed 3 full-size blankets and 5 lap pads.
Our students are always so excited to have new materials and the weighted blankets were no exception. They all wanted to try it out and enjoyed the sensation of the weight. We had students in mind who we thought would need the blankets for calming, but the exciting thing has been to see opportunities to use them that we had not anticipated.
Students that we had not thought would benefit show an increase in focus when the blanket is draped across their laps. There is one student who was obviously over-stimulated because she seeks the blanket, and we didn't even realize her discomfort.
These will be resources for our classrooms that our students will continue to benefit from for years to come. Thank you from me and all the special education teachers in my school!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and one other donor.Math Manipulatives
Funded Mar 6, 2018My students were so excited to use the new math supplies. Thanks to your generosity, they all got to use something new and there were plenty of pieces to share when they wanted to use the same activity.
The improvement in understanding addition concepts was immediate. I have a student who has been struggling with addition. He immediately caught on to using the magnets to count out a number of animals and making an addition sentence with the magnets. He then moved on the a twenty frame and made progress with adding larger quantities.
Some of the other students really benefited from the fine motor activities with magnets and locks. They were able to use the manipulative's and show math knowledge while building fine motor skills.
I am sure they will enjoy using these items in math every day. Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis
This classroom project was brought to life by The First Million Fund and 2 other donors.Use Your Words
Funded Mar 29, 2017We have a 30 minute window at the end of each day where my students come back from specials (p.e., art or music). As they transition back to the classroom and prepare for dismissal, I play the signing time videos. This is a great opportunity for them to continue to learn at a time when more demanding academic tasks would be frustrating for them. They have worked hard all day, are tired and ready to go home, and they have sensory issues that make transitions difficult for them. These upbeat videos have music and are rich with vocabulary. They make a stressful part of the day happy and educational. My students sing along and dance and are building their vocabulary at this same time. These videos are a great addition to the learning atmosphere in my classroom. Thank you so much for caring and contributing to the education of my students with autism!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis
This classroom project was brought to life by Aspect Ventures and 2 other donors.Make It Stick
Funded Mar 29, 2017My students were so excited when we received your package. We had just done a reading extension project for "Do You Know This Nose?" where we made elephant noses. As you can see in the pictures, they were so excited to open the box, they still had their elephant noses on!
Their excitement continues daily. Many of them ask to use the supplies as soon as they arrive at school in the morning. The magnetic sorters are a favorite!
Many of my students have difficulty with penmanship. Writing is not a preferred activity, but with the puzzles and magnetic words, they are able to focus on the skill of labeling a picture or writing a sentence without being frustrated with the mechanics of writing.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis
This classroom project was brought to life by Aspect Ventures and 2 other donors.Kids Just Wanna Have Fun
Funded Mar 9, 2017My students were so excited to receive the toys for recess, and they get excited every day when it is time to use them. They love to be chosen to get to carry a toy outside for recess.
Their playtime is much more peaceful and relaxed since they are able to expend energy and do things they love.
You provided enough toys so that the students who have a difficult time sharing, don't have to share. While sharing is important, they are learning to share in other ways and are learning so many other social skills. It is really nice for them to have enough resources to not have to share during this time of day. They are getting their sensory needs met and getting to have fun so they are ready to learn when recess is over.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mathis