Past projects 8
And the Award Goes to... Award-Winning Books for Our Library
Funded Feb 7, 2025Your support for this project is so appreciated! All children deserve access to captivating stories. By funding this project, you are ensuring that the students at Westover Hills have access to award-winning literature. I can't wait to share these stories with students! Thank you again for supporting WHES!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Barker
Leveling Up Our Creativity!
Funded Aug 14, 2024THANK YOU so much for your contributions. I'm so excited to incorporate the button makers into our projects. I know the students will be over the moon about them! Speaking of moons, I have some lessons about space planned for the first few weeks of school. Making buttons to accompany students' space research will be a fantastic launch of the button makers. Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Barker
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 8 other donors.The Power of Picture Books: Managing Emotions With Books
Funded Jul 10, 2023Thank you so much for contributing to the "Power of Picture Books: Managing Emotions with Books" Donors Choose for the start of the 2023-24 school year. This Donors Choose project allowed me to add picture books that support social and emotional learning to the school library. Not only am I using these books to begin library lessons, but the school's psychologist and social worker are also using the books when they work with students one-on-one and in small groups.
In the library, I share a book from the SEL collection with students as a read aloud to start our class. We discuss the characters, the characters' problems, and how those problems are resolved. Students connect the stories to their personal experiences and can also share their personal experiences if they choose to do so. The picture books are a catalyst for meaningful discussion.
Thank you so much for supporting the Westover Hills Elementary School library.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Barker
Hands-on, Creative Learning Ahead!
Funded Aug 17, 2022First, please accept my apology for taking so long to update you on the impact of your generous gift to the library at Westover Hills Elementary School. Friday, February 10th marks our 100th day of school for the 2022-23 school year, and students have been busy exercising their creativity and growing their brains!
For this Donors Choose project you provided crayons, coloring pencils, scissors, glue sticks, and headphones for Westover students. Crayons, coloring pencils, scissors, and glue seem like such basic, low-tech supplies, but they are essential to developing skills necessary for success in elementary-aged learners. Students are using their supplies to demonstrate their favorite parts of stories we read, illustrate research notebooks, and engage in story-related crafts--a favorite activity for students in all grade levels!
The headphones you provided help create a quiet, less distracting environment for older students reading along with articles and watching videos for research projects.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Barker
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 12 other donors.Beaver Leaders Are Full STEAM Ahead!
Funded Dec 23, 2021Thank you so much for supporting the STEAM Donors Choose for Westover Hills Elementary School. Students are having a wonderful time using the tools and resources in library and beyond!
Recently, the entire school started our One School, One Read (OSOR) book. We are reading The Wild Robot Escapes, the sequel to our fall OSOR book. We had our very first in-person event since 2020, and it was a HUGE success. Students and families gathered on the playground for hotdogs, S'mores, and a bunch of robot-related crafts and activities including building Lego robots with the Lego you provided through the Donors Choose. The creativity and focus were amazing. Some students stayed at the Lego robots station for almost the entire time!
Kindergarten, first, and second graders are learning about computer coding and algorithms in library. Thanks to your generosity, they are able to practice creating their own algorithms with Colby, the Code and Go mice you provided. The Code and Go mice are a HUGE hit. Soon students will create their own mazes for Colby to navigate; they are so excited.
Thank you so much for supporting the students at Westover Hills Elementary School!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Barker
M.I.A. - Replacing Beloved Graphic Novels
Funded Oct 21, 2021Waaaaay back in October you helped replace beloved graphic novels in the Westover Hills Elementary School library. Some of those books included the Dog Man series, The Amulet series, Cleopatra in Space, and the Catstronauts series. These popular series already had devoted readers; it's been heartwarming to watch dedicated readers reconnect with the books or recommend them to friends. It's also been wonderful to watch new readers find these books and work their way through each volume.
Thank you for supplying the WHES library with treasured and captivating books. You are growing readers, and it is much appreciated!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Barker
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 5 other donors.Books for Eager Beaver Readers
Funded Mar 4, 2020Thank you so much for making it possible for me to purchase new books for my students. They are going to be so excited to have new books to choose from when they visit the library. I'll see what I can do to capture their enthusiasm to share with you all! :)”
With gratitude,
Ms. Barker
This classroom project was brought to life by A group of anonymous donors and 9 other donors.Storytelling and Problem Solving with LEGO
Funded Aug 15, 2019Several times a week I hear, "Are we using the Legos again today?" My students love using the Lego kits. When the students use the kits, there is 100% engagement 100% of the time.
Our first Lego project involved reading the picture book version of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. The book is about William Kamkwamba, who grew up in Malawi. William teaches himself about energy production and windmills as his country endures drought and famine. As a result, William builds windmills from scrap parts to help produce electricity for his village.
My classes discussed the problems William had to solve and were then tasked with brainstorming problems that the students face every day. They worked together to pick one problem, discuss solutions for that problem, and then prototype with the Lego kits an invention that would help solve their problem.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, and I thoroughly enjoyed their creativity. We're all looking forward to using the Lego kits again in conjunction with some wonderful books.
Thank you so much for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Barker
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 13 other donors.