Past projects 5
Make Our 4th Grade Hopes & Dreams Come True!
Funded Dec 17, 2021I am beyond grateful for your support in this project. With your help, I was able to purchase some *much* needed supplies that have transformed our day to day routines in Room 6. I have watched my students learn, grow, and demonstrate increased engagement since this project's funding -- all a direct result of your generosity.
One exciting outcome of this project was the implementation of a new spelling program -- Words Their Way. With these new curricular resources, I was able to assess all students at their "just right" spelling level. Once I determined their needs, I could begin differentiating our spelling instruction to meet them. Instead of all 29 students working with the same spelling list, I now have students all working with different words each week, and mastering them over time. The growth I have seen is tremendous, and students are applying it across content areas. They're making huge strides in their orthographic skills!
Another wonderful result has been increased engagement in P.E. We now have more games for students to choose from -- with cones, jump ropes, and lots more bouncy balls, students have been practicing all sorts of locomotor activities. They now have more *choice* in what they do, which, in my experience, always increases engagement. Students are building skills and having fun doing it.
I cannot thank you enough for helping us to bring our 4th grade dreams to life. It has been a true gift to watch my students soak up this incredibly unpredictable year, after such a tumultuous last few. We couldn't have done it without you. We are eternally grateful!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Karic
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 10 other donors.Leveling Up Our Reading!
Funded Oct 21, 2021What a gift it has been to see my students dive into reading this year. This was made entirely possible through your generosity and support. Our classroom library is thriving -- rich with many genres, across levels, and the perfect place to cozy up in. These texts you provided are the building blocks to a lifelong love of reading.
Students have dug into reading in so many ways with these books. We work in literacy centers -- using the books for independent reading, guided reading in small groups, and as jumping off points for writing and research. With your support, we now have so many more books to choose from, all within grade level.
Students are highly motivated to read...to the point where they do it even when they're not supposed to! It warms my teacher heart when I catch a kid reading below their desk. To me, it's proof that they're becoming readers for life. None of this would have been possible without your support. We are leveling up!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Karic
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 12 other donors.Ready for Our Next Chapter!
Funded Jul 6, 2021Your generous donations have gone SO far in Room 6. By providing the foundation of a solid leveled classroom library, you have enabled my students to select books at a just-right reading level, across genres. This is such a gift!
Each day, students participate in literacy centers where they have the opportunity to read independently, with a partner, and with me -- their teacher. This rich classroom library is a critical component to our balanced literacy framework. It allows students to have agency and choice in their reading, all while meeting them right where they are at. After a tumultuous year, this consistency and engagement has proven to be just what they need. They absolutely love their centers, especially "read to self" -- where they cozy up with a good book, a cushion, and their group mates in our leveled classroom library.
Students are eager to go "book shopping" each week, a time where they select 5 books from the library that they'll call their own. They are especially excited about the rich biography section we are building, and are already using these books in cross-curricular activities! None of this would have been possible without your support. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for supporting us!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Karic
Leveled Library Books for Spanish Immersion Students!
Funded Jul 29, 2018I cannot thank you enough for your generosity in sourcing leveled books for my classroom library. I am now, at long last, able to get the Guided Reading program up and running in my classroom. Hip hip hooray!
In Kindergarten, I worked with my students on developing early literacy in small group learning settings through the "Daily 5" program. Daily 5 is a literacy framework that incorporates student independence, agency, and a great deal of choice while building literacy skills. Perhaps the most critical component in the student rotation is the time when students "Read to Self." It asks students to select books that are both "just right" for them in terms of their difficulty and are an interesting topic to them! This station is critical in developing a lifelong love of reading for young children.
For the past year, I regularly read with students at a "just right level" when working in small groups, but was unable to then guide them in choosing just right books for themselves due to a lack of resources. Finally, students are able to select books that are a good fit for them and self-differentiate when participating in the independent reading station of Daily 5. I have YOU to thank for this!
There are now a wide array of books at all Kindergarten and First Grade levels, to ensure that every student, regardless of their reading ability, has no shortage of choices when selecting books. Thank you for your generosity and support -- from both me and my students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Karic
Technology Access for Spanish Immersion Students
Funded Aug 29, 2017Wow! I cannot express the gratitude I have for your incredible generosity in funding this project. My students are SO excited by the opportunity to work on our chromebooks each day. Since receiving the tech, I have set them up with Starfall.com during literacy time, phonics activities through our ELA curriculum, a listening center where they can listen to some of their favorite stories, the opportunity to watch and reflect on educational videos, work with Mystery Science, and we're about to use them to get started on some computer coding activities! The independence and agency they feel when working with technology has been so special to experience. They are always seeking extra time with it, and some students choose to work on computers as part of individualized reward systems. Each day I am learning new ways to share the technology with students and help them to become fluent with it in our ever-changing world. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and they are too!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Karic
This classroom project was brought to life by Sergey Brin Family Foundation and 11 other donors.