Past projects 7
Comprehension...The Work My Brain Is Doing While Reading
Funded Apr 22, 2023I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous contributions to our DonorsChoose project, "Comprehension... The Work My Brain is Doing While Reading." Your support has enabled us to obtain the "Primary Comprehension Toolkit," a valuable resource that has already made a significant impact on our students' learning.
Since integrating the toolkit into our curriculum, I have witnessed remarkable improvements in our students' comprehension skills. They are not only decoding words but also engaging deeply with the text, making connections, asking insightful questions, and drawing meaningful conclusions. The strategies and activities provided in the toolkit have empowered our students to become more confident and proficient readers.
Your donation has not only provided us with a set of teaching tools but has also instilled a sense of excitement and curiosity in our classroom. Seeing the progress and enthusiasm among our students reaffirms the importance of your support and the positive ripple effect it creates in their academic journey.
I am truly grateful for your belief in our mission to foster a love for reading and empower our students with essential comprehension skills. Your generosity has made a tangible difference in the lives of our students, and for that, we cannot thank you enough.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Clarke
Let's Play...Reading
Funded Dec 20, 2022I am thrilled to share the incredible impact your support has made through the "Let's Play Reading" Donors Choose Project. Your contributions have transformed our learning environment, providing my students with engaging multisensory reading games and activities.
These resources have not only made learning more enjoyable but have also significantly enhanced the development of crucial literacy skills. The hands-on nature of the activities has allowed each student to grasp reading concepts in a way that resonates with their unique learning styles.
The positive effects are already evident in the increased enthusiasm my students now have for reading. Through interactive games, they have not only improved their reading abilities but have also gained confidence and a genuine love for literature. Your generosity has opened doors to a world of imagination and knowledge for these young minds.
I am profoundly grateful for your commitment to education and the positive impact you have had on the lives of my students. Your support has empowered them to become lifelong learners with a passion for reading.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Clarke
Applying Reading Skills
Funded Mar 3, 2022They say it takes a village to educate a child; thank you for being a part of my village. Your generous donations have helped provide access to quality guided reading materials for the early-emergent readers in my class. Each kit provided 2 fiction books and 2 nonfiction books with beautiful illustrations.
During our small group reading time, my paraprofessional, student teachers, and I were able to provide targeted, leveled literacy instruction for each student. Through the guided reading time, students applied their reading skills within the context of a book. The teachers were able to provide on the spot feedback tot the students to help them improve their reading skills.
All in all, students enjoyed our small group reading time, especially receiving more individualized attention and focus on their skills. As a result, every student has made growth in their independent reading levels. Thank you all for your continuous support!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Clarke
Multisensory Reading Materials
Funded Feb 10, 2022Thank you for all of your generous donations! My students and I are beyond thankful for your help! You have helped purchase reading materials for the students in my class. These materials provide them with the opportunity to apply decoding skills at the word level and in the context of a sentence. These materials help supplement our phonics instruction which builds the foundation for strong, independent readers.
The first day that we opened our new materials the students were excited. We used them during our literacy center time to help them apply their phonics knowledge and decoding skills. The students loved how the materials provided some tactile input with their raised bumps. Providing multisensory input helps students make connections in the brain.
Furthermore, these materials have been used to help support struggling readers during our "Morning Work" period. My paraprofessional, student teachers, and I have helped students gain additional practice to enhance their reading skills and confidence. As a result, every student has made growth in their independent reading levels. Thank you all for your continuous support!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Clarke
This classroom project was brought to life by Black History Month Partners and 3 other donors.Access to Effective Reading Instruction
Funded Sep 14, 2020Thank you for your generous donations and contributions to my classroom community. Your donation has provided me with the tools I need to successfully teach explicit phonics instruction in my classroom. The manual that your contribution has purchased is for the Wilson Fundations program, a multisensory, systematic, and explicit curriculum for teaching reading.
During our Fundations lessons, students are engaged in a variety of activities that are fun and engaging. Every lesson begins with a drill-sound warm up where they focus on identifying a letter, its keyword, and sound. Students also engage in a hands-on approach to decoding words known as finger "tapping." Students are able to transfer these skills and knowledge to decode (read) words. Students also engage in dictation (spelling) by using their knowledge that they have gained through the Fundations program.
The impact that your donation has provided is timeless. Students are now empowered and able to employ decoding and spelling strategies that will give them a lifetime of success in reading/writing. Students are always excited to begin our phonics lessons. They are confident and can defend their answers by sharing/defending their knowledge of phonics/spelling patterns in words. I cannot thank you all enough for this opportunity! Happy Reading!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Clarke
Representation Matters!
Funded Jul 28, 2019Thank you for you generous contribution to help provide my students with books that have diverse characters. It is important for children to have access to literature with characters that reflect themselves and people in their community. These books help expose the students to characters with lived experiences of people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Some of the lessons derived from the books include discussing what is special or unique about each student. In the beginning of the school year, the students engaged in drawing self-portraits followed by writing about why they were special or unique. Many of these books were used to show how the characters referred to themselves using positive language, for example, "Skin Like Mine" and "I LOVE My HAIR."
The students have loved listening to these stories during read alouds, as well as during minilessons. They also enjoy grabbing these books with vivid illustrations and interesting story lines during D.E.A.R. time (Drop Everything and Read). Furthermore, students love engaging in conversations around the topics introduced in the stories.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Clarke
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 5 other donors.Kindle Fire Tablets to Ignite Learning
Funded Oct 18, 2017Access to technology is crucial for success in today's society. The Kindle Fires will help my students develop 21st century skills. The Kindle Fire Tablets are a gateway to providing my students with access to today's technology. The Kindle Fire tablet is an E-reader that allows students to read books that they enjoy, electronically, surf the Internet for inquiry and research, as well engage with learning apps to promote academic achievement. The Kindle Fire is kid friendly and will allow them to use them independently or with a partner. Our school's core curriculum is based on Social Studies. The Kindle Fires will allow my students to engage in research-based inquiry projects to explore the topic of water around New York City. Furthermore, the students will be allowed to use the Kindles during centers. During centers, they will be able to practice literacy and math skills through learning apps; therefore, making learning fun and engaging while developing their skills.
What is most exciting about the Kindle Fire for my students is that a lot of them have access to tablets at home; therefore, they are familiar with how to use them and will have an easy time enhancing their learning in the classroom. Furthermore, a lot of my students are avid readers and they are excited to engage with some of their favorite books on an electronic platform. Moreover, the students are excited to use learning apps to develop their literacy and math skills.
The Kindles have already had a positive impact on the students in my classroom. From the moment I opened the box and presented the Kindles, the students' faces lit up with joy! They were ecstatic and couldn't contain their excitement! One student in particular stated, "This is the BEST day ever!" Furthermore, one of my students who was struggling with independent reading stamina is now excited for independent reading time because he is able to read on the Kindle. Another student who was struggling with addition and subtraction is now excited to practice math through learning apps. Moreover, every student in the classroom looks forward to center time at the end of the day. Overall, the Kindles have increased engagement; ultimately leading to academic gains. Once again, I cannot thank you enough for the generous donations and for making learning fun in my classroom!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Clarke
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 9 other donors.