Mrs. Collins' Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 108

• Creating Crafty Critters! Part 2

  Funded Aug 10, 2019

  Thank you so very much for supporting my new little crew. Our new school year will begin this Monday and I can't wait. I have so many things planned for this year, but there is no way that I would be able to do all of these things without your help.

  As kindergarteners, we love to get our little hands into all kinds of things, but, to do that we have to have all kinds of things. We are constantly creating and making things that require paper plates and bags and glue and other crafting materials such as that. Thanks to you I will now have the materials that I need to make this a successful, hands-on year.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and 6 other donors.

• Creating Crafty Critters!

  Funded Jul 26, 2019

  Thank you so much for blessing my new little crew with the crafting supplies that we need to bring our learning to life this upcoming year.

  I can already picture my new little crew creating patterns and sorting with our new beads and buttons, making letters and number and shapes with the Play-Doh, and making our symmetrical reindeer come to life with googly eyes and pompom noses.

  Again, thank you for making sure we have the things that we need to succeed.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

  This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 5 other donors.

• Reading Across South Carolina with Dr. Seuss!

  Funded Feb 28, 2019

  Thank you so much for helping me ensure that my students have the materials and things that they need to learn and become successful as readers.

  The addition of these Dr. Seuss materials was an absolute hit for my little ones. They loved being able to read the story of "The Grinch" and then have the opportunity to watch it, and I loved that we could then go back and compare the two. Being able to read a book and then watch the movie is always a big deal for my little ones. It's always a positive when we can make learning fun. Learning doesn't have to be boring. Not only did they get the opportunity to read the story and watch the movie, but we also took time to act out part of the story/movie using our new Grinch dolls. This was a huge hit for them.

  After finishing up our study on Dr. Seuss the students each received several Dr. Seuss trinkets to encourage their reading, and several students received their very own Dr. Seuss book to add to their personal libraries at home.

  Again, thank you for supporting my little crew.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 4 other donors.

• Getting Flexy With It! Creating a Comfy, Flexible Workspace!

  Funded Feb 25, 2019

  Thank you so much for supporting my little ones. Our new seating options have been a huge hit with my kindergarten crew. Our new pieces happened to show up in the middle of the day when they were out of the classroom for one of our special area classes. While they were out my assistant, our custodial staff and I quickly got the room set-up and ready to go. The look on their faces was priceless when they walked back in. They knew that we had some new things coming, but we just weren't sure of the actual date so they weren't expecting the change to come so quickly. I really don't know who was more excited...them or me.

  Since receiving our new pieces my little ones have done great. Their favorite new pieces are the couch and chair, of course, but our floor cushions and ball chairs are a definite hit also. They do such a great job taking turns with all of the pieces and using them as they are supposed to. They have taken such great care of them and take pride knowing that they have these pieces in their room.

  I was worried that this big change during the middle of the year might create chaos, but I was completely wrong. The students have the choice daily to choose a spot that works best for them...one that they feel comfortable in and one that they think they can do their best work at. They have done such a great job making those decisions. I am very proud of them. These pieces have definitely been a great addition to our classroom.

  Again, thank you for believing in us and donating to our education.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

• WANTED: Construction Paper Experts

  Funded Dec 31, 2018

  Thank you so much for your support. Without your continued support there are many things that we would not be able to have or do within our classroom.

  With our new supply of construction paper we have been able to keep our little hands busy making and doing lots of little crafts to bring our learning to life. We've created shape snowmen, became Sneetches (popular Dr. Seuss book), played many different games requiring teamwork, created symmetrical pieces, like Easter eggs and hearts, made leprechaun traps, made life cycle hats, and the list goes on. With a little bit of imagination and perseverance we can bring anything that we can imagine and learn about to life. It just take a little bit of construction paper and some other odd and end craft materials that we have.

  Again, thank you for blessing my little ones with your donations and helping us bring our learning to life.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

  This classroom project was brought to life by Someone Who Cares and 6 other donors.

• INSTAX Gratification With an INSTAX Camera!

  Funded Dec 5, 2018

  Thank you so much for our new Instax camera and film. It has been such a fun new addition to our classroom.

  As we took our first couple of pictures with our new camera my students were in awe. They had never seen a camera take a picture and develop it instantly. Their excitement was just priceless. That excitement has yet to wear off. Each and every time I take it out they get so excited.

  I love using it to capture those memorable moments. And, what makes it so much better is that I can snap their picture and we can immediately place it on our memory board to look at and enjoy when we have a spare moment.

  Again, thank you so much for your generosity. Creating memories and sharing them is nothing short of priceless. You have helped us capture our first year of school in style and we love it.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 15 other donors.

• Opening Our Hearts to Those in Need!

  Funded Dec 9, 2018

  Thank you so much for opening up your heart so that we could open up someone else's. We so graciously appreciate your donation for a project that means so much to us.

  Creating these "Bags of Hope" for our local cancer patients has become one of my favorite community service projects with my little ones. They may not fully understand the impact that they may have on someone else's day or life by simply placing a few items into a decorated paper bag, but to someone with the grim diagnosis of cancer they have made a huge impact. I'm sure that over time that they will grow to understand the importance of loving others when they are at one of their lowest points, but as a five year old it is hard to pick up a toy/goodie and give it to someone else instead of keep it for your own satisfaction. At five you are self-centered and don't always see the importance of giving and sharing because it's all about "me." Even though I had to explain the importance of giving instead of receiving several times throughout this experience we all ended up with a smile on our faces and a happy heart knowing that we were helping someone else in their time of need, even if it was hard to let some things go that we really wanted to keep.

  Again, thank you for helping us make our "Bags of Hope" special for all of those in our community that are fighting a battle that we none want to face.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

• It's Not Just Paper...IT'S CARD STOCK!

  Funded Dec 31, 2018

  Thank you so much for supporting my little crew with your monetary donation.

  This new cardstock is just what we needed to restock our shelves with heavy duty paper. Not all paper is created equally...sometimes you just need the heavy duty stuff, which is exactly what you have so graciously given to us.

  We use cardstock on an everyday basis in kindergarten, whether it be for station materials that the students use independently during reading time, making keepsakes for special occasions like grandparent's day, creating art projects that bring our learning to life like detective hats, or for math games like "The Growing Train" game (one of our math curriculum favorites).

  I never realized how important a simple package of cardstock was until I graced the door of a kindergarten classroom. It is definitely worth its weight in gold to a kindergarten teacher.

  Again, thank you for blessing my little ones with something as simple cardstock. You have given us the opportunity to keep creating and keep playing...something we do best!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

  This classroom project was brought to life by Someone Who Cares and 3 other donors.

• Restocking and Revamping!

  Funded Nov 21, 2018

  Thank you so much for helping us restock our cabinets and revamp some of those things that were no longer working as they should.

  My little ones have been hard at it since receiving our new, updated earphones. We had some similar ones that had done their time, but were on their last leg, which meant that we were having to play earphone tag everyday to try to find a pair of earphones that actually worked on each device. But, thanks to you we are on the road to success again.

  Not only were we lucky enough to receive new earphones, but you enabled us to get a DVD player also, which has worked out well. My little ones have had the opportunity to take some time away from the whole group to watch education videos that will help them learn and grow and get them to where they need to be by the end of the year. Sometimes we just need someone or something different relaying important material to us in a different format to catch our attention.

  Technology is all good and well, but there is nothing like getting our hands dirty and doing a little fun art project here or there to bring our learning to life. That's what all of that new cardstock and construction paper came in to play. Our cupboards were looking a little bear and we were having to run from one classroom to another to borrow, beg, and trade to try to get the paper materials that we needed when it came time to put our learning to life. You can never go wrong when you put crafting materials in a child's hands and give them the opportunity to use their hands to create.

  Again, thank you so much for your support...for making sure my little crew have the materials needed to learn and grow.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

• STEAMming It Up With Legos!

  Funded Oct 27, 2018

  Thank you so much for your support! Who would have known that adding a few simple cartons of LEGOS would make such a huge impact on a group of 5-6 year olds. When I pulled those cartons of LEGOS from their shipping boxes for the first time you would have thought Santa had just arrived with a sack full of goodies for each and every one of my children. They were so excited! That excitement hasn't dulled. Each and every time I go to pull them out I have a herd of children running to them.

  My main reasoning behind wanting to add LEGOS to my room was to have the children use them to recreate their community by constructing the roads and buildings and vehicles, but due to the storm we had in September, which caused us to miss quite a bit of school, my plans had to change. That unit on community has now been pushed back until March/April, but it has all worked out. That change in our schedule was for the best. This time change has given my students the time to learn how to build and explore, the time to learn to be creative and think for themselves, to use their little imaginations...something that many of them don't have the opportunity to do because they are stuck in front of a computer screen all of the time. I have seen such a transition in their thinking when those containers come out. They no longer look to me for guidance and suggestions on what to build and how to build it. They now come to me to show me what they've created. I have enjoyed watching their little minds learn to grow and explore something as simple as a little LEGO.

  Again, thank you so much for blessing my little ones with such a fantastic gift. We are truly grateful!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Collins

  This classroom project was brought to life by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and 9 other donors.