Past projects 10
An Unforgetta-bowl Project
Funded Aug 15, 2023Thank you again for donating to my Bowling Project! I am so excited about the new pins and bowling balls. They will be shared between three elementary schools, so your donations will benefit about 800 kids. That's just this year, and the equipment will last for many years!
The kids love our Bowling Unit! This new equipment supplements what we already have. I am able to get rid of the old, broken equipment and still be able to set up multiple bowling lanes. This allows the kids to break into smaller groups, to spend more time bowling and less time waiting in line.
When I showed the brand new equipment to the kids, they were excited to try it out. I love that bowling is a sport that is easy to learn for all ages and skill levels. It is also one that kids can continue to participate in with family and friends at our local bowling alley. It can be a lifelong activity that gets kids up, out of the house, and socializing with others.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
This classroom project was brought to life by The SONIC Foundation and 8 other donors.Elementary PE is Fun for All!
Funded Nov 29, 2022I am so happy with the resources that I have been able to purchase off the Teachers Pay Teachers website. You donated towards gift cards that have helped me buy skills posters to hang in the gym so that students can learn from and refer to the fundamentals I am teaching.
I have also been able to purchase some Nutrition cards and photos to teach students about healthy food choices. These cards can be used alone or within games to promote teamwork, health, and physical activity all at the same time!
Your donations have positively impacted the growth of my students skills and learning. Being able to buy these bright and colorful signs saves me many hours of making them. They are fun to hang up and it shows off their learning when anyone enters our gym.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 5 other donors.Creativity is Intelligence Having Fun
Funded Aug 16, 2021Art time has been one of my students' favorite activities this past couple of months. We have been reading the artist biographies I received from this project and doing art projects with the supplies!
I love how the kids connect with the important themes of the biographies as they see that even though many of these artists are very famous, they struggled at first and had to have the determination and perseverance to overcome obstacles in their way. I love hearing the "well, if they can do it, so can I" attitude. I also love that these artists are from all over the world, but kids can see how art is a universal language that can speak to us all.
From a very young age, imitation is often how we learn. We observe and imitate to try new things and to see how things work. Then when we've built confidence, we can branch out and do things our own way. Art is a perfect example of this process. The kids are recognizing and using different styles of art and different art media. They have gotten to try things in that particular artist's style, but then they get to add their own flair and ideas. I think they are each finding their own style and also the joy that art can bring to the creator AND to the audience.
Thanks to your donations to this project, this has all been possible. These students will continue to produce and appreciate art in their lives. Thank you for being a part of this!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 10 other donors.Organized and Ready to Learn
Funded Jul 31, 2021I want to thank you again for contributing to my "Organized and Ready to Learn" project! We have been in school two months now, and use our new Literacy binders almost every day. It is so nice for each child to have their own binder to keep and organize their papers in. When we used to use folders, papers were always falling out and getting lost. One year I tried using folders with the little bendable brads to hold papers in, but those were a pain each time we had to add or take papers out.
These binders are a quick and easy way to store past work that we might need to refer to later. Things can be re-arranged easily with just a click of the 3 rings. In the binders students are keeping track of all the books they're reading this year (their goal is 40 books of various genres). They also save graphic organizers and vocabulary lists that they can refer to later in future projects. It's so nice for them to have one place to go to for all their Literary resources.
I also want to thank you for the colored pencils and personal pencil sharpeners that were a part of this project. Each student has their own pencil sharpener that they can use quietly at their desk. This cuts down on interruptions from students moving across the room to use the classroom's noisy electric pencil sharpener. They also feel a sense of pride in having their own personal supplies. As 5th graders headed to middle school next year, they need to learn personal responsibility for their materials.
As always, thank you for your generosity in supporting classrooms through Donors Choose. Your contributions do make a big impact on students' learning and well-being!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
This classroom project was brought to life by Kleenex® Brand and 4 other donors.Standing Up for My Students
Funded Feb 21, 2021I am so thankful to have received my new Standing Desk and Wobble Mat. For months of online learning I've been sitting and feeling stuck at my desk while Zooming with students. I was having constant back and neck aches from slumping over at my computer. I feel SO much better now that I can stand up and comfortably use my computer and document camera. The wobble mat is amazing too! At first I didn't think it'd make that much difference, but now I can't imagine not having it. I can stand and wobble on it slightly which helps keep my muscles more relaxed and my feet don't hurt as much after standing all day.
Soon after I received the standing desk and wobble mat, I had students return to hybrid learning - half my class on alternating days. This new desk allowed me to be able to face towards the "Roomers" and still be able to see my "Zoomers" on the computer. I can also wheel my desk around if I need it in another part of the classroom or facing a different direction temporarily.
After teaching with this desk for a couple months now, I can't imagine going back to how I used to do it. In this tough and trying year, this desk and wobble mat have brought me a little comfort and convenience. Having my needs met goes a long ways in helping me meet my students' needs each day! Thank you so much for being a part of this project!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
This classroom project was brought to life by Barbara Henker Trust & Carol Kupers Whalen Fund and 6 other donors.New Lessons for a New Way of Teaching
Funded Dec 8, 2020I am so grateful for your donations that allowed me to receive a TeachersPayTeachers gift card. The gift card has allowed me to purchase digital lessons to use during the Online Learning of the pandemic, but I will continue to use them even when we are back in a traditional in-person school settting.
Since most of our learning has been through the computer for the past 7 months, I could not use some of my regular paper/pencil lessons with kids. It's been so wonderful (and necessary) to be able to purchase lessons in many subjects that I could use to teach the same content but in an online way.
I have been able to purchase lessons in science, social studies, reading, art, and more. Kids are receiving much of the same content as before, but in new digital lessons that engaged and excited them. I have purchased some rewards and fun activities to keep encouraging them during this crazy new way of learning.
Thank you for your part in making quality learning possible during this unprecedented time.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
Unforgettable Reading Experience
Funded Dec 1, 2020Thank you again for being a part of the success of my classroom! Your donations did indeed provide an Unforgettable Reading Experience! I was able to provide a copy of the book, The Homework Machine, for each student in my class. We read, laughed, and cried together.
The main characters in The Homework Machine are 5th graders just like my students. I could tell they enjoyed reading about characters who they could relate to. We had deep discussions about character traits and stereotypes. As my students head to middle school next year, I love discussing stereotypes and character misconceptions with them. They quickly saw that first impressions aren't usually accurate, that people have many layers, and that people can change over time. I hope they will take this understanding and compassion with them as they navigate the often chaotic and judgmental halls of middle school.
On the last day, after we finished the book, my heart was full as I heard these exclamations:
"That was the best book ever!"
"What?!? There's a sequel?!? I can't wait to read it!"
"What else has Dan Gutman written?"
"I don't really like to read, but that was a GOOD book."
And then the best part of all was when a student asked, "Are we going to return these books or can we keep them?" I smiled and said, "Well, if you liked the book, I'll let you keep it. If you didn't, you can return it to me and I'll pass it on to someone else." You should have heard/seen the whoops of joy, the fists pumping in the air, and the big-eyed expressions as they screamed...."Really!?" "No way, that's awesome!" "I'm gonna read it again!" and "Thank you Mrs. Reimer!"
To that last comment, I reminded them that I did not buy the books. I told them that it was generous donors like you who gave the money so they could have their own copy of the book to keep. They urged me to pass on their thanks to all of you. I hope my words were able to capture and convey half of their excitement. Thank you so much!
Oh, and by the way, I didn't get a single book back.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 6 other donors.Mrs. Reimer is Ready to Rhyme!
Funded Mar 2, 2020I am so excited that my project got fully funded! I appreciate the generosity of all the donors. You are helping fill my classroom with books. These poetry books are going to be very fun and engaging. Reading poems is a great way to practice reading fluency and comprehension. Having multiple copies of some of these books will allow me to work with small groups, or for students to read with a partner. I can't wait to get my poetry unit started! Thank you again for your kindness in giving to my students!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
This classroom project was brought to life by A group of anonymous donors and 8 other donors.Wiggle, Wobble, Learn!
Funded Nov 21, 2018I am extremely grateful for your donations! It made it possible for my classroom to receive 11 new Wobble Stools. You should have seen the students' faces as the boxes arrived! They were so excited to have more stools, and not have to share just the one we had previously (It's hard to share one stool with 30+ students).
Now I have 2 stools per table group (about 5-6 kids) and they take turns using them daily. I hear students saying things like, "I love being able to move a little while I work because it helps me concentrate." I see kids gently rocking back and forth on the stools while completely engaged in their work. I do believe they are helping fidgety, energetic students continue to get their wiggles out and decreasing the disruptions they used to cause when sitting in normal chairs. The stools are also super easy to move around if I call a small group to meet with me somewhere in the classroom to work or read. At the end of the day, they are easily cleaned and set up on our desks with our regular chairs.
Some materials and supplies used in a classroom help make a single lesson awesome. Others might impact an entire unit for a few weeks. These stools are impacting my students on a DAILY basis and helping them in all areas of learning! When students can wiggle naturally and not get reprimanded for distracting others, they have less negative interactions with others. Their confidence rises because of this, and that confidence also leads to more work done and more learning!!! It's a win-win for everyone!
I have had other teachers comment, a little jealously, that they wish they had more stools to help their students. I highly encourage them to write a project with Donors Choose because the Donors Choose community is so giving and helpful! Thank you for your generous part in my project.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer
Making our Brains Pop!
Funded Aug 19, 2017Thank you so much for your donation to help fund a Brainpop.com subscription for my classroom! I am excited to report back to you that Brainpop is having a positive influence on my students' learning! As a web-based site that uses animation and multimedia, I can use Brainpop to teach a variety of subjects. My students enjoy the animated characters and videos so much that I don't think they even realize how much they are learning as they participate.
Research shows that the brain can process and store more information when it is presented in two ways: visual and auditory. Brainpop does just that! I love how the website connects new and complex concepts to topics/situations that are already familiar to my students. This increases their interest in the topics which then leads to more learning and retention of the new information.
One of the best things about Brainpop is how versatile it is. I can use it with my whole class on the projector screen or with small groups, or even individuals on iPads. I have used it in math, reading, science, and social studies. Here are some more specific examples of each!
Whole class: I showed students the Map Skills video during our Geography unit. It was a review of the key components of a map and how those parts help you read and use maps to get information.
My student teacher used Brainpop to introduce and add to her Body Systems unit. She showed two Brainpop videos: Skeleton and Joints. Then the kids dissected a chicken wing to see how the bones, joints, and ligaments look and interact with each other. Brainpop also has an interactive game about Bird Skeletons that was a great follow-up.
Small groups: I used Brainpop with a small group to introduce the concepts of potential and kinetic energy. Then the students designed roller coasters with marbles using the principles we learned about energy. The students were able to make a roller coaster complete with loops and turns, and they were able to explain the types and use of energy throughout the various parts of the coaster.
I have also used it as a review to strengthen concepts we've already covered. In math we had been learning about the properties of multiplication, so I had students pair up and use Brainpop to review the commutative, associative, distributive properties. I could have droned on and on about these properties but as dynamic as I try to be for my students, I would have lost their interest. They much prefer Brainpop instead of more Mrs. Reimer!
Individuals: Another way to use Brainpop is as extension activities for students who need a challenge. They can use Brainpop to delve deeper into more advanced topics. Brainpop can even help students who need remediation and extra practice on subjects they didn't fully grasp the first time around in class. Individuals can also use Brainpop to do research projects on topics that interest them, but might not get covered in our current curriculum.
I love having a resource that
• can be a warm-up or preview to my lesson
• uses pictures and audio to make curriculum come alive
• is a review after a topic has been taught
• goes into a topic more deeply than I may be able to in class
• increases students' vocabulary and background knowledge
• has games and resources that motivate students to participate
• relates learning to students' real lives making it more meaningful
Kids today have grown up with technology! It is their way of life. As a teacher I have tested and sampled many programs and systems created for teachers. Not all technologies have the same value and impact. Some are flashy and fun but offer little educational value. Others are wise and meaningful, but don't hold kids' interest. Brainpop is definitely the best of both worlds! Your donation has supplied my classroom with a year-long subscription to a program that is educational, meaningful, and downright fun!
Thank you so much for your support of my 5th grade class!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Reimer