Past projects 9
Hands-On Learning Fun
Funded Mar 3, 2022This project has been so helpful in my classroom. It has brought so much joy and fun to learning and my students have been so excited about using the materials.
We used the ten frames in so many different ways. Students love using the large ten frame set to solve group word problems or show the number of the day. They also get excited to use the class set of ten frames for various number sense games. We have played so many different partner games that they absolutely love!
The tactile counting cards have been so helpful for my students that have a harder time with their one-to-one counting skills. They love to touch and feel the animals as they're counting.
The number puzzles have been an excellent addition in my classroom for my students that are ready for a challenge. We already have the 1-10 puzzles and adding the 1-20 puzzles was so exciting for them! They were really up for the challenge and loved figuring out what the new pictures were!
Finally, the sight word flip cards were a hit! The students loved guessing what the pictures were and sometimes the sentences were so silly and they were just tickled by them. It really brought joy to reading.
Thank you so much for your generous donations, we truly appreciate it!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
Making Math Fun!
Funded Oct 15, 2021My students were over the moon excited to receive new math manipulatives! They couldn't wait for me to open the boxes!
I introduced the dinosaur counters during our six week assessment. It made counting to thirty much more fun and the students were more engaged. We have also used them during counting games to practice more, less, and equal.
The students use the fine motor number box with my assistant. It has been so much fun for them to use the tweezers to find the numbers that they don't even complain about the finger workout!
Finally, the math boxes came at the perfect time, just when we were going to study "what doesn't belong?". The students now use them during centers to categorize and sort.
Your generosity has provided this classroom with so much joy. Thank you!!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and 2 other donors.Touching and Feeling the ABCs
Funded Dec 6, 2019Teaching the building blocks of reading is a joy of mine. My students come to me with little knowledge of the alphabet and what it means. The two year kindergarten program at our school allows me to spend time teaching my students all about the alphabet in fun and meaningful ways. This prepares them for year two kindergarten, where they hit the ground running and begin reading and writing with a passion.
These alphabet manipulatives seem just like toys to my students. They love opening the alphabet tub each week and seeing if they had guessed what was inside. Having tactile objects that represent letter sounds also helps my ELL students immensely. The alphabet stamps allow my students to play with play-doh, which improves their fine motor skills while they practice the alphabet.
Thank you for bringing the joy of learning to my classroom. My students are delighted to have new "toys" and I love teaching them and watching them grow and learn.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and 7 other donors.A Colorful Classroom Needs Ink!
Funded Sep 23, 2019Thank you so much for your generous donation. I use my color printer all year long to provide my students with engaging materials that enhance their learning. Ink can get expensive and I am so thankful for this new supply.
One of the projects I use my color printer for is behavior charts. Some of my students need more motivation than others to make great choices in class. To help keep them on track, we find out what they love (superheroes, cartoons, dinosaurs, etc.) and print out pictures of those things. The students then work for earning those pictures on their chart by making good choices. By being able to offer more than just a star on a chart, the students are more invested in making good choices in class.
Another project I use the printer for is printing out alphabet and number games for centers. When I find a quality game that I know my students will enjoy playing, I like to be able to print it in color and laminate it so that it lasts longer. Having pictures printed in color makes the games more inviting and fun for students and they enjoy playing them more.
Your donation impacts not only this year's class, but classes in the future as well. The things I can print can be saved and enjoyed for years to come. Thank you again for your donation.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and one other donor.Math Manipulatives for Meaningful Learning
Funded Mar 1, 2019Thank you so much for your generous donations. My students and I are so excited to start using them during class, but they were so excited when the package arrived that we used the supplies that afternoon!
The retractable dry erase markers are so much easier for kindergarten students to use. We no longer have to worry about missing caps or caps that weren't properly closed leading to dry markers. The students use their markers during centers to mark off the work that they have done, as well as using it during the "whiteboard game" where they get to show off and practice their letters and sight words.
The math manipulatives are so helpful in a kindergarten classroom. My students are able to measure, sort, and count with the bears, clips, and unifix cubes. We will be using our supplies for STEM projects as well, allowing the students to problem solve on their own. We are so excited to start exercising our brains!
Thank you again so much for these supplies. They will be well used for years to come.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 2 other donors.Keeping It Clean in Kindergarten
Funded Dec 30, 2018These materials have been so incredibly helpful in my classroom. I am not the most organized person at all. It is even more difficult for me to be organized when I have 22 little humans learning and growing in my classroom each day. There is always so much going on, that at the end of the day, my room is a mess. I take it as a sign of a productive day, but it is exhausting as well.
The paper organizer has provided me with additional space for all of our construction paper. This makes it easier to do projects because I can easily find the paper color that I need. It is also much easier to look at during the day instead of having a pile of papers looking like an eyesore on the counter. I love that each color now has its own space and I can grab what I need and see what needs to be replenished from the supply room.
The vacuum has also been an incredible resource. Having a classroom with a carpet can be hard to manage sometimes. Not only do the students eat their breakfast in my classroom, but we also do lots of projects and cutting practice. I love that the students and I can now be responsible and clean up our own messes instead of waiting for the custodial staff to clean up overnight. It gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility for the cleanliness of the classroom.
Thank you again for your generous donations! We truly appreciate them!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
This classroom project was brought to life by Someone Who Cares and one other donor.Bouncing Around in TK
Funded Jun 8, 2018Thank you for your generosity. In Year One Kindergarten, so many of my students have never been to school before. It is a tall order to ask them to come into a bright, fun classroom with lots of "toys" and new friends and expect them to be able to sit still and concentrate. Having the bouncing chairs gives them the ability to get some energy out while also maintaining the focus I ask of them.
The students were incredibly excited to see new, bright green bouncy balls in the classroom one morning. After a short demonstration on how to use them properly, I put them into action. During our morning centers, I have small groups of children meet with me so that I can provide small group instruction. At this time, I allow the students to sit on the bouncing chairs so that they can stay focused despite all the noise and activity going on around them. So far, it works great! I have yet to ask a student to put their bouncing chair away for a regular chair. Though my students have only been in school for 14 days, they are showing great responsibility for these chairs.
I plan to also use these chairs other ways in the classroom. I have some students with lots of energy. Though we do not spend much time at our desks right now, as the year goes on and I am preparing them for Year Two Kindergarten, they will need to learn how to sit and focus in their seats. These chairs will help my friends with lots of energy be successful in focusing during seat work. I am also going to use the chairs as an incentive for students that are making good choices. I will add it as a prize in the prize box to be able to use the chair for a whole day.
These chairs will get good use in my classroom, where little bodies have lots of energy. Thank you for your donation!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
This classroom project was brought to life by Girard Foundation and 4 other donors.Colorful Pictures Means Colorful Writing
Funded Mar 27, 2018Thank you so much for fully funding my project for a color printer. Teaching kindergarten is no small feat. Being able to print in color makes my lessons easier for my students to understand. Also, many of my students have never been in school before and having a color printer has given me the ability to make my classroom an engaging and warm space for them to have their very first school experience.
One of the projects I use my color printer for is our word wall. I encourage my students to learn to write even at the young age of 5. Together, we will come up with words to put on our word wall about a subject. For example, one day we might talk about our favorite fruits. I am able to print beautiful color images of fruit and label them together with my students. They can then reference this word wall when they are writing. It helps them build writing skills, research skills, and independence.
Another way I use my color printer is to make posters for my wall that are fun. We are required to post our daily Essential Questions and Vocabulary which I have printed in color and laminated. I have also printed out our core behavior standards in color to make them more friendly and inviting. Having a color printer has made these documents "pop" and has made my room feel warm and fun.
Thank you for your generosity! We appreciate it!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and one other donor.Building Number Sense in TK for Success in High School
Funded Apr 4, 2018Thank you for the math supplies. As a TK teacher, I feel tremendous pressure to build a solid foundation while also developing a love of learning. For most students, I am their first school experience and that can be quite overwhelming. I am asking them to not only spend their days in a setting with other children, following a new set of rules and staying focused, but also to broaden their thinking, learn new concepts, and think critically. It is a very tall order for very short people!
I strive to balance learning with fun so that my students can make their learning meaningful. Telling students about abstract concepts is just not enough, especially at this age. The math supplies that you have donated to our class give me the ability to make these "ideas" into concrete "things."
When the package arrived, my students were so curious and excited about the contents! Pulling out item after item was like another Christmas for them. We were able to use the lacing beads right away in centers that afternoon and they love them. It is challenging enough for little fingers so that they stay engaged, even if they are good at one-to-one correspondence. My children also love experimenting with the scale. It is amazing to watch them figure out what is heavier and lighter and how to balance each side. They like using the dominoes to play a "more or less" game that also helps with their counting. Also, the package arrived just in time for the beginning of our 3D shapes unit. The kids love holding the shapes while I talk about them. It really helps them figure out the difference between the 2D and 3D shapes.
These math supplies are durable and reusable, and will benefit students in this classroom for years to come. Thank you for enriching my classroom and the educational lives of these students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Panzera
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and one other donor.