Past projects 18
Pop Mulitplication!
Funded Nov 17, 2021Thank you so much for your continued support in finding new ways to engage students with mathematical thinking. These pop-it fidgets have helped students explore both multiplication and area.
We have been able to use the resources provided to create arrays and transfer this to an area model. Students were excited to show the different ways they could skip count to find the area or product of their creation!
This project also helped students to connect something that they use every day to mathematical ideas! This is such an important idea for young learners to explore. I can't wait to continue to see new ways the students come up with to utilize different tools in their exploration.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
Reading Ready!
Funded Oct 21, 2021Reading Ready was one of those projects that we saw a need for immediately when the students returned to school. It is impossible to ignore the detrimental effects the pandemic has had on all students. These books have helped our young learners to see themselves as readers!
By giving students the opportunity to work on one skill at a time through book sets, or one word family at a time, they were able to meet goals quickly. One particular student that comes to mind came in this year as a non-reader. Through the use of these tools and careful instruction, she has begun to read AND write. Her confidence has grown and her interest in reading is contagious. Thank you so much for helping to provide these critical resources to help us accelerate growth, rather than focus on remediation.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 5 other donors.Back-to-School Basics
Funded Aug 12, 2021I can not thank you enough for the resources you provided to our classroom to kick off the year with a learning bang! These mathematicians learned from day one that there are many different ways to represent mathematical thinking.
We have utilized the composition notebooks as math journals. This offers the students an open way to show their thinking and get individualized feedback from me. Research done for my masters program through Mount Holyoke showed that these journals increased students math confidence!
In addition to this, our whiteboards have become a staple go to for students while they are working out a problem with manipulatives or for students who would like to share their thinking during class.
You have truly helped shape the climate and culture in our classroom and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 4 other donors.Re-Humanize Mathematics
Funded Jul 20, 2021This project was extremely close to my heart as it provided me with learning resources to grow my pedagogy as an educator. Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to look through all of the texts and specifically read Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You'd Had by Tracy Zager. I even got to zoom meet the author!
There are chapters in this book that I can never unsee and will forever change the way that I engage children in mathematics. So many curriculums provide scaffolds that do not allow a child to think on their own when you take the scaffolds away. In addition to this, questions that we ask children and the way we present these learning tasks dramatically shape the way that children see and "do" math. I now have tools to shift these lessons and questions into best practices for children as thinkers.
I am excited to continue my growth and practice and can not thank you enough for being a part of my journey!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
Fidget Our Worries Away!
Funded May 30, 2021Thank you for your generosity in helping this project come to come to life. With the pandemic continuing to impact education as we know it there has never been a more important time for social emotional learning.
These resources have helped me to show my students how they can utilize a tool to help them relieve stress, calm anxiety, or fidget while still remaining on task. I have quite a few pencil drummers and they love to use the chain link connectors or the marbles to help keep their hands busy while learning.
Thank you for helping to offer them healthy ways to remain on task and in a good head space!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
This classroom project was brought to life by Born This Way Foundation and 3 other donors.Scholars Safe Return
Funded Mar 5, 2021I want to take the time to share what an impact this project had on our classroom. When the students returned to school, we began with the hybrid model and many of our students were still at home on a daily basis. For the children that came in, we were able to have proper sanitizing stations and the resources to wipe down all surface areas before transitioning classes. We have cameras in the classroom and everyone at home could see the care we were taking with safety of the students and staff.
Because we were able to take such thorough steps when hybrid, many parents said they felt more comfortable sending their children back when they were given the opportunity to come back for a full five days of in person learning.
You support truly helped more students safely transition back to in person learning. Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
Developing Mathematicians During COVID
Funded Aug 11, 2020I can not put into words what this project has don't for the mathematical identities within our virtual setting. I can honestly say that this project helped change our entire year around.
The Monday after our distribution I remember seeing all of my students smiling faces with their bags ready to learn. Making groups of something for multiplication took on a whole new meaning as students were able to physically count out snap cubes and build equal groups.
My favorite moments have been the student as teacher ones afforded by these tools. Students share their thinking and make them selves vulnerable by showing their whiteboards. It has helped to build their confidence and patience with each other.
I can not wait to continue to use these tools as we continue with other units. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 9 other donors.Literature for Change
Funded Oct 22, 2020Thank you so much for supporting my students social emotional needs through literature. Currently our students are still in a full remote setting, but that has not stopped us from learning and engaging with these amazing tools!
These books have been utilized for read alouds, discussions and brain breaks. They have provided my students an opportunity to talk about their emotions and feelings. Opportunities to engage with language and vocabulary about ethics and emotions has been such a wonderful learning experience, especially in such difficult times.
I can not wait for the day when students can safely return to in person learning and then can enjoy these amazing books time and time again on their own.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Donor and 2 other donors.From Books to Basics
Funded Oct 22, 2020I must start off again by thanking you for your generosity. This project provided resources that have has such an impact on the students ability to engage and enjoy learning within our remote classroom. Our virtual classroom environment was brought to the next level thanks to you!
Each student was provided with a notebook and pencils to use at home. This allowed them to take notes while reading, work on complicated math problems, and feel like they had the materials needed to learn. This also helped students learn responsibility for their belongings and has helped to build their executive functioning skills.
The books that were in this project are on display in our classroom library where they will be loved by our students returning to the hybrid model in March. I can not wait for them to have the opportunity to engage with the books they have been excited to read for months.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Donor and 4 other donors.Vitals for Virtual Learning
Funded Sep 16, 2020My children love these resources. Without them, I do not believe that I would be able to teach in an equitable way for all of my students. They have helped me bring our classroom into their homes through the computer.
With the document camera, I am able to show my students text books and manipulatives for math during our zoom lesson. I have also been able to use it to record videos, such as the one in the picture, to help support struggling learners and students who have English as a second language. This gives all students the opportunity to play, pause and repeat anything that they are struggling with.
The whiteboard and pocket chart have also helped us to have discussions that make us feel like we are in a classroom because I can record student thinking in a way that makes them feel like they are a part of the learning. Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Majkowski
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose 20th Anniversary Fund and 2 other donors.