Past projects 29
Phonics Readers for Making Readers Grow
Funded Dec 23, 2020Our team is beyond thrilled that you've given us more decodable books to use in our classroom. Our struggling and reluctant readers often feel defeated when they they see books. They worry they can't read them, they worry they will look silly for reading books below their grade level, and they worry they won't find any connection to the stories.
High Noon decodables are one of the answers for these kiddos. These books are bright, colorful and engaging! Our younger readers love reading the words on the pages after we've completed blending lessons. By sounding out the words carefully selected by the authors, these kiddos who once felt there was no books for them are beyond excited when they finish a book. Our older readers see these stories as gateway books to more difficult stories. These books have chapters, engaging stories about topics they want to read, and remind them that they are successful readers. Students love that the characters have an adventure across multiple books, so they keep coming back to read more!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
"Seeing" in a Virtual World
Funded Oct 23, 2020It's amazing how one small package can make such a huge impact so quickly! We were able to open and set up our document camera within 5 minutes, and use it immediately. We were able to alter and meet students' needs in real time - pulling in materials that help our instruction.
I was able to share reading materials - books I was unable to send home to my students - to let me read. One student was so excited to have read his first book! My team mate was able to use a program to help her struggling readers share in an experience of using different manipulatives. Prior to that, she was forced to hold them up on the camera one by one to show the students what was going happening.
These amazing document cameras impacted us immediately. Our students are more engaged in our lessons and it's all thanks to you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
This classroom project was brought to life by OshKosh B'gosh.More Decodables for Low Level Readers
Funded Sep 16, 2020Absolutely Amazing! Our students love reading these highly engaging, decodable books that make even our struggling readers feel more confident! They want to read the stories and look forward to choosing more age appropriate literature, but at their reading levels. These books help bridge our instruction by having students apply their reading strategies directly into the stories.
These books are used by our intervention teachers and classroom teachers to meet our students needs. They look more kid friendly and similar to other books their peers are reading, so students want to read, aren't ashamed to pick out these stories, and read them in the classroom.
Our instruction is enriched by having these phonics readers match the reading strategies and spelling patterns students are being taught. Students can immediately use the information their teachers gave them to enjoy these stories.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose 20th Anniversary Fund and 12 other donors.Putting Technology Back In
Funded Sep 30, 2020A huge thank you for this amazing blessing! Due to COVID-19, all our schools took our laptops from the buildings and gave them to families to use for distance learning. Because of this, we don't have any technology (reliably) in the school for students to use.
We encourage them to bring any device they have to participate in activities in and out of school - and some are able to do this - with either their district or personal devices. These two computers will bring us one step closer to becoming a more blending learning environment. In our classroom, we use these laptops to open virtual libraries, virtual field trips, and engage in learning activities to re-enforce our learning.
Our students need reliable, up to date technology to learn on and to become familiar with in this technology based world. This will help our students prepare for future closings due to weather, and prepare for the adult world of tomorrow.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 8 other donors.Reading to Go Further
Funded Jan 17, 2020These wonderful books give our students rich stories and illustrations to make personal connections to while reading about characters like themselves. We are building confidence with our struggling readers using literature as a unifying message to share kindness, strength and perseverance with the each other.
Our Title 1 school struggles in math and reading and with several of our new books we can help our students further the message that subjects are connected together - math, reading, science, art, music and the rest are not separate but all parts of a greater whole to make us better individuals. We received books that help tell math concepts and math pioneers in delightful ways for even our youngest readers to enjoy.
Furthermore, now more than ever, we are grateful to continue to push our message of being one community with the kindness theme books we received. Our students and families need support during these stage times, and the arrival of the books are a wonderful additional to help our students transfer back into the classroom with excellent examples of how to be better individual and citizens of the world.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and 3 other donors.Decodables for the Upper Grades
Funded Mar 7, 2020These books are magnificent for our struggling and new readers! We're using very specific ways to teach our students the sounds of letters and blending routines so they can read any book or piece of literature in the world using these strategies.
Our teachers find these books matched with these students are highly engaging, offering them success to becoming better readers. Our upper grade students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade can read decodable chapter books. Boosting their confidence as readers like their peers and trying more advanced books with new determination.
We've been able to engage older readers who were previously turned off from reading "childish stories" with these amazing new books!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
This classroom project was brought to life by A group of anonymous donors and 5 other donors.Experiencing STEM with Our Own Hands Grades 1-5
Funded May 2, 2019Thank you again for your generous help in providing our students across the several classrooms with new and exciting resources to help with different STEM activities.
Our first graders were delighted to be able to build boats with their partners for conducting sink or float experiments. Working together helped build student relationships and give hands-on experience to these young scientists. Our fifth graders will also work together on conducting force and motion experiments later this year with their own kits. These supplemental activities help to enforce what our teachers are sharing with our students in the classrooms.
Our fourth graders have enjoyed using multiplication math cards to enforce fact fluency and gain practical practice with short activities. The cards can be used as introduction or closing activities, as well as used during guided math centers.
We look forward to continuing to use these materials with future classes!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
Sitting Choices
Funded Aug 13, 2019My students were so excited to see the wobble chairs when they came into class! We had to work out a rotation to use them because everyone was so excited. These wobble chairs helped many of our students focus on their work and displace their energy in a positive way. Some of our students who would bounce around in their chairs, constantly be standing or simply had a hard time staying in their own space saw a big difference with these chairs.
The students were able to respect each other's personal areas by keeping their focus on their work and using their energy to maintain their wobble chair. Having different heights allowed even our smallest Kindergarteners a chance to explore a different style of chair they don't normally see in their classroom.
I look forward to seeing how more of students can utilize this new resource to better help them succeed in the classroom - Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 6 other donors.Decodable Texts Help Unlock Reading!
Funded Feb 26, 2019Students in Kindergarten, first, second and third grade have used BOB's BOOKs to unlock reading easily where they struggled before. Your donations allowed three of our intervention teachers to use BOB's Books to help our most struggling students read stories using skills we have been teaching them to apply to all sorts of texts. Our students are eager to read these books, they look forward to reading them independently. Students enjoy seeing BOB's books in their classrooms and working them to apply the skills we are learning in skills groups. Some students have even gone and purchased their own copies because they love being able to read the stories on their own!
Some of our students were skeptical at first of the stories, they have tried reading before and struggled. BOB's books are highly decodable texts that allow them to work in a successful patterns. We were also able to receive workbooks to highlight these skills with our students. Students, again, can work independently to answer questions and sort through spelling patterns they have mastered.
Our students love reading BOB's Books - we look forward to using them with students throughout the up coming years! Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre
Soft Chairs to Foster Reading
Funded Dec 31, 2018In the short time we have had our soft chairs, we have enjoyed them immensely! Students ranging from Kindergarten to fourth grade have used the chairs to explore free choice sitting while completing their work. They have quickly become the most popular spot for students to work when given the chance. Students find them exciting, colorful, and even playful as they can lay down or sit up with the chairs.
Students have used the chairs to read stories during free choice, read their guided books during SSR, and have even used them to work on our chromebooks during testing! The students enjoy being able to move around and create more space within the classroom by utilizing the floor space that was hard and uncomfortable before we received the chairs.
Several of our students are already asking if we will get more chairs - or if there are other options we can look into for the future! Thank you for helping students have more choice in the classroom and taking more ownership in their learning. Students look forward to independent work because the soft chairs allow them a different view, a different freedom, and a different perspective on learning!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sayre