Past projects 5
Tools for Reading, Writing and Math Success!
Funded Jan 13, 2024Thank you so much for your generous donations towards this project. My students and I are so appreciative of everything! The games have been a great way to mix things up during pull-out and make reading and math more fun. So far, my students' favorite games are Don't Say It and Proof. They also love Headbanz. Playing games with them has been fun because they showcase different skills and strengths than regular lessons. A few quieter and less engaged students are coming out of their shells!
We also love all of the other materials, too. The headphones are high quality and my students love the colors. The dry erase flashcards and handwriting paper have been very helpful for one of my pull-out groups that is focusing on basic reading skills.
Thank you again for making my classroom a more vibrant place!”
With gratitude,
Ms. FitzGerald
It's Great to Annotate!
Funded Feb 14, 2019Thank you so much for your generous donations! I can't believe the project was funded so quickly. My students are already so excited about these resources. They will be invaluable in helping them build and reinforce reading skills. They will also provide them with more confidence when completing writing tasks. I really appreciate you all!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. FitzGerald
New Books for Curious, Enthusiastic Readers!
Funded Oct 19, 2017Thank you so much for your generous donation. My students have thoroughly enjoyed reading Refugee, and I have enjoyed teaching it! The three interwoven storylines provided something for everyone - every student ended up with at least one favorite character, so investment in the book was high!
Through reading Refugee, we worked on skills such as characterization, conflict, and mood. The readability of the book coupled with the high interest level enabled all students to grasp these concepts comfortably and have fun while doing it. My students have also learned a great deal of history and geography through reading Refugee, and they've been able to apply this knowledge to work in other classes.
Our unit culminated with a narrative writing assignment that required students to assume the role of a refugee fleeing Syria, Cuba, or Germany. Students were required to incorporate details from Refugee into their stories while also including narrative elements such as imagery, pacing, reflection, and dialogue. Students really enjoyed this assignment - they were passionate about writing and really enjoyed demonstrating what they'd learned from Refugee!
Thank you so much, again. We have all really appreciated these books this quarter!”
With gratitude,
Ms. FitzGerald
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 4 other donors.Chromebooks for Building Tech Skills and Learning Independently
Funded Jan 20, 2017Thank you all so much for your generous donations. We now have 12 brand new Chromebooks in our classroom! Students each have their own laptop available to them every day in English class, as well as whenever they need it during other classes. Students have been using the laptops regularly to complete class essays and PowerPoints, as well as weekly reading intervention activities.
The Chromebooks have really changed things in our classroom because, before they came, we did not have regular access to technology. The computers assigned to my students were out of date and unreliable, so we couldn't complete any technology-based tasks. The new computers are quick, compact and hold their charge, so students can use them for anything!
Several of my students regularly use the Chromebooks outside of my class, too. I have a few students enrolled in online credit recovery courses, as well as strategic reading courses. Students know that they can borrow a laptop any time to be able to work on this material. My students have also been seen using their laptops to complete Duolingo activities to improve Spanish fluency! A couple of my students with internships use them to check their email and communicate with supervisors and complete paperwork.
Again, thank you very much. The Chromebooks have made a huge difference to all of us!”
With gratitude,
Ms. FitzGerald
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 14 other donors.Special Ed. Students Want Interdisciplinary Opportunities!
Funded Aug 14, 2010I would like to express my thanks, once again, for your donations. My students were so excited when the large box of books was delivered to our classroom at the beginning of the year, and they have thoroughly enjoyed reading Night. As anticipated, it is unlike anything most of them have read before, and it provides me with many opportunities to address elements of history, psychology, and religion in addition to the traditional English curriculum. We have also been able to discuss issues of faith, family relationships, and power dynamics. Even though it is still so early in their high school careers, my students are already becoming prepared for more advanced classes and higher level thinking.
It is unfortunate that the students who need the most support and the most engaging texts are often the students who go without them. I appreciate all of your generous contributions very much. Thank you for supporting education in such a meaningful way!”
With gratitude,
Ms. FitzGerald
This classroom project was brought to life by Abell Foundation and 8 other donors.