Past projects 9
Help Us Jump Back in History!
Funded Mar 18, 2017With great excitement my students read through "The Little House" books. The vivid pictures and simple story lines allowed for all of my students to access the text. Students used the books to better understand the historical time period of the mid-1800s. My students considered elements of historical fiction while researching what life would have been like during Westward Expansion.
Reading in small groups, my students were able to gather information to apply toward a research project. Some students wrote reports. Other students developed a mural map, the identify important historical "movements". The "Little House" books created a starting place for understanding vocabulary, context and themes of our unit.
Thank you for supporting the learning of my dynamic students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
Let's Get Kids Connected!
Funded Dec 30, 2016It is with great excitement and appreciation that I write this letter to you. You have changed the way students read, research and compose reports. The Chromebooks, you generously donated toward have allowed students to access the Internet, conduct research and learn through Computer Based Interventions. You have changed our classrooms learning structure to be more flexible and innovative.
Our students are studying about the American Revolution. The expectation for this unit is a research report. Students have been able to use Chromebooks to do internet research, watch videos and type their reports using Google Documents. In addition to research, students are able to work in small groups to review information and support each other.
The greatest impact Chromebooks have made is in the realm of Computer Based Intervention programs such as MyOn, Imagine Learning and XtraMath. These are paid subscription programs that we use to excel our students learning. Imagine Learning is a CBI that supports ENL students. We have a population of 400. In one class there are 18 students who are learning english. With Chromebooks we are able to have flexible for students to access this program.
We are large school, with limited technology. Your generous donation has impacted our community and will continue too. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 4 other donors."You Wouldn't Want To Be..." Without Nonfiction Books!
Funded Dec 30, 2014New books can really make a day at school magical. New books. It seems so simple. Such a simple pleasure. All of the magic that reading brings spilled out as our enormous box of books arrived. Cheers from the office staff! Students jumping around! Teachers excited to see the new sets of books they could use for our nonfiction reading unit. A buzz of eagerness to crack open our new books!
How are these books being used? Currently, 40 Mayan, Inca and Aztec books are being used by 75 students who are researching topics to write an Informational Essay. Some classrooms are using book sets to pair students for guided reading to increase comprehension. Other classes are using the book sets to focus on fluency. 210 students have access to these books! Students are motivated to read, write and talk about their learning. What an incredible gift you have given us! New books can really make a huge impact!
You made not only our day, but our month and our year and many years to come. Thank you is too simple to express how we feel.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
This classroom project was brought to life by Kia and 7 other donors.Learning Social Studies Through Read Aloud!
Funded May 6, 2014Your very generous action has lead to smiling faces! It has been awesome to start the school year with new books. Each teacher on my team is currently using a text set. Everyone is diving into the book sets to enhance their instruction. With great excitement and much cheer, my fifth graders are thrilled to have new read aloud books and the teachers are thrilled to build strong instruction!
We are using the book sets to enhance our Social Studies curriculum. Currently, my classroom is studying the Western Hemisphere. By reading the story, "Esperanza Rising," we are able to talk about the Mexican Revolution, the Depression Era, and the history of immigrant farmer rights in California. We are creating a mural based on the symbolism and imagery of the story.
Read aloud is special time in the classroom. We laugh, cry, and travel to new places during time periods of long ago. Your donation has allowed my students to experience Social Studies through story telling and our teachers to build instruction that is meaningful.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 11 other donors.Creating Thinkers, Not Fact Consumers In Social Studies!
Funded Nov 10, 2013Thank you for your generous support! Your thoughtful action has not only supported my students' learning but has become a model for driving home the idea that assisting others is important.
The new books brought great excitement to the classroom and community! Teachers started planning units around the "Perspective" books. Right away, students were begging to read the new books even though we were not studying that time period yet. As research began, the basket of new books was empty as students poured themselves into the "I Wouldn't Want..." series. As a teacher, you know you've acquired something amazing if students from other rooms are asking for it! Our social studies units came alive and the students were hooked! Your donation made that happen!
In the classroom we completed several projects. The Lewis and Clark books assisted us in creating a timeline mural. The students chose a major event in the expedition to create a scene. A requirement was to include the Native American perspective of Westward Expansion. Then we began to study Manifest Destiny. Students developed an artifact that told the story of a person heading west. Once again, students were encouraged to include perspectives beyond the settlers.
The donation of books was such an awesome way to start the school year! These books allowed my students to understand history beyond the commonly told story. They were able to access information and apply it in decisions and projects.
Thank you for choosing my project!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
One Crazy Summer! One Fantastic Book! One Class Must Have!
Funded Dec 15, 2012The impact of your generous donation is felt everyday in my classroom! The students LOVE reading "One Crazy Summer". Not only did you bring incredible literature into my classroom but also the opportunity to teach about the 1960s, community leadership and social change through everyday people.
We began by examining elected and non-elected leaders of 1968. We discussed the rising of community leadership to create change around social issues. We listened to songs (records) that express these ideas. Yes, on a record player! All of this built the setting for understanding "One Crazy Summer" and the characters in the book.
Everyday my students beg me to read more. I've found copies of the book missing. Yes, they are taking it home to read ahead. Your donation has made an impact that you can not comprehend without seeing the faces of students' in-love with a book! Thank you, is too simple to express how much we appreciate your gift.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
Help Bring Stories About Strong Females into our Read Aloud!
Funded Oct 16, 2012Words cannot express the impact of your donation on my classroom of diverse learners. Over the past weeks, my students have plunged into reading "The Golden Threaded Dress." Not only has your donation impacted my students' love for reading, it has enriched my instruction.
As I conduct our class read-alouds, I have always modeled reading strategies for tracking characters, setting, and plot. Due to your generosity, students can now practice doing this work at home with their own copies of the book. I am also linking our reading work to the composition of literary essays. We have begun to construct "Big Ideas" about our books. My students are more able to be thoughtful and reflective about the book now that they have their own copies.
Thank you so much for caring about reading, for contributing to my students' educations, and for providing resources that have made me more effective as a teacher.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
Help Us Learn About The Industrial Revolution
Funded Jul 3, 2011First let me say, "I'm sorry" for not thanking you sooner. As I have just returned from maternity and selfishly wanted to save the materials you donated for my teaching time.
Now to update you on our research progress. The students are engaging with the Industrial Revolution projects with great excitement. It is thrilling to see students dive into new books and beg you to give them more time to research. Your very generous has not only helped my classroom but others on my grade. We as a team are able to bring this historical time period to life.
Your gift is so very kind and has made an incredible impact!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
Word Wise Kids! Help Us Get Dictionaries!
Funded Oct 8, 2010I can not begin to thank you enough for your generous and thoughtful donated. Everyday my students are using the dictionaries to find new words and discover new meanings. Every student in my classroom speaks english as a second language. These dictionaries and thesauruses have brought confidence and independence to each student in my classroom to learn new words!
With school budget shortfalls we find ourselves using old worn out resources to teach. Having something new in the classroom gives the feeling to myself and my students that someone cares. Thank you for caring! Thank you for bringing new tools to our classroom. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Robb
This classroom project was brought to life by Perry & Donna Golkin Family Foundation and one other donor.