Past projects 4
Power Up Learning: Help Us Charge Ahead!
Funded Feb 27, 2025My students use their styluses to illustrate their writing assignments. We created poetry for a writing competition, enhancing their writing skills through digital art.
When my students first saw the chargers and styluses, they were thrilled and began experimenting. The snacks brought smiles and energy.
They are working on a collaborative digital storybook, using the styluses for illustrations. We plan to share our completed storybooks with the school community.
Thank you for providing essential resources and inspiring my students to engage in their learning!”
With gratitude,
Ms. L.
Tuning Out to Tune in Knowledge
Funded May 21, 2020The headphones that your donations provided for my students had a major impact on their learning and for many afforded them the success they so desperately desired. Since moving to remote learning a lot of my students who participated in live sessions especially, struggle to stay focus in homes that were bustling with life. Parents or family members were preparing breakfast, while younger siblings played games, other siblings were engaged in live sessions or online learning that provide a major distraction for many of my students who are struggling with the language, or reading deficits. By using the headphones that your donation provided my students were able to block out their homes and stayed focus on the lesson at hand. After receiving the headphones I notice a major improvement in the number of students who logged in to participate in the live sessions. Also, for many students, the headphones provided a little haven where they were able to just be focused if only for a couple of minutes or hours per day. In this time of chaos, your donation provided my students with a respite. My students and I are forever grateful for your contribution.”
With gratitude,
Ms. L.
This classroom project was brought to life by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and 5 other donors.Winning the War Against Reading
Funded Mar 23, 2019Providing my students the opportunity to choose from a variety of books for both independent and book groups have transformed our classroom. Reading for pleasure is not a common occurrence for many middle school students. However, my students are excited to choose from the amazing selection that donation has provided.
Our students now have the resources to choose to read for fun. Reading helps students think critically and improves their comprehension skills, which is beneficial in across all disciplines. By providing them with the ability to exercise their reading muscle they are developing skills that they will hone into adulthood and will benefit them as they enter the workforce and society.
This donation is allowing for student choice in what they read in literature circle groups as well as for independent reading. Students are looking at the roles of women, people of color and love and equity to name a few across genres. They get a chance to delve into authors purpose and analyze elements of the story, word choice and how and why authors convey meaning. They get to read empathetically by looking at how a character develops over time and analyze how authors employ real-life strategies to make text engaging. Students get an opportunity to adopt different authors' style as they try out mentored writing.
On any given day you may find students making choices about groups based on similar interests. Once their groups are determined they choose their group focus from a bank of activities and then preceding to self-monitor as they assign pages to be read, and facilitate group discussion around completing the day's task. Students then assign themselves pages to be read, for the upcoming class period. The book clubs are completely student led with me just as a facilitator.
All my students are excited about the new books. However, I have two 8th graders that are currently buried in their copies of The Tyrant's Daughter by JC Carleson. Even on our non-book club days, I have to encourage them to put away their books (secretly I am so excited to see them so engaged).
Again we are beyond grateful for the resources that your donations have afforded us.”
With gratitude,
Ms. L.
Capture the Imagination
Funded Oct 22, 2010My heartfelt thanks for providing the resources for our classroom library. The students love the new books and have begun enjoying the benefits that having them bring. I have students who were reluctant to opening a book now clamoring for titles that are clearly more accessible to them. Independent reading during class time used to be painful for most of my students. However, with your generosity the students are exploring information that where outside of their reach.
With the state of our economy, resources for class libraries are not a high priority for our schools. However, for our students who rely on us to put books in their hands it really is a deficit. As a result, I am extremely grateful that in these trying times you have reached out to assist us in an area that is much needed. Please know that the resources that you have helped to provide are vital to the success of our students, as reading is the most fundamental skill that students need. In addition for students learning English as a second language it is important to match them with books at their level in order for them to gain the necessary reading skills. Again, your donation has made that possible and for that we are extremely thankful.”
With gratitude,
Ms. L.
This classroom project was brought to life by Townsend Press and 3 other donors.