Mrs. Cathy Clark's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 3

• Fairytale Follies for First Grade Learning

  Funded Feb 13, 2025

  Thank you so much for helping to fund our "Fairytale Follies" literacy library! Our first graders have been reading Fairytales and construction dioramas to showcase their learning and understanding of story elements such as: character, setting, problem/solution, cause & effect and point of view:) The addition of these Fairytale stores will have a positive impact on student learning. Thank you again for your generosity!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Cathy Clark

  This classroom project was brought to life by Herb Kohl Philanthropies.

• Cooperative Learning and Team Building!

  Funded May 5, 2020

  My first graders and I would like to thank you for your generous donations to provide our classroom with learning pods (tables) to support our academic endeavors. Our learning pods arrived in August before the start of the school year. These pods were much needed, considering the start of this unique school year.

  By helping to fund our classroom project, we were able to provide social distancing in the classroom, work in collaborative groups to complete STEM projects, and participate in word work/math stations. Through these activities our first graders are learning how to use critical thinking skills to problem solve and build relationships with one another through teamwork.

  Our first graders are very happy to be part of a classroom that values community building, sharing, and collaboration with one another. In our classroom, we take pride in helping everyone learn, achieve, and succeed! As an educator of young learners, I want to thank you for considering and donating to our classroom. Thank you for your kindness and support!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Cathy Clark

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 6 other donors.

• Laugh! Learn! Love to Read! Literacy in First Grade!

  Funded Feb 14, 2019

  I am writing this letter to express my deepest gratitude for your consideration and approval of our Donorschoose grant titled, Learn, Laugh, Love, Literacy in First Grade. The grant was written for a set of 55 leveled readers (levels A-M) that students can use to for book shopping to have in book boxes or for read to self/read to partner times, as well as to check out to take home to read with family members. As a teacher, I am committed to helping my student attain our school mission statement which is: Learn, Achieve, & Succeed!

  I teach in a small, rural school district. In our district, we continually strive to provide our students with engaging resources, while also supporting for families in need. Our classroom budgets are just enough to provide for the basic supplies we need throughout the school year, so we are always looking for ways to support our young learners. This is the first time I have applied for the Donorschoose grant and was pleasantly surprised to learn that our grant was fully funded through the support of donors and then the remaining balance was funded through the Herb Kohl organization. The grant we obtained has had a positive impact on literacy in our first grade classroom.

  A student eagerly asked, "What's inside the box?" I knew what was in the box and couldn't wait to share it with my students. "BOOKS," I exclaimed. I proceeded to tell them about the grant opportunity and how we planned to use them in the classroom. My students could not wait and wanted to read them right away. I promised them I would go through the titles and make a "check out" and "check in" list for us to use for book shopping and take home. The next day, I took pictures of my students selecting the "brand new" books as some students replied with: "these don't have tape on them" or " the pages aren't ripped out." Our classroom books have been "well loved" throughout the years. They were eager to read their stories and share them with one another. One student remarked, "I want to read all 55 books by the end of the school year!" I was overjoyed with the enthusiasm that the students displayed. We discussed how to take care of books so that they last and I am going to use budget money to buy special protective book bags for our new reading resources!

  The engagement and motivation within my classroom has doubled since obtaining our books. The ratio of fiction to nonfiction readers is also equally distributed and I am finding the most students show a preference towards the nonfiction books. I am very grateful for the opportunity to share a love for reading with my students! In conclusion, I would like to thank you again for your the opportunity for the grant, educational supports, and aiding educators in their endeavors to help young learners learn, achieve, and succeed!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Cathy Clark

  This classroom project was brought to life by Herb Kohl Philanthropies and 5 other donors.