Past projects 13
Healthy and Happy Learners!
Funded Aug 14, 2024I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your generous support of our tissue and cleaning wipes project for our fourth-grade classroom. My students were so excited to open the boxes and to organize the donations. Your contributions have made a significant difference in our students' health and well-being. Thanks to your kindness, our classroom is now equipped with the essential supplies needed to maintain a clean and healthy learning environment. Your support is truly appreciated, and we are grateful for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 2 other donors.Empowering Mathematical Minds in Fourth Grade!
Funded Jan 18, 2024Your donations have made such a difference in my classroom. I am no longer trying to teach math on an obsolete chalk board. The kids love how easy the whiteboard is to erase and they even use it to work out problems with their math partners! It's also a great spot for me to write notes or list vocabulary terms for my students to help them work more independently. It's been a lifesaver.
The erasers and highlighters have also been extremely important. Students use both of these items multiple times a day. Students highlight key information to write essays. They also highlight the clue words in their word problems. The color/visuals makes learning more accessible to my students. The small but mighty eraser tops allow kids to make mistakes but learn in the process.
Thanks so much for support public education and the growth of my students! Picture 22 students in fourth grade yelling "thank you" in unison. They told me they wished they could send you a video of that. :)”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
Fourth Grade Materials Refresh!
Funded May 11, 2023Thank you so much for the new white boards, dry erase markers, and colored pencils for my class! In the three days we have been back at school we have already used these items multiple times throughout the day. When students arrived on Wednesday they had name signs on their desks, which they then personalized with their colored pencils. I loved seeing the anime drawings, horses, peace signs, and other things the students drew to help me learn about them. The dry erase markers and white boards have been used to brainstorm classroom rules, play ice breakers, and to work out some place value multiplication problems. This is going to be a very successful school year and I never could have done it without your generosity. Thanks so much for your support of my students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Foundation and 3 other donors.Fourth Grade Essentials!
Funded Nov 29, 2022Thank you so much for your donation of stools for my students and headphones for our computers. We use both of these materials all day, everyday!
Our day starts with a morning meeting which has students sitting around the carpet.
The new seats allow all of my students to sit together and still have enough personal
space. They can also scoop them up to come join me for small groups, or to work with
a peer. They can even take them outside to record their reading passages out loud. They are incredibly useful and we love them!
We also treasure our new headphones! Now, everyone has access to audio books at their own level. My students also use them to hear their spelling words or to hear the directions to a test online. They also give my students a chance to quietly play practice games for math. Thank you for investing in my students and their learning.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and one other donor.Library Refresh for Reluctant Readers
Funded Sep 24, 2021Thank you so much for the new graphic novels for my fourth graders! Each day students free read for 30 minutes. This time is sacred! Students grab a cushion or a rocking chair and the room becomes silent. My students are able to enjoy all sorts of books and they work on reading fluently.
The books you donated are well-loved and very popular. The Amulet books and the Camp series are rarely on the shelves for very long!
When I conference with students during free-reading time, we talk about how the settings impacts characters. The visuals in these books really help students to think about the "world" that the characters live in. These books are also great for struggling readers because they expose them to higher level vocabulary words but they also have less words per page. These transition books help keep a love of reading alive in my classroom. Thank you for your generosity. As you can see- you are making a big impact on my student's lives.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
Body and Brain Breaks in Fourth Grade!
Funded May 4, 2021Thank you so much for supporting my students learning and mental health during a pandemic. As you know, it has not been easy on these students. The last time they attended "normal" school it was the end of second grade.
The donation of pool noodles has been a game changer. Given, that we are still cautiously social distancing in the classroom this is a great way to provide movement if there is no option to get up and roam. The kids love this fun activity of drumming with them and look forward to it every day!
The sticker pages have become a great incentive for my students to complete work.
I have also put them in our "peace corner," as they are a great tool to help students calm down and regroup before returning to their work. Thank you again for these amazing gifts.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 3 other donors.Supporting Physical Distance and Emotional Connection
Funded Dec 1, 2020Thank you so much for the books and kick bands for my students. On these long winter days the bands have allowed for movement while students are still socially distanced. Everyone enjoys the extra exercise too. It allows my most fidgety learners resistance so they can focus better.
As an unexpected bonus- we have also found that we can use these bands outside. On nice days the kids carry their chairs outside to eat snacks and they can continue to use the bands.
The books are a huge gift to my classroom! My kids have loved the stories about friendship, kindness, self worth and other social skills topics. My students especially love the "ninja" stories and have started to draw their own ninja's who are helpful or patient. This year has been incredibly hard for my students. This miss simple things, like being able to play on the playground and being able to high-five their friends. These gifts remind them to have hope and to care for others. Brighter days are ahead thanks to your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 4 other donors.Reading To Learn About Our Past!
Funded Feb 5, 2020I can't thank you enough for these wonderful leveled books to teach history.
The last few weeks I was in my classroom my students we used these books frequently.
One of my readers really loved learning about Teddy Roosevelt, while another
was inspired by the story of Clara Barton.
I was allowed back in my classroom for the first time yesterday since Mid-March.
During my limited 90 minutes to pack student belongings and teaching materials these books were on the top of my list to grab! I plan on using one of them as
a whole group lesson on Zoom. The pictures and simple text will allow me to teach some reading lessons to the entire class about theme and character traits.
I will use several other texts that you helped purchase with a small group of students who have reading disabilities during our virtual class meetings. In times like these it feels good to know that people like you have my back, as I teach in this new way.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
Sharp Minds and Clear Thinking!
Funded Oct 24, 2019I was in a panic when all of my pencil sharpeners died. How could I get through a school day without a way for students to sharpen their pencils. It is one of the most crucial pieces of school equipment for any classroom. You really came to my rescue with this one. Not only are the two new sharpeners quiet, but they get the job done quick. Now my 22 students spend less time waiting in line to sharpen, and more time back on learning. Your generosity made it all possible. Thank you for supporting my students and for spreading kindness each and every day! The world needs more people like you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and 2 other donors.Flexible Seating Helps Reading
Funded Oct 18, 2019These flexible seats have made a huge impact on my classroom. The first day they arrived the kids were in awe of how comfy the seats were. We love that the angle can be adjusted for comfort.They could not wait to use them! That week I made a schedule so each student could use one for a half hour block. One student in particular would come up to make on the half hour to remind me it was time to switch. :)
Since that first day these seats are used for all sorts of things. During quiet reading times I find that students who are normally fidgety can sustain a lot more focus when in these seats. The chairs have also been used to work on social studies assignments, writing, and even math. I actually use the backrest to explain an acute angle the other day in geometry and the kids instantly made the connection!
Moving forward I plan on also using these seats as a special reward for good behavior. If a student earns enough points they may "cash" them in to use them for half a day.
Thank you so much for this gift. My students love these seats!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Appell