Past projects 5
Odds and Ends
Funded Aug 3, 2023Thank you so much for helping us put together our "odds and ends" project. I'm sure it felt like a bizarre arrangement of things, but I promise it has helped our classroom in ways you don't understand.
When I come into the room in the morning, I grab the remote and turn on the various lights around the room instead of turning on the overhead florescent lights, which helps me and the other students who suffer with migraines. Being under the huge lights messes with our eyes, and it's so nice to have a calm room with soft lighting. It's even nicer to not have to walk all over the room to turn them on.
The extension cord has made it easier to plug in the multitude of gadgets that are needed at the back of the room. It used to be hard to let students plug in phones because they would be all over the place, but now with the phone holder, they have a specific place to put their phones during testing, and I don't have to worry about cheating. The notecards have been used daily on the board as large-form examples for students to refer back to during reading and before tests. Finally, the pointer makes it easier for me to stand at the back of the room and change our slides or point to the examples on the board without having to walk across desks ( and kids) to get to them. In general, we just work better in here!
Thank you again for your kindness and your willingness to help small classrooms like mine. You make a world of difference!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stith
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 3 other donors.Book Sets for Reluctant Readers
Funded Aug 12, 2022We have been using the books we received to start lit circles in a remedial English class. Students were able to choose their own books, which helped immensely! We listened to the first chapter of every book in class together, then students broke up into groups after deciding which book sounded more interesting to them. There were some books that were clear favorites!
The students I have are reluctant readers for various reasons: they are behind in reading skills, they haven't actively read in years, they haven't found a book they like , or they've attempted to read and their attention span isn't long enough to get into a book yet. All of these issues make reading a serious issue, however, they're trying to build stamina and skills on a daily basis. Having books they chose helped, along with a reading partner.
I think we kill the love of reading in younger grades with the multitudes of tests we batter them with in Texas, however, I hope we can start to recover some of the joy they used to experience with the texts they've selected this year. They think the stories are interesting, and the characters speak to them, so that's a start. The longer they read and the more they practice, I'm hopeful that the more they will begin to see the stories in their heads, and the more they will want to experiment with other books.
Thank you again for this opportunity! I wouldn't have been able to start the process without you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stith
Gift Cards from Teachers Pay Teachers
Funded Jul 20, 2021Thank you so much for allowing us to use resources like Teachers Pay Teachers. With the funds I was provided, I have been able to gather activites that have kept my kids involved with units that they normally dread. It's impacted all of my classes this year because I was able to afford the resources I needed. So thank you for allowing me to change the way I teach!
Three of the projects we just recently attempted were during the "Canterbury Tales" Unit. It's rough for seniors because they don't understand the language and they get bored almost immediately. I try to make it fun and put a modern twist on it, but most of them aren't college bound, so they don't see the point in studying something old. However, I was able to purchase a bundle from a wonderful woman who included a dating game. They LOVED it! When the realized they were going to be speed dating the characters, they immediatly started paying attention because no one wanted to be stuck with a bad date! When they were done dating, they had to guess who they had dated, and send it through snapchat to me. The images were wonderful! They had a ball posing and guessing.
In another activity, students took their knowledge, and the text, to created character trading cards that they were allowed to use on their final exam as well as the rest of the activities in the unit. They spent a lot of time looking at specific characteristics in order to make them, and it helped them learn the different characters better than anything I've ever tried before.
Finally, students used their cards to complete an escape room for Canterbury Tales where they answered questions and solved puzzles trying to escape the classroom. The kids were so excited during the activity! It helped reinforce the characters and made the reading fun. By linking the three activities together, the students came away with a deeper knowledge of the story than any class I've had in the past.
I plan on using the rest of the money to purchase escape rooms for our novels, activities for short stories, and anything else I can find that might make student engagement go up. Kids are just not interested in their education currently and we are jumping through hoops to get them involved. This has made my job so much easier! I honestly can't thank you enough for your help! It's so much easier to spend hours cutting apart cards and laminating than it is coming up with the ideas when you're exhausted at the end of the day. We have benefitted in so many ways from the activities I've been able to purchase and the time and stress that has been alleviated. Please know we appreciate you and your kindness to sponsor a classroom with which you have no connection!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stith
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective.Canterbury Tales comes to Texas!
Funded Aug 25, 2021Thank you so much for your help in purchasing supplies for students to study "The Canterbury Tales." It's always been a challenge for seniors because many don't understand the purpose of studying something this old. However, we were able to make it fun with the additions I was able to purchase with your help.
Students were asked to make pilgrimage badges showing where they would have gone on a pilgrimage if they were alive during the middle ages. We used the supplies from this project to allow students to make real badges. They wore them in class, and then we displayed them in the classroom.
Students also discussed stained glass and were asked to create their own version of a stained glass window. Students created various versions of stained glass windows and we hung them up in the classroom. This caused multiple conversations across classes on how to create them and which method was the best.
Because the reading was so hard, students were extremely excited to be doing some kind of activity. I think the badges especially made the students excited to read more. When they heard the word "pilgrim," they thought about American pilgrims that came on the Mayflower. Doing the research to make their own badges helped them understand something that would normally be glossed over in our regular lessons.
Thank you for the opportunity to take these stories further and let students explore the medieval period in depth. They had to do more research in order to do these activities, which broadened their knowledge of the time period. Without it, the reading probably would have been boring like always for them. I appreciate your help and your willingness to trust us and our vision for our students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stith
This classroom project was brought to life by Kleenex® Brand and 3 other donors.Alternative Seating for an Alternative Classroom
Funded Jun 5, 2019Students absolutely love the alternative seating in my room. They fight over who gets to sit in the big chairs or on the balls during their class period. It has been a big help for students who can't sit still during class! The boys who normally fidget the entire period end up on the exercise balls writing at a table. The large chair and carpet at the front of the room serve as a central focal point and a place to gather for small groups as well as a place to work with students one on one. It has been a big help when needing to meet with students who have been gone and need individualized attention.
When students first entered my room they commented on how colorful it was. I think the resources from Donors Choose contributed the most to that feeling. The galaxy carpet, the colored saucer chairs, and the colorful balls add huge splashes of color that wouldn't normally be there. When outside students come to my room they always mention how fun it looks and they wish they could be in my class instead. My goal was to make this room a fun and engaging environment for students, and I think we've accomplished that with your help.
My next steps in my room are to cover the windows with curtains so it doesn't get so hot during the afternoon. Our air conditioners are old and can't keep the room a constant temperature. The school has done a great job attempting to help fix the problem, but there are little things I can do to make the room more comfortable for students. I also plan on redoing my whiteboards at some point. They currently do not erase and I have to wipe them down each night with alcohol so that the ink doesn't stain them. Again, we've done the best we can with what we have, but at some point, they need to be replaced or recovered with something like chalk paint or whiteboard contact paper. Finally, I would like to replace the lighting in my room with softer lights, whether that be florescent light covers or lamps. I plan on making changes as the years go on to keep making the room an environment that best fits my kids and makes it a place they want to be. Hopefully their little home away from home allows them to enjoy literature and school in a way they never have before. If nothing else, they'll have a safe space to be for a few hours out of the day.
Thank you for every thing you've done for us. We truly appreciate the gift.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Stith
This classroom project was brought to life by The Ned and Nathalie Fund.