Past projects 34
Being Bilingual Breaks Down Language Barriers
Funded May 9, 2023I am ecstatic about my Rosetta Stone subscription. This summer I spent time getting a good grasp of the beginner's program in Spanish. I am very proud to say that I transferred my learning into the classroom this school year. More than 50 % of my students this year are English language learners whose first language is Spanish and my Rosetta Stone program is at full throttle with these students.
At my parent conferences, I still require a translator, but I am proud to share that the translator told me that my Spanish has improved. I attribute my improvement to my Rosetta Stone lessons.
After I submitted this professional development project, the Rosetta Stone subscription went on a special pricing and as a result, I was able to submit other items to DonorsChoose that would enhance my Spanish speaking skills. I requested flashcards and books that supported my professional development.
I am deeply grateful to you for donating to my professional development which will have a positive impact on my students and their families. Thank you for believing in what I do as I continue to nurture and educate students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors Corporation and 4 other donors.Responsibility Reminder Rocks for Earth Day
Funded Apr 25, 2023My fabulous first grade students had so much fun painting and writing their Earth Day messages on their rocks! Our Earth Day Responsibility Rock painting day started off with responsibility in attendance, in that all students arrived on time to school and remained in school for the entire school day.
This was my first attempt at rock painting, so we started off the project with a short YouTube video on how to paint the rocks in the best possible way. After viewing the video twice, I prepared each student's desk to avoid any unnecessary messes – we didn't want to stop to clean up to interfere with the creative process. After the students selected their paint colors, they eagerly started their rock painting. It was an all day project!
I was very impressed with their designs and how they cooperated with each other. The boys and girls worked well as a team – they shared their paint, brushes, and paint markers with ease. They were all so mindful as they created their designs and wrote their Earth Day messages on the rocks! In order to send home the rocks on the same day, the students held their painted rocks in front of the fan to dry them quickly.
The students were quite excited about their Responsibility Reminder Rocks, so I took them to other classes to show their messages to teachers and students. Our Media Specialist, who is also a proud DonorsChoose teacher photographed us with the Earth Day banner at the front of our school. The excitement of the day shone brightly on their faces!
I am deeply grateful to the DonorsChoose organization and all of the supporters who funded another project for my class. My students, the Principal, and I had a beautiful, fun, and memorable rock painting experience. This is definitely a project I will repeat with my future students. It is a great way to send messages out to take care of our one and only Earth.
Thanks again for all the donations that brought this project to life. The painted messages have gone out and will live on!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors and 3 other donors.Read and Reuse to Take Care of Our Earth
Funded Apr 18, 2023There was such excitement when we opened the boxes of materials that came in for our Earth Day project!
Before we started decorating our reusable bags, we looked at an instructional video to make sure that we got it right. The students paid full attention because they knew that it was an important project.
Each student got to select their own fabric squares to create their own design on the bag. I assisted with applying the Mod Podge and they did the rest of the work. They loved using the roller to glue the fabric squares on the bag. After the bags were nice and dry, students took their bags home to share with their families to commemorate Earth Day.
Our "Dear World" books arrived a little later and the delivery of the boxes was met with the same excitement. The students were so happy to get their own books to read in class and then to take home. There was such a pleasant buzz of voices the first time they read the book as a class. In the days that followed, they read by themselves, in pairs, and in groups.
I am very happy that I reached out to the DonorsChoose community for this project. My students learned a lot about taking caring of our one and only Earth in the classroom and then they got to take their knowledge out into their homes with the reusable bag and poetry book. They have gained a solid understanding that every day is Earth Day.
Thank you DonorsChoose for your generous support, your dedication to my classroom, and helping to spread the message about the importance of taking care of our Earth. You have definitely contributed to the ASK – Awareness, Skills, and Knowledge of my students. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by Johnson Ohana Foundation and 2 other donors.Creating Smiles with a Photo Scanner
Funded Nov 29, 2022My students are always excited with boxes from DonorsChoose arrive in our classroom, so once again when received our photo scanner box, they all applauded loudly. Their eagerness to see the contents of our boxes never fades!
I am deeply grateful for your support and gift of the photo scanner. This new technology has allowed us to advance our Family Tree project. At this time of writing, I have already received photos from some families that we will turn into beautiful family keepsakes.
It is my hope that all students can leave my classroom at the end of this school year with a special keepsake.
Thank you again for all of your donations and support – your contributions to our classroom have made many things possible for us this school year!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 3 other donors.The Value of Gratitude Through Basic Reading and Writing
Funded Dec 2, 2022I am very proud to report that through your generosity, I am planting and nurturing the seeds of gratitude in my first grade class. I am truly grateful to all of you for funding this project.
My students are enjoying everything that we received for this project, but the one thing they are enjoying the most is the "First Gratitude Journal". They write once per week in their journal and they draw a picture to go with each gratitude.
Initially, when they started to write in the journals, it was a bit difficult for them to focus on a gratitude. When I observed what was happening, I provided guidance so that the entire class can write about a single gratitude. We always start of with volunteers sharing their gratitude orally and then they move into their writing.
The journals are housed in bins at each table, so they are quite visible to anyone who visits our classroom. When my colleagues visit my classroom, they are always impressed with the students' journals and I always beam with pride and gratitude as I share that our journals came from DonorsChoose. Our Prinicpal recently visited while the students were actively engaged in their writing and I must tell you that she was pretty pleased. She even took photos to post on the school's Instagram page.
Since we started our gratitude writing, several parents expressed their thanks to me for focusing on gratitude in the classroom.
Again, thanks to all the donors who made this project possible for my students. You are touching their lives, nurturing their minds, and helping them grow and blossom in gratitude through reading and writing.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 6 other donors.BFF = Basics for First Graders
Funded Oct 27, 2022Once again, I do not have enough words to express my gratitude for the donations I received for my students. Once again, the students cheered loudly when the DonorsChoose boxes from Amazon arrived in the classroom. They were very excited to see everything we received.
The gel pens, pencils, cork strips, and all the other items enhance teaching and learning in my classroom every day.
The students love wearing their "Student Leader" job badges all day long. Their faces light up when my colleagues comment on their badges! Every two weeks, students volunteer for a classroom job, so everyone gets an opportunity to be a Student Leader.
They keep their tickets for the classroom store safely in the little tins. The tins are like their personal "safety box". On shopping days, they take out their tins with such joy!
Thank you again for your generous donations to my classroom. I am truly blessed to have DonorsChoose supporters for my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
Same and Different = Joy = Health & Wellness
Funded Sep 25, 2022It was pure joy in my classroom when my students opened up their bags and took out all their gifts! Their faces lit up with smiles and I knew in my heart that I did the right thing by reaching out to the DonorsChoose community with my project. My sincere gratitude to all the donors who brought so much joy to my students.
When the boxes arrived, I opened them without showing the children – I shared that there were lots of surprises for them from DonorsChoose. They waited patiently for the day for the big reveal.
We started off with our conversation about same and different and how we all have similarities and differences, and these characteristics make us unique and special. This was evident in the way each student decorated his or her bag – the bags were all different, but special and unique.
The students took turns reading sentences from the book, they made drawings with their magnetic drawing boards, compared their bracelets, and had lots of fun with the other gifts. During all of this, we talked about our similarities and differences and the joy we were experiencing.
Thank you, DonorsChoose community for your generous support, your dedication to my classroom, and for bringing immense joy to my students. You have made a positive impact on the well-being of my students' lives.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.Adding LCD Writing Tablets and Subtracting Dry Erase Boards
Funded Aug 29, 2022Thank for your generous donation to my classroom! When I wrote this project in the summer, I was assigned a second-grade class, but a week before school reopened, I got a change of assignment to teach first grade. Nonetheless, the purpose for writing a project for LCD writing tablets did not change with my new assignment.
My students love their LCD writing tablets! Prior to the delivery, I shared with the class what will be coming, so when our boxes arrived, there were loud cheers in the classroom. The excitement was evident in their bright smiles and their eagerness to help me unpack the boxes. A few parents donated to this project, so there was added joy that day.
The students like to showcase their work on the LCD tablets. They like learning from each other – when they share their tablets with the class, students confirm what they know and get the opportunity to improve and correct their thinking. As the teacher, I get to quick feedback as what I need to review with the class and how to tailor my instruction.
Students are taking good care of the tablets – the student leader from each tablet is responsible for passing them out to the team and each student knows how to handle it with care. They help each other to be responsible and accountable as they use this classroom learning tool.
I am deeply grateful to all of you for donating to my LCD writing tablet project. Your donation is making a significant impact on learning and teaching in my classroom. Thank you for believing in the work that I do every day with my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and 6 other donors.Germs! Going, Going, Gone!
Funded Jul 26, 2022I can't thank you enough for your generosity toward our classroom! I feel such a sense of ease having the Air Purifier in our classroom. I often look at the air quality displayed and give gratitude for everything it is removing to keep us as healthy as possible in the classroom. The Kleenex and Lysol products also have been trusty items in our classroom to keep those germs away.
At Open House night when I shared with the parents that we have been gifted with an Air Purifier by generous donors from DonorsChoose, they broke out into a round of applause for you. Thank you!
My students and I are deeply grateful to all of you for donating to my project that will help to keep my students to keep healthy and in school. Your donation is making a significant impact on learning and teaching in my classroom. Thank you for believing in the work that I do every day with my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by Kleenex® Brand and 3 other donors.Laptop Will Make a Positive Impact
Funded Jul 21, 2022My new laptop is a blessing!
Before the delivery, I informed our office personnel of the anticipated arrival of the precious cargo – my brand-new laptop!
I am delighted to share that I have such ease as I plan lessons, communicate with parents, do research, and all other school related activities. My first Zoom Professional Development was on October 17, and I am very happy to report that logging into the meeting was fast and easy. At this time of writing, I am confirmed for have weekly Zoom and monthly face-to-face Professional Development meetings in which my laptop will be my trusted companion.
With my updated laptop, I don't have to worry about freezing or shutting down while working. I can work with ease and joy. I'm presently using it to write this note to post on my DonorsChoose page.
Thank you again for your generous donation - you have made a positive impact on my teaching and learning.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rampersaud
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors and one other donor.