Mrs. Szamrej's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 12

• Making Shapes in Geometry

  Funded Mar 12, 2023

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom. My students are having fun recreating the shapes and problems they see in their math books. This hands-on approach has helped them understand new concepts in geometry while making learning fun and interactive.

  When I first introduced the new materials and challenged them to make their own geometric constructions, the students challenged each other to see who could show what they know using the patty paper and the exploragons manipulatives. The Patty Paper geometry book is helping me design more hands-on lessons for them to explore.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

• Let's Get Outside and Play!

  Funded Jan 23, 2022

  Thank you so much for helping to get playground equipment for my school. There are now enough beanbags, hula hoops, and basketballs so that everyone can play and enjoy their time outside with their friends.

  My class was so excited when they saw the new equipment. They couldn't wait to go outside and have some fun with their friends from the neighborhood. The first thing they did was have a tournament to see who could hula hoop the longest. Then, they went to practice playing basketball.

  We couldn't have done this without your support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

• Taking Care to Stay Healthy

  Funded Oct 18, 2021

  Thank you so much for your donations that have helped me develop a wellness shelf in my classroom. My students now have easy access to hand soap, tissues, extra masks, sanitizer, lotion, eye glass wipes, and hand wipes so they can take care of themselves with greater independence.

  They really enjoy helping their friends when they need a bandaid or a tissue. It has also been very nice to have boxes of tissue at every desk so that students can stay healthy without having to share a box of tissue with the whole group.

  I wouldn't have been able to have this project succeed with your help. Thank you for making a difference with your donation.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

  This classroom project was brought to life by #TeachHealthy with Nature Made and 2 other donors.

• Seeing Everything With Two Screens

  Funded Mar 9, 2021

  Having two monitors has made a huge change in my classroom. When I was teaching at home, it allowed me to see all of my students and their work at the same time so that I could give them feedback as they were working. It also made it easier for students to share their work online without loosing any of the small details.

  As we returned to in class instruction, the monitor is being used everyday during small group instruction to share videos and books. Everyone can see the lesson and participate without interrupting other groups.

  Thank you so much for your generosity and support. I couldn't do it without your help.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

  This classroom project was brought to life by Kathleen and Chip Rosenbloom and 3 other donors.

• Budding Artists Creating at Home

  Funded Feb 7, 2021

  I can't thank you enough for helping my students. My students have been using their drawing pads, crayons, markers, and art supplies everyday during our online lessons. They love having daily art lessons, and they are also enjoying using their supplies to draw pictures while we are reading, writing, and doing math lessons online. Everyone is so engaged, and they can't wait to share their creations with their classmates.

  I wish you could have seen the smiles on their faces when I delivered their special art supply boxes to their homes They couldn't wait to use their new supplies the next day for class.

  Thank you so much for your generosity and support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and 2 other donors.

• 1, 2, 3 Count with Me

  Funded Dec 9, 2020

  Thank you so much for helping us learn. My students are using their math manipulatives every day during our online lessons. They are learning how to solve problems hands-on using a variety of strategies with place value blocks, open number lines, drawing pictures, using arrays, and counters. All of my students have especially benefitted from having individual Rekenraks to practice their addition and subtraction facts to twenty. Everyone is much more engaged in their learning, and they are excited to show their classmates how they solved their problems. This project has made a huge impact on my students, and I am so grateful for your support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and 6 other donors.

• Busy Builders Learning at Home

  Funded Aug 10, 2020

  Thank you so much for helping my classroom. It has been a challenge to provide opportunities for hands-on learning at home. My students were so excited to see the engineering kits and books. After listening to the stories online, they are having so much fun building planes, cars, buildings, bridges, and more at home with their families. It is exciting to watch them problem solving and using their creativity while they are learning. The best part is when the whole family gets together to share what they have made as a team.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

  This classroom project was brought to life by IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies and 6 other donors.

• Everyone Wins With Family Engagement

  Funded Sep 16, 2020

  I cannot tell you how thankful I am for your help on my project. It is so much easier to give my Spanish speaking parents the support they need using my translation device. I am now able to communicate directly with them as I am providing instruction online. Having a translation device makes it possible for me to work with my parents as partners as we work online.

  Using this device helps make everyone feel welcome and included in my classroom by providing primary language support. It also helps me with my younger students who are still learning English. They know that they can respond in Spanish, and I will be able to understand their answers. This has taken away a huge obstacle in keeping all of my students engaged.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose 20th Anniversary Fund and 5 other donors.

• Bringing the Outside ln with Science Centers

  Funded May 5, 2020

  Thank you so much for helping me bring science inside my student's homes with these hands-on science centers. I can't wait to get back in the classroom so that I can see the excitement on my students' faces as they play and explore together. I couldn't have done this without you.

  Right now, I have been sharing the science centers over Zoom with my students so they get a chance to sort the cards and play the games while they are at home. They have learned so much already, and I know they will love when they get to work on the centers together at school.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 5 other donors.

• Learning Together at Home

  Funded May 5, 2020

  I just received my materials yesterday, and I can't believe the difference they are already making for my students. Having math charts and counters makes all the difference when teaching students with disabilities. They are looking at the screen and independently answering their own problems using the tools that I am projecting on the screen. Even my most reluctant students were racing to see if they can be the first to solve the problems. They loved having number lines, blank arrays, and a variety of tools to explain different ways to solve the same problem.

  Then it was time for reading. The National Geographic book sets were incredible. My students loved the photos and fun facts about their favorite science topics. They wanted to stay after class to hear more. I can't wait for our next online lesson.

  I couldn't have done this without your help. You are the reason my students my students have what they need to stay engaged during online learning.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Szamrej

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 2 other donors.