Past projects 5
Reading Small Group in First Grade
Funded Feb 13, 2022Thank you so much for your kind donation for my "Reading Small Group in First Grade" project! The materials I received were so important in providing my reading students with quality materials throughout the school year. Reading can be challenging for many of my students, which makes it so important to have fun, engaging activities for students to complete. With the Teachers Pay Teachers gift card, I was able to print and use so many different worksheets and lessons that made small group new and exciting each day. The folders received were perfect for storing student small group work.
I was able to use the rug, stools, decorations, and table mats in our designated small group and reading area to make it fun and inviting. The students loved the seating and really enjoyed sitting at the rug during independent reading time and free time. The different classroom materials, such as pencils and copy paper, were used daily in the classroom and provided me with the ability to ensure my students were ready every day to learn. The large post-its were used in the classroom to created an easy way for me to make charts and tables for use during small group. I also used the post-its to create a bucket filler chart that I used as a way to display the ways we "filled buckets" (showed kindness to one another) in the classroom promoting student social emotional support.
Our school year has come to an end, but the supplies this project provided for our classroom made it possible to provide students with fun reading instruction. The supplies made it much easier for me to create different and fun ways to learn. Your donation made it possible. Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dammann
Learning the VPK Way!
Funded Aug 12, 2021Thank you so much for providing supplies for my VPK classroom! These materials made learning fun for my VPK students. My students use the kitchen dishes, painting materials, science kits, and other materials daily in the classroom as they participate in centers.
When students first saw the materials, they were excited to use them within the classroom. They love playing kitchen and cooking for one another and the dishes made this even more fun. In the block area, students love using the cars and people to create their own towns. The smocks are used regularly to keep students from getting messy when creating their own masterpieces. The science materials are so helpful in providing meaningful, hands-on lessons in all areas of science, from physical science to nature.
These materials provide young learners with the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of materials and have varying experiences. Students continue to use these materials daily in the classroom during center time as well as for projects and art lessons. Your support has provided these VPK students with the best class materials. Thank you so much for making it happen!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dammann
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 9 other donors.Starting the New School Year
Funded Aug 12, 2020Thank you so much for funding this project! The toys and storage materials my students have had access to because of your generous donation has made for a fun and interactive school year for my students. It has been a difficult school year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of my students come from under-served communities throughout south Miami-Dade County and the pandemic has not been easy on them or their families. It is so rewarding to be able to provide a learning environment that is still fun and engaging despite the changes we have experienced as a community.
My students have LOVED the Legos Duplos sets that were donated. They look forward to playing with them each day. They have fun building the alphabet train and practicing identifying letters. They also love the pizzeria set and playing with the Lego people as customers and the chef. I have been able to incorporate the Alphabet fishing game and number locks into our small group times. The toys reinforce my students knowledge of the alphabet and numbers and give them a great way to practice identifying letters and numbers. We have used the shape mats in large group, small group, and free play and students have loved the Play Doh mats as well. Having an abundance of toys allows me to change out the limited number of toys we can have in the room often. This keeps students excited for the next fun toy they get to play with.
We used the storage bins for our students cubbies, which helps us to keep students personal items separate. We have had to ensure that cross contamination does not happen and these bins help to ensure students items are kept separate and clean. We plan to continue using these toys in the classroom to keep our students engaged and excited to learn each day! Thank you so much for your generous donation and making our classroom a fun place to learn!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dammann
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 6 other donors.Adapting to Our Changing World!
Funded Jun 21, 2020Thank you so much for your donation to our class's project "Adapting to a Changing World"! We have had a challenging start of the year and started our year with online learning. I was able to use the tripod and books for our online learning sessions. The tripod allows me to record myself doing activities that I've been able to share with students. It also allows me to use my phone when I need more mobility in Zoom sessions with students. The books have made learning fun and allowed for my students to have exposure to new or different cultures.
In October, our class started the hybrid model of half online and half in-person teaching. There are a lot of safety procedures that ensure our students stay healthy and safe at school. Many of the toys had to be removed from the classroom, which has been difficult on students. Due to me having new toys to introduce, I have been able to rotate toys and keep students excited and engaged with the variety of toys they're able to play with. The cleaning mat and storage boxes have helped us to individualize our classroom and prevent cross contamination among frequently used student materials. Each student has their own box with art materials, preventing students from sharing frequently touched materials. The drying mat is a life saver when it comes to sanitizing toys daily.
Your donation has truly made a difference in our classroom. As a teacher, I want to ensure my students are safe at school, but also have fun with learning. These materials have allowed me to do that despite challenges and changes to learning. Thank you so much for your support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dammann
Problem Solved! Connected Play in the Pre-K Classroom
Funded Jan 18, 2020Thank you so much for your willingness to give to my class's problem solving project! My Pre-k students were so excited about the new connection toys, engineering set, and career LEGO set that we received. It has been exciting for me to incorporate toys in the classroom that give students the opportunity to develop their problem solving skills. My hope is that this will help students to be successful as they learn more about the areas of science and math. I am hopeful that love of these subjects will give students more of an understanding and passion for learning in STEM.
Before we began distance learning, my students used both the engineering set and the connection toys daily in our "Table Toys" learning center in the classroom. Students really enjoyed the engineering set, where they were able to create their own vehicles or structures using nuts, bolts, wheels, and frames. Students would use the connection toys to create structures during free play as well. These connection toys fit together, but need to be adjusted depending on what was being created. Students loved creating different structures and vehicles using both the engineering set and connection toys. They use problem solving skills and creativity to create something new, which are skills that they will continue to use particularly in STEM.
I used the LEGO career set in a small group activity with my students. The set has LEGO people that represent different careers. This play set gives my Pre-k students the opportunity to learn about different community roles that they may or may not have exposure to. Familiarizing my students also gives them the opportunity to think about what their potential career might be. My students loved playing with the LEGO set. They asked questions about some of the careers they had not been aware of and were excited to play with the people after we talked about the community roles of each.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 we were unable to continue to use these toys in the classroom this school year. Students have continued in their learning about STEM via distance learning, but the toys from the project will be used again when we return to the classroom. I am so grateful to have these toys available to my present and future students. I believe access to these toys gives students the chance to develop their problem solving skills and hopefully creates an interest in STEM. I also hope that the LEGO set will expose my students to new potential careers.
I am so grateful to you for your donation to this project. My students come from an under served community. They may not have the exposure to different careers or love of STEM and this project provides them the opportunity for exposure. This small spark could truly ignite a passion in one of my students that could change their life. Thank you again for your truly impactful donation!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Dammann
This classroom project was brought to life by Endless and 4 other donors.