Ms. Curry's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 19

• Lions and Tigers and Obamas, Oh My!

  Funded Jan 10, 2022

  My students are naturally curious about the world around them, which is why they love nonfiction. I love hearing them share they're acquired knowledge about whether or not bees are dangerous or that dolphins travel in pods, or how Barack Obama was the first African-American president and his wife Michelle Obama was an attorney.

  This project has enabled my students to not only learn more about the world around them, but also about different people who matter in their world. The history books often showcase only one type of individual, but now my students have exposure to more individuals that look like them. When we completed our black history inspiration research projects, the books allowed them to learn about the rich history of people of color and the contributions that they have made to this country. I am so grateful that because of your support my students will continue to enjoy nonfiction texts and become even more knowledgeable about the world around them.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

• It's Okay Not to Be Okay!

  Funded Aug 11, 2021

  The last three years have been beyond challenging. My students have shown through their words and actions that they are not "okay." I developed this project to not only destigmatize mental health in my classroom, but to also help my students to understand and regulate their emotions. Our mindfulness corner has become a major focal point in our room. With our beach themed area full of library books on socio-emotional topics, a sensory bin with fidget tools, a wall of positive quotes and a bulletin board filled with emotion vocabulary and strategies for breathing, my students are now equipped with an array of tools to support them when they are not "okay." The students truly do use all the tools at their disposal, including their journals in which they love writing whenever they want to express how they are feeling. I am really excited about the work that has been started this year and I am happy to say that thanks to your donations, this work has become a springboard for a series of schoolwide initiatives. Words truly can't express how thankful I am to each of you for turning this dream into a reality.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

• The Day You Begin...and Each Day After Will Be Beautiful!

  Funded Jul 29, 2021

  I firmly believe that a classroom should be like a second home for students, therefore each year I create a warm and inviting theme. This year was the Day You Begin; a reference that was tied to Jacqueline Woodson's book of the same name. I wanted to create a room that used soothing watercolor patterns that matched the illustrations from the book. With your help, I was able to do just that. I can't tell you how many compliments I received from colleagues about the joy they felt walking into this room, as I set up the days leading up to the first day of school. When the first day of school finally arrived the students echoed that sentiment. They loved the beautiful signs and posters, and the watercolor designs on the borders that flow throughout the room. Thank you for ensuring that the day they began, and each day after is beautiful.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

  This classroom project was brought to life by Kleenex® Brand and 3 other donors.

• A Cozy Place for Me

  Funded Sep 23, 2021

  When our flexible seating arrived, my students were so excited because they had more options for places to sit. They often fidget at their tables if they remain there for too long, so having a place to go, away from their normal space, not only gives them a chance to get their wiggles out, but also makes the classroom feel more like a home. They are so responsible with each item. I have watched them carefully take out the seating during reading and writing time and even support each other with putting it back. This level of care ensures that this wonderful furniture can be used beyond this year. Thank you once again for giving my current and future students a cozy place to learn.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 5 other donors.

• Read, Question, Think, Then Act!

  Funded Jun 17, 2021

  This year was more challenging than any other. With school being shut down almost every other week it was doubtful that the students would learn anything this year. I'm happy to say that they proved everyone wrong. Not only did they step up to the challenge of learning in person inconsistently, but they also took on a new initiative which was project-based learning. Throughout the year they learned all about hunger; they read books about it, they wrote informational chapter books about it, and they took action to help end it. In addition to donating daily to the local community fridge, they were able to successfully hold a campus-wide food drive and hand-deliver the goods to a local food pantry.

  When the "Sofia Valdez's Big Project Book for Awesome Activists" book was released, I knew it was something my students needed to have in their possession. It was perfect, not only because it went with our classroom book theme of Andrea Beatty's "Questioneers," but it also reminded them of the small ways that they can change the world, which has been our goal all year long. With so many students and not enough funds, this gift to them truly wouldn't have been possible without your support.

  At our end of year party, all the students were given their wrapped book and told to open it at the same time. They were so excited! The book is an interactive journal where they get to record their ideas and think further about changes they would like to make in the world. The book also includes the original story of "Sofia Valdez, Future Prez," which helped spark our advocacy work. It tells the story of a small girl who just wants her neighborhood to be clean and sparks a protest all the way to city hall to make that happen. The students were so engaged with their new books that some wouldn't even put them in their book bags, they wanted to carry them home in their hands. I know the joy of receiving a new book, and whenever possible I want my students to feel that same joy. Thank you for helping to spark joy by getting such a meaningful book in the hands of my world changers.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

• A Different World: Escaping through Literacy

  Funded Mar 16, 2021

  Each year my second graders get hooked on books by discovering a fictional series. As much as I love the classics with animal characters, I always push to find series with characters that look like them and mirror their lives. I am so excited that, because of your donations, I was able to put not only fresher copies of consistent favorites, but also brand new series on the shelves. My students were so excited that independent reading often extended "just a little bit longer." Our read alouds were also more engaging as we learned about the Hmong twins Astrid and Apollo, a new series and instant favorite. Thank you for breathing new life into my classroom library and for sending my students to new worlds through their books.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 5 other donors.

• Read You Loud and Clear!

  Funded Sep 7, 2020

  If you ask any teacher what it's like teaching during a pandemic they will tell you in a word; challenging. Not only do you have to adjust the way that you teach, but you also have the adjust the resources that you use. Before Covid I was accustomed to teaching students how to read using books that we had in the classroom. I would sit the students in front of me and we would all read the same text. With social distancing and about half of my students completely virtual, that model no longer exists. I had to get creative and find a new way to teach reading online.

  When I heard about "Guided Readers" I knew that it was the answer to my problems. It is a platform that allows me to not only share texts with all the students in a group at the same time, but also offers activities to enhance my reading instruction. After using it for a few months, my students have not only shown a greater love for reading, but they have also moved levels. It is a platform that offers so much differentiation, that all of my students benefit from it in some way. There are articles that I use for my higher level readers that struggle with comprehension. They love reading the nonfiction texts about animals. There are short texts that I use for traditional guided reading to support students in decoding work. I saw students who usually shy away from talking, take off in their reading because of relatable characters and themes. And there are even sight word activities to support my beginner readers. They love doing the build it activities which allow them to practice making words using fun movable letters. I especially love that the sight word activities are making it easier for students to practice new words in conjunction with a text, as the program highlights specific words and allows them to practice them in additional activities.

  I am so grateful that this project was funded because not only am I able to continue my guided reading instruction, but I am able to enhance it due to this digital resource. So now my students will in fact be able to "read me loud and clear."”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

  This classroom project was brought to life by AT&T and 6 other donors.

• Kids Changing the World the Write Way

  Funded Aug 11, 2020

  When I first heard that students would be given the option to resume remote learning, I had mixed feelings. I thought it would be great for students to be able to continue learning while safe at home, but I also felt it would be a challenge for them to get their work done without the necessary materials. I knew my students would do well reading ebooks and completing math activities on tablets, "but how on earth," I wondered' "would they be able to complete writing tasks on ipads?" That's when I had the idea of creating these remote learning writing toolkits. When I received the email that this project was funded, I was ecstatic because I knew what it meant for my students.

  With lots of love 20 toolkits were packaged and personalized with each student's name. When parents and students came to pick up their remote learning materials, I learned a valuable lesson: share important information before handing over a bag of fancy writing supplies. The instant I distributed bags, I no longer existed. Not only were the kids excited to receive these kits, but they were even more excited to use them. As we taught routines in the beginning of the year, the question asked everyday was, "are we using our toolkits today?" Now that we have been using our kits for a few months, one thing is clear. They feel so empowered by their fancy writing journals and pens, and love that they have tools to revise, edit and even publish; so much so that some students have already written on all of the pages of their first journal and have moved on to their second.

  Our toolkits have supported us through fabulous realistic fiction stories, and emotional poetry. However, I'm especially excited about our next unit of nonfiction chapter books because students will begin thinking about how they can change the world. In conjunction with project based learning, my students will teach about a variety of topics they are passionate about. With better stamina, more confidence and increased motivation, it is clear that my students now have all they need to change the world the "write" way. On behalf of my students and myself, we thank you for giving us the necessary tools for academic success.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

  This classroom project was brought to life by A Generous Donor and 7 other donors.

• Looking Like Me: Books That Mirror Our Lives

  Funded Jan 14, 2020

  I can't tell you how many times I drafted, erased, crossed out and removed the words that I initially planned to write to say thank you. It wasn't because I wasn't grateful, it was because I couldn't really say the kids were making great use of the books, when that simply wasn't the case. You see, although most of the books arrived before we were shut down due to the pandemic, I was in the process, with the help of my eager classroom librarians, of getting the library revamped and ready for our series book unit, so many of the books hadn't ended up in the students book baggies yet.

  I can speak however, to the excitement of seeing the books arrive in our classroom. When the first box arrived, students were so curious about its contents, and when they heard it was books for the classroom library, you would've thought they'd won the lottery by their cheers. Sometimes I opened the boxes with the students and they explored them intently and enthusiastically. My librarian positions even grew dramatically, as everyone wanted to be a part of getting the new books onto the shelves. The few books that did make it into the library were devoured. And then came Covid 19...

  The turn of events that led to school closures were so disheartening, not only because I would not be able to see my superheroes every day, but also because I knew that they would not have access to all of the books that we enjoyed in the classroom. My students truly are super. As I assigned familiar sites to the students for independent reading, students began to tell me that many of the book series that we had in the classroom were also now available online. In a time of educational uncertainty, my students demonstrated not only resilience, but also willpower because they continued to devour books despite many at home distractions that discouraged it. They found and read almost all of the Pedro, Yasmin, and Katie Woo books, and continue to discover more books with characters like them.

  Throughout the year I got creative, and made sure they had access to other texts, such as Lola Levine, which I read aloud, and many others. My superheroes's love of reading has grown in a time when it didn't seem possible. I truly believe it is because they found characters that mirrored their lives. Your generous donations were the spark that further ignited this love. So, in these dark days of uncertainty, I hope you take solace in knowing that these students' futures are looking much brighter thanks to you.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry

• We've Got The Write Stuff

  Funded Aug 15, 2015

  "Believe in yourself and never give up." Our classroom motto this year is all about perseverance. For many students writing is a challenging subject, but for my students, who are also English Language Learners, it is especially so, because they are navigating the writing structures in both Spanish and English. Each day students set up for the writing period by taking out their writing folders and their labeled toolkits that contain their drafting, revising and editing pens. Sometimes they bring their current piece to the carpet for the minilesson and use their clipboards to make quick edits. In our current writing unit we are learning how to convince others through our reviews. Students are reviewing foods, toys, games, movies and more. They look forward to the days when they publish their writing because they get to use fancy paper and conclude the unit with a big writing publishing party.

  I asked my students how they felt when they saw all of their writing supplies at the beginning of the year. They said that they were "surprised" because there were brand new supplies there just for them and they were "happy" because they had a well-stocked writing center with all of the tools that they would need to be successful. My excitement matched theirs. Seeing my students light up when it was time to write was such a wonderful way to start off the year.

  For the first few months of the school year most students were writing solely in Spanish. And although this is the first unit in which they are writing entirely in English, they don't seem afraid. Empowered by their tools and their desire to share their ideas with the world, they truly do have, "The Write Stuff." We thank you for your support in making the "We've got the Write Stuff " project a reality, and who knows, someday you might pick up a book written by one of these budding authors.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Curry