Past projects 7
Characters Like Us: Books About Neurodiversity
Funded Dec 20, 2024Thank you very much for your donations towards our classroom library. My students were thrilled when the books arrived! They immediately got to reading. One boy who struggles with reading went right for the decodable readers and said in excitement, "I can read these by myself!" I've continued to see students reach for the Katie Can and Pigeon books to repeatedly read.
The books have also made for great read alouds. "Everyone Is Good at Something" is one of the first books we read altogether, and it has made for a great reminder when students are struggling that this is ok and normal. It's been very helpful toward helping my students regulate their emotions when feeling upset.
I'm excited to continue using some of the books for read alouds in the coming weeks! "The Girl Who Thought in Pictures" is a perfect Women's History Month pick, and I am excited to lend "47 Strings" to other teachers in my school ahead of World Down Syndrome Day on March 21.
Thank you again for these wonderful books!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rizza
Wobble Stools Make Learning Accessible
Funded Sep 10, 2023Thank you so much for your support toward the wobble stools for my class. All of the students were thrilled to see the big boxes arrive! They love using them all day long: during morning meeting, while doing math, reading, writing, and more.
Many of my students have special sensory needs. These stools allow them the feeling of movement that they crave while being able to focus on their work. They contribute toward making our classroom a more fun and inclusive place for my students with disabilities. Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rizza
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 7 other donors.Good Clean Fun
Funded Dec 3, 2022Thank you so much for your generous donations toward my classroom's cleaning supplies. While not the most exciting of supplies, all of the items you donated are essential to the smooth running and health of our classroom.
My students end each day by cleaning off their desks with the donated wipes as we share our "rose and thorn" for the day. Their rose is their favorite part of the day, and their thorn is the most challenging part of their day. This ritual teaches reflection and gratitude, and now with the addition of cleaning, it teaches them responsibility!
The hand sanitizer and paper towels get stationed at our front table. These items get used daily to help my students clean up after themselves and to clean their hands after blowing their noses. These basics may not be glamorous, but they help our classroom run safely and smoothly. We thank you for your contributions!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rizza
Peace Corner Goodies
Funded Aug 27, 2022Thank you so much for your kind and generous donations towards the carpet, fidgets, sand box, and calming items. Your generosity has made my classroom a comfortable and comforting environment, and the students love the materials so much!
When students came to the carpet for the first time, they were so excited with the comforting texture that they made "snow angels" in the fluff! The carpet is a central meeting area in our classroom. We gather there every morning to greet each other and kick off our day with some fun, and we start every lesson together on the carpet. Many students also love to use the carpet to lay on when reading, writing, or doing their math work.
They love the peace corner materials most of all. Students use the fidgets daily, and the sand box is an especially well-loved fixture. It is so important to have an area where kids can take a break and regulate when needed. My students are making progress towards their social emotional goals thanks to you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rizza
Blank Surfaces and Colors
Funded Feb 5, 2022Thank you so much for your thoughtful donations toward my class's new whiteboard, drawing paper, markers, and crayons. These materials have had a huge daily impact on both the academic and artistic abilities in my class. My students, co-teacher, and I are so thankful for people like you who contributed toward these materials!
When the whiteboard arrived at our classroom in the huge box, the class was so excited! Once they knew there was a new whiteboard inside, they was a big cheer! We immediately put it to work in both small group and whole group lessons. Hopefully you saw our pictures--we use it daily in pretty much every subject area, especially in math and writing.
As much as the whiteboard has been helpful with our lessons, the students love the markers and drawing paper most of all. It's so wonderful to finally have art materials to use after a year of just computer paper and plain pencils. Our students have used the materials to create their own Andy Warhol-inspired pop art, Picasso-inspired cubist faces, and self-portraits. We can't wait to see the next masterpieces they create!
Thank you once again for your generous donation toward our classroom materials!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rizza
Interesting Exciting Nonfiction Library
Funded Sep 17, 2020Thank you so much for your generous donation of nonfiction books to our classroom library. I wish you could have all seen the students' excited faces as we introduced the brand-new, shiny books to for them to read!
Our class just finished a nonfiction reading unit, and these books were vital in growing important nonfiction reading skills. Using these books, our 4th graders learned how to find the main idea and supporting details, determine the meaning of difficult vocabulary, make connections between different topics, and conduct research projects. These skills will be useful for not only the rest of their time as students, but also into adulthood.
As predicted, the books are not staying on the shelves. Our class loves to learn about animals, find out more about their favorite sports, and to see far-off places from the comfort of our classroom. Thank you again for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rizza
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose 20th Anniversary Fund and 6 other donors.Wonderful Wee Whiteboards for Resilient Remote Learners
Funded Sep 13, 2020Thank you so much for the whiteboards and markers. These have been a valuable tool in helping our learners both in school and at home. Our students love using them and so appreciate your support!
These boards have been useful tools in learning math this year. Our learners have mastered place value, multiplying multi-digit numbers, and now are ready for long division. The white boards are so helpful for our remote learning days, when it can be hard as a teacher to see a child's work. The boards make it easy to take a peek at their work and to help correct any misconceptions.
And of course, the kids think they are fun. In this upsetting pandemic time, it's great to see a smile on a kid's face as they proudly display their newest whiteboard drawing.
Thank you again for your generous gift. It has helped a group of amazing kids make an unsettling time more fun and educational.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Rizza
This classroom project was brought to life by Kleenex® Brand and 4 other donors.