Past projects 8
These Fine Motors Need a Tune-Up!
Funded Nov 12, 2022Thank you for contributing to the project "These Fine Motor Skills Need a Tune Up". Thanks to your generosity, our students were able to enjoy bracelet making and other activities targeted at improving their fine motor skills. When the kids first saw all the new materials, you won't believe how excited they were!
As community building is a huge focus in our classroom, we spent several afternoons working together on creating bracelets for others. To my surprise, the students were even more excited creating bracelets for others than for themselves. It was a beautiful sight to see.
Thank you again for all your support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Nogales
Mr. Elmo, Magical Eyes for the Classroom
Funded Jan 3, 2023We can't thank you enough for donating to this project, allowing us to purchase a document camera for our class. It has had such an incredible impact on our learning.
We use our document camera, which we named Ms. Elmo, throughout the day, every day. Ms. Elmo allows the students to interact with text during lessons as opposed to just listening or "seeing the words" from a distance. As a teacher, I am able to model reading, writing and math strategies in a format where the students understand how to apply the strategy to their own work.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Nogales
These Superheroes Are Getting Ready to Soar!
Funded Aug 23, 2021In 2021 you donated to my donor's choose project. Teaching mid-pandemic has been so difficult, so forgive me for not thanking you sooner.
Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom! Every material you helped purchase - superhero capes/masks, play doh, learning puzzles, markers, crayons, etc - helped us start the year off with a bang! Students were especially thrilled to learn that they would be "Super Readers" all year, enjoying wearing their superhero capes and masks for all reading lessons.
Thank you again, and happy new year!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Nogales
This classroom project was brought to life by Kleenex® Brand and 5 other donors.These Superhero *Readers* are Getting Ready to Fly!
Funded Aug 25, 2021In the fall of 2021, you graciously donated to my donor's choose project. Teaching mid-pandemic has been so difficult so forgive me for not thanking you sooner.
Thank you for your generous donation to my classroom! The students LOVED reading the books we received. Students enjoyed the stories as part of lessons, for independent reading time, and I think their favorite time, Buddy Reading! For sure, the Pete the Cat books were classroom favorites, especially Pete Visits the Library. They also really enjoyed all the books with characters wearing "masks", making it exciting for them to wear masks in the classroom and stay healthy doing so.
Thank you again, and Happy New Year!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Nogales
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 4 other donors.Headphones (and other) for Remote Kindergarten Learners
Funded Feb 4, 2021Thank you for your generous donations in 2020/2021, as I was doing my best to teach virtually. You graciously donated headphones to our class and dry erase markers! What an impact this had on student learning. All students who did not have a dedicated quiet learning space at home were given a pair of headphones. They used their headphones for virtual lessons and were successfully able to listen to and participate in lessons.
You also have us the awesome gift of black dry erase markers. These were so helpful! As we were working virtually, I learned early in the school year that when students worked in pencil, I couldn't view their work over the computer screen. So I quickly transitioned to having students work with black thin marker. Only then were they able to share their work, receive feedback (from me), and improve their work as well!
Thank you, again, and happy new year!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Nogales
Help "Brighten" Our Kindergarten Classroom and Math Corner
Funded Sep 1, 2022Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom! Your contribution has helped spruce up our math center, as a result of which the students are more eager to engage in math and math lessons. We were also able to provide struggling students with primary pencils, to help teach them how to grip their pencil correctly and begin forming letters! You should see what a great job these students are doing writing their names! Thank you as well, for all the stickers and bright colored printer paper. Bright fun materials such as these always excite the children.
Wishing you a wonderful 2023!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Nogales
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and 7 other donors.Webcam and Other to Support Thriving Virtual Classroom
Funded Nov 18, 2020Thank you so much for the gift of a webcam, computer mouse, and thin black markers for me to use this year as a remote Kindergarten teacher.
Webcam - I was blessed to receive a second (large) monitor recently from Donors Choose. Although this monitor has been a blessing, I wasn't expecting that it would complicate how my students viewed me (and materials) during lessons. Before the arrival of my webcam, I would be looking at my students (on one screen) but it would appear that I was looking elsewhere since my laptop camera was on a different screen. Now, with the use of the Webcam, it has enabled me to make eye contact with my students while I teach them. So much of learning in the younger years is learning appropriate social skills so I'm thrilled that I can now model this skill for my students. The webcam has also allowed me to read books aloud to the whole class (and share sample writing and math work) in a way that students are able to see everything I share with them. All my work is able to fit in the screen and I no longer have to struggle to "fit" my work into the camera view. So much wasted time has been eliminated by the webcam since I no longer have to deal with "Ms. Nogales, I can't see the first letter. Move a little to the side" and similar comments.
Computer Mouse - The mouse has enabled me to set up my home classroom in a way that doesn't cause my back and wrist to hurt as I navigate my laptop and additional monitor. Thank you for this (small) gift.
Thin Writing Markers - One of the greatest writing tools for my remote students is the use of thin black writing makers instead of pencil. Why, you ask? It's simple. When students are using pencils from remote writing lessons and they share their work with me, I can't actually see the work because the pencil is too light. Using thin black markers has allowed me to view and support each students' writing growth even in a remote classroom setting.
From the bottom of my heart and those of my students... Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Nogales
Extra Monitor to Further Engage Students in Remote Learning
Funded Nov 14, 2020Thank you so much for the gift of a monitor for me to use this year as the remote Kindergarten teacher for my school. At first, I was hoping the monitor, which is much larger than my laptop, would simply help me view my students larger. (The benefit of which, if I could see the students on a larger screen, I could see their work better and support them better with their learning.) This has been wonderful. When we work, specifically with math and writing, and the students share their work with me, I can see their work and offer suggestions and support as needed. So, this is definitely one benefit of the additional, larger computer monitor. However, this hasn't been the best benefit of the second monitor!
The greatest benefit of having two screens while teaching is one that I had not expected. Now, on one screen, I can view my students and on the other screen I can view and share our Class Slides. Let me explain: When you teach, it's important to share charts, photographs, exemplary work (and so much more) with students so they can view what is being taught. This can be complicated with online learning. With only one screen this is what would happen: First I would be on a Google Meet with my students. Then, when I wanted to share the screen, I would have to minimize the Google Meet and view the Class Slides on the computer screen. My students would be able to view my Class Slides, BUT, I could no longer see them. What a hindrance this was! I had no idea which students were looking, which were actively participating, which were raising hands, which were distracted, etc.. I had no information at all on the engagement of my students. I would blindly call on students to participate and would blindly praise them "wow, Jeremiah, that's a great job!" to keep encouragement high.
Now, with two screens, it's a dream come true to be able to share Class Slides on one screen with the students, and to *still* be able to see my students on the other screen. The impact this has had on my students' learning has been tremendous. In real time, I can support my students and meet their needs while not needing to toggle back and forth between two screens. The learning has been so much more efficient, and I thank all of you for this.
From the bottom of my heart and those of my students...
Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Nogales
This classroom project was brought to life by Two Screens for Teachers and 4 other donors.