Past projects 9
Ink for Our Class Printer
Funded Mar 1, 2024Thank you so much for helping to fund our class printer ink supply. Our printer is used by many for a variety of tasks: printing for the classroom, printing for parent events, printing for school events, etc. Most recently, we used our printer to print color bookmarks for every student featuring our winning design- a precious memento from their time in 1st grade.
It's relieving and seamless to be able to produce color prints directly in our classroom, and having supplies of ink is important to complete the tasks!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
Ukulele for Ultimate Music Time
Funded Apr 23, 2023Thank you greatly for your help with funding this project. I haven't been able to use the materials yet, but I know it will be a big hit with the kids. We have music time on Friday, where we sing songs together. I was carting my guitar back and forth from home to school, which was worth it, because the kids loved seeing me play the music that they sang to. Having a class ukulele will make it so much easier for me. This dedicated class instrument will be used by me, and the plan is, to be used by the kids, too. Anyone interested in learning a few chords will be able to play it.
Thank you again for your donations.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
Alternative Seating
Funded Mar 13, 2023Your help adding flexible seating to our classroom changed so much for the students. They felt excited about choosing seats because they were able to find a seating style that fit how they learned best. I supplemented the seating ordered from your donations with yoga mats, and we would have six small groups around the classroom happily in discussions and work. Some on the carpet, some on mats on the floor, some at tables with a wobble chair, and some just in regular chairs.
Your generosity made a huge impact in the daily atmosphere in our classroom. Thank you so much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
Art Drying Rack
Funded Oct 26, 2022The art drying rack has been a game changer for our classroom. We use it nearly everyday, with the students managing it themselves.
We've increased our painting time, mainly due to the ease of storing and drying then. Painting no longer interferes with carpet seating, so we can go right from using watercolors, to reading time on the carpet.
We recently had an art show at the local library. You can see our class art for the show in the photos included with this letter. Students practiced different techniques with watercolor, including blending, dripping, splatter, fine patterns, and more. We also used acrylic paint and some marker.
We had to dry our paintings between each technique, and the whole process took two days. What did we use to do this? Our beautiful classroom at drying rack!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 7 other donors.Flex Seating Makes Students Calm
Funded Nov 29, 2022Thank you so much for helping our class get their beautiful and fun flexible seating. Our students love the seating options so much, that in order to keep peace and calm, we let students choose different seats every day. This way, everyone gets a chance to try them out.
In addition to the green floor seats that you helped fund, I brought in yoga mats, too. You can see them in the shared pictures. With so many seating options, students are happier than ever. Our classroom work production has increased! Every single student is on task and focused, more than I've ever seen. Readers workshop is quieter, and students are calm and able to focus on math, reading, and art.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
STEM Supplies For 1st Grade
Funded Oct 1, 2022The classroom math and science equipment is such a game changer in our classroom. The whiteboards are a staple for our small groups and centers, and the brain flakes and marble run and in high demand during free choice. The dice, paired with playing cards, make really fun free choice math practice.
We use so many of the items you provided for so many of our lessons it would be hard to list them all. Your materials have brightened up our classroom and made math time more exciting and fun.
Thank you again, from all of us in Room 4.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
Help Us Add Rats To Our Classroom!
Funded Sep 17, 2022The rats are a hit with the students! And not just our 1st grade class- often 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will come visit our classroom to say hi to the rats. Several parents have also come by to hold and play with the rats.
We decided on a schedule where three students per week are assigned as the zookeepers and are responsible for the socialization and upkeep of the rats (as well as our class fishtank).
One student has sewed several pillows for the rats, while another crocheted them a swing and a hammock. There is a story currently being written by several students about the rats going on adventures, and holding the rats is the part of the day that many students look forward to the most.
For the science fair coming up, our class will be doing a science project with the guiding question: What Kinds of Foods Do Rats Like Best? The students will be planning the process, documenting the data, and making conclusions. Everyone is very excited about it.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
Add a Color Printer To Our Class
Funded Aug 27, 2022I'm writing to thank you again for your support in getting our class a color printer. Though the printer is mainly used for instructional materials being used in class, we recently printed out a flier for a bake sale, drawn by one of our students. The student was thrilled to be able to put the hand drawn flier in everyone's class mailbox to be taken home.
Having a printer in the classroom has been wonderful for our math centers. We've been able to create materials to work with right then, so students can jump into the learning immediately. It's lowered the difficulty of preparing classroom materials substantially. From everyone here in Room 4, THANK YOU!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 7 other donors.Books About POC
Funded Jun 21, 2022Reading time in our classroom is an incredibly important time. First grade is when most students are introduced to reading independently. These new readers are excited about what books hold, how our society is portrayed, what other cultural groups look like, and what is similar and different between people.
Students at this age are internalizing what we consider to be our cultural norms. So when, during story time, they listen to a folk tale set in a non-US society, they hear and see what is considered beautiful and important to others, and grow to also feel that those things are beautiful and important. Most students in our class have a favorite book with a protagonist that is a different race from their own, thanks to the books you have provided.
Showing different kinds of communities with similar family values helps kids see that different looking people have more in common with each other than it may seem. My students are excited for story time, and and thrilled with all of the wonderful books you have helped provide to them.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Watkins
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 7 other donors.