Ms. Raphael's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 6

• Noise Cancelling Headphones for Second Grade

  Funded Dec 31, 2024

  Our noise cancelling headphones have helped our classroom functioning immensely! Students use them often to complete work without being distracted by others. They've also been used for students who have sensitivities to noise be able to have a great time on field trips without worrying about the volume.

  Thank you to each donor who helped make this project possible. We appreciate your generosity so much! Our students also love knowing that strangers around the country care about them and their learning experience.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Raphael

• Technology Needs for Second Grade!

  Funded Nov 13, 2024

  Since receiving the materials from this project, our classroom has used both the laminator and the document camera on the daily. The document camera is essential, especially for our Reading, Research, and Writing curriculum. I use it to project books we don't have a class copy of, to model writing and penmanship for students, and to zoom in on details that can't be seen from far away. Our previous document camera was low quality and then broke altogether, and being without it for a few weeks proved how essential this piece of technology was to our classroom. Having a good quality document camera has been such a benefit to our students!

  Additionally, I frequently use a laminator to make student materials longer lasting. I laminate vocabulary cards, name tags for field trips, worksheets that students can write on and then reuse by wiping off the dry erase marker, and signs that remain posted in our classroom throughout the year. Again, having a functional laminator has made it easy to create these materials to be used in our classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Raphael

  This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon and one other donor.

• Adding (a) Color (Printer) to the School Year

  Funded Sep 27, 2024

  I am so grateful to have a color printer to use for school this year. Frequently, I've seen a learning material online that I want to replicate but can't without access to a color printer.

  Now, I have been able to print out anchor charts and vocabulary cards that help students remember key ideas in their learning. I have made a sound wall for students to help with their foundational literacy skills. Moreover, in a school where tens of teachers are trying to print and copy materials every day, it is amazing to be able to print on my own for things I need in a pinch.

  Thank you to everyone who donated to this project!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Raphael

  This classroom project was brought to life by United Airlines and 4 other donors.

• New Carpet for a New School Year!

  Funded Sep 5, 2024

  Every day students come in and start their day by sitting on the carpet for Morning Meeting. We great each other, go through the weather and the date, discuss how our weekends and evenings went, and complete a Social-Emotional Learning lesson. Still on the carpet, we transition to our literacy lessons. Throughout the day, students sit and learn on the carpet for math and writing time. To conclude the day, students sit on the carpet with take-home folders and backpacks to close out the current day and prepare for the next one. Because of all this, our classroom carpet sees a lot of wear and tear.

  Our previous carpet has seen spills from juice boxes and plants that students potted themselves, marks from dry erase markers and much more. It was time for a new carpet as we began this new school year.

  Our class is so grateful for a pristine carpet to ground us every day as we begin and finish our learning. It's comfortable to sit on, easy to organize seating charts around, and is made of calming colors that help students prepare their bodies and minds to learn. A carpet is the heart of our classroom, and we are glad our heart is in the best shape possible.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Raphael

• Help Our Class Get Chapter Books!

  Funded Jun 10, 2024

  Thank you so much for helping our class get our Chapter Book Library started with these texts! Last year, I introduced chapter book clubs for some of our more advanced readers, and students loved getting to read books and discuss them with peers, but we had a limited selection available at our school with enough copies for all kids. Hence, this project!

  Students are very excited about reading these new books, such as Frankie and Friends and the Magic Tree House graphic novel adaptation. With engaging characters, students are engrossed in the story and want to keep reading! Being able to read the same book as their friends offers them opportunities to share their opinions with others about the book, as well as practice writing about what they read, referencing specific actions and dialogue in the text to support what they write.

  Finally, students are loving seeing characters in stories that look like them. In a school that serves predominantly Black and Brown students, there are fewer options for books that students can read to find themselves in. Newer books that have come out offer this opportunity but bear the cost of purchasing these books. With this project, students are now able to connect deeper with what they read.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Raphael

• Headphones for Learners!

  Funded Aug 24, 2023

  Thank you so much for the gift of a class set of headphones. We use these headphones every day when students use tablets during parts of reading and math instruction to strengthen their skills. For example, students use a program called Playground that works on phonics skills, and the app dictates words for them to build. They each get their own words, and so they aren't distracted by what their neighbor is doing. It makes our classroom environment quiet and enables every student to focus on their own individual tasks.

  The headphones are easy to use and high quality, and it has been so helpful to give every student their own dedicated pair rather than sharing.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Raphael

  This classroom project was brought to life by United Airlines and 3 other donors.