Past projects 6
Game Day!
Funded Aug 3, 2023I'm writing to extend my deepest gratitude for your recent donation of board games and card games to our classroom. We have incorporated these games into our curriculum in a powerful way. After the completion of each educational unit, we host a "Game Day." This is a day where learning continues, but in a more relaxed, low-stakes environment.
The impact of these Game Days has been incredible. They provide a much-needed break from the usual routine, and students enthusiastically engage with the games and each other. These games have also fostered community among our students. They work together, laugh together, and even help each other understand the rules of the games. It's wonderful to see them bond over shared experiences and friendly competition.
As an educator, I'm overjoyed to see the positive effects these game days have on my students. Not only are they learning and growing academically, but they're also developing important social skills and a sense of camaraderie.
Your generous donation has truly made a difference in our classroom. Thank you for investing in our students and supporting our mission to provide a well-rounded, engaging education for each and every one of them.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fobian
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.Students Building Community by Playing Games Together
Funded Aug 20, 2022Thank you so very much for your generous donations to our classroom. We have used the materials many times since we received them. We have a game day for each class once a month. The students love playing Uno, checkers and more with each other. When students come in to class on game day they are so excited. The funny thing is, when they play games they have to follow a set of rules, work together and hold each other accountable. This is an excellent way to learn teamwork and appropriate classroom behavior. Again, we are so very thankful for how the community continues to care for our kids in school.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fobian
Replenish the Classroom Library
Funded May 7, 2021Every advisory period my students get the opportunity to read some of the books that have been donated by you. The books we received have been greatly appreciated by many students. Many students request to borrow from the classroom library and take them home. My students light up when they read about people who look and have similar backgrounds as them. These books have had a tremendous impact in our class and will for years to come.
The school we are at is incredibly diverse and your donation helped to provide books that help students learn about history that includes them. The books also allow for students to lose themselves in the fiction that so many authors captivate us with.
The students and I are very grateful for your charitable donation. It is an amazing feeling to know that the community cares about our students and our schools.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fobian
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron and 2 other donors.Using Writing Tablets to Show Student Thinking
Funded Aug 13, 2019Thank you all very much for donating to this project. It feels amazing to know that organizations such as Donorschoose.org are consistently supporting teachers' fund projects to help foster the development of students. Without programs such as donorschoose.org, it would be difficult for me to secure these tools that make learning more efficient and fun for my students. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity both on behalf of myself and my students. Upon receipt of the tablets, I explained to my students that the community supported this project and they were quite thrilled. My students were excited about this new tool that they were being offered. They asked if they could immediately use the LCD tablets to see what they were all about. The first day we used them, I had the students just draw on them to become familiar with them. When they started to draw on the tablets, they experienced a creativity explosion. They drew all sorts of things that came to mind. I was amazed by the excitement the kids had while working with the tablets. The students were sad when we put them away. The primary reason I sought out these tablets was to capture discussion ideas and push the students to use a higher order of thinking. Last year we used dry erase sheets, but they were too messy which discouraged students from using them. The fun thing about these LCD tablets are that they erase with one click. We will be, and already have been, using the tablets often in class to get kids to put their ideas down to start conversations. So far, each time we have used the tablets the students have been more engaged with discussions and are better able to follow along with class activities. These tablets are a great way to get the students excited about the lesson for the day. Again, thank you all for donating to this project. These tablets will be fun to use in the classroom for years to come.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fobian
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 3 other donors.Non-Fiction Books to Connect the Past With the Present
Funded Aug 22, 2018I would like to thank you for your generosity and support of my classroom project. It feels wonderful to know that the outside community is focused on helping our students gain the resources necessary to become well-rounded individuals. The magic of reading has touched my student's lives this year and is a direct result of your kindness and generosity. Thank you on behalf of all my students who directly benefited from your gift. In my classroom this year, the focus has been on reading non-fiction books to create an interest in History. Additionally, students learned about topics that are beyond the subject area of my class. They expanded their knowledge on a wide variety of life experiences, growth that would not have been possible without this project.
Because of this project, our classroom has been the place for access to real-life history that connects to our students' lives. Each week we dedicated thirty minutes of time to reading the donated books. During reading time, students are fully engaged and often ask for additional time when the session ends. After each reading session, the class has the opportunity to share thoughts on their reading and lessons learned. Sharing out our reading has helped our classroom community grow closer and more knowledgeable.
Many students have asked to borrow certain books for extended periods of time to show family members and enjoy over and over again. It gives me great pleasure to know that my students are reading and learning about fantastic things that people like them have experienced. Because of your donation, my classes this year and classes for years to come will have access to non-fiction books that directly connect with them and are relevant to their everyday lives.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fobian
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and one other donor.Learning the Holocaust through Graphic Novels
Funded Oct 21, 2016My class and I would like to thank you for your generous donation of Maus I and Maus II book set, a graphic novel about the Holocaust. The students thoroughly enjoyed the book and often commented loving the format of the text. The graphic novel was an excellent idea to deliver content and keep the reader engaged. We read the majority of the text aloud (with emphasis) and learned many things together about the Holocaust through the stories of the main characters. We stopped after every chapter and reviewed the material and engaged in lively discussions. Again, thank you for your donation to our classroom. Students will continue to use these books for years to come.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Fobian