Past projects 11
Dreams Come True Between the Pages of a Book
Funded Oct 22, 2021Thank you do much for helping us get OVER 100 NEW BOOKS to our classroom library! The titles that we received are amazing, and students are already enjoying them.
There is something about a new book with crisp pages that attracts readers. It is evident our class is loving the experience of opening a brand new book. When it is silent reading time, students are waiting in line at the library to select a book. Many students have chosen to read the usual favorites like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, and others have chosen less well-known titles.
It is so important for students to experience good writing on a daily basis. With your generosity, our class is benefitting with each page read. The class and I thank you very much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
This classroom project was brought to life by Charles Schwab and 9 other donors.Take on Nonfiction and Current Events With Scholastic News.
Funded Aug 22, 2018We have been enjoying Scholastic News! It enables us to work on many fifth grade standards while learning about real world events.
Among the standards we have practiced while reading various issues of Scholastic News are finding the main idea, summarizing, comparing texts and situations, and evaluating and forming opinions. We don't just use Scholastic News for reading. We are able to work on writing and speaking and listening skills, as well.
One feature of every issue that the students love is the opinion page. This is where students get to read about a particular topic, then read others' opinions on the topic. We are able to use this feature to improve our writing of opinion pieces, and we can have healthy class discussions about the topic. Students practice communicating their ideas clearly while learning to respond respectfully to their classmates' points of view.
The students also love the content of the articles. Just recently, we have read articles about a one armed football player, eating bugs for nutrition, and the impact of recess on elementary school students' learning. We look forward to reading more as the year progresses.
Again, thank you so much! Your help has made all the difference.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 8 other donors.Help Keep Our Bodies Healthy and Our Pencils Sharp
Funded May 11, 2016Thank you so much for supporting our Donors Choose project. Although the sharpener and speaker came at the end of the year, we used them almost every day.
As you can see from the pictures, the speaker is perfect! It is both portable and powerful. We were able to enhance our experience at PE. We could use it as a direct part of the lesson or just as background music to keep us motivated as we exercised. We used it in the classroom for brain breaks and special events such as birthdays and classroom rewards. It is easy to use, and it made such a difference.
Our heavy duty pencil sharpener saved us time. It also saved us the headache and waste of pencils since it didn't chop up pencils the way cheaper and less reliable sharpeners did.
We are always grateful for our Donors Choose supporters. You are now part of the list of people who contribute to bettering our educational experience.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
Obsessed With Literature Circles!
Funded Mar 10, 2016Dear Donors,
Thank you so much for helping our class get sets of novels that we can use for Literature Circles. The students have loved participating in Literature Circles this year, and using this activity for our last days of language arts instruction is a great finish to the year. Because of your generosity, we were able to get a variety of books so students could choose which book to read.
While doing Literature Circles, we are able to work on Language Arts Standards that address inference, vocabulary in context, summarizing, and citing evidence. Moreover, we became very competent with the following Listening and Speaking Standards:
*I can come to discussions prepared to share my ideas because I have read or studied the required material.
*I can effectively participate in different types of discussions and with different people about 5th grade topics and texts.
*I can ask and answer questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and build upon others' ideas and remarks.
*I can build upon others' ideas and express my own ideas clearly.
*I can follow agreed upon rules for discussion.
As you can see, your donation gave us more than books. It gave us the opportunity to learn and practice many key skills in both language arts and listening and speaking. Thank you so much for your help!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
This classroom project was brought to life by #BestSchoolDay and 8 other donors.Positive Messages And Role Models Make For A Terrific Story
Funded Sep 2, 2015We just finished reading Bud, Not Buddy. Thank you so much for your donation that made this possible.
As we read Bud, Not Buddy, we focused on several fifth grade literature standards. We summarized, compared, used context clues, and found evidence to support a claim. All the while, we participated in Literature Circles in which we worked on speaking and listening standards. We had to come prepared to the discussion, participate fully, and respond to others' ideas using "Accountable Talk." There are six different Literature Circle jobs, and we were all able to do each job.
We could have covered these standards with another novel, but it was fun to use a novel that involves the journey of a boy our age. Although the story took place during the Great Depression, we found that Bud was a character we could truly relate to.
Thank you again for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
Take on Nonfiction and Current Events with Scholastic News
Funded Sep 10, 2015Thank you so much for donating to our project. We have been enjoying Scholastic News. It enables us to work on many fifth grade standards while learning about real world events.
Among the standards we have practiced while reading various issues of Scholastic News are finding the main idea, summarizing, comparing texts and situations, and evaluating and forming opinions. We don't just use Scholastic News for reading. We are able to work on writing and speaking and listening skills, as well. The students do not get tired of reading it because we do something new with it each time.
The students also love the content of the articles. Just recently, we have read articles about a disabled veteran who climbs mountains, a Flintstones theme park for sale, the Great Wall of China, and the Minecraft video game. We look forward to reading more as the year progresses.
Again, thank you so much! Your help has made all the difference.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
A Novel to Make an "Everlasting" Impression
Funded Mar 4, 2015Thank you so much for your generous donation to help us get a class set of Tuck Everlasting novels. The students were so excited to start a new novel, of course, but they felt so lucky to be the first ones to use the books! They kept commenting on how clean and crisp they were, and they loved that new book smell.
The students and I spent a month reading the novel. We read, discussed, and completed projects that demonstrated our understanding of the story elements, the characters, and the literary devices the author used. We were left with a huge portfolio full of activities to show how we've grown as readers throughout the process.
Since we read the book at the end of the year, we were able to use it to apply all we learned earlier in the year. Some Common Common Core Standards we were able to conquer were theme, compare/contrast, use evidence to support/evaluate an argument, importance of point of view to a story, and inference.
Without your support, the class would not have had access to a novel that many students are calling "my favorite book ever."”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
An Award Winning Story to Inspire Literature Lovers
Funded Sep 30, 2014Thank you so much for your generous donation. We were able to purchase an entire class set of The Sign of the Beaver. The students loved the novel! They really became invested in the story's characters and were eager to see the plot progress each day.
We were able to tackle several Common Core Standards as we read. We compared and contrasted characters and settings, formed opinions and used the text to support them, explored theme, and made inferences throughout the story. Speaking and Listening Standards were addressed through many class discussions and small group presentations. The relationship between the characters enriched our understanding of history concepts, as well!
The students were thrilled with the book, and by the time the last chapter was read, they were strides closer to mastering several Common Core Standards. Your kindness is appreciated by all!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
Extra! Extra! Help Us Read All About It!
Funded Mar 5, 2014Thank you so much for helping our class receive Scholastic News! The students were so excited to get it. Just having a piece of literature in front of them that addressed current events got their attention. It was the first time many of them read news article. Each article grabbed their attention. From sink holes to music programs to pollution in China to sibling athletes- each topic left them wanting more.
We read one article at a time. After each article, we used the resources included with the subscription to enhance our understanding. We focused on compare/contrast, citing evidence from the text, and persuasive writing. Also included were vocabulary exercises and quizzes. The students loved watching the videos that accompanied the content, and they even got to write opinions on whether or not they agreed with the point of view of an editorial piece.
I found the students to be extremely engaged during the reading and the follow-up activities. We are so thankful that your generosity enabled us to be exposed to information and curriculum we would not have been otherwise. We appreciate you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond
This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 12 other donors.An Award Winning Story of Bravery and Friendship
Funded Sep 4, 2013My students and I are so very thankful for your generous donation to our Donor's Choose project. With your help, we were able to get an entire class set of the "Number the Stars" novel. We are now finished with the book and produced some fantastic projects to show how well we understood and LOVED the story. Check out the pictures on the project web page!
Our unit gave students the opportunity to work on several comprehension skills. They completed reading logs that focused on skills and strategies such as character traits, summarizing, prediction, and setting . Reading logs also required students to apply and compare the novel to their own life and experiences. Other projects demonstrated strong understanding of plot elements and point of view. We even took the opportunity to explore the theme of oppression and researched types of oppression in today's world. All of us wrote, prepared, and gave an oral presentation on a type of oppression we felt needed awareness.
Throughout the novel, students commented on how much they enjoyed the book. They loved the mystery of it, and I could hear squeals of delight each time I asked them to take out the book and start reading. Because of you and your generosity, 32 students experienced how a wonderful story can inspire life-long readers.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bond