Past projects 42
Less Noise, More Focus, Infinite Possibilities
Funded Feb 4, 2019Watching the impact of these headphones has truly been magical. At first, every student needed headphones at all times. We struggled to figure out when we needed them most and how to use them to benefit our focus and learning. The transformation over the last couple of weeks has been incredible. Students know exactly when they can use the headphones during the day and where they are located. Without fail, multiple times a day, I will turn around while teaching and a student will be focused as can be on their work with a pair of headphones on. It has been extremely empowering for my students and really cool to watch as a teacher. This time of the year is when first graders really start to gain autonomy and control over their learning and I can definitely say that these headphones have helped that process. I'm so thrilled that such a simple idea could make such a large impact on our class and we are so grateful to all of you who have helped make this possible. Thank you for being part of our class journey.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
Diverse Picture Books to Empower Students
Funded Jan 30, 2019The last couple of weeks, my students have transformed into book worms and their excitement about reading and new books is unprecedented. When we got this book delivery the entire class was jumping for joy--their faces were truly priceless. We opened the books last period on Monday and spent a solid chunk of time doing read alouds and free reading everyday this week. The students are overjoyed by the diverse characters and fascinating topics and have really jumped into the books. We now have books with characters from different cultures, characters of all races, LGBTQ characters and characters that come from a variety of homes. We have read about a little girl with two mommies, a child who learns that no matter what he can achieve what he wants and a little boy who loves to wear dresses. Each character's story is important--just like the stories that my students bring into our classroom. It is so immensely important for students to see themselves in the books that they are reading and I feel like I have finally accomplished creating a library that more accurately depicts my beautiful students. These books have already allowed us to have hard but necessary conversations and I could not be any more grateful for them! Thank you so much for all being a part of our journey as readers.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
Basic Supplies for Great Learning
Funded Dec 11, 2018WOW--have these basic materials made an impact on our classroom! In December we studied a Swedish artist named Hilma Af Klint. After weeks of studying her art and then visiting an exhibit in NYC we were able to make our own art. The students used the beautiful packs of 64 crayons to create their own Hilma Af Klint paintings and they came out beautifully! This week we started a unit on the Civil Rights Movement and once again these materials made it all possible! After learning about activists we made posters to help make our school a better plan. We used some of our beautiful colored paper to make our posters and each poster is unique, thoughtful and empowering. I can not wait to put them up around our school!
Thank you so much for all of the materials for our classroom--they have been nothing but appreciated!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
This classroom project was brought to life by Someone Who Cares and 2 other donors.Writing the Right Way--Flair Pens in Hand
Funded Oct 24, 2018To say that our class LOVES the new pens might be an understatement. We have introduced the black and blue ballpoint and flair pens and they are making a difference in handwriting, editing and mistake catching! In handwriting, students are able to feel the pressure that they are applying on the pen and paper and can regulate how much they press down which allows their hands not to tire as fast and their handwriting to be more legible. In editing and mistake catching, using pens doesn't allow them to erase which means students can go back and edit their work. Seeing where you made a mistake is a great tool for growth as you can learn from the error and try to not make it again! This impact is seen both in writing and in math.
We were and still are super excited about our year-long supply of pens...now we just have to work on ensuring that we each have one pen and we don't misplace them! Thank you for being a part of our journey.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
Practicing In Primary Notebooks
Funded Sep 17, 2018These primary notebooks have been life changing for a lot of my students. Everyday, when we come back from lunch and recess the students have 10-15 minutes for quiet time. During this time students are allowed to write in their journals...and most of the class does! Every. Single. Day.
These journals have allowed them to practice not only writing but also drawing and letter formation. The journals have helped them gain confidence in their writing and a lot of my students are making leaps of progress because of them. We have given students a lot of freedom with the journals but I am excited to start giving them topics to write about in order to further their progress. These will help them excel in different styles of writing.
Thank you for helping my students find their inner writers!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
Growing Our Brain(STEM) Through Challenge Boxes
Funded Aug 26, 2018These STEM Challenge bins have been the absolute BEST! We use them everyday for the last 15 minutes and the students get a different bin everyday. We are currently in the exploring stage--students are allowed to create anything that they want with the materials but we encourage them to build structures (3D rather than flat on the table). We give them different ideas of what they can make but they are not following a plan. Within the next couple of weeks we will be introducing the challenge cards (I can't wait!). With these challenge cards students will have to build specific monuments, animals, objects, etc. either by themselves or with a friend at their table. These bins have allowed my students to grow academically and socially. We are learning to think creatively and critically all while learning how to share, use eye contact and communicate--how much better could it get?
Thank you all for joining in on our STEM journey. It has been a blast so far and its only the beginning!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
This classroom project was brought to life by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and 2 other donors.Transformative Books for Growing Minds
Funded Aug 18, 2018Thank you so much for helping us get these books on our shelves. We have been reading them since the day they arrived and they have been used not only in our classroom but also a few others in our elementary school. We started the school year off with "All Are Welcome", a picture book about how no matter where you are from, what you eat at lunch or what you like to do, each and every student is welcomed in our classroom. We talked about welcoming others and embracing our differences and then we started our monthly self-portrait project. The self-portraits are in the entrance of our classroom and the students love it! This book was very influential during our first couple weeks of school and we all loved it.
We have read many of the other books but still have a few left... and I am so excited to find the perfect time to read them! Thank you for being a part of our journey!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
Book Clubs: Communication, Comprehension and Collaboration
Funded Aug 22, 2018Reading is off to a great start--our reading stamina is increasing by the day, we are learning how to work through tough words, we are getting used to taking a sneak peak and making predictions about the book and we are becoming experts at finding our 'just right' books. These books are already a big hit and we are only a couple of weeks in. The different sets are being used by both first grade classrooms for any students that are ready for book clubs! Soon, they will be sent home with each child in the book club. They will be asked to read a chapter and then reflect on what they read. When they come back to reading the next day, they will meet with their book club and discuss what they read. They will further their comprehension by answering questions and then making connections to the text.
These books will also be used as read-alouds and I can't wait to dive into them with the whole class!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 13 other donors.Down To The Basics
Funded Jul 22, 2018Our new class of first graders have been loving these materials! These basic materials are used all day long in a variety of ways and they have truly impacted how our classroom is run. The study carrels are being used when students feel like they do not want to be distracted, when it is important that they keep their eyes on their own paper or simply to just feel like they have their own desk area. The white magazine files are being used in two HUGE ways in our classroom. They have helped us organize our library into different categories so that all of our high interest and topic books can be easily accessed and organized by the students. The students have learned how to match the label on the back of each book to their corresponding bin and are gaining so much independence. The other magazine files are being used to hold each students personal items as we no longer have desks in the classroom! The bins have bee organized in 4 color groups and are working beautifully! All around, between these materials, the dry erase markers, plastic bins and writing center, this projects' materials have been used on a daily basis and are helping us all out.
We are so grateful for all of you and your willingness to help out with our classroom. We hope we can make you as proud as you have made us happy!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
Benches, Lap Desks, Stools... Choice!
Funded Aug 16, 2018I truly have no idea how to thank y'all for the materials from this project--our classroom has transformed! We have been able to add the benches around our two rug areas and they are used for so many different purposes. Each bench has two compartments and is used as storage. One holds our STEM Challenge Bins, one holds our choice time activities, one holds our science and non-fiction books and the other holds our clipboards and whiteboards. We have put cushions on them and students can sit on them both when we are sitting in whole group instruction or when we are working independently. They are so versatile and have made our classroom run much more smoothly!
Our 5 beautiful stools and lap desks are also being used regularly in our classroom. The lap desks are a huge hit--and although they might have taken us a little practice, we are quickly becoming experts on how to use them effectively! I love watching our students grow and learn how to make the best choices for themselves. I can't wait to see how else these materials help us flourish as a class!
Thank you for being a part of our journey.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Angelique
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 3 other donors.