Past projects 21
Super Scientists
Funded Aug 23, 2018This project has greatly impacted my classroom. My students are able to learn science through new avenues other than simply reading from a textbook. They are in love with their Daily Science Journals. They rush in each morning to begin reading and their article and completing the activities that go along with them! They are currently reading about plant structures, which will lead into us planting and growing their own vegetables in the school's community garden. The information presented in the Daily Science Journals lends itself to so many different hands on activities and options for my classroom. Earlier in the week I opened the science kits and showed my students what each one contained. They are definitely ready to begin exploring these new topics”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.3rd Grade at Sea
Funded Feb 4, 2015Thank you so much for your donations towards our trip to the Adventure Aquarium. My students were very excited when I announced that we would be going to the aquarium for our first class trip.
When we first arrived my students were able to experience a 4D movie, "The Great White Shark." They were able to feel vibrations in their seat and were also sprayed with water as if they were in the water right next to the sharks. Next, my students were able to touch sharks and starfish. Next we entered the stingray room just in time for their afternoon feeding! I was able to supply each student with a fish to feed the stingrays. My students were elated since they had never fed a stingray before.
Through this trip my students were able to experience something that many of them had never experienced. They were able to see aquatic animals up close and personal. It also helped them understand the importance of preserving aquatic life. They are now able to share this knowledge and understanding with others through their service learning projects.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
Rocking the Wiggles Away!
Funded Jan 10, 2015When the Hokki Stools first arrived my students couldn't wait to try them out! They were excited to see how they worked and ready to wiggle around on them. I distributed the stools to my most active students that have the tendency to squirm around during class. Since they have been using their stools I have seen a huge difference in their ability to focus on lessons and complete independent work. Since they are able to move around on their stools while focusing on the lesson they no longer play with items in their desk or perform other distracting behaviors.
I am very thankful that I was able to receive these Hokki Stools in order to improve my students' learning. I couldn't have done it without you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
This classroom project was brought to life by Disney and 7 other donors.Puppet Party
Funded Dec 18, 2014Thank you so much for your donation towards Puppet Party! My students were thrilled when the puppets and soft seats arrived in our classroom. We opened our boxes immediately. The students were able to hold the puppets while I explained how we would use them in our classroom.
My students now use the puppets and soft seats during centers/Guided Reading time. One of the centers they work in during this time is Reader's Theater. Reader's Theater involves the students reading scripts and then acting them out. My students now use the puppets to act out the scripts. I also use the puppets during my instruction. They are very helpful when I am teaching about character traits. I also use the dog, which my students have named Personification Puppy when I am teaching figurative language skills such as personification and alliteration.
As a result of being able to use puppets during Reader's Theater and in my instruction, my students have become much more engaged. They have truly made learning more fun for my students. Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
Math Matters
Funded Dec 10, 2014Thank you so much for your generosity! My students were very excited when their math centers arrived. They wanted to open them immediately in order to begin helping one another with math while using the centers.
My students use the math centers once a week to help reinforce skills that they have previously learned earlier in the school year. I place all of the centers in various places in the classroom and put the students in mixed ability groups of four. I then assign each group to a center. The students work in their first center for approximately twenty minutes before moving to the next center. They really enjoy center time.
The use of these math centers has helped boost my students' problem solving skills. Instead of them asking me for help when they arrive at a problem they now attempt to solve it first before looking to me for additional guidance.
Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
This classroom project was brought to life by Kia and 2 other donors.Writing the Days Away
Funded Aug 4, 2014Thank you for your generous donation! When my students first received their Daily Language Journals and their Correct the Sentence Daily Journal they were beyond excited. They asked if we could begin using them the first day we got them. My students have been very enthusiastic about their journals ever since.
In the morning when my students first come in to school they unpack their bags, eat their breakfast, and immediately begin working on their Daily Language Journal. By the time I am finished with attendance my students are patiently waiting for us to review the answers as a class. I display the page on the Smart Board and my students are able to come up to the board and fill in the answers. They really love when they are able to do this. At the start of each writing lesson we work in the Correct the Sentence Daily Journal. My students correct the sentences independently and then we review them as a class.
Since the start of using these journals I have seen great improvements in my students' writing. They pay more attention to vocabulary, grammar, and editing skills. My students are using the skills that we review in these journals in their writing. They are also able to help one another through peer editing since they have a better understanding of proofreading marks and how to use them.
Again, I would like to express my thanks on behalf of my students and myself.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
Flip into Learning
Funded Jul 11, 2014Thank you for your donation. When my students first received our flipchart stand, pocketcharts, and pointers my students were very excited. They wanted to begin using them right away. At that point I introduced them to the charts and the proper way to use them.
In my classroom, my students currently use the charts as a part of reading centers. While I am working with a guided reading group, a group of students are able to use the charts to help them with word families and blends. I was able to use the hamburger paragraph chart to demonstrate paragraph writing. This helped my students learn how to write beautiful paragraphs. I am also able to use the Venn diagram chart in order to help my students understand compare and contrast. They really enjoy the charts. In addition to the charts, my students love when I use the pointers during lessons. In math class I point to a problem on the board and my students respond in unison. The pointers also help me show my students posters and number lines that are posted too high for me to reach.
Again I would like to thank you for your donation. My students and myself greatly appreciate it.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
Super Science Kids!
Funded Aug 22, 2014When my students received our Super Science magazines they were very excited! They could not wait to open them and begin reading. The first edition really caught their attention. There was a koala on the front cover and kolas are one of the animals they were studying at that time. The koala drew them into the magazines and they haven't put them down since.
In my classroom we are using the Super Science magazines to enhance our science curriculum. We also use our magazines during reading as a nonfiction text. The teacher led activities are very helpful for my students. Each article in the magazine comes with a specific comprehension skill that can be taught using the articles. This has been very helpful in introducing these skills with passages my students find interesting. I can definitely see a blossom in my students' love of science as well as their reading comprehension.
Again, I would like to take the time to thank you for your generous donation.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 7 other donors.Horton Hears a Who's Listening Center
Funded Apr 3, 2014Thank your for helping my class with our listening center. My students greatly appreciate it. Since we have received our listening center and have started using it, I have seen a change in my students. They have become much more excited during center time during the guided reading block. One group is currently reading Shiloh and they are really enjoying it.
When we first received the new listening center I could tell they were going to enjoy it. They asked me if I could set it up immediately. After I set it up, I assigned each reading group a book at their reading level. This was very helpful since my students range from kindergarten through fourth grade reading levels. My highest levels are now reading chapter books. It is very helpful for all of my students since they are able to listen to and enjoy quality literature without the stress of having to decode the words on the page. It also helps them since they are able to hear a fluent reader, other than myself, reading to them.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
Printing Our Words on Paper
Funded Dec 20, 2013When our printer arrived in our classroom, my students were beyond excited. They could not wait to go to the computers and begin typing. They asked when I was going to set the printer up and how many computers they would be able to print from. They made comments such as, "Now we don't have to go to the library every time we want to print something. We can do it right from our classroom.
My students are currently using our printer to complete their fiction fair projects. They have several components that have to be typed and included on their tri-fold board. Since the majority of my students do not have a printer at home, they are able to complete and print portions of their projects during class time as well as recess. My students are also beginning a research project on a rainforest animal to coincide with their service learning project of adopting both an animal and an acre of a rainforest. They are now able to print their research opposed to handwriting it.
This project boosted my students' learning by allowing them to explore more things on the Internet and being able to print them out for things such as research. They are able to read the material much easier since it is now on paper and not on the computer screen. Also, since they are able to print it gives me more instructional time since the students do not have to handwrite their work and research.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Horton
This classroom project was brought to life by Disney and 3 other donors.