Past projects 186
Fixing Beat-Up Books - The Green Way
Funded Nov 8, 2013We just tried cleaning some books using your baking soda and coconut oil. I was a little nervous. I wasn't sure how well the paste was going to work - or smell. The mixture works like magic. We tested it on a really yucky book and the mixture cleaned it good as new. It goes a long way, too. I can see we have several months' supply here. What really made an impression on the kids was the smell. The coconut oil smells delicious! The kids wanted to know if it was edible. Thanks for a really useful gift!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
This classroom project was brought to life by NEA Foundation and one other donor.American Chillers: Florida Fog Phantoms
Funded Nov 19, 2013It was the third grade Gifted (or Gifted-Shmifted, as I call them) class that really suggested this project, and the kids in that class have checked out all of the American Chillers books that I've put on the shelves. (Some of those kids are in the thank-you pictures posted a few days ago.) I have only put half the books out. I put out the books that we currently have Accelerated Reader quizzes for. Come February 1st, we're going to have 'AR' quizzes for ALL the American Chillers books, so that is when the other half of the series will go onto the shelves. (If I don't do that, kids will read the books in January and then get upset when they find that we don't have the quizzes yet.) The third grade Gifted-Shmifted, all girls by the way, are subjecting me to a charm offensive in the hope that I'll put out the second half of the series sooner. In the meantime, they are devouring the titles that they do have access to. They love the books. They find them funny, not scary, and they are especially taken by the kooky titles. It is good to see the children just read for FUN! Well done! You made this possible! I really appreciate all the support that you have given us this year. The library couldn't manage without folks like you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
This classroom project was brought to life by Elsa and David and one other donor.Guys Read!
Funded Oct 21, 2013Thanks for the books! The kids were familiar with them because they were featured in an author presentation a few weeks ago. Luckily, the presentation featured a poster for 'Boys Read', which we saved just in case we needed to use it again. It came in very handy, as you can see from the photos. We put the new 'Boys Read' books on a table in front of the poster... and they were all checked out the first day. I wish you could see the kids' faces when they come across new books. They are a picture! Many thanks again for your help!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
Tiny Projects: BIG Impact.
Funded Oct 1, 2013It was a very good idea to combine 4 mini-projects in one. Two elementary school teachers can now project documents, the middle-schoolers now know where to get their Community Service forms, the kids know which sections are 'Easy', 'Fiction' and 'Non-Fiction' - and checking books in and out has gotten much, much easier with the numeric key pad. The kids use the key pad before they are asked to. They treat it like a toy. It doesn't alleviate my job so much, because I can type and speak Spanish, but when my helpers need to check books out to Maria Josefina Gutierrez, for example, boy! that key pad makes their life easier. THANK YOU for always being there for us!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
How Do You Get 300 Grade-Schoolers To Read Voraciously?
Funded Oct 4, 2013THANK YOU for supporting the Accelerated Reader program! The program has really taken off this year. Want proof? The total number of AR points earned by students so far this year, from August through mid-October, is practically equal to the total number of points earned in the whole of the last academic year. (The kids are poised to smash last year's record tomorrow.) That's a tremendous improvement. And remember what those increased AR scores mean: THE BOOKS ARE FLYING OFF THE SHELVES! I think this is due to 2 factors: first, the AR celebrations at the beginning of each month, which have come to be known as 'Bookbangs'. At the last Bookbang, for example, we gave out free books, gift coupons, diplomas...and ice cream, of course. At the next Bookbang, we'll be going to Ancient Egypt. A lady from the local museum will come out to lead us in some Ancient Egyptian activities (I don't know how I'm going to work ice cream into all this, but I'm sure I will) which will culminate in some poor soul (no prizes for guessing who) being turned into a mummy, using rolls and rolls of toilet paper. Second, the great thing about AR is that ANYONE can be a winner. Prizes are not given to the kids who read most, but to the kids who show the most improvement. That's a great motivator for the children. I'm thrilled about the success of the AR program at our school, and you should be excited - and proud - too! You've really helped to get our kids reading! BRAVO!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
Smiles At Story Time
Funded Aug 20, 2013THANK YOU for this wonderful gift. Many of our youngsters aren't read to by their parents. Few go to the public library. When we share books with them in the school library, it's something really special. Let me tell you about a typical Story Time. The munchkins walk in file into the room, and leave their books at the circulation desk. Then they sit in the Story Time section: imagine two long, L-shaped bleachers in a corner of the library. Naturally, there is a tussle to see who sits on the top row, and who sits on the bottom. The prime spot on the bleachers = the crook of the L, on the top row. You have to be an important dude to sit there. However, the most prestigious spots of all aren't on the bleachers at all: they are the three bean bags, two red, one blue, on the floor. If the homeroom teacher is in a good mood, you get to sit there. If not, you are moved onto the bleachers, so it is a bit of a gamble trying for a bean bag, but glorious if the teacher doesn't move you off. We typically read two stories. I'm a great believer in audience participation, so the kids might be asked to provide sound effects (e.g. the various animal snores and yelps in 'The Napping House') or to mime the story (e.g. the bath-time antics in 'King Bidgood's in the Bathtub'). I don't sit down, because I walk slowly from one end of the kids' line to the other, showing them the pictures as I tell the story - plus you can't really act sitting down, can you? The children love story time. They always want to check out the books that we read. Thank you for giving us such a fun selection. Your gift has done a power of good!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
A Reason To Read
Funded Aug 30, 2013Thanks once again for the magazines! We've been using them extensively in class. I make up an exercise about a reading skill, and the kids do the exercise using the magazines. For example, they predict the content of articles based on headlines, they define words using context clues, they answer specific questions that I've made up about the various articles...anything to get them to read the magazine cover to cover. They read the magazines in rocking chairs. They read them on the sofa. They read them in the story area. They read, read, read. The magazines are so entertaining that the kids don't realize that they are studying. THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED! Thank you for helping with this project.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
Giving Library Volunteers A Well-Earned Break
Funded Sep 6, 2013I really can't think why I didn't think of this project before. The kids have to put hundreds of books back on the shelves every day. These carts really help them get organized (which, in turn, helps me a lot). The aides can understand the very simple system: we have one cart for Easy, one cart for Fiction, and one for Non-Fiction. And the kids find the carts very manageable. They check books in, fill up the carts, wheel them over to the shelves, then put the carts back behind the circulation desk, all without being prompted. The carts just seem to say "Use us!" Thanks for giving us such a great start to the new school year!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
Summer Romance
Funded Apr 10, 2013Thank you for keeping our teens supplied with novels! The 'summer romance' books were a hit. What I like most about the kind of books you've been getting, is that they appeal to kids who, before, didn't patronize the library very much. It is wonderful to see new faces here, before, during and after school. You've been fantastic supporters of the library this year. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Thanks for helping out the kids; thanks also for giving us teachers a much-needed morale-booster! It's great to have folks like you supporting our school.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson
Wanted: A Recycling Center For A School Of 900 Students
Funded Apr 17, 2013This morning, there was a 'graduation' ceremony in the school cafeteria for our fifth graders, attended by dozens of parents. Epiphany and Karina wore long dresses, and looked elegant beyond their years. Joseph, in collar and tie, looked quite the little man. The kids told everyone about the recycling center and about Donors Choose. Since the center arrived, knowing that we'd be using it in the 'graduation' ceremony, and wanting it to look pristine, we had kept it in the media center. (That didn't stop the media center patrons from using it though, nor should it have.) This afternoon, following the ceremony, my seventh-grade library helpers disassembled the center and took the pieces to the Principal's office. She showed the middle schoolers the spot that will be the recycling center's new, permanent home, outside, in the middle of our school campus. The kids reassembled the center and now, finally, all of our students can use it. So THANK YOU for helping our kids keep their school green; also, I'm indebted to you for boosting the confidence of Epiphany, Joseph and Karina no end. Now, they really know that, with a little determination, they can make a difference in this world. You have helped teach them an invaluable lesson.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Pearson