Past projects 5
Beautiful Butterfly Garden
Funded Jun 6, 2024Thank you so much for the very generous donation. My students are going to be so excited. Gardening is a passion of mine and I know this is going to be so much fun. It will help beautify the school, bring in the butterflies, and give the children hands-on educational experiences. We can’t wait! I appreciate your support in educating the children in meaningful ways!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cheryl Sato
This classroom project was brought to life by Newman's Own Foundation and one other donor.Calming Area
Funded Feb 14, 2023My students and I loved our Calming Area. This grant is one of my favorite additions to our classroom. It was such a bright and pleasant area of our classroom. The cozy atmosphere made me happy every time I walked in my classroom. I know the children must have felt the same. Every child wanted to use the materials and just be in the area. It was such a wonderful addition to our classroom environment.
I was able to teach the children how to use the materials. The pictures, resources, and materials were able to help the children learn more about the emotions and feelings. These resources helped them understand their feelings and gave them a safe place to visit when they were feeling a bit overwhelmed or having a "big emotion". Students were able to ask to go to the Calming Area when they were having a hard time with their friends. I noticed that when children were having a hard time sharing materials and when activities didn't go the way they wanted, they were able to use the Calming Area as an option to help them calm down. Children would look at the emotion mirrors, some would use the emotion bottles, and some would tinker with some of the building materials. They would naturally calm down and would be able to return to our current class activity.
This area also became a place for me and the children to have discussions. I could have a quiet moment to help a child and the class understood. Children quickly understood that this area was used for a short time and it was very effective in giving children a quick break from something that was bothering them. It was definitely our little happy place.
Thank you so much for providing this opportunity for our class! We really appreciate your support in creating such a positive area in our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cheryl Sato
Our Kinder Garden
Funded Apr 29, 2022Thank you so much for supporting our classroom in learning about a plants life cycle and the needs of plants. Your donation brings in the hands on learning experiences that help children really understand what is happening.
Each student will get to take care of a seed and watch it grow. They will also take part in taking care of it. They will learn first hand what conditions help the plants grow.
We have started learning about the needs of plants and animals. The children are so excited about starting this experience upon the return from Spring Break. This is always a favorite activity and the children love participating. We will also grow other seeds in our classroom garden. It will make our school look beautiful. We are very fortunate to have a garden space right outside our classroom. I can't wait for all the seeds to grow. I know our garden will look amazing!
Thank you so much for your generous donations! You made this experience possible. We really appreciate your thoughtfulness!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cheryl Sato
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose community & an Anonymous Partner and 5 other donors.Fun Flexible Seating
Funded Jun 23, 2022Thank you so much for your very generous donations to our Flexible Seating resources! Everyone, even teachers, love using the items!!! Students greatly love using the chairs when they visit our classroom library. It makes it so comfortable to read books. I actually feel like it helps promote reading. I can see how the children are happy and calm when they use the chairs. I also enjoy seeing the children share their seat with a friend. They look so comfortable!
The children also really enjoy using the wooden lap desks. They feel special when they use them. They are definitely being put to good use! They have so many functions throughout the week. Children use them as they are reading in the library, it's an easy set-up area for one-on-one help, an extra table for teacher or student use, and students can request to use it as needed.
These resources are definitely one of the most special things that I love about my classroom. We all want to be comfortable and these resources help! I can't wait to get more! I am forever thankful for your help in getting our room started with flexible, cozy areas to work! Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cheryl Sato
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose community & an Anonymous Partner and 7 other donors.Making Words is Fun!
Funded Apr 6, 2022We want to thank you so much for your generous donations to fund our Making Words project. My kindergarten students were so excited to see and use the materials. We really appreciate your kindness and generosity.
The individual sets of letter tiles allows each child to manipulate and play with letters and its sounds. I believe this type of hands-on activity really helps the children learn. There are so many different activities that we can use with them. I love to have them play a game where they try to make as many words as they can with a certain set of letters. The ultimate goal is for them to use all the letters to figure out the "mystery word". This is a fun and challenging activity that we play towards the end of the year.
Another activity that we use at the beginning of the year is letter recognition and letter sound identification. We are now using the letters to make simple words. The children enjoy using the tiles and get excited when I mention it is time to take out the tiles. The magnetic letters are very useful when I am teaching these activities in the whole group. This donation is making a difference in our classroom! Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Cheryl Sato