Ms. Archer's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 9

• Yay to Learning With a Yoto!

  Funded Mar 26, 2025

  Wow, thank you!!! I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation to our classroom project. Your support makes such a meaningful difference in providing our students with the resources and opportunities they need to learn, grow, and succeed.

  Your contribution not only enhances the learning experience but also inspires our students to dream big and work hard.

  I truly appreciate your kindness and belief in the power of education. Thank you for making a lasting impact on our school community!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Archer

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 9 other donors.

• 1st Grade Activists!

  Funded Feb 26, 2021

  This diverse set of read-alouds has significantly benefitted my first-grade class in so many ways! Exposing my students to stories from various cultures has helped them understand and appreciate diversity, and foster empathy and respect for different backgrounds. The variety of texts has also introduced new vocabulary and language structures, enhancing the childrens' linguistic skills and comprehension. The diverse has themes kept students engaged and excited about reading, which hopefully leads to a lifelong love of literature! This is especially apparent when they are buddy reading and exploring the books together. The varied perspectives encourages students to think critically about characters, plots, and moral lessons, and develops their analytical skills.

  This book set has also bolstered the representation that my students see in the stories we read, which boosts their confidence and encourages personal connections to the material. Discussing the diverse stories helps foster conversations about feelings, relationships, and social issues, as well as helping students develop interpersonal skills. I have seen the student's compassion and confidence grow significantly since introducing this book set! Thank you so much for letting this experience become a reality!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Archer

  This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron and 5 other donors.

• Don't Get Mad, Learn to Add!

  Funded Sep 16, 2020

  My students LOVE the materials! They picked up all of their learning goodies during one of our school's distributions days. They immediately went home and opened everything, and couldn't believe what was in their bags!! They enjoyed the stickers, wristbands, and bookmarks, but they were most excited about the math and literacy materials. Their absolute favorites are the magnetic ten frames and Popcorn sight words.

  Every morning, my students bring the materials to our Zoom meeting. On math days, we all use the magnetic ten frames together. It has supported their math work immensely! They can physically add or subtract on the ten frame by pulling out or putting in the "counters". When we work on part/part/whole, they can flip the counters over to reveal a different color. This lets them understand that the two parts are separate and color coded. They even reach for the magnetic ten frame before I ask them too! When not using the ten frames, we use the number lines. Students take a counter or white erase marker and are able to use the number line for addition, subtraction, skip counting, etc.

  The Popcorn Pop sight word game is also very popular! The student play it independently, with their siblings, parents, or together in Zoom. This has supported their literacy skills, specifically with memorizing sight words. It also supports their reading and writing! The fun box makes it very appealing to use, and mobile! I've even seen some students take it on vacation.

  By donating to my project, ALL of my students were able to receive materials that support them during Distance Learning. This has created a fun and EQUITABLE learning environment for the children, and I couldn't be more grateful!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Archer

  This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and 5 other donors.

• Music Pulls at Our Heartstrings

  Funded Dec 22, 2018

  My students are LOVING the ukuleles! Now that every child has their own, they are able to fully participate in the lessons. They know how to properly hold the instrument, strum, pick, and even play three chords! After getting down the basics, they have begun songwriting - and oh my goodness has their learning taken off! They are able to take simple songs (some favorites are The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Row Row Row Your Boat, and Are You Sleeping) and replace the lyrics with content from what they have learned! They've created songs about maps and cultures (Social Studies), addition and subtraction (Math), and sun, stars, and planet rotation (Science). And that's just the beginning. The students are also working in groups to create and perform original songs. They are learning how to be a conductor, keep the beat, and control their rhythm (tricky skills in first grade!). The impact goes beyond just learning content - I have a student who has never uttered a word in school before sing in front of the class. Music has given her, as it has all of the children, the confidence to stand up and speak out.

  When the boxes first came, my students were beside themselves with joy! They were already amazed to hear about donors giving us money, but when they saw the instruments firsthand, they were incredulous. It all became real for them! Of course we had to take them out of the boxes right away. Each ukulele I pulled out received an "ooh", and an "ahh"! They just couldn't wait to play them. Each took one gingerly and has since been handling and playing them so carefully. The fact that they've been on the receiving end of a stranger's complete and total generosity has had a lasting impact on them.

  The next step is to write and perform our original songs in front of the school! We have just started our Healthy Me unit; learning about the human body. The content lends itself perfectly to songwriting. We've already had the parents come in to participate in the writing and singing process with their children! After our school performance, we will be performing at the local theater - a process that we've already started.

  We are so full of gratitude for your generosity. Please know that you have made a long lasting change in the student's learning. One that they will remember for years to come! From the bottom of our hearts - thank you!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Archer

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Arts Funder and 3 other donors.

• Forward Thinking With Flexible Seating

  Funded Oct 9, 2017

  We absolutely LOVE our new resources! My students were so excited to try out all of the new flexible seating arrangements. We've agreed that some areas are for "quiet work", and others are for group work. The students are more independent than ever, choosing the seating arrangements that allows them to do their best "first-grade work". They are able to self monitor their actions and decide what is best for them. Some students are creatures of habit, using the same flexible seating over and over again, and some are more exploratory and wanting to try out all of the options. The movement and flow of flexible seating has allowed them to do better critical thinking and school work in general.

  When the boxes were first delivered to the classroom, my students were ecstatic! They were completely blown away that somebody took the time and money to contribute to our room, without even knowing us. We talked about true acts of kindness! As I opened each box, the students were in awe and couldn't wait to use each new type of seat. The colors alone are so bright and appealing, and the furniture is very well made (which will last for years of students to come!). They couldn't wait to try out the new seats, but were very gracious and didn't fight over it at all! Now that they've had a chance to try out each new type of flexible seating, they are able to choose a spot that works well for them depending on the activity we are doing.

  Our next steps are to keep doing what we are doing! I never dreamed that flexible seating would have worked out so well in my classroom. I would like to incorporate more movement around the room, so I may spend some time rearranging the seating so that students always have some fresh areas they can go to. That way the areas don't get stale or boring. Some areas I will keep as is, so that the students who thrive on structure always have a dependable place to go. I can't wait to experiment the placements with the students, and let them dictate what they would like to do!

  We are so incredibly grateful for your generosity and giving us the opportunity to do something we'd otherwise not have access too. My students are happy and thriving, and they are doing wonderful work in preparation for second grade. We send a HUGE thank you!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Archer

• Fabulous Flexible Seating in the Classroom!

  Funded Oct 13, 2016

  Wow. What an amazing change in my classroom! Our new resources are AMAZING! We made some huge strides in the room - I've taken out most traditional desks and replaced them with the flexible seating options made possible by you. We have many stations where students can chose to do their work. The puff mats are located around a kidney table that I have lowered to the floor. The wiggle stools are a huge hit, and surround another table. And the literacy cube! It is the coolest thing I've ever seen. It's a soft, safe space where students not only go to for learning, but for calming down and recollecting themselves if need be. Because of your generosity, my students are making better choices and taking on learning independently.

  When my students first saw the materials they were dumbfounded! They thought the wiggle stools were broken because they moved around! They couldn't WAIT to try everything out and find the perfect space where they could do their "best first grade work". They were amazed that someone who doesn't even know us contributed money to support our learning. This has led to many discussions on generosity.

  The next steps are to take my project further and let the students design some seating areas. Flexible seating has empowered them so much, especially those children who are extra energetic! It's allowed them to calm down, recenter, and focus themselves, all within their own power. My students have made huge strides, thanks to your generosity. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Archer

• Classroom Library Chaos!

  Funded Apr 8, 2016

  We are LOVING our new bookboxes! It has made such a difference in our classroom, both functionally and ascetically. The genres are clearly labeled on both the front and the side of the boxes, which makes finding their favorite books so much easier! It is extremely easy to carry the books all around the classroom. Instead of boxes that are broken, pinch fingers or are overcrowded, we have beautiful boxes that are mobile, uniform, and pinch-free! They are also very sturdy and will last a long time. Now that our library is beautiful and organized, the students are much more motivated to keep it that way. We even have added "librarians" to our classroom job list so that we can ensure our reading nook stays all straightened up.

  My students were SHOCKED when they saw our new supplies! They were giggling and pointing as I unloaded the packages. And they were so excited to help set up the new library! They were also completely stunned when I explained that these new bookboxes came from donations from people we've never even met; others who want our classroom to thrive and be the best environment possible. This transitioned into a wonderful impromptu lesson on gratitude, integrity and selflessness.

  We have some big next steps coming up!! My next (ambitious) project is to reorganize the bookcases so that I can create reading nooks throughout the classroom (grouped by genre/author/reading levels, etc.). Now that every book is completely accessible, I'd like students to be able to take action by doing their own research. With Common Core and the NGSS science standards, teaching is becoming much more project based. Students are taking their learning into their own hands and are becoming more motivated to pursue their interests and take action outside of school. Our amazing classroom library is absolutely perfect to foster this.

  From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you SO much!!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Archer

• ELD Pocket Chart Stand

  Funded Dec 25, 2012

  Thanks to you, my students have a fun and interactive way to learn! We received our materials very soon after your generous donation and my class was so eager to open and use them. We had a great discussion about how the generosity of others can impact our lives in such a hugely positive way.

  We've used the chart stand to do so many things! We put up sentence frames to learn English and higher vocabulary during ELD (English Language Development). The students also love to organize the lines of poems and texts that we read (for lower students I cut up the text by sentences; for higher students I cut them up by individual words). Math sorts occupy one of the charts and my students sort fractions independently or with a buddy. I hang all of the learning tools in bags on the extra rings. That way students are able to choose which activity they would like to do.

  The chart stand is used during whole group lessons and subsequently students are able to use them on their own. Their self confidence has skyrocketed because they are owning their learning and able to demonstrate what they've comprehended (which is a great assessment tool for me!). Their favorite time to utilize it is during Centers - the children get so excited and I often hear shouts of joy coming from the corner! This is especially important for students who don't often feel like they are successful. It's amazing to see them so captivated and confident that they can perform on their own!

  You have brought much happiness and independence to my classroom. You have done much more than just give a donation - you have set my students up for success. I am humbled by your graciousness and am reminded of it daily when I see the chart stand. I am excited to use it for many years to come!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Archer