Past projects 63
We Value Music!
Funded Jun 30, 2020I want to thank you all for your generous support! The idea for this project came directly from students who care about their music program. All of these resources will go directly to students, especially those who are in need of strings and mouthpieces for their instruments. Sadly, due to the epidemic, I was unable to get photos of the students utilizing these resources. I will make sure that the resources are available to students on the materials distribution days so that students who need these materials will be able to access them.
Thank you so much for supporting music instruction and public education! We appreciate you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 10 other donors.I See Me and I See You: Exploring Diverse Experiences
Funded Oct 10, 2019Thank you so much! When my colleagues and I start to dream about creating a unit around literature that we don't have in our library, we reach out to our Donors Choose Friends. Once again, you all have answered our call! YOU are the best!
Gloria Ladson-Billings introduced the term "culturally responsive pedagogy" over 20 years ago. Our team strives to be culturally responsive by creating rigorous, standards based, trans-disciplinary units that offer windows and mirrors for our students and shines a light on social inequities and focuses on socially just action.
Our team is excited to create this unit with The Distance Between Us as the primary text. This young adult novel takes on topics such as family, immigration, poverty, and overcoming adversity. While reading, students have opportunities to share their own stories and build community as they grow as Language Artists. What's more, in addition to the ELA standards, we are integrating Teaching Tolerance's Social Justice Standards into this unit so that students can learn about Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action. We are really grateful to be able to engage students in this learning. Thank you, again, for making this experience possible!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and 4 other donors.We Are All Beautiful! People Come in Many Colors
Funded Apr 26, 2019This is among my top 5 favorite projects, and I am so grateful to you for making it possible! Using the "people color" crayons in conjunction with the Social Justice Standards from Teaching Tolerance, students are able to have more informed conversations about Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action. Thank you! They are able to re-imagine works of art and have informed conversations about race and white privilege. In our country right now, we are need of opportunities to learn how to have difficult conversations, to listen compassionately to each others' stories, and to celebrate diversity. These "people colors" serve as an opening for these experiences. Our classes appreciate you for providing these resources and helping create a classroom community in which ALL students feel safer, more valued, and more nurtured. Many, many, many thanks!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
Brown Girl Dreaming: Creating a More Inclusive Classroom Library
Funded Feb 28, 2019Our school community is fairly diverse, but our classroom library was not. We have great sets of books, but the majority of them have male protagonists and/or male authors. Your generous support has made it possible for us to make our collection more diverse and inclusive! The novel, Brown Girl Dreaming, celebrates the life of a young girl of color growing up in the 1960's and 70's. This novel personalizes history and allows for students to see the world through the eyes of another. It sets the stage for courageous conversations about history, race, and social justice. Thank you for making this project possible! Please know that you absolutely are making a difference in our classroom and community. Many, many, many thanks for generosity and kindness! We appreciate YOU!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 10 other donors.Social and Emotional Learning: Seeing Ourselves in Each Other
Funded Dec 26, 2018Thank you so much, DonorsChoose Friends, for funding this project! Students are currently reading Touching Spirit Bear, and the book is being shared among several teachers. While reading this novel, students are tracking the main character's feelings and needs and having discussions about the character's misguided rebellion against adults who are trying to help him. This book is really engaging, and it lends itself perfectly to social and emotional learning. Touching Spirit Bear is developmentally appropriate as students in middle school feel the tensions around being their best selves, going along with the crowd, and/or seeing what they can get away with. Students are seeing elements of their middle school selves as they read this novel, and they have opportunities to think deeply about their relationships and their own decision making processes. They also are examining Restorative Justice Approaches for dealing with harm done. Important learning is happening! Please know that this unit simply would not have been possible without you! Thank you so much for bringing these learning experiences to life!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 5 other donors.Dancing Our Culture - the Guys' Version
Funded Dec 30, 2017Thank you so much, June and anonymous Donors Choose Friend , for fully funding this project! Dancing is a really important part of our students middle schoolers' experience. They begin the unit shy and embarrassed to even hold hands, and by the end of the lessons, they are looking in each others' eyes, smiling at one another, and dancing beautifully together. Thank you for donating to this project that supports culture, art, and anti-bullying curriculum. You really are making a difference in our class, our school (your alma mater, June!), and our community. We appreciate all you do! Go Islanders!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
Set Up for Success
Funded Mar 31, 2018Michelle and Ed! You are so amazing! Thank you for caring about public school students and for supporting public education! The students at our school are bright, talented, and energetic! They are ready to learn...and they sometimes do not have the resources they need. For a variety of reasons such as living in poverty, going back and forth between parents' homes, and forgetting to grab their backpacks as they run to the bus, students sometimes do not arrive at school with basic supplies. Our middle school does its best to provide all of these resources, but sometimes it's a stretch. Your support makes it possible for me to leave our writing boxes full so that students don't have to ask for a pencil or pen; they can just pick one up as they walk in. The same is true for paper, highlighters, and glue sticks. Students do not have to be embarrassed if they don't have supplies; they simply get what they need. Your generous donation helps provide the materials that make it possible for students to feel safe, valued, and respected when they arrive to school. They know they will have the materials they need to be successful. Thank you so much! I am very grateful to you once again. You really make a difference in our students' lives!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
Teaching with Trauma in Mind
Funded Dec 3, 2017Our community has been through a lot in the last few months! As a school, we were greatly impacted by recent natural disasters, and in addition, many students are facing challenges in their homes. As a result, in our Math, English, and History classes, we have studied trauma and researched ways to cope and heal from trauma. The novel you purchased for us, A Monster Calls, is about a middle school boy whose Mum is terminally ill with cancer. In the story, the main character shows different ways, some healthy and some not, of dealing with stress and trauma. Ultimately, he finds that by speaking his truth he can begin the healing process. It is an amazing book, and it was the perfect launching point for many deep discussions about how we can deal with and heal from trauma.
Approximately 1/3 of the students have finished this book. They read it during our Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) period, and the LOVED it! In my classes there are 6 people who have parents who are in cancer treatment. We are all counting on much more favorable outcomes than in the story, and still, the students understood ad related to the frustrations faced by the protagonist. This truly was an important book for my classes to read, and I want to thank you so much for making this educational experience possible for them!
Thank you for being a Donors Choose friend! And thank you so much for supporting public education! The students are I are so thankful for your generous donation, and we want you to know that you are making a difference in our teaching and learning! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
This classroom project was brought to life by Born This Way Foundation and 5 other donors.Dancing Our Culture
Funded Nov 22, 2017Thank you very much for funding our project! We love the new dresses, and we feel more professional wearing these authentic dresses from Jalisco. We are so proud of the outfits!
Some of us have been dancing for a few years, but most of us haven't had that much experience. In March, we are going to start dancing every week. We are planning on dancing in our wonderful dresses at the elementary school carnival, the parent night, and the end of the year celebration. We are going to look beautiful!
This project helped us see that each region of Mexico really is different. Our teacher is from Guerrero, and we are learning many dances from several regions of Mexico. The dances are different in region, as are the costumes. It is so special to have the right outfits to match each of the dances. Thank you for buying them for us! Students are going to use them for many years to come!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
This classroom project was brought to life by Born This Way Foundation and one other donor.Snack Angels for Students
Funded Nov 1, 2017Thank you so much for donating all of these snacks! People are coming in everyday, and they asking for these tasty snacks! I ask them if they had lunch. The no-lunchers come first. Then I tell them that they can have a snack if they're hungry. I reason with people who have lunches to not take extra snacks, so that there will be enough for people who don't get lunch. So far, it is working out great! The students really love the drinks, the dried fruit, and the trail mix the best! The apple dried fruit is maybe the biggest hit! In my opinion, the Asian pear is the best!
Right now we have a lot of food available. We got a huge shipment of popcorn today. Everyone was super excited. This project has changed how some people think. I think they are more aware of how hungry they are. They know if they need a snack, we have some available.
I think many people are doing better in class because they are not hungry.
By doing this project, I have learned to be kind and understanding. I was kind before, but now I am more open to being patient with others. Ms. Lomax says, "Food is for sharing." I agree with this. I also learned how to write a grant. Our class will write grants for argumentative writing in the third quarter, and I already know how! By doing this grant, I have responsibility in the classroom because I have to keep all the snacks organized and the students in check so that no one takes too much at once. I also learned that there are nice people in the world who want to help our school. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lomax
This classroom project was brought to life by Life Essentials Supporters and one other donor.